If I tell you I am, Buddhist, what do you suppose that means?
Buddhism is a religion, yes, but it is also therapy. Practicing Buddhism means commiting to self love so that you can be “there” in your own community. When the Buddha told Ananda that, “spiritual friendship is not half of the spiritual life, it is the whole of it.” He was stating something that was just as important as the basic outline of Buddhism, namely The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Noble Path.
I state this because the core of Buddhism is not to create a utopia in the hear and now, that won’t happen because of trying, the core of Buddhism is to move only yourself closer to you. When you do that with others working in the same direction you find that common thread ties you together. That love grows much more easily because everyone is contributing to the sustainability of the group.
The Buddha stated quite clearly that suffering happens in our minds, physical hardship is overcome much more quickly when we allow that inner sorrow the time it needs to heal, but then take our physical body and use it to do what it needs to secure ourselves and those around us. When compassion is of the highest value healing is never rushed, but nurtured like a seedling. Only proper sunlight, water, and nutrients ensure it’s growth.
What does our society need to heal itself?
This is why I write about love the way I do. I am searching for ways to communicate our essential nature. Consciousness did not arise/evolve to be more creative with brutality, it is here because we are continuously healing from our past brutality. Love is the most conscious act you can commit. Brutality is delusion is unconscious.
It’s why we must love our enemy so healing can begin for them. It is why we should make sure every Trump supporter is fed, has shelter, and a fulfilling life. People who are have not awaken to love are seeds that desperately need the nutrition of compassion, the water of generosity, and the sunlight of patience. If we give them nothing to fear, what will they do?
I see this core clearly in many religions, the problem is when orthodoxy is placed above orthopraxy. The problem exists in all religions. In my heart it is clear that the movement towards spirituality, and interfaith communion is essential for orthopraxy (spiritual friendship) to begin to supplant orthodoxy.
New Athiests would do well to drop the attack on religion (their form of orthodoxy), and to move on to orthopraxy themselves.
Not a short two cents, but my two cents on this topic.
