The Fog of War

Monday, September 9, 2013:

The fog surrounds my place today and a fog wraps itself around my awareness. I’m not particularly distressed about it because I know that, as I go about the business of the day, it will clear sometime around noon. I know this to be true from experience and I have faith in my experience. There are times when the sun doesn’t break through but that doesn’t dispel this faith I have in how the fog is lifted most of the time. 

     Magicians use slight of hand to alter our perception of experience and so do gurus and political leaders. I am cautious of talking about politics or religion because, more often than not, those with whom I try to have a dialogue on any given subject draw me into arguments wrapped around their delusions and the deceptions the media magicians have convinced them of. 

     I bring this up because our nation is once again on the precipice of war. I have had to dismiss myself from the debate but this doesn’t withdraw my opinions from the responsibility of praying for our leadership. We always seem to have the suspicion that political leaders are obsessed with deception and have no interest of affairs on our behalf. While this might be true for the most part, it is possible that once in power, they see things that are hidden from us. Decisions like war would weigh particularly heavy as an enterprise for most of us if we were in the President’s shoes. Wringing my hands, ranting and raving for or against decisions made on high via the social networks seems so impotent… where do I go then? I ask myself this question: Do I believe the Heart of Compassion is powerful enough to petition with prayer? Do I believe that God is able to influence leadership? Either I do or I don’t… whether do I go anywhere from that point requires compassionate action. When, like the tiny nation of Bhutan, we adopt the notion that our gross national product would be happiness, then everything else would follow. In the meantime we pray for the oppressors as well as the oppressed.

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