#534 Heart of the Matter

     As I heard the news of more children killed & kidnapped in Nigeria by terrorists, I could feel my heart area tighten & harden. I knew that if I allowed the momentum of that well-worn emotional story line to continue, I'd be cheering on those people who'll be hunting these terrorists down. But this trajectory only adds to our suffering. We can't eliminate "evil" by eliminating people who do terrible things. For thousands of years we've been proving that "an eye-for-an-eye" (or worse) predictably perpetuates or escalates violence & hatred. "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Albert Einstein

     We're trying to evolve into conscious, rational, civilized human beings. Our practice is to first & foremost let go of our own hard-heartedness, and stabilize our own mind-heart in the open position. Our practice is not to be critically selective about whom we love & help, but to nurture all people, critters, things & places. See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2012/06/140-love.html

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, May 4, 2014