Messages from the Edge mid-November 2024

 

Where we are – Post Election Stress Disorder

“The essence of warriorship, or the essence of human bravery, is refusing to give up on anyone or anything.”
― Chogyam Trungpa, Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior

The world feels restless. The election season has passed, but its impact reverberates, leaving us with a lingering sense of unease, known as Post-Election Stress Disorder (PESD). This term, though unofficial, captures the tension many feel—anxiety about the future, uncertainty in relationships, and the fading comfort of shared beliefs. Our sense of peace seems fractured, and life feels more unpredictable than ever.

In the ancient Kalachakra teachings, time is a great wheel, endlessly turning. Each cycle brings both harmony and upheaval, urging us to evolve. In this turning, PESD is not a break in the pattern but part of a deeper rhythm—a time for renewal disguised as discord, an invitation to adapt rather than resist. And yet, this path forward isn’t immediately apparent. Where do we find calm amid the storm?

Getting to Zero appears to be fading into an uncertain future. Is it now a mirage, shimmering on the fading horizon? Without hesitation, we press on.

Life in Lalo Land

“Are the great spiritual teachings really advocating that we fight evil because we are on the side of light, the side of peace? Are they telling us to fight against that other ‘undesirable’ side, the bad and the black. That is a big question. If there is wisdom in the sacred teachings, there should not be any war. As long as a person is involved with warfare, trying to defend or attack, then his action is not sacred; it is mundane, dualistic, a battlefield situation.”
― Chögyam Trungpa, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Our barbarians have stormed the gate.

Here, we enter Lalo Land, where ancient forces known as the 3 Lords of Materialism take root, intensifying our sense of disconnection and scarcity. These “lords”—representing Form, Speech, and Mind—have a way of slipping into our inner world during times of fear, urging us to cling to the familiar, the tangible, and the comforting:

• The Lord of Form leads us to believe that material things—possessions, titles, walls we build around ourselves—will ground us. The more we gather, the safer we feel. But this craving for stability only binds us more tightly.

Practice: Cultivate contentment and gratitude for what already exists in our lives. Mindfulness practices that emphasize simplicity, presence, and gratitude can help. Reflecting on impermanence can also help release attachment to material things and find peace in less rather than more.

• The Lord of Speech persuades us to divide and label, creating lines and identities, convincing us that if we hold tightly to our beliefs, we will find safety in separation.

Practice: Practice deep listening and open dialogue, approaching others with a “beginner’s mind” to reduce judgment and foster understanding. Reflect on the common ground, focusing on similarities rather than differences.

• The Lord of Mind tempts us to cling to concepts, luring us into believing that control and certainty will protect us from the unknown.

Practice: Meditation and mindfulness help to soften rigid thoughts and cultivate openness to uncertainty. Practices like reflection and silence allow us to sit with the unknown, encouraging trust that we don’t have to have all the answers to move forward meaningfully.

In this Land of Lalos, the 3 Lords hold sway, creating a world of grasping and separation, pulling us further from peace and closer to isolation. Yet, Kalachakra teaches that these lords are not just obstacles but mirrors, revealing our most profound attachments and fears. Each lord shows us where we need to let go, guiding us toward a quiet strength that emerges only when we release what no longer serves.

20 Minutes of Silence – The Power of Pause

“We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly enlightened or peaceful or intelligent. Nevertheless, we have soil good enough to cultivate; we can plant anything in it.”
― Chögyam Trungpa, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

And now, a story: In a Quaker community, where meetings traditionally began with 10 minutes of silence, one gathering grew tense. Members clashed, words became sharp, and division set in. When they reconvened the following week, anxiety hung in the air. The usual 10 minutes of silence wouldn’t suffice. The Elder, sensing the weight of their discord, surprised them all—she stated, we will not start with 10 minutes of silence; this time, there will be 20.

At first, the extended silence felt uncomfortable, the stillness unfamiliar. But gradually, as they sat together, a new energy emerged. The weight of arguments and personal agendas softened, and a deeper understanding took root. When the silence lifted, the community felt renewed, united not by shared beliefs but by a collective presence.

In the Kalachakra cycle, each pause is a culmination and a seed for what’s to come. This silence is the turning of the wheel, where inner peace rises beyond the noise, guiding us to move with clarity and compassion. Like the Quakers, we too can embrace the power of an extended pause—whether 20 minutes, a deep breath, or a silent reflection—instead of reacting in haste. In this space, we loosen the grip of the 3 Lords and return to the source of calm within.
Summary

“Hold the sadness and pain of samsara in your heart and at the same time the power and vision of the Great Eastern Sun. Then the warrior can make a proper cup of tea.”
― Chogyam Trungpa

As we move through these times of PESD and Lalo Land, consider embracing moments of intentional silence. This stillness, however brief, is an act of resilience, allowing us to find refuge from the noise and glimpse the larger cycles of which we are a part.

In silence, we remember:

That each cycle of discord offers a path to more profound clarity.
That each moment of stillness turns the wheel toward peace.
And that in these pauses, we find our center and a shared presence that binds us all.

And, remember:
“Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” ~ Teddy Roosevelt