In some ways, it is easier for us to try to address the violence outside of us than face the violence within us. I know that I will quickly jump on the bandwagon of supporting the monks in Burma, or seek to stop the homicides occuring in Oakland but it is much harder to take time to reflect on how I act violently towards myself. I consider myself to be a confident, psychologically and spiritually healthy individual. Even so, I know that not a day passes that I do not think about myself negatively, or get frustrated at myself for being in some way “inadequate”. I sometimes compare myself to others, trying to convince myself that I am better than another individual. I especially get agitated when I don’t feel like I am doing enough, a feeling I have frequently even though everyone I know tells me that I seem to be extremely busy. If I do something incorrectly or forget something, I get mad at myself.

I wonder, if each of us were to spend one day being especially aware of our thoughts about ourselves, how many violent thoughts about ourselves would we count each day? I am willing to bet that we all have numerous such thoughts on a daily basis. I think this is something we should all try to be more aware of. How can we address violence in the world around us if we don’t face the violence that we do to ourselves?