Very much like this essay and the uncomfortable truths it asks us to face. In Buddhism there is a belief in karma or more explicitly stated, cause and effect. Things we do, society does, our ancestors did, all have effects., all have consequences. None are free from this. But none have clean hands either. All have been Invaders in their time, all have been subjugated peoples in their time.
There is a character in Buddhist mythology of a serial murderer, a brutal man who slayed people indiscriminately and collected their ears. Under the influence of the Dharma he became a gentle man, repenting of his history, and one of the greatest disciples of Shakyamuni. So it is believed no matter how dark ones history if one faces it and repents it, good triumphs over ill, the world is healed.
Oh Michael, this is such a beautiful companion piece to this essay. I hope readers find it and embrace its spiritual messages of redemption no matter how dark one's history.
This is interesting, Kathleen. I particularly enjoyed this sentence: “But I believe that we also need to look into ourselves, into our psyches, for there is a deeper story to be unearthed before we can make real progress towards righting our relationship to the planet and to each other.” This has definitely been a practice that I’ve neglected over the years, but need to get back to. Something about forgetting that there is a rootedness in ourselves that makes everything around us suffer. Thank you for sharing this piece, Kathleen-
I appreciate the ways many of our most appreciated ancestors grew in wisdom, often from hot blooded unquestioning followers of what seems the "Doctrine of Discovery" as I initially understand it, to awakening to the reality of the consequences, and eventually becoming some of the greatest reformers. In my view, they can have a bit stronger impact for having seen the failures of portions of society that refuse to see the real impact of their ways of trying to dominate as much as they can of parts of the earth and its people.
My wife and I just watched the Ken Burns film "The American Buffalo" and portions of the related Interviews and Behind the Scenes videos like the UNum Chat, "A Bittersweet Moment."
They find a full spectrum of knowledgeable people on a subject a much wider story can be based on by their team of science and social "explainers," to reflect a much truer (and useful),
Your curiosity, determination to keep learning ,growing, working for change is an inspiration to this “senior,” who will be. Demonstrating outside the iconic Hotel Del Coronado this afternoon. See my friend Brad Willis’ Substack video(s) on Awaken Church, a cult that espouses hate and violence, has vowed to “take over Coronado” and evict nonbelievers. Last year they nearly took over the school board. It’s scary.
Very much like this essay and the uncomfortable truths it asks us to face. In Buddhism there is a belief in karma or more explicitly stated, cause and effect. Things we do, society does, our ancestors did, all have effects., all have consequences. None are free from this. But none have clean hands either. All have been Invaders in their time, all have been subjugated peoples in their time.
There is a character in Buddhist mythology of a serial murderer, a brutal man who slayed people indiscriminately and collected their ears. Under the influence of the Dharma he became a gentle man, repenting of his history, and one of the greatest disciples of Shakyamuni. So it is believed no matter how dark ones history if one faces it and repents it, good triumphs over ill, the world is healed.
This is to me the the lesson of your essay.
I forgot to mention that the killer's name was Angulimāla and it was fingers not ears he collected. An old man's failing memory.
Your memory is phenomenal, Michael!!
Oh Michael, this is such a beautiful companion piece to this essay. I hope readers find it and embrace its spiritual messages of redemption no matter how dark one's history.
This is interesting, Kathleen. I particularly enjoyed this sentence: “But I believe that we also need to look into ourselves, into our psyches, for there is a deeper story to be unearthed before we can make real progress towards righting our relationship to the planet and to each other.” This has definitely been a practice that I’ve neglected over the years, but need to get back to. Something about forgetting that there is a rootedness in ourselves that makes everything around us suffer. Thank you for sharing this piece, Kathleen-
Uncomfort is hard; but that's what we need to make change. Thanks!
I appreciate the ways many of our most appreciated ancestors grew in wisdom, often from hot blooded unquestioning followers of what seems the "Doctrine of Discovery" as I initially understand it, to awakening to the reality of the consequences, and eventually becoming some of the greatest reformers. In my view, they can have a bit stronger impact for having seen the failures of portions of society that refuse to see the real impact of their ways of trying to dominate as much as they can of parts of the earth and its people.
My wife and I just watched the Ken Burns film "The American Buffalo" and portions of the related Interviews and Behind the Scenes videos like the UNum Chat, "A Bittersweet Moment."
There are some shorter segments than that 31 minute video with Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan, Julie Dunfey, and some of the other collaborators/consulting producers like Julianna Brannum, described at https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-buffalo/about-the-filmmakers
They find a full spectrum of knowledgeable people on a subject a much wider story can be based on by their team of science and social "explainers," to reflect a much truer (and useful),
history than the accumulated myths.
Your curiosity, determination to keep learning ,growing, working for change is an inspiration to this “senior,” who will be. Demonstrating outside the iconic Hotel Del Coronado this afternoon. See my friend Brad Willis’ Substack video(s) on Awaken Church, a cult that espouses hate and violence, has vowed to “take over Coronado” and evict nonbelievers. Last year they nearly took over the school board. It’s scary.
Such important questions, Kathleen! Thank you! ❤️