Catastrophe

I will bring the fear into my heart.  To meet the pain and the fear with openness, to embrace it, to not be afraid of it, to allow it—this is what is, this is what is happening.  This is the suffering that we know all the time, constantly changing, changing.—Grace and Grit:  Spirituality and Healing in the Life and Death of Treya Killam Wilber, by Ken Wilber

 

    The last several months have witnessed ruptures in nature’s beauty, as tsunamis, hurricanes and tornadoes have ripped apart cities, homes, families and friendships. It’s been a time, whether we directly or indirectly have been impacted by these events, when we are reminded that we are not really in control of our lives and our well-being.  The media gives us first-hand pictures of tragedy, destruction and death unfolding.  And even though a part of us wants to cover our ears and eyes, we are drawn out of curiosity and compassion, to bear witness to what is happening.

 

    How do we respond to these events in a way that is responsible and compassionate?  How do we face devastation with an open heart to what is, to what continues to happen, and to the aftermath of suffering?  We can turn to spirit to teach us, comfort us and help us extend ourselves to nature and its victims, in a way that is loving, helpful and resourceful.

 

    So what do we do when tragedy occurs and we suffer, as we feel helpless and useless watching the suffering of others?  Strange as it may seem, we allow ourselves to suffer with them.  We may not experience suffering as they do, but a normal empathic response is to suffer.  As I went through the days of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, I felt such sorrow.  There was a part of me that just wanted to avoid my own suffering, push it away, and yet I knew that my empathic response created a spiritual connection between me and those whose lives were filled with calamity.  My response made it clear that one of the first things I wanted to do was to donate money.  So much was needed to help people through the desolation, that the practical material things we take for granted were missing and needed to be supplied.  But as a spiritual being, what else could I do?

·        Many times a day I would think of the victims or potential victims and say a short prayer; it might just be a couple of words, a blessing, or sending words of love and comfort.  I extended my prayers to those who had died, those who had lost everything, those who had lost family or friends, to anyone who was touched by these losses—which really meant, to everyone in the world.

 ·        I would think of a phrase my teacher would share with me when I felt overwhelmed:  “Think of all the people in the world who are-------.”  Sometimes I thought of all the people in the world who felt they weren’t doing enough to help the hurricane victims.  Sometimes I thought of all of those who were suffering from these tragedies.  As I thought of others, I experienced interconnectedness with the universe as we all, at one time or another, to one degree or another, know suffering.

 ·        I would dedicate my meditation time to those suffering.  This was another type of prayer, an extension of hope, good will, and blessings, and I prayed that this period of time spent in stillness and silence would lighten the terrible load that others were bearing.

·        I would bear witness.  When I would hear news, watch television, read the newspaper, I would be reminded that these events, too, were another manifestation of life unfolding—a tragic manifestation, but life expressing itself no less.  Watching, listening, learning from a place of spirit—with compassion, love, prayer, wisdom, hope—I stood firm in acknowledging that this too is life, with its loss, death, destruction.

As I would affirm life, paradoxically with its losses, I couldn’t help but be humbled and grateful by its many blessings, too.  It is sometimes only in the face of loss that we can truly appreciate grace.  And so it is.

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In addition to her spiritual practices, Susan R. Quinn of the Quinn Company 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.  To subscribe to her business ezine, go to www.thequinncompany.com.  You can reach Susan at the Quinn Company, 246 Via Presa, San Clemente, CA  92672, (949) 366-5890, or email susan@thedeepestspirituallife.com.
 

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