Go to the Silence, Change the World
In the wake of a contentious election, there is need for rest and centering. Enjoy Pace e Bene friend Piero Falci’s encouragement for meditation below — and join our colleague Veronica Pelicaric for her next 6-week Meditation Course for Nonviolent Living beginning on November 11.
“Here’s an ancient truth about being human: we cannot give gifts to others that we are unable to give to ourselves! That’s why inner work done well is never selfish. Ultimately, it will benefit other people.”
~ Parker Palmer
Sometimes we feel weak, without the strength necessary to face the challenges life presents to us. That’s a time when it’s wise to seek refuge and go to a sheltered and protected place. Meditation can take us there. But going there all the time to hide from the vicissitudes of life and avoid facing the problems is not wise.
Observe in your own self the movement of opening and closing, of going and returning. Imagine a well-protected and safe harbor where your boat is securely anchored in tranquil waters. You are invited, when you feel strong enough, to go out in the ocean to explore. But if the conditions get too adverse, if the waves get too big and the wind too strong, it makes sense to return to the secluded harbor, drop the anchor, and rest there to regain strength in the quietness and stillness. Wisdom is to know when we are strong enough to open up and engage with life’s challenges, and when we are too weak and should close down and retreat. Opening and closing. Going and returning. Paraphrasing the ‘Serenity Prayer,’ perhaps one could say:
“May we have the serenity to accept those times when we are too weak to deal with life’s challenges, the courage to engage with them when we are strong, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Practicing meditation is like returning to a safe refuge where we center ourselves, regain balance and strength, and cultivate love and serenity. It is from this place of peace that we then come out into the world to distribute, compassionately and generously, the calming gifts that we have gathered.
Many people say that meditation is a form of escapism, of ignoring the injustices. I say to the detractors of mindfulness,
“One thing does not exclude the other. Practice meditation and actively work for social justice, and see what happens. Go to the silence and be surprised by the changes in the ways you see and behave. As you engage in introspection, contemplation, and investigation, you grow in equanimity, stability, and wisdom which will shield you from the frustration, anger, depression, and burnout, there are so prevalent among activists.
Knowing that the most effective initiatives of nonviolent resistance to injustice — the ones that brought about lasting social change — were inspired and carried out by those who had deep disciplines of introspection and inner work, choose to be like those who have used the formula effectively. Be like the Buddha, Jesus, Thoreau, Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King, Jr., Peace Pilgrim, Mother Teresa, Thich Nhat Hanh, and so many others. Go to the silence, know yourself, and then come out to calmly work to make the world a better place.”
I always bring to mind that we, the practitioners of mindfulness and of other forms of silent introspection, are bringers of peace and sanity during moments of turmoil, and that’s why the practice is so important. Again, as I constantly repeat,
“Our practice is not selfish; we don’t practice for ourselves alone. Our practice benefits the entire world. Our formal meditation practice and our commitment to living mindfully is a powerful form of service to others.”
I tell my students, as an encouragement, and inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, that…
“In a boat full of fearful and agitated people, one sane, calm, and steady-minded person can find the way through the fog and the storm, through the winds and the waves, through the dark of the night, and sail the boat to a safe harbor, saving not only his or her life, but also the lives of everyone else in that boat.”
Practice mindfulness. The world desperately needs more steady-minded individuals.
Piero Falci teaches Mindfulness Meditation and Mindful Living and the acclaimed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. He leads Insight Meditation Silent Retreats and organizes Silent Peace Walks. Piero is an educator who believes that the inner work that leads to personal awakening and transformation is indispensable to create a wholesome world. He is a promoter of peace who believes in advancing the idea that Heaven is here if we want it to be. "A Better Life in a Better World: Can Mindfulness Save Us from Ourselves?" is his latest book. For more information, visit his website www.pierofalci.com