To Those Who Would Have Us Fail

There was an interesting quote by Senator Jim Demint (R-S.C.), wherein he said, "If we're able to stop Obama on this [Health Care Reform], it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Is Jim Demint (R-S.C.) and others like him insane? Create a catastrophic situation in a power grab to wound the President of the United Sates, hoping for personal gain, while forcing millions of Americans to continue without health care? How hateful do you have to be, to cause harm to so many people, when so many suffer without adequate health care? He's so very sick and what's worth is that he gave voice to a state of being in our society euphemistically called, "haters."

Sadly he's not he only person that I've seen hope that someone fail in the pursuit of a goal. There are a few people that I know which are like that. Their sentiment can be a cause of frustration, disappointment, leaving me feeling perplexed and very powerless at moments, because it's as though they find happiness in seeing people fall and fail, almost like it validates them.

In the face of such thinking and being, what can we do against forces that don't have our best interest in mind? How is it that we can harmonize? I have some ideas about that.

The first is that, I know someone who travels to the "British West Indies," several times of year. He once told me "It's really trippy when I'm there, because for the most part, everything is no problem. Kindness, happiness and smiles are everywhere. There's not the animosity that easily appears [elsewhere]. Just being there for that is an amazing experience." And I think, if not there, why not here? Why not at this very moment?

The second is in something called, "Bodhisattva Vow." There's set of lines that says:

"If by an chance he should turn against us,
And become a sworn enemy, and abuse and persecute us, we should
Bow down with humble words, in reverent belief
That he is the merciful avatar of Buddha.."

This isn't saying as some might think, be a martyr. What is says to me is, even though people may do negative, cruel and things which are self-serving, remember that on the most basic level, if we see past the distraction, there's a Buddha there. Like me that had a mother, father, maybe brother or sister. We have been like them, they have been like us. There has at one time been a moment of non-separation, a moment of "No problem."

If we work with our mind and diligently practice Zen (translation: to unify the Mind), then even when people pray, hope and work for our failure, we can still maintain a connection to our Center (Buddha nature). I easily admit that I struggle with this at times. It ain't easy! But then again, no one ever promised me that it would be. My awareness reminds me that it's a process and not an event. I'm reminded that I can take certain "Steps," and apply "Spiritual principles" to weather the storm and dissolve it within the practice of Zen.

We may get blown off course by people who would have us fail. Despite this fact, when we regain our Mindfulness... our harmony we can come back to our path and continue onward. As my mom likes to say, "Don't let you hold YOU down, feeling sorry for Yourself or circumstances."

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO