I was writing back and forth with my friend about this yesterday-- what is interesting to me is that those who are most outraged and entitled are those who have material successes-- in my neighborhood, the Range Rover drivers are notorious road ragers. Why can't they be happy?
The matter is, as I see it..and I have been here nigh 70 years; the planet is truly sick. Sick from us. Sick from the lack of Love, from the lack of respect, from the greed and pillage of its bounty, the poisoning of its waters, both salt and fresh, the total disregard of all things sentient and of its consciousness. The disconnect from its harmony and breathing flows, in the pursuit of the human self obsession and unbounded ego. It comes as no surprise to me, that the underlying sadness, depression and anger in any persons with just a modicum of emotion, is feeling the very sadness, depression and anger of the great mother that gave..and continues to try to give us all life. There is no escape from the loop...everything is connected to everything...Love out , Love in...fear out, fear in, hate out, hate in. Water comes to the boil very slowly, without much change, but in the last few seconds, there is an apocalyptic shift in its state.
This is the current condition of our once beautiful planet. Until we move out from the self centred sense of importance we seem obsessed with, and look at ourselves from the vast expanses of the universe, little will change.
Whoever designed the ridiculous economic model we are enchained in, designed it for themselves...without a care for a life beyond their own. It is the fundamental root of our end.
Thanks to you, Elissa, I brought Katherine May’s “Wintering” with me on the quiet retreat that Jan and I are taking this week. I have just finished it, and have handed it to Jan with encouragement to put it at the top of *her* retreat-reading stack. And when she is done, I want to read it again. It is so very powerful and lovely.
Thank you for these insights. I too avoid situations that cause conflict. In fact, I’m not going to be with my family at Thanksgiving because of the Trumpers in my family. I’m protecting myself and them from hateful, rage-filled words. I cannot count the number of times I have read Wintering. When my father was dying, I’d finish reading it and immediately start reading it again. It sustained me through a very difficult time.
Thank you for this, and all the additional wisdom you are pointing us to. I read Wintering for the first time earlier this year but boy what a good thing to pull out again. I love your writing.
"I’m living now, to quote Ada Limon, between the ground and the feast: the life-giving, anchoring place of foundation and also where we are buried—where we begin and we end—and sustenance itself." -- thank you, thank you, thank you. XO
Thank you Elissa. I think the ubiquitous rage you describe is triggered by the way life has become a struggle for so many. For decades inequality and precarity have has been ignored: now so many more people are impacted and to a very concerning extent. This adversity often is not acknowledged by government or elsewhere. Deprivation and uncertainty is leading to rage because we are often not taught how to deal with adversity. Rage is not acceptable nor is it healing: its physical and mental consequences lead to more rage. The mindfulness techniques you mention do not eliminate the cause of the ragbye but they certainly it manageable and less toxic at an individual level. I follow the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and find his mindfulness techniques very helpful for dealing with disquiet regardless of its source. However we must also acknowledge and try to do everything to alleviate misery experienced by so many now globally. Thank you for your writing.
Yes to all of this. I've just written a piece on not following the path of rage. I know people are scared and short-fused but it just adds fuel to the fires. And I recognise this in my own body -- "I have a pronounced allergy to rage and, in particular, drama, which makes my throat close up and my body shut down as though I’m going into a sort of anaphylaxis of the mind and spirit" and love the late-onset tenderness for your heart. Between the ground and the feast sounds like a good place to live.
I love all of this! We are going to spend the next four days with family and friends and I was trying to decide which book to take along to read during my downtime. I read Wintering when it first came out and have read bits and pieces every year and I think it’s time to read it again cover to cover. I’ve just placed it in my backpack. Wishing you love and peace.
I was writing back and forth with my friend about this yesterday-- what is interesting to me is that those who are most outraged and entitled are those who have material successes-- in my neighborhood, the Range Rover drivers are notorious road ragers. Why can't they be happy?
What beautiful and profound words. Thank you for articulating this so mindfully, it’s something lots of us are struggling with.
The matter is, as I see it..and I have been here nigh 70 years; the planet is truly sick. Sick from us. Sick from the lack of Love, from the lack of respect, from the greed and pillage of its bounty, the poisoning of its waters, both salt and fresh, the total disregard of all things sentient and of its consciousness. The disconnect from its harmony and breathing flows, in the pursuit of the human self obsession and unbounded ego. It comes as no surprise to me, that the underlying sadness, depression and anger in any persons with just a modicum of emotion, is feeling the very sadness, depression and anger of the great mother that gave..and continues to try to give us all life. There is no escape from the loop...everything is connected to everything...Love out , Love in...fear out, fear in, hate out, hate in. Water comes to the boil very slowly, without much change, but in the last few seconds, there is an apocalyptic shift in its state.
This is the current condition of our once beautiful planet. Until we move out from the self centred sense of importance we seem obsessed with, and look at ourselves from the vast expanses of the universe, little will change.
Whoever designed the ridiculous economic model we are enchained in, designed it for themselves...without a care for a life beyond their own. It is the fundamental root of our end.
Thank you, Simon. 🙏🏻
Thanks to you, Elissa, I brought Katherine May’s “Wintering” with me on the quiet retreat that Jan and I are taking this week. I have just finished it, and have handed it to Jan with encouragement to put it at the top of *her* retreat-reading stack. And when she is done, I want to read it again. It is so very powerful and lovely.
Thank you for these insights. I too avoid situations that cause conflict. In fact, I’m not going to be with my family at Thanksgiving because of the Trumpers in my family. I’m protecting myself and them from hateful, rage-filled words. I cannot count the number of times I have read Wintering. When my father was dying, I’d finish reading it and immediately start reading it again. It sustained me through a very difficult time.
Thank you for this, and all the additional wisdom you are pointing us to. I read Wintering for the first time earlier this year but boy what a good thing to pull out again. I love your writing.
I also just pulled that book back off my shelf - it is time for a re-read. XO
"I’m living now, to quote Ada Limon, between the ground and the feast: the life-giving, anchoring place of foundation and also where we are buried—where we begin and we end—and sustenance itself." -- thank you, thank you, thank you. XO
Wonderful read! Your writing speaks to me. I look forward to reading anything you write. Thank you!
Thank you Elissa. I think the ubiquitous rage you describe is triggered by the way life has become a struggle for so many. For decades inequality and precarity have has been ignored: now so many more people are impacted and to a very concerning extent. This adversity often is not acknowledged by government or elsewhere. Deprivation and uncertainty is leading to rage because we are often not taught how to deal with adversity. Rage is not acceptable nor is it healing: its physical and mental consequences lead to more rage. The mindfulness techniques you mention do not eliminate the cause of the ragbye but they certainly it manageable and less toxic at an individual level. I follow the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and find his mindfulness techniques very helpful for dealing with disquiet regardless of its source. However we must also acknowledge and try to do everything to alleviate misery experienced by so many now globally. Thank you for your writing.
Yes to all of this. I've just written a piece on not following the path of rage. I know people are scared and short-fused but it just adds fuel to the fires. And I recognise this in my own body -- "I have a pronounced allergy to rage and, in particular, drama, which makes my throat close up and my body shut down as though I’m going into a sort of anaphylaxis of the mind and spirit" and love the late-onset tenderness for your heart. Between the ground and the feast sounds like a good place to live.
I love all of this! We are going to spend the next four days with family and friends and I was trying to decide which book to take along to read during my downtime. I read Wintering when it first came out and have read bits and pieces every year and I think it’s time to read it again cover to cover. I’ve just placed it in my backpack. Wishing you love and peace.