The Enmity Remained: Negating the Possibility of Change
Weekly Column By Sharon Salzberg for On Being
Published August 9th, 2015
One of the most complicated aspects of #Lovingkindness practice is working with a challenging person, called in some translations “the enemy”. Sharon writes in this week’s ON BEING column about growing up during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the enemies of that time.
I think it is true that in the reality of our lives some might wish to harm us. As wise human beings, we should try to avoid them or do anything we can do to null their power. I’ve heard of the Dalai Lama, for example, telling a friend with a mentally ill mother who had in the past tried to harm her to open her heart completely to her mother and offer her lovingkindness and compassion — but from a distance. That was a stunner. The Dalai Lama advising clear boundaries and self-protection? Well yes, but from a place of wisdom and compassion, rather than hatred and disdain.
Sharon Salzberg
To read the entire article visit the On Being Blog.
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On Being is a Peabody Award-winning public radio conversation and podcast, a Webby Award-winning website and online exploration, a publisher and public event convener. On Being opens up the animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live?
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