The Middle Path
I often find myself in quiet observation of the world around me. Human behavior has always fascinated me and naturally was what I chose to study in college for a time. I ponder a lot of thoughts and opinions I gather through observation that I rarely speak aloud. Often times, through deep contemplation I pan out to try and see all angles and inevitably I find the fallacy in my own opinion or the hypocrisy in my stance and realize there is no point in speaking on such things for nothing is truly absolute.
I've been observing the divide amongst us all as even those who feel they are standing for unity are at times perpetuating division. With memes like "Don't follow the crowd, they're lost" and yet have they not simply chosen one crowd over another and believe their crowd is inherently good while the "other" is asleep or unconscious? Everyone wants to stand in their truth, in their "rightness" but are we honoring and having compassion for another's truth or perceived rightness. Are we striving for harmony or for compliance to our point of view? There's even an air of hypocrisy as I share this point of view.
We deflect, project and distract to avoid our feelings, the potential of being wrong or perceived as bad, and shut ourselves off from any perspective that may challenge our "rightness". Leaving us in an echo chamber that validates our rightness and separates us from those with varying beliefs.
What would happen if we chose to listen more and try to see others through the lens of compassion? Sometimes people need to go to the extremes in their thinking and push something as far as it will go before they realize, perhaps this isn't sustainable for my well-being and others. Perhaps there's something I'm missing. And sometimes we need to simply accept another as they are without proving our way is better or right.
The mother who is pushing a career on their child; is she threatening your sovereignty or is she acting from fear of your future happiness or success? Can you sit with her and listen compassionately without being triggered by differing viewpoints? Assuring her you're ok, all is well and sit with her fear and realize it is valid for her.
Or realizing that the person who is seemingly attacking you is triggered and their behavior is coming from a wounded inner child and they don't know any better. Would we be able to take things less personally and respond with compassion, patience and realize their emotions are valid?
The spiritual person and the atheist can be friends. The democrats and republicans can find common ground. If we choose to we can begin to see common ground or a little of ourselves in everyone.
The middle path is about seeing all sides with compassion, understanding, neutrality and realizing our viewpoints are always changing as more information comes to light. At some point we may find that the belief we identify so strongly with is no longer valid for us. It's realizing truth isn't found in one idea, belief or another but in allowing and accepting that all ideas and beliefs make up the tapestry of existence. It's finding the bridge that allows us to see ourselves in another. By dissolving the identities we cling so tightly to and letting go of our need to be right we may find that we are all in this human thing together. We all have experienced grief, joy, laughter, loss, sadness, frustration, abundance, lack, fear, anger, adrenaline and bliss. We all have a wounded inner child and shadows we act from, regardless of how enlightened or healed we perceive ourselves to be. It's the tapestry of human emotion and experience that can be the cornerstones of our interconnectedness if we chose to take the middle path and step out of our need to prove we're right.
What if we chose the middle path...