The Middle Way
Extremes seem to be high on our collective minds these days. It’s my way or the highway! If you don’t agree with me, then you are not only wrong but you are the worst thing that happened ever! These seem to be the common reactions these days in health, politics, religion, literature, lifestyle, science, entertainment and more…..!
All the political experts come on Sunday TV shows and talk about the Independents as the deciding block for most things in America. It almost sounds foolhardy to most of us…how can that be? How could anyone not have a strong opinion of everything? That simply is make believe!
Group Think is hip, free thinking is not!
Conformity is hip, being a contrarian is not!
Personal versions of science are hip, questioning is not!
The coastal elites still think they are hip, being from the middle part of the country is not!
Progressive is hip, Traditional is not!
I find it fascinating that as a collective society, we let a few folks in NYC, LA, Boston and San Francisco decide this for the rest of us and I mean the rest of us as a global community. Do not underestimate the reach of these few to the world as a whole.
They advance what they think is hip and cool and we are all supposed to be hypnotized and follow. And that silly pendulum swings each day for these few that try to dictate and advance the extremes of group think.
I’ve always been a Free Thinker and believe in The Middle Way! As I’ve said many times on this Log before:
NO HIGH NO LOW, ONLY FREE FLOW…..
EXTREMES have never worked nor will they as they are rooted in extreme humanistic and egotistical roots. These roots cannot see the plant above the soil. They remain underneath and before you know they simply rot away, as they have no clue what they are nourishing above the soil. All Extremes do is create conflict and hooks for us to ground our lower selves in, so that we can satisfy our own sense of righteousness.
THE MIDDLE WAY works and it works every time, as its not rooted in anything nor is governed by natural gravity. Imagine LOOSING GRAVITY right here on earth! That’s what The Middle Way will do. It creates this amazing path right in the middle of either extremes that is free from gravity, free from humanistic boundaries and one that you carve for yourself with free thinking!
It’s hard to stay steady at times as the Extremes are very tempting…but using simple mindfulness techniques can keep us free from our own gravity!
As a regular hetrosexual man, I firmly believe in traditional genders, marriage, family values, rugged individualism and fiscal conservatism but that DOES not disqualify me from being able to lead mindfulness programs for those who may not agree with my set of values. I accept people for who they are and would expect that they do the same for me.
What we must be in this modern complex world of ours, is more EMPATHETIC. Placing ourselves in other’s shoes without judgment. I read this fantastic quote the other day:
“The trick is to care about everyone while not caring what they think.”
Now, ain’t that something. That is the best example I can think of in leading life with The Middle Way.
It’s funny how the Sanskrit greeting: NAMASTE has become cool and is on every other water bottle or t-shirt, etc. Let’s break this word down: NAMO-ASTE, which means: “I salute the divinity in You”. Now that is The Middle Way! Empathetic and Respectful. And if we truly salute that same divinity in each other, how can we be anywhere else but on The Middle Way!
So, I say: Loose your Gravity, Choose The Middle Way and Be Happy.
Oh yeah, Be Mindful too!