The Deepest Spiritual Life Ezine

A Monthly Publication, Issue #104 – April 2011

Publisher: Susan Quinn

http://www.thedeepestspirituallife.com

Making a Difference

In the past I’ve written about global disasters and how they impact us in our own lives. With the events in Japan, it benefits all of us to reflect on our own reactions to these events, and identify the obvious and subtle (but powerful) ways, in which we can alleviate the suffering of others. Although it may seem like we may only be able to help the Japanese materially, there are other ways we can also help them.

Material help

The primary way we can help materially is through donating funds, such as the American Red Cross. Any reputable organization knows the types of things which need to be supplied, and perhaps more important, how to ensure that goods are delivered. As access to the region improves, providing goods will become increasingly easier. Over time, however, the needs will be even greater, as people recover from shock and fully grasp the impact of living without homes, jobs, precious items and other material goods.

Spiritual and Emotional Oneness

Now, and for many months to come, the people in Japan will be suffering at so many levels. They are an amazing people, organizing to provide shelters and orderliness, to trying to live in crowded conditions with only the basic facilities and provisions. It is nearly impossible for us to work on a computer, watch television, listen to radio or read the newspaper without facing the enormity of their situation. We might be tempted to look away, to steel ourselves against these faces of confusion, sadness and torment.

Instead of turning away, however, it is sometimes paradoxically helpful to look into their faces, turn into the winds of tragedy, and breathe deeply. This tragedy and destruction, the loss of hope, the anguish and sorrow are really ours, aren’t they? We may never have faced a tsunami or even an earthquake, but many of us know the fear and helplessness of struggling with nature’s power on a smaller scale: driving in a blinding rainstorm, navigating fog so dense that nothing can be seen, watching darkening skies and listening to tornado warnings, skidding on black ice, or the terror of a blowing blizzard. It is awesome and frightening. We shiver, cry and are sometimes paralyzed at the magnitude of it all. With the Japanese, we can magnify it exponentially, and when we do, at one level, we do know the suffering of the people who were hit by the tsunami.

We Can Help

If we know these people as ourselves, then we can offer them a great deal. When we breathe in the darkness of their grief, and breathe out light, as part of our prayer and meditation practices, we help. When we eat, we can dedicate our meal to them. When we practice yoga, tai chi or tai chi chih, we can send our energy to them. When we wash the dishes, plant flowers or get lost in our thoughts during every day activities, we can wake up and send positive energy. When we have quiet moments, when we see the beauty of spring, new leaves and new beginnings, we can breathe hope to them.

We can also remind ourselves that their suffering is our suffering, and that suffering everywhere is impermanent, not fixed. So we can hope for moments of joy, sweetness, clarity in those periods when life might seem unbearable.

As we do this for Japan, we can do it for people suffering everywhere: in Libya, the Middle East, Sudan—wherever you know that others are suffering. We can play a small part in being awake, opening up to the suffering in the world, and offering our prayers and wishes for peace, healing and sustenance.

Susan has been practicing Zen meditation for 18 years. She has a regular meditation practice and belongs to the Three Treasures Zen Community in San Diego, CA. Susan has also formed a meditation group in Poinciana, Florida, and teaches meditation. She was empowered as a Dharma Holder in December 2009. In addition to her spiritual practices, Susan has her own business, the Quinn Company, and has been an independent consultant and trainer since 1978. She specializes in facilitation of problem solving for teams and groups in conflict. She is certified to train using the DiSC Personal Profile System. Her other best-received training programs are “Dealing with Difficult People,” “Managing Conflict,” and “Learning to Live in the Eye of the Hurricane.” She also offers values clarification workshops and strategic planning services in partnership with her husband, Jerry. You can reach Susan at the Quinn Company, 134 Lemon Grove Drive, Poinciana, FL 34759, 863-393-8197, or email susan@thedeepestspirituallife.com.

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