Zen priest & teacher Roshi Joan Halifax who has done extensive work w/ dying people was once told by a close friend, “You are married to sorrow.” she replied back, “I am not married to sorrow. I just choose not to look away.”

it’s easier to look away when there is suffering, such horrific displays of cruelty & destruction, but our hearts pull to pay attention, to bear witness & do what we can to alleviate suffering. 

on this Palm Sunday, i recall the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey carrying a revolutionary message of love, in contrast to the aggression & horrific destruction we are seeing laid upon Ukraine. civilians targeted in residential apartments, hospitals, theaters & train stations. the elderly, the sick, the disabled, women & children killed.

Jesus went directly to the suffering, he suffered w/ & embodied love as the transformative answer. the Buddha also engaged suffering. named it & taught a path to respond & move through it. neither turned away from suffering. they engaged it to bring healing & transformation, moved by compassion w/ love as the foundation.

perhaps you also feel overwhelmed in this moment, the destruction we are bearing witness to, the harm & suffering. i feel fearful & angry at times & helpless most of the time. 

what can we do? we can choose not to look away. we can bear witness. we can practice self-care & balance our intake of news. we can practice mindfulness awareness to cultivate clarity, resilience & balance. we can practice lovingkindness to open our hearts & touch our tenderness, warmth & love – not losing who we are to fear & anger. we can help by supporting relief organizations, refugees & democracy.

click https://linktr.ee/jaysenwaller to view a pop up w/ info for helping Ukrainians. you can also visit House of Ukraine on IG & online at their website for a list of organizations & actions you can take: https://houseofukraine.org 🇺🇦🕊

may all beings be safe & free from suffering.

~j

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#PalmSunday #Jesus #bodhisattva #Buddha #suffering #BearingWitness #lovingkindness #NoMoreWar #StandWithUkraine #JinpaLhaga #JMWart