Path to Peace with Todd Perelmuter

How Do You Accept What is When There is Real Danger and Evil in the World?

October 13, 2022 Todd Perelmuter Season 1 Episode 56
Path to Peace with Todd Perelmuter
How Do You Accept What is When There is Real Danger and Evil in the World?
Show Notes Transcript

Someone recently asked me how I can suggest that even people in Ukraine respond with love when their lives are in danger. The person went on to tell me that they struggle with spirituality because "we have fear for a reason and if a bear is charging at you, it doesn't care if you respond with love or not, it will still eat you. If you respond with fear, maybe you'll at least run away and get to safety."

This is really a great question and something I know a lot of people wonder about. The good news is, mindfulness does not make us foolish, naive or deluded. Mindfulness is simply about being more aware — more aware of danger, more aware of potentially harmful situations, and most importantly, more aware of how best to respond.

Luckily, this even works for bears. Experts say don't panic and try to run away from a bear or it will surely eat you. Many animals can sense fear. Even humans can pick up on it. The agitation in you triggers agitation and fear in the animal and they are more likely to respond out of fear themselves and preemptively attack. However, if you stay calm, if you stand your ground, if you look strong and big and confident, the bear will back off. People are the same way. Studies show that when we feel fear, we are more likely to be victimized. 

As for Ukrainians, responding with love isn't about giving something to their enemy. It's about giving themselves the inner strength to go on. Hate is draining and love is invigorating. The response on the outside may look the same, but on the inside, only love is sustainable. Love is about responding rationally, not in a reactionary manner. It's about not losing ourselves so we can know how to respond most wisely. It's about maintaining our faculties so we can best be of service to our cause. It is the complete opposite of rolling over and accepting brutality.

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0:09  
Welcome to path to peace with Todd Perelmuter, where he shares the lessons he's learned. spending nine years living with gurus, monks, and shamans, across 35 countries and five continents.

0:27  
Join in the journey as he brings some healing wisdom for living your best life.

0:34  
The path to peace, love, health, and happiness starts here. 

0:49  
There's a very common thing that we all do, where we confuse love and kindness, for naivete, foolishness, and self endangerment.

1:14  
We think that to love, a burglar, or a murderer, means inviting them into our house for tea.

1:27  
But that is foolishness. And mindfulness is about being aware of danger, being mindful of even danger. But being mindful at the same time of the fear, and the hatred and anger in our heart and mind.

1:53  
The goal of loving your enemy isn't to please your enemy. It is to eradicate hatred, anger, and fear inside of you. While these fear responses can be helpful to identify danger.

2:32  
And it is important to always be mindful of danger and of potential harm. Because that is wisdom. We have to also recognize when it doesn't serve us, when we are creating our own suffering, no matter what is happening in the world around us, things beyond our control.

3:08  
We can always control how we respond to those situations.

3:17  
And we can do it in a wise and mindful way. So that's not to say that we put ourselves in harm's way. It's simply to say that when things are out of our control, when all of our attempts at change have failed.

3:44  
And we have to accept an unpleasant situation that we focus on the emotion and thoughts within us, instead of fixating on the object or the circumstance that created those internal reactions, because in that situation, all we can do is control how we respond either consciously, and with wisdom or unconsciously, habitually and reactively.

4:30  
And when we respond with intention and consciousness, we are clear headed. We are thinking clearly we are calm, and we instinctively know the right decision, not out of fear, which can lead to panic and oftentimes costly and dangerous mistakes.

4:59  
But when we are thinking clearly, we can know, in the moment, the proper response using our highest wisdom, our full mind fully present, accepting atrocities in the world doesn't mean we roll over and do nothing.

5:28  
It doesn't mean passivity, it means conscious action. It means acting with our highest capability.

5:44  
Surrendering to this moment doesn't mean not taking action. This is something that a lot of people mistake. They think that accepting what is means that a enlightened being would never do anything their entire life, they would just sit there being but the correct way to incorporate this state of mind of always accepting this moment is about generating feelings of contentment, no matter what is going on. 

6:30  
It doesn't mean doing nothing. In fact, quite the opposite. It's about realizing exactly what needs to be done in each moment. And taking action without disturbing our inner peace, our inner joy, things may look the same on the surface, we will run from danger, we will run to help people in need.

7:03  
But on the inside, we are at peace. We are love. And in this way, we can be there for others more effectively. Because we are not drained of energy. We are constantly re energized because we are always centered.

7:29  
We know ourselves. We know our values, our integrity, and we live by it. And we don't let fear. We don't let the dangers of the world lead us to living a life full of suffering. Because there will always be dangers, there will always be conflict. 

7:56  
And we cannot stop that ourselves. But we can stop how we respond in a way that causes suffering. And we can respond in a way that not only adds to the meaning and purpose of our lives. But we can respond more compassionately and more forcefully in a way that will have a positive impact on those around us on any situation we face.

8:42  
So that we can live a life content joyful and without anger, hatred, or fear.

8:58  
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9:02  
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9:12  
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9:19  
Peace and Love