![]() Have you considered how what you're viewing and listening to is impacting your inner and outer world? It doesn't take long to identify those ingesting one particular news outlet. Rather than creative conversation, the topics brought up are a repetition of the latest headlines and talking points (complete with the most recent insults). Rather than a wellspring of dialogue possibilities, it's more of a sinkhole--conversation erodes then collapses. Seeing the impact of incessant intake of news during this politically charged season is easy, but what about the other channels and sites? What about Hallmark, for instance? Sometimes a lovely surface is hiding a soon-to-be sinkhole. Now before you roll your eyes, let me explain. In the past year I started noticing my chronic dissatisfaction. Nothing and no one was living up to expectations. And guess what? I realized that the Hallmark Now channel that we had a subscription for was a primary trigger! Every time I watched a movie or binged on a series, my idealism would be inflamed. Seeing those perfect little towns with their perfect flowers, lawns, and people would stir my own compulsive drive for perfection. Each show would begin a subconscious comparison of my life to the idealized Hallmark version and my house and spouse always came up short. One day my daughter and I were watching a show when she said, "I can hardly watch this stuff anymore. It's supposed to be set in the old West and yet everyone is wearing makeup and their clothes never have any dirt on them! It's not real." She was right. It was not real. And it was tempting me to strive for something other than life. Real life comes from accepting reality as it is (and the people found there), mess and all. So I canceled it. And much to my surprise, the chronic dissatisfaction dissipated! It has brought much relief to my inner world (and to my family!). Who knew that a channel that seems so innocent and warm-hearted, would turn out to cause so much inner and outer distress?! What are you watching and listening to? Be curious. How is it really impacting you? How might it be influencing the way you view those around you? Is it time to change the channel, click out, or cancel the subscription? I told a friend the other day that as more political signs go up around me, the angrier I become. Most assuredly I wouldn’t be as angry if they aligned with my own ideology…how telling! My reaction reminds me of the immense draw to live on the level of agreement. Do I agree or disagree? If the latter, criticism comes quickly followed by detaching from the author, politician, doctor, Facebook friend, family member, neighbor…write them off…case closed, act as if everything is fine. But this kind of dissociation never works for me in the long run. It's not case closed. Pretending, ignoring, and stuffing feelings ultimately turns into back pain and headaches which is not loving myself (which then leads to the inability to truly love my neighbor). See last week's post for more on loving oneself. The growing rift, polarization, and lack of neighborliness leads me to ask, “Who is my neighbor?” I can’t help but think of Jesus’ parable of an enemy coming to one’s rescue in a time of need (see The Good Samaritan). Or his words in the famous Sermon on the Mount, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…" Matthew 5: 43-44 Ugh. How do you actually do this? Realizing that we see our own reflection in the faces of others—both the shadow and the light—can add to the pressure. The shadow within is hard enough to face, it can be twice as hard when I see it in the face of others (if I’m even willing to admit I do)! Who wants to admit that the narcissism detested in someone else can be a mirror reflecting the narcissism residing within one's self? Note: This doesn’t excuse or downplay the narcissistic actions by the other. When Jesus boldly expanded on his Jewish lineage saying that not only are our neighbors those who belong to our family/group and those on the margins of our family/group, but so are our enemies, it must have stunned his audience. Even though it was consistent with his teachings about the Kingdom of God and his prayer that life on earth reflect life in heaven, we sadistically like the idea of some people not being included. But the love of God includes everyone. Jesus reminds his listeners, right after telling them to love their enemies, that God sends rain for those who do right and those who do wrong. And like the moon reflects the sun, we're to reflect God. So how do we integrate the shadow and light of others, especially that of our enemies? And why should we even try? When it comes to why, enemy-hating takes up a lot of space in our inner world. It crowds out what is life-giving. Jesus knew the fruit that hate bears. It depletes our inner energy and resources, crippling our ability to live a life of Love within and without. “Hatred destroys finally the core of the life of the hater…hatred tends to dry up the springs of creative thought in the life of the hater, so that his resourcefulness becomes completely focused on the negative aspects of his environment.” Whoever we hate holds power over us. When we release the hate, we release their power over us, and free up that energy to love. Hatred, like love, may start out small (one act or one person), but it quickly overflows into everything and everyone.
So again, what are we to do? How can we begin to release criticism, anger, and hate? Since curiosity is helping me release the anger and criticism toward myself, I’ve been experimenting with curiosity in the shift toward loving my neighbor/enemy. What might happen if I chose curiosity over criticism with my "neighbor"? Another political sign went up, this time with a flag on the porch of someone I’ve never met. Going past their residence, I looked at the signage and their house with curiosity:
After a few wonderings & questions (without providing hypothetical answers!), I found my face softening and a willingness to actually have a real conversation rather than a hardening and hiding in my anger. Honestly, I was surprised. I experimented with a friend when the conversation turned to politics and we wanted to criticize a group of people. When we shifted to curiosity, the critique faded. Surprise again! The most recent opportunity happened when someone disagreed with my schooling choice for my kids. I asked some questions instead of focusing on defending myself. They began asking questions. We left the conversation still having differing opinions, but smiling and looking forward to future conversations. Curiosity may be the spiritual practice for this season. May it be a step on the path of peace, a way of wisdom, a beginning in embodying the love of God, especially toward all of those putting up political signs! ![]() Finding yourself triggered more than usual with thoughts and feelings of rage, resentment, and judgment? I know I am. And it's not just toward others (we'll focus on that next week)! What are we to do with inner voices of critique and judgment, chronic dissatisfaction and frustration? How do we not let ourselves be beat up by them? Is there another way? Jesus once summed up the entire Scriptures by saying, “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-38) “Loving your neighbor as yourself” is to “loving the Lord your God,” as the moon is to the sun. The former reflects the latter. Like the line from his prayer to the Father, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,“ Jesus teaches and prays for wholeness—inner and outer continuity, authenticity, alignment. Oneness with God, self, and neighbor. “Loving yourself” is inextricably linked to “loving your neighbor.” Think of those best friends necklaces with two halves, both are needed to make the heart whole. So let's begin with our part--ourselves. Tell me, how are you loving yourself these days? How would you characterize your inner conversations? Are they best friends necklace worthy? Is your inner landscape characterized by harmony and peace? What/who is your inner world reflecting? Given I resonate with a One on the Enneagram, inner critique and compulsive improvement of myself (& others) along with their counterparts of rage and resentment are easily accessible. They are often lurking, looking to supplant the inner voice of Love. When that happens, I cannot relax so compulsive doing is often the result (and a red flag). Recently, someone brought up a class series I taught a while ago and said that what continues to stick with her most was how I started every class with the invitation to be curious. I usually write these three phrases at the top of the dry erase board or handout: “Be curious. Be compassionate. Be aware” Given the subject matter is designed to go deeper, I know most classes will challenge our surface-level survival self (our ego). In response, people can expect to experience resistance (and all manner of feelings). That's not bad. There's wisdom in the resistance if we look. Given what we're presented with on a daily basis right now, there's plenty of subject matter to challenge our survival selves, isn't there?! At any moment, fear may be triggered, or anxiety, anger, resentment, rage, envy, sadness, guilt, shame, even numbness and avoidance. Instead of harmonious, our inner world begins to look like a daily war zone where there isn't the space or ability to give and receive love since it's all about surviving the day. What can bring peace to the inner chaos? Certainly not more "shoulds"! Fortunately, God offers us paths of peace. One that I've found is choosing curiosity over critique. It almost immediately relaxes inner tension, opening me to the inner voice of Love. Remember, it was Moses’ curiosity that caused him to stop what he was doing and take a closer look at the burning bush. From inside the fire, the Voice of Love spoke to him. Try it. Be curious.
Once becoming aware of the tone, physical sensations, and triggers, then the next time you experience them, rather than continuing down the path of self-condemnation which can lead to inward or outward lashing out, pause. Turn your compassionate gaze toward that inner burning (or numbness) and be curious:
Let's play with this concept of curiosity with ourselves. Next week we'll consider curiosity with others. Recently my daughter started fencing. It's been the perfect socially-distanced sport...masked, gloved, and if you come within 6 feet, you get stabbed! Still in her uniform after practice one day, she put on her helmet, pulled out her épée, and walked outside as I sat on the porch. She began practicing her stance. Noticing it had changed since June, I asked her what she had been doing differently. "Well, my coach said I would get tired if I was constantly holding my left arm up in a flexed position and he pointed out how I kept rising into the stance. He told me to relax my arm and settle into the stance instead." Then off-the-cuff she added, "So don't rise to the challenge, Mom, relax into it!" Rather than "en garde," it caught me "off guard"! "Don't rise to the challenge, relax into it!" Her words and the image they created have been in my mind ever since. Why? Well how often have you heard or been taught to "rise to the challenge"?! And are you, too, worn out from all the rising? So let "en garde" be a reminder. Be ready for action by relaxing into your stance. Paradoxically, this allows one to better (and more naturally) be in position to meet the challenge, whether it's with épée in hand or not. How might you "relax into rather than rise to the challenge" today? |
AuthorKasey is a scarf, ball and club juggling spiritual director just outside of Nashville, TN. Play helps her Type-A, Enneagram 1 personality relax, creating space for poetry and other words to emerge. She also likes playing with theological ideas like perichoresis, and all the ways we're invited into this Triune dance. Archives
January 2024
Categories
All
|