The murders in Charleston last week coupled with the carnage committed elsewhere in this country and around the globe, are repugnant as killings and as instruments of racism. They are so aversive to my values and beliefs they leave me grappling with how to respond. I offer three thoughts.
The first is to share my unrest and invite your perspectives. How are you confronting these realities? What are your reflections, suggestions and actions?
Next, I seek to understand. If my head holds reasons why, my heart will more likely tap its courage for action. I believe that fear is the opposite of love. In order to alleviate our fears, most of us tend to affiliate with the familiar – faces, places, values and beliefs. Bolstered by our cohorts WE tend to define THEY as different and potentially threatening; we put THEM in the boxes of OTHER, where it is easier for us to control, manipulate, win, vilify or destroy. Our current politics and social media provide a mirror.
Another lens for understanding is our history and the values of those who settled this continent. Vestiges of their religious views, white patriarchy and slavery-based commerce persist today. A still larger lens would be to view our values and actions in relation to the survival of the planet.
Lastly, I am one individual with limited time. How do these events refocus me on my soul’s journey? Buddhism teaches that one root of suffering is aversion. Luke reminds Christians that the kingdom of God is a destination within each of us (17:21). Exploring those things that are most aversive may help my heart discover a new depth of love within and the courage to shine its brightness into the darkness without.
sacredlead 
Thank you, Bob. The Buddhist teaching you speak of is from the “5 Poisons,” which are actually quite similar to the 5 Kleshas In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. As in Buddhism, Patanjali tells us there are 5 afflictions that distort our minds: 1) Avidya (ignorance), 2) Asmita (identification with our ego instead of our true Self), 3) Raga (attachment to things that satisfy us),4) Dvesha (aversion to things that repulse us), and (5) Abhinivesha, (clinging to life–aversion to death). So in yoga philosophy, the first affliction, ignorance, is the root of all the others–and we fear what we do not know, or what we THINK is not US. So I appreciate your reminder, Bob, that the opposite of fear is love. If only we could love all people regardless of color, creed, economic status, or whatever… then love would conquer this fear that separates people into little boxes marked “Raga” (the things we desire and want to have or be near) and “Dvesha,” those things that we turn our eyes and hearts away from, or worse, scorn to the point of wishing harm). In the end, Abhinivesha, our fear of death, is the knot in the root. We don’t want to die, to give up, give away, or diminish our egoic selves in any way, so we hold on even tighter–to our fears, to our ideas of who we think we are, to our stuff, to this life. We should all ask ourselves what we are afraid of and write it down on a piece of paper–I’m going to do this today–then it’s right there in black and white, no longer a mystery. And I bet it’s a longer list than I think! I love that Luke reminds us that kingdom of God is within each one of us–the gates to Heaven are right here–we just have to open up our hearts and choose love.
Katie – Thanks for taking us deeper into the five afflictions. The description of Dvesha you give captures my state of aversion: “those things that we turn our eyes and hearts away from…” While my head knows many of the origins of our collective hatred, racism, injustice, violence, patriarchy, domination, exploitation, etc., my heart is repelled and wants to turn away in disgust, disbelief and/or denial. I am also aware that I (we?) often project on to others those personal aspects of which I am most guilty and critical. Faith includes facing those aversions in order to diffuse their power, uncover their truths and release their hold on me. I celebrate and am grateful for your calling to bring the light of yoga, spiritual instruction and music to all of us in your circles. Bob
Good blog Bob. I especially appreciate the reminder to lean-in to that which I find most objectionable and to view those events as teachers.
Thanks, Jim. Good reminder about facing into uncertainty and challenge for the teaching moment.