Index by Topic

Goslings underfoot - B. King

Click on a number to go to that post:

Powerlessness (Step One) - 1 & 2

Surrender (Step Two) - 1 & 2

Choices (Step Three) - 1 & 2

Inventory (Step Four) - 1 & 2

Honesty (Step Five) - 1 & 2

Intentions (Step Six) - 1 & 2

Hindrances (Step Seven) - 1 & 2 

Willingness (Step Eight) - 1 & 2 

Amends (Step Nine) - 1 & 2

Commitment (Step Ten) - 1 & 2

Prayer and Meditation (Step Eleven) - 1 & 2

Service (Step Twelve) - 1 & 2

Principles:

13) Discernment - 1 & 2

14) Trustworthiness - 1 & 2

15) Compassion and Kindness - 1 & 2

16) Generosity - 1 & 2

17) Humility - 1 & 2

18) Forgiveness - 1 & 2

19) Gratitude - 1 & 2

20) Courage - 1 & 2

21) Faith - 1 & 2

22) Simplicity - 1 & 2

23) Mindfulness - 1 & 2

24) Open-mindedness - 1 & 2

25) Patience - 1 & 2

26) Contentment - 1 & 2

27) Tolerance - 1 & 2

28) Detachment - 1 & 2

29) Acceptance - 1 & 2

30) Equanimity - 1 & 2

Finding Refuge

Satellite image of Hurricane Rita - NOAA

          Before the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, people noticed elephants fleeing to higher ground. Do animals have a sixth sense about natural disasters that cause them to instinctively seek refuge? Scientists speculate the answer is likely that animals can simply use their keen senses more efficiently than humans. Infrasound waves that are too low for people to hear can be picked up by animals. They can also feel the subtle primary wave that occurs before the much larger (and easily felt) secondary wave in earthquakes. Sharks, being highly attuned to changes in air and hydrostatic pressure, have been observed swimming to deeper waters in other areas before a hurricane arrives. In Italy, stress at fault lines caused positive charges that triggered chemical changes in groundwater. Toads suddenly left a breeding pond days before a major earthquake there. Animals are in tune with their environment and pay close attention to what is happening in it, which allows them to find safety when possible.

          Humans can cultivate attention, understanding, and perspective in order to find their own refuge. This sanctuary space is known as equanimity, the ability to stay fully engaged with whatever is happening without getting caught up and thrown off balance. Buddhist psychology distinguishes between feelings and emotions. Primary feelings are a gut-level reaction to what we encounter: pleasant, neutral or painful. A feeling leads to an automatic emotional reaction, a natural part of our biological design. Yet we aren't simply passive recipients of our experience - we shape it with our thoughts. Mindfulness allows us to stay present with our feelings and with what is unfolding instead of getting lost in our stories. Without the filter of how we think things should be, we see with clarity what is happening. Rather than being tossed about in the waves of longing, we move to deeper waters and out of our habitual conditioning. Meditation can train us in awareness and attention, and acceptance can help us understand what we can and can't control. Then equanimity can provide us with the space to see from a larger perspective so that we can respond with wisdom and compassion.

For more information on equanimity, see this post.

Tenderly Holding What Is

Baboon and bush baby -photo by Khalil Senosi

          In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami, a baby hippo was rescued that had been washed out to sea and separated from its family. Taken to the Kenyan sanctuary at Haller Park, 'Owen' became attached to 'Mzee,' a giant tortoise that resided there. The unusual friendship lasted several years until Owen was ready to be introduced to and socialized with other hippos. In 2011, the Nairobi Animal Orphanage took in an orphaned, three-month-old bush baby. To the surprise of the wildlife wardens, a rescued yellow baboon quickly adopted 'Gakii.' Their relationship was even more unlikely since bush babies are nocturnal and yellow baboons are active during the day. These animals found themselves in less than ideal circumstances without a parent or social group to bond with. The need for companionship required them to accept and connect with an animal much different than normally expected.

          Like the orphaned animals, at times we must deal with unexpected and unwanted circumstances. Acceptance - the willingness to let go of our emotional resistance in order to acknowledge reality - can be of great benefit. Trying not to see the truth (which may include positively reframing it) keeps us in a state of denial. Tara Brach writes that genuine acceptance includes both seeing clearly and holding our experience with compassion. Mindfulness allows us to observe what we refused to look at before. Tenderness permits us to gently hold what we observe without pushing it away. Practicing with small situations can prepare us for accepting more difficult ones. Such acceptance frees previously engaged emotional energy that can be channeled into action or adaptation. 

For more information on acceptance, see this post.

Untangling Emotions

Prairie dog pups - photo by Thibaud Despres

          Animal behaviorist Jennifer Verdolin found that animals have challenges with their offspring just as humans do. For instance, when young prairie dogs begin the weaning process, they can react with impressively dramatic temper tantrums. They throw themselves to the ground, scream, and cry like many two-year-old human kids. Verdolin believes these outbursts are simply a form of manipulation to get the parent to relent. Yet she noticed that most adult animals simply ignored the meltdowns of their little ones. Aggressive, physical discipline was rare and context specific, used only to protect the youngster from imminent, serious harm.
          Unlike animal parents, many humans find it difficult not to get drawn into emotional drama. We fall under the delusion that our involvement means we are being helpful. Buddhist psychology has a concept known as 'near enemies' - habits that closely resemble positive virtues but are actually quite harmful. The near enemy of loving-kindness is attachment; it appears in the form of insecure clinging and the desire to control. The near enemy of compassion is self-absorbed grief; rather than taking any beneficial action, one becomes submerged in the other's feelings. Detachment allows us to recognize when these near enemies are operating in our lives and assess what motivates them. It helps us step back from a situation in order to clarify which of our actions are constructive and which are unhealthy reactions. Detachment teaches us to keep our heart open while not depriving another of learning to live responsibly.

For more information on detachment, see this post.