Any Buddhists Here?

[Mike03]

This is so strange, because I posted this exact same question when the Iraq war broke out. How do you cope with "anger". Is it all right to feel hatred for people who start wars? I still feel that hatred, these many years later, for this administration.

Just curious about how folks cope with those strong emotions.

[alarcojon]

1. I conside myself a Buddhist/Atheist

but dammed if I know how to control my anger with these fuckups.

[Mike03]

2. Thanks

I appreciate all answers from everyone at this point.

[caty]

3. I have been a Buddhist for

most of my life. No, it is not right to feel hatred for anyone. You can hate what they do or what they stand for. But compassion is what you should feel for misguided people. Love is for people--not things. Hate is for things--not people.
There is injustice in the world and when you hate you are adding to it. Hatred is an emotion that can do more harm to the person who feels it than to the person it is directed to. Those you speak of who started this war will be tarnished for the rest of their lives. Everything good that comes along will be overshadowed by the lives that have been ruined and lost. Their punishment will be internal and eternal.

"When death, pain, and destruction are visited upon what you hold to be most sacred, the spiritual price is devasting. What hurts more than one's own suffering is bearing witness to the suffering of others. The regret of seeing human beings at their worst and the sheer pain of not being able to help victims can never be redeemed. The stakes of war are not merely one's life, but one's very humanity". Tao

I cope by finding balance in my life. I try to find joy, comfort, and peace in the way I live my life and by associating with like minded people--my friends. It is normal to feel depressed in these times. But, you can't let it consume you. You will be of no value to yourself, your family, your friends, or the world if you do. Make peace with the fact that you had nothing to do with this war and that, in your own way, you are working to make this world a better and more peaceful place.

[Mike03]

4. thank you

what you wrote made me cry--I'm so confused, but I know you are right. thank you

[caty]

6. "A devastating rejection

is often the only path to a better life. Endings can be beginnings." Buddha

As liberals, we sometimes feel that our values, ideals, and hopes for a better world have been rejected because of the government and the opinions we hear on the news. But the tide always turns. Everyday more and more Republicans are becoming disillusioned. The evil that they have set forth is getting even to them. You have taken a good step by coming to DU--associating with people who think as you do. Everyday there are new members to DU. We can find strength in this. And it proves to us that we are not alone in our beliefs.

[alarcojon]

9. Thank you for your words

I wanted to say something like this but was not able to. Your advice about finding balance in your life is right on.

[Shine]

15. Nice post, caty.

:thumbsup:

I agree with it all.

Namaste,
Shine

[caty]

17. >>>

:pals:

[atomic-fly]

20. Nice view on things.

[democracyindanger]

5. Bring it to the Path.

But I'm pretty bad at following my own advice. Sometimes, you gotta vent.

[Metta]

7. Here's how I figure it.

The idea is not to do away with our anger, not have not have it but to let it inform us of how we prefer to live our lives in the world. As you know, sometimes the information comes right out. Other times, I find that gently holding it lets it unfold with insight. Anger can be a great reflection or projection of what's really bothering us or of what we really want. We certainly connect with each other when we're angry.

In addition what helps me is turning to what feeds me and turning away from what doesn't which I'm becoming more cosistent with. Being adventurous and being comfortable with making mistakes helps. Doing what I need to do to live an altruistic life, keep a proper diet, get enough rest and hydration and regularly exercise and meditate. I speak to this on the first page of my meditation web site, www.shambhudance.com. Heart meditations are very helpful since they refocus and rebalance, raising our frequency above the fray and attracting beings and circumstances with higher frequencies to us. I have more about this on page two of my site.

I think staying politically informed is important in these volatile and weighty times though staying in balance with events and going things with heart and grace can be a real challenge and are good tests of one's mettle. Having a good suport group no matter how small is very important in lightening one's load and regaining one's perspective.

[Telly Savalas]

8. Try the book Anger by Thich Nhat Hanh

[Shine]

16. I absolutely LOVE that man! As you can see by my sig line...

He is a wise, wise being.


I also recommend, "No Death, No Fear" by him, too.

[Thtwudbeme]

10. Which Buddhist school of philosophy are you studying?

As far as anger is concerned, it's normal. Why are you trying to supress a normal human emotion?

I am a religion major...right now I have a particular interest in Mandalas and Mantras as they relate to coversion from other religions, and very early (150 CE) Mahayana philosphy.

I do not practice-

Stephanie

[crispini]

11. Yes, Buddhist here.

All emotions have a "positive" side and a "negative" side. If you allow your anger and hatred to control and consume you -- if you lose site of the essential Buddha nature of the people in this administration -- that's a bad thing. But if you are able to channel this anger into energy, use it to make something, and fuel yourself -- that's a good thing.

[Blue_Tires]

12. good question

I've been in the process of changing over to Buddhism the past couple of years, and I've wondered the same thing---it's difficult for me to reconcile strong feelings of anger and peace

[enigmatic]

13. Mahayana Buddhist here

For about 15 years..

[Hand]

14. Yes--Vajrayana buddhist.

From my point of view, anger does arise, along with sadness, joy, and everything else. I know for sure that I do feel anger toward Chimpy for his brutality, his stupidity, his casual sadism, and for all the suffering and death he has caused. I feel sadness and sympathy for those who have suffered so terribly in Iraq, in the Gulf Coast, in Pakistan, in Darfur--hell, everywhere all the time.

I cannot pretend not to experience anger, even hatred, toward this regime and toward many others--the Sudanese governing clique, the capitalist gangsters, the Serbian thugs. That anger, that hatred, can be transmuted through the practice of meditation, which can show us the transparency of mental activity and also empower us to work with its energy for the benefit of others.

Make sense? It doesn't always work, especially not for me, but that's my own shortcoming. I do know with confidence that my root guru could do it with extraordinary skilfullness. I remember him talking about his anger toward Mao Zedong for the subjugation and occupation of Tibet. "And so I came to the West and taught the dharma; that's how I fought him. I wish he was here to see how I'm fighting him! Unfortunately, the poor chap is dead..." Then he laughed loud and long.

:hi:

[flvegan]

18. I'd rephrase your question for your answer

At least, in my opinion.

You said:
"Is it all right to feel hatred for people who start wars? I still feel that hatred, these many years later, for this administration."

I think what you mean is this:
Is it all right to feel hatred for the events and actions, and the death and destruction of people who start wars? I still feel that hatred for these things, these many years later, for the actions of this administration.

The Dhammapada reads in part, "Hatreds never cease by hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law." If you view your feelings not as hatred for these actions, but more as a strong feeling of compassion for those affected by them, your mindset can be a positive one.

I think that if you ask yourself why you feel this "hatred" that you're answer would be more related to the victims, and not the administration. Remember, like greed, hate is based in ego. If you feel strong emotion for those adversely affected by this administration and it's actions, then it's not hate. It just feels much the same to you.

[atomic-fly]

19. I think like a Daoist ..but nothing official

I'm open to new understandings of the world. I was born Catholic, but never really got involved.

[johnnie]

21. My spirituality leans that way more than any other

I have been following it for quite some time. I always say it is hard to live an eastern philosophy in a western world but it can be done.

All I can say about hatred is I don't hate anything. Hate to me is too extreme of a reaction. Anger is more of an automatic reaction for me and I try to rethink my feelings when I feel anger. Most of the time it turns to disappointment or frustration. I feel compassion for others and when they are being hurt in some way I feel sadness.

The war made me sad and disappointed. It also proved once again the as a society we haven't moved forward since we clubbed each other over the head for shiny rocks.

My own feeling is that I have little or no control over what others do. We are each here on our own paths of life (in my belief it is lives) and it is up to each person to grow spiritually. I can help if asked but it isn't my responsibility to push my beliefs on anyone. Suffering is part of the human experience and without it we don't know what compassion is. I believe in spirit and I feel that eventually all human bodies die and we move on. I honestly don't think of my body as "Johnnie" I am more than that and I will move on some day.

Because of that I don't spend too much time in anger because I know that it is a wasted emotion and wasted energy. In the huge picture of existence I don't feel that there is time for me to "hate" anyone or anything. It just isn't worth it because it really doesn't matter.

[flamingyouth]

22. I've studied Buddhism for a while

I don't consider myself a Buddhist per se, but have long been interested in eastern religions, especially when I started practicing yoga years ago. I also took a course in Insight meditation and have a daily practice.

I too struggle with feelings of hatred but it ebbs and flows. Right now, as I see things turning against them, I don't feel quite so much. But right after the election, I was in a perpetual rage, both against the warmakers and against many of the people who seemed so apathetic and either voted for Bush or didn't even bother to vote at all. I fully admit to at times being frustrated by people who don't practice mindfulness. We're human. :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

23. In books I've read by Pema Chödrön, she suggests

that we go into our anger and feel it without the "story line"...the thoughts that cause us to direct anger and blame toward a particular person or group of people. By feeling the anger without acting on it, we begin to understand our the emotion, and can learn to feel compassion for others when they are angry...even republicans.

It stands to reason that if we are ever to reunite this country, we must first dismiss the thoughts that divide us, and focus on healing our collective spirit. To this end, hatred is useless and detrimental...the hazardous waste product of anger heavily doused with "story line".

I have no label for my religion at present. It seems just as well since such id tags often serve to divide us further.