I am loving Laura Peck’s recent blog post; it was just what I needed to read today.

The world is my field of practice and my warrior inner strength will not come from resisting my fears or walling myself off from those who are different. The very situations that incite discomfort in me can be a teacher.

For me, this means that all annoyances great and small provide an opportunity to practice “leaning in” instead of looking for ways to escape my discomfort. As Pema Chödrön says in her book Living Beautifully:

The propensity to feel sorry for ourselves, the propensity to be jealous, the propensity to get angry—our habitual, all-too-familiar emotional responses are like seeds that we just keep watering and nurturing. But every time we pause and stay present with the underlying energy, we stop reinforcing these propensities and begin to open ourselves to refreshingly new possibilities.

In her post, Laura makes reference to two of my favorite spiritual teachers, Pema Chödrön and Rev. angel Kyodo williams. She shares a link to a podcast with Rev. Kyodo williams who says something that touches my heart with some much-needed hope:

There is something dying in our society, in our culture, and there’s something dying in us individually. And what is dying, I think, is the willingness to be in denial. And that is extraordinary. It’s always been happening, and when it happens in enough of us, in a short enough period of time at the same time, then you have a tipping point, and the culture begins to shift. And then, what I feel like people are at now is, “No, no, bring it on. I have to face it — we have to face it.

So often staying present with strong emotions feels impossible, but I know that doing so gives me the chance to cultivate unconditional friendliness toward myself and others. Right now, with all that is going on around us, there are some circumstances where I am practicing like a mofo to allow that unconditional friendliness to take the place of resentment, anger, frustration, and sadness. I know some of you feel me.

The urge to slip into the avoidance habit is so strong, but I continue to work at identifying my habitual story lines, taking a pause, and not looking for distractions or a way out. When I don’t know what to do or say in certain situations I pause, sit with whatever is coming up for me, and then I respond with as much compassion as I can muster. Sometimes I need to pause for a really long time, tho. Just sayin’.

Art by Nikolay Todorov founder of Moon Ape Store

When I am struggling to stay open to the present moment (which is, like, all the time), I look to the wisdom of Pema Chödrön, angel Kyodo williams, Thich Nhat Hanh, and other wise Unicorns to guide me.

If you are interested in reading more about transforming the way you view challenges in your life, check out these links:

Subscribe to Laura Peck’s newsletter

The Best of Pema Chödrön: Life, Quotes, and Books

Angel Kyodo Williams’ website

Check out Rev Kyodo williams’ book radical dharma: talking race love and liberation By angel Kyodo williams, Jasmine Syedullah and Rod Owen

Dharma Talks and Questions & Answers with Thich Nhat Hanh

The Sacred Pause

How do we stay compassionate when it feels like so much harm is being caused to vulnerable people?

May the suffering of our times awaken our deepest understanding and compassion;
and may we respond in a way that serves healing and freedom.​