How to remain strong in this time of turmoil?
August 25, 2025 | 9 CommentsAudio only version is here
Meditation begins at 14:27
Hello wonderful Open Heart Project,
I hope you are well during this difficult time. Before our meditation this week, I offer some thoughts on a Buddhist teaching that I have found helpful in knowing how to direct my energy and strength to create more sanity and decency in the world—not so easy in this particular moment.
Please have a listen and let me know what you think. I always love hearing from you.
Love,
Susan
PS: On a much more mundane note!! In the video, I mention that we now have beautiful Open Heart Project t-shirts for your consideration. And a tote bag. Please head over to our shop to check them out. You can represent and support at the same time. xoxo
categorized in: dharma, meditation
9 Comments
Susan,
Really needed this honest and frank assessment of our situation in this my chosen country and the remedy……
At my age,78,there is not that much that I can do it seems. But I can be kind to the cashier (or the person who helps me checking out my stuff!)I can let that car into the line I can give the blackbird in the parking lot one of my grapes. And I can give my friends and family and pets the limitless love they need and deserve. Thank you…..
This is really awesome. Thank you, Susan!!
<3 <3 <3
Thank you Susan for these wise words that came at the right time for me. I like what the Dalai Lama said that kindness is his religion. I feel that this is also your message. I’ll try to be that bit kinder myself and hope it becomes infectious.
Cheers
Rob.
This sounds great to me. <3 S
As others have said, this is exactly what needs to be said at this time. It’s so easy to become discouraged and to feel powerless in the face of the fire hose of aggression that seems to be dominating our culture right now. When I was in social work school, we learned to pay attention to the colon in the 1:1 of relationships. That small mark is how we connect, both what we bring and what we receive, and there is enormous power held there. It’s brilliant to shift our focus from the discouragement of today to building a strong foundation for the future when the turmoil passes. Helping a child learn to read, showing up for a rally to support oppressed people, offering steadiness to friends and family who are reeling and need your strength – all these are what we can do now. I suspect that I’ll watch this video several times, and am grateful for feeling your steadiness.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you. <3 S
This is such a helpful way to understand what is going on. As I sit with it, I get a feeling that if the energy of the Human-Realm can grow big enough, its energy will overcome the Jealous-Gods realm. I got a flash of a funny image–when the Whos started singing, the Grinch’s heart grew. I hesitate to share this image because it feels so naive, so…. hippie, kumbaya, daisy-in-the-gun-barrel optimistic that it seems laughable. But honestly, other than singing, I don’t know what else to do. I don’t understand the language of the Jealous Gods. Any logic, shame, or mirror I can imagine doesn’t move them. My reference point is that everyone wants to be a good person; so seeing what is going on right now, well, it’s like another species is living on Earth–or, as you said–another realm is living on Earth. So thank you. This is giving me a new perspective to work with.
I’m with you on every point, Julia. With love, S