Four actions to help alleviate anxiety

I hope you and yours are well! As we get closer and closer to the US election, anxieties and tensions are bound to rise. We are in a state of divisiveness and fear. It is hard (impossible?) not to fall prey to sorrow and frustration.

I wish I could tell you that Buddhism had some solution to all of this. It does not. However, it does offer a teaching called the “Four Karmas” which gives us four very clear options for meeting the moments of our lives with something beneficial. 

When I think of the outcomes I hope, wish, long for, my mind becomes heavy and fearful. When I think, what can I do right now to increase sanity, my energy returns. When my mind is in the future, all I feel is my powerlessness. When it is present, I see options and thus feel empowered. The Four Karmas offer us four choices for planting seeds of goodness.

I hope you find this useful! That’s the whole idea! Let me hear your thoughts if you’re so inclined.

With love,

Susan

PS The Open Heart Project sangha is a community within the OHP. We practice meditation together every day (whether live or via a recording), check in with each other on Fridays, gather for webinars and conversations about how to live our most awakened lives. Very, very helpful during this time of stress. Please join! It would be great to see you there.

In the face of all the challenges of today’s interconnected world, is optimism about the future of humanity idealistic? Perhaps it is. Is it unrealistic? Certainly not. To remain indifferent to the challenges we face is indefensible. If the goal is noble, whether or not it is realized within our lifetimes is largely irrelevant. What we must do, therefore, is to strive and persevere and never give up. -The Dalai Lama

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