I can feel your heart breaking, Douglas, you of enormous heart. Thank you for the refuge that you provide for us, Rajanaka folks! I am 70 and have been an educator for 48 years. Throughout that time as teacher of literature and a school head, my number one focus has been on character for my students and faculty. One of the best things about this focus is that it has also helped me develop my own character because to teach it, you must walk the walk, and this takes effort. This is something that Douglas Brooks does so amazingly. We all know of Douglas' golden character through his teaching.
The election has shown us that for over 70,000,000 Americans character does not matter when it comes to this choice. I agree with Cynthia's excellent perspective. Life for so many of our fellow citizens has become very tough. Can you imagine being a normal America with a couple of young kids wanting them to go to college and wanting to own a house of your own someday? (the average price of a house in America is now over $400,000). How about how the price of food has gone up in the last few years? Although I wish that it was not so, it seems that when things are so tough and a candidate preys on your fears and anger, you might not have space for character in your vote.
The facts are that we live in a democracy and all that we are guaranteed is the right to cast a single vote. It seems that to function well, we have to begin with the facts, as Douglas outlined so wonderfully in chapter 2 of the Bhagavadgita years ago. Accepting the facts is step one. Step two is asking "who do you wish to be in the face of the facts?" My response to an earlier article of Douglas' was that regardless of the outcome of the election, my answer to this question will be the same. Character is central to me, so I will continue to strive to be the best person I can each day, with the rises and the falls. I am so grateful to Douglas Brooks for providing not only a refuge but also a forum where I can learn how I can best rise to the occasion. This seems to be the call now: how do we rise to the occasion in the face of the facts?
Touché Richard. Thank you for your astute, wise and compassionate summation of the situation...the part of me that wants to blame people collapses into heartbreak. Glad to be brokenhearted with you and everyone else here.
Beautifully said. Thank you Douglas. You ask: "What are you afraid of?" Near as I can tell, and this is not arrogance or bravado speaking, "They" are in truth, more afraid of "Us" than we are of them. At least, that has been what I have come to understand from listening to people I know who support the outcome of this election. "They" are afraid of truth; or at the least, afraid of questioning what they believe to be true. Personally, I am more afraid of the "us" and "them", of the inability of people to see a bigger picture, to understand just as exactly how Inter-connected everything is, to embrace diversity as a gift rather than a threat. I want to rage, weep, howl (and I probably will for about 5 minutes as soon as I'm done writing this). I want to despise every person who voted for the coming regime. And then I remember that desperate people do desperate things. I am also reminded of something I once heard you say. You said that Appa once reminded you, and I paraphrase, to have compassion for those who can only act in their own self interest, who refuse to examine the nature of what we call reality because we all live such short lives. True that. (Thank you Appa). I'm signing off for now to rage for a bit (gently!) and then cue up Willie Dixon's song 'Mother Earth'.
A friend sent me this, and some of it really reminds me of Rajanaka philosophy (rightly or wrongly) and I find it wise: (Written by Rebecca Solnit who writes for The Guardian) "They want you to feel powerless and to surrender and to let them trample everything and you are not going to let them. You are not giving up, and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving. You may need to grieve or scream or take time off, but you have a role no matter what, and right now good friends and good principles are worth gathering in. Remember what you love. Remember what loves you. Remember in this tide of hate what love is. The pain you feel is because of what you love. The Wobblies used to say don't mourn, organize, but you can do both at once and you don't have to organize right away in this moment of furious mourning. You can be heartbroken or furious or both at once; you can scream in your car or on a cliff; you can also get up tomorrow and water the flowerpots and call someone who's upset and check your equipment for going onward. A lot of us are going to come under direct attack, and a lot of us are going to resist by building solidarity and sanctuary. Gather up your resources, the metaphysical ones that are heart and soul and care, as well as the practical ones. People kept the faith in the dictatorships of South America in the 1970s and 1980s, in the East Bloc countries and the USSR, women are protesting right now in Iran and people there are writing poetry. There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it's sunny or raining. Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed."
Douglas, I’m not settled inside yet, but that will come. Right now I only feel compassion for those who suffer now, because I know it will get worse. I walked in the homeless encampments, went into court to petition people to be hospitalized, sat outside jail cells and saw what can go wrong in a human brain, spent time with families who lost loved one to gun violence, fire, accidents, stabbing, etc.. People panhandle because disability pays between $800-$1,000 a month. That’s for everything, and it’s never enough. So much more. I was an embedded social worker in a very violent city. I was the only one. They now have six, I believe. I saw stuff. Services are sparse now. I know what will get cut, because I also am of the political world, including writing policy. I wish I had settled in my private practice and weekly met to meditate with other yogis. But I chose this path. Now I do not care what they are thinking. I don’t want to hear one word from them. I have blocked a number of people. Those three years as a first responder, during the pandemic, shook me awake. There is a conflagration and people are stuck there. I’ll run into the fire to get them, but I do not want to speak to those who started the fire. I don’t want to hear again that everything Dems have told me are lies and he is a constitutional scholar who will save us. No, I won’t let them experience and interest for connection from me. I won’t be their enablers. I’m pretty sure, at some point, his base voters will be in that fire. When they are really actually suffering, I’ll help them. I’ll be more comfortable when my heart can soften, but it is hard tonight. Tomorrow I see patients, after cancelling this afternoon. I’ll have to explain to them that I’m not angry with them. I know they will see the change in me. The political is personal, and to me deeply sorrowful, before this election. Believe Elon Musk, we will have to suffer hardships. Maybe we could talk about how to uplift local shelter or food banks. Next year it will get worse. The fiscal has usually started before November in agencies, so they may be adequately funding (but not really) before it all goes away. Just an idea.
Jan, a soul felt thank you for your comments. I bow to you, to the path you have chosen, to your grief and wise anger. Thank you for not looking away, for facing the storm as you have and for the suggestions about food bank and shelter support. (I feel like my comments in this thread must have sounded glib to you. My apologies if that was the case.)
Since it's perfect day to cue up some blues if you care for the genre: my favorite version of the song I mentioned earlier, Willie Dixon's "Mother Earth", is found on Memphis Slim's album All Kinds of Blues (it's the final track).
I can feel your heart breaking, Douglas, you of enormous heart. Thank you for the refuge that you provide for us, Rajanaka folks! I am 70 and have been an educator for 48 years. Throughout that time as teacher of literature and a school head, my number one focus has been on character for my students and faculty. One of the best things about this focus is that it has also helped me develop my own character because to teach it, you must walk the walk, and this takes effort. This is something that Douglas Brooks does so amazingly. We all know of Douglas' golden character through his teaching.
The election has shown us that for over 70,000,000 Americans character does not matter when it comes to this choice. I agree with Cynthia's excellent perspective. Life for so many of our fellow citizens has become very tough. Can you imagine being a normal America with a couple of young kids wanting them to go to college and wanting to own a house of your own someday? (the average price of a house in America is now over $400,000). How about how the price of food has gone up in the last few years? Although I wish that it was not so, it seems that when things are so tough and a candidate preys on your fears and anger, you might not have space for character in your vote.
The facts are that we live in a democracy and all that we are guaranteed is the right to cast a single vote. It seems that to function well, we have to begin with the facts, as Douglas outlined so wonderfully in chapter 2 of the Bhagavadgita years ago. Accepting the facts is step one. Step two is asking "who do you wish to be in the face of the facts?" My response to an earlier article of Douglas' was that regardless of the outcome of the election, my answer to this question will be the same. Character is central to me, so I will continue to strive to be the best person I can each day, with the rises and the falls. I am so grateful to Douglas Brooks for providing not only a refuge but also a forum where I can learn how I can best rise to the occasion. This seems to be the call now: how do we rise to the occasion in the face of the facts?
Touché Richard. Thank you for your astute, wise and compassionate summation of the situation...the part of me that wants to blame people collapses into heartbreak. Glad to be brokenhearted with you and everyone else here.
My son who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, he is 24. He literally cannot move. He depends on others to dress him to put him to bed, to shower him.
He said to me, “Mom it’s going to be ok, certain people would rather choose a bad person than change.” Change is more scary to them”.
Angee, sending you & your son tender love 💚
Oh! Angee, that made me weep. Your son is wise beyond his years.
your son sounds heroic to me! wow...love to you both.
Beautifully said. Thank you Douglas. You ask: "What are you afraid of?" Near as I can tell, and this is not arrogance or bravado speaking, "They" are in truth, more afraid of "Us" than we are of them. At least, that has been what I have come to understand from listening to people I know who support the outcome of this election. "They" are afraid of truth; or at the least, afraid of questioning what they believe to be true. Personally, I am more afraid of the "us" and "them", of the inability of people to see a bigger picture, to understand just as exactly how Inter-connected everything is, to embrace diversity as a gift rather than a threat. I want to rage, weep, howl (and I probably will for about 5 minutes as soon as I'm done writing this). I want to despise every person who voted for the coming regime. And then I remember that desperate people do desperate things. I am also reminded of something I once heard you say. You said that Appa once reminded you, and I paraphrase, to have compassion for those who can only act in their own self interest, who refuse to examine the nature of what we call reality because we all live such short lives. True that. (Thank you Appa). I'm signing off for now to rage for a bit (gently!) and then cue up Willie Dixon's song 'Mother Earth'.
bravo, Cynthia!!!
Thanks for this Douglas and to everyone who commented. I can’t find words, except for possibly to quote another Irish writer:
I must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.
James and I were so distraught we couldn't sleep; he was referencing 1939 and how so many thought H was a fine idea. Thank you for the refuge.
Thank you, Douglas. I need to stop feeling like a wounded animal, and this helped. My refuge won't be a cave.
Douglas, may I quote the last paragraph?
Sure. Take good care, my friend. We will find ways to survive what is coming.
A friend sent me this, and some of it really reminds me of Rajanaka philosophy (rightly or wrongly) and I find it wise: (Written by Rebecca Solnit who writes for The Guardian) "They want you to feel powerless and to surrender and to let them trample everything and you are not going to let them. You are not giving up, and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving. You may need to grieve or scream or take time off, but you have a role no matter what, and right now good friends and good principles are worth gathering in. Remember what you love. Remember what loves you. Remember in this tide of hate what love is. The pain you feel is because of what you love. The Wobblies used to say don't mourn, organize, but you can do both at once and you don't have to organize right away in this moment of furious mourning. You can be heartbroken or furious or both at once; you can scream in your car or on a cliff; you can also get up tomorrow and water the flowerpots and call someone who's upset and check your equipment for going onward. A lot of us are going to come under direct attack, and a lot of us are going to resist by building solidarity and sanctuary. Gather up your resources, the metaphysical ones that are heart and soul and care, as well as the practical ones. People kept the faith in the dictatorships of South America in the 1970s and 1980s, in the East Bloc countries and the USSR, women are protesting right now in Iran and people there are writing poetry. There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it's sunny or raining. Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed."
Thanks, Chelsea. Excellent and what Rachel Maddow just said on her show!
Douglas, I’m not settled inside yet, but that will come. Right now I only feel compassion for those who suffer now, because I know it will get worse. I walked in the homeless encampments, went into court to petition people to be hospitalized, sat outside jail cells and saw what can go wrong in a human brain, spent time with families who lost loved one to gun violence, fire, accidents, stabbing, etc.. People panhandle because disability pays between $800-$1,000 a month. That’s for everything, and it’s never enough. So much more. I was an embedded social worker in a very violent city. I was the only one. They now have six, I believe. I saw stuff. Services are sparse now. I know what will get cut, because I also am of the political world, including writing policy. I wish I had settled in my private practice and weekly met to meditate with other yogis. But I chose this path. Now I do not care what they are thinking. I don’t want to hear one word from them. I have blocked a number of people. Those three years as a first responder, during the pandemic, shook me awake. There is a conflagration and people are stuck there. I’ll run into the fire to get them, but I do not want to speak to those who started the fire. I don’t want to hear again that everything Dems have told me are lies and he is a constitutional scholar who will save us. No, I won’t let them experience and interest for connection from me. I won’t be their enablers. I’m pretty sure, at some point, his base voters will be in that fire. When they are really actually suffering, I’ll help them. I’ll be more comfortable when my heart can soften, but it is hard tonight. Tomorrow I see patients, after cancelling this afternoon. I’ll have to explain to them that I’m not angry with them. I know they will see the change in me. The political is personal, and to me deeply sorrowful, before this election. Believe Elon Musk, we will have to suffer hardships. Maybe we could talk about how to uplift local shelter or food banks. Next year it will get worse. The fiscal has usually started before November in agencies, so they may be adequately funding (but not really) before it all goes away. Just an idea.
Jan, a soul felt thank you for your comments. I bow to you, to the path you have chosen, to your grief and wise anger. Thank you for not looking away, for facing the storm as you have and for the suggestions about food bank and shelter support. (I feel like my comments in this thread must have sounded glib to you. My apologies if that was the case.)
Since it's perfect day to cue up some blues if you care for the genre: my favorite version of the song I mentioned earlier, Willie Dixon's "Mother Earth", is found on Memphis Slim's album All Kinds of Blues (it's the final track).