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Remember the 60s Peaceniks? Some of you are too young. Peace"Nik" (Niki) in my story, A Kindred Spirit, tried to recreate the feeling traveling around in her funky Westfalia van, searching for Peace, only to discover it's an inner journey. Pema Chodron, my Guru and favorite author, says ONLY a change of heart can provide ourselves and the world with peace.
Here's my "final answer" to the Million Dollar Question: What is the difference between passion and anger?
First, I have to make the case ;) I said on my Facebook note
"No Help" that yelling for peace is not the answer. Even a Peacenik can't clobber someone with her peace sign to change the world situation.
And this fab story, about Angry Faces, told by Pema has stuck with me since I heard it years ago. A guy in prison has TV but no sound. He sees an angry white guy in KKK garb pointing his finger. Later he sees teenagers on a ship, red-faced, leaning over the ship rail screaming and waving Greenpeace signs. Finally, he sees scenes of Washington DC, the domed Capitol building, and inside men in suits with angry red faces, pounding their tables. The prison guard comes by and asks why he doesn't turn on the sound. The prisoner says no need -- doesn't matter if they're wearing KKK hats, peace signs or business suits, they all have the same angry faces.
So, we establish that passion and anger CAN be the same. Now, how are they different? Because anger starts when we harden our hearts. As long as everyone is outraged at everyone ELSE's beliefs or actions, there will always be war. Anger leads to red-faced fighting over our self-righteous points of view. But, it is possible to be Passionate about a change of heart... to opening our heart in a calm, rational way where we learn to LISTEN! And, I say the key is LISTENING not screaming. When I can stop and actually hear what you are saying, and just sit with it awhile, there is a chance we can find common ground. And I can get really passionate about that idea, without an iota of anger, my friend. Let's smoke the Peace Pipe! (yikes -- another case of how our real forefathers had a better idea than the angry red-faced pilgrims who came carrying guns.) And, with that, I'm off to Losar. Today is the Tibetan New Year, a good day to listen, learn and open my heart to new ideas. PEACE! better yet, Namaste!