Huffington Post interviewed two monastics at Plum Village. The message? Acting out of a place of anger does not help. People who are passionate about taking action should learn from the nonviolent approach of Rev. Martin Luther King. When we are at a place of peace and love, we can offer recognition to others, to let them know that we hear them and embrace them.
This is hard. It takes practice. Nobody comes to be mean or critical or cynical unless they have practices. We get practice at unskillful reactions through the many movies we watch, competitive games, arguments and sounding out in echo chambers of people who think like we do. So, to reverse these unskillful habits, we practice. We contemplate.We admit our own shortcomings and weaknesses. We look for the good in everyone.
Watch the video. Contemplate the message. Nurture the peace. Approach this from a Place of Love.