Walking the middle path. Life is very much a scale of balance. Buddhist philosophy has spoken of the middle path as part of the Dharma for centuries.
Without balance, we lose our way and find only suffering.
The world we live in today is wrought with extremes.
Humans have struggled with living the middle way for eons. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Learning to live with balance can bring about significant personal power.
Hell on earth without the middle path
Much of the world we experience today is polarized. We’re being pushed into ideological camps to create division. This way of living creates unnecessary suffering in ourselves and others. It brings about hatred and anger. It keeps barriers between us.
Boundaries are healthy; division is destructive.
We live in a world without boundaries but endless divisions. Countless ways to knock us from the middle way. Buddha’s middle way was about living a life of balance. Keeping us grounded in the moment, ready to engage with what life presents.
But that’s not what we’ve learned in our society today.
We’ve been taught to sacrifice ourselves for the “greater good.” To disregard our well-being for the gain of others.
The greater good is simply the excuse for tyrants to abuse our loving nature.
Humans are beautiful creatures, but our destiny is being shrouded.
Divisions and hatred keep us apart.
Extremes help keep us at each other’s throats.
Living out of balance makes us more susceptible to this behavior.
We are eager for someone to take our pain away, so we ignore our instincts, hoping things will change.
But no one is coming to save us. And only we can transform the world through our actions.
I’ve fallen into these traps throughout my life.
Believing politicians and movements.
So many saviors have been promised, but when will we see the heroes are us?
Seeing the frenzy around elections reminds me of how silly this process is.
Each year it gets worse and worse.
It’s a reminder that we hold the power, and playing these games only delays the change needed for our species to progress.
Balance is the counter to all this.
This means we must be open to all sides. Understanding is crucial for progress. This is especially true for things we disagree with. Too much of our world calls for blind acceptance of things. This is catastrophic for growth.
We keep balance by being open and considering all possibilities. None of us truly know what’s happening here. Staying curious and humble can go a long way in a world of information.
A good practice is to observe ourselves when discussing certain things.
Do we get upset when we talk about certain subjects?
Do we lose our cool when we discuss areas of life?
These are indicators of things we are most rigid around in life.
When we lose flexibility, we lose the ability to move with life. This is the essence of living in extremes. I’ve fallen victim to this regarding political movements and believed significant change was possible through proper leadership.
I was foolish.
It’s why I’ve realized no one is coming to save us but ourselves. This is why balance is crucial. Our institutions are failing us and must rely on our intelligence and observation skills. Balance ensures we can navigate the changing landscape ahead of us.
Information will continue to expand and evolve, so we must be prepared to handle these changes. To take action today, observe the things you are most upset by.
Explore those feelings and thoughts.
Ask yourself, what would happen if I were wrong?
What is it that brings about so much anger or fear?
Exploring the things that trigger us can help create more balance. When these things operate without reflection, we get ourselves into trouble. Keeping an open and curious mind will allow us to find balance and wade through the mess we’re experiencing as a collective.
Walking a balanced path is how we each influence the scales of existence.
All of us have a part to play.
Don’t underestimate the power you hold!
What do you think?
Is balance something we need, or are the extremes the way to go?
Originally tweeted by Brandon Ward 🇺🇲 (@BrandonLeeWard) on November 21, 2022.
