Apotheosis

Over 2000 years ago, sages around the world arrived at a similar conclusion: we should treat everyone with kindness and concern. Cultivating compassion for all beings, friend and enemy alike, is foundational to spiritual growth.

Here's an unfortunate reality: we will have enemies in this life, or at the very least, people we really don’t like. Despite the obvious difficulties, feeling compassion for our enemies – not just our family and friends – can be a powerful means of growth.

As the Buddha realized over 2500 years ago, all of us experience suffering in various forms. Our suffering causes us to behave in foolish ways, often causing harm to others and ourselves.

However, we can train the mind to break free of mental habits that create suffering. We can learn to see the delusions and misperceptions that cause problems in our lives. But gaining wisdom isn’t enough; we must also cultivate compassion for others to truly be free.

Because how could we ever be truly happy if those around us are suffering? If people are in deep pain, they will behave unskillfully. While we can’t change the behavior of others, extending them compassion fortifies our own resilience and capacity to rise above.
Check out some additional resources and a transcript for this episode here: https://projectindra.org/apotheosis-podcast/episode-34-the-wisdom-of-compassion/

Haste makes waste, as the cliche goes. The Stoic concept of festina lente suggests we will achieve better results by taking our time and doing things right.

Especially in our hyper-busy world, we can be really impatient for results. We want something, and we want it now. But sometimes, we need to suppress this urge for immediate action.

When we rush, we’re more likely to make mistakes. We’re more likely to miss seeing important details.

When we take our time, pay attention to what we do, and execute each action with intention, we will avoid having a mess to clean up down the road.

Real, lasting progress often requires a slow – even boring – process of consistent action over a long period. The turtle beats the hare if it just keeps moving.
Read the transcript here: https://projectindra.org/apotheosis-podcast/episode-36-hurry-up-slowly/

A societal or organizational vision based on harnessing fear and anger will typically fail over the long term. Basing a vision on shared values stands a much greater chance of solving real problems and creating something people want.

The recent failures of the MAGA movement in the U.S. elections offer a case study of uninspiring visions. Turns out that blind obedience to one man and baseless accusations don’t attract a critical mass of voters.

Fear-based visions are the nutritional equivalent of a candy bar: satisfying in the moment, but ultimately won’t sustain you for long. When the rush wears off, it leaves you exhausted and frustrated for being unable to tackle what’s in front of you.

Instead, basing a vision on shared values is more like brown rice and broccoli. Might be less satisfying to the senses, but offers much greater long-term energy and potential to do hard work.

Striving to realize shared American values like equality, justice for all, and innovation can help this country to live up to its full potential. Other values like continuous improvement, compassion, and contribution can help anyone or any organization to succeed.
Read the transcript for this episode: http://projectindra.org/apotheosis-podcast/episode-31-vision-based-on-values-not-fear/

The fight-or-flight response can keep us alive when faced with a threat. But our brains often prepare us for battle even when the threats are just words or thoughts. Pausing before responding to perceived threats helps expand our options.

When we’re under attack, we don’t always have time to think. When perceiving a threat, the body responds automatically, increasing blood flow, dilating the pupils, and shutting down non-essential systems in the body. The brain readies the body to fight or flee. The fight-or-flight response has served the animal kingdom well for countless eons. However, humans face a far more complex world. Our brains don’t always differentiate between an actual, physical threat and one posed by words. An email, a social media post, or even a thought about a possible problem in the future can trigger the fight-or-flight response. Yet the brain can rely on the context to flip between feeling threatened and feeling excited. A lion in the grass ahead could cause us to flee in panic – unless that same lion is behind a barrier at the zoo. Recognizing the context can diminish the grip of the fight-or-flight reflex.

Several actions can help create some space so that we can assess our options: pausing and taking a few deep breaths, labeling our emotions, and noticing sensations in the body. With this space, we can better see the context, question the threat, and devise reasonable responses.
See the full transcript and additional resources here: http://projectindra.org/apotheosis-podcast/episode-28-to-fight-or-not-to-fight

Many of us get into the fields of conservation, sustainable development, or similar "do-gooder" fields because we want to make a contribution to the world. But it doesn’t take long to realize that some of our most important problems to tackle are some of the hardest to solve. These wicked problems — like poverty, climate change, racism, and many others — are maddeningly complex and resistant to many of our best efforts.

This episode of the Changemakers’ Field Guide kicks off a series looking at these kinds of complex problems — and what we might learn from multiple traditions and perspectives on how to navigate complexity.