Coming Together in Difficult Times: 5 Ways to Connect

Recent events in Syria, Paris, Lebanon, Mali, the U.S and other places around the globe have been heartbreaking to witness. Equally disheartening is the resultant wave of fear, anger and Islamaphobia that these events have unleashed around the globe.

While fear and anger are understandable in situations like these, history has proven over and over again that allowing these emotions to dictate our responses greatly increases the potential for future pain and destruction. Because of this, I believe that the best way to respond to such tragic events is by actively engaging in activities to transform the potential seeds of fear, hatred and xenophobia that exist within us all into a deeper sense of compassion, solidarity and human connection.

The following metaphor bears relevance to our current situation, so I thought that I'd share it with you here:

Once, a great sage named Dharmaraksita retired to a jungle in order to pursue meditation without distraction. While living there, Dharmaraksita was surrounded by all of the fierce creatures that you might suspect to find in such a place: wild tigers, insects, snakes, and even a beautifully plumed flock of peacocks all made their homes alongside the sage.

While living in the jungle, Dharmaraksita observed the behaviors of these wild animals and was impressed by the antics of the peacocks in particular. Surprisingly, the peacocks seemed to prefer a diet of poisonous snakes to a less risky diet of plants and insects. Rather than flee in fear of the venomous reptiles, the peacocks regularly chased them around the jungle before capturing and devouring them.

Whether by nature or by training, the peacocks were amazingly skilled in their work. Somehow, they were able to avoid being bitten by the snakes and remained completely unaffected by the poison that they had consumed. In fact, they seemed to thrive on their toxic diet! Because of this, Dharmaraksita surmised that the peacocks had developed the ability to transmute the poison into the most vibrant and beautiful tail-feathers in the world.

For me, this metaphor serves as a powerful reflection on the potential for positive transformation in the midst of poisonous experiences. Without skill and mindfulness, threatening emotional experiences and other attacks can destroy us. However, if we know how to face, assimilate and work with these powerful poisons, the poisons themselves can be used as a catalyst for transformation and healing.

As we move into the holiday season and new year, I'd like to suggest that we put this story into practice. Rather than giving in to fear, anger and hatred, I propose that we step up our efforts to cultivate good things within ourselves by doing everything in our power to reinforce basic goodness, solidarity and harmony within our families, communities and society as a whole.

Here are a few simple healing activities that you might consider engaging in:

1. Every day, do your best to improve the world by performing simple activities based in kindness and compassion for loved ones, rivals, and perfect strangers. Do everything possible to spread light and goodness without discrimination.

2. When you encounter someone who is different from you, broaden your view by focusing on your similarities rather than on your differences. Find and foster these connections to our shared humanness.

3. If you meditate, devote extra time to your practice and send out positive energy during this challenging time. (I've posted a short practice video along with this article for those of you who like to be guided through the practice.)

4. Spend extra time with those who help you feel a sense of love, connection and kinship.

5. At the end of every day, mentally dedicate any positive energy to everyone experiencing pain and suffering, and pray or imagine them receiving happiness and healing.

Heal and connect with the following guided meditation: