Sand In The Vaseline

Perspectives to reason human brutality and rage

Photo Credits: David LaChapelle, What Was Paradise Is Now Hell, New York

“Rage will always say yes.” In a passage I once read addressing our tendency towards emotional backlog, the question was: When we get triggered by someone’s words or actions, is it justifiable to unleash the accumulated weight of years (and possibly lifetimes) of stored rage upon that person? When it comes to myself, I would argue that Justice too will always say yes. And, YES in fact, it IS fair to offload our rage, especially if the receiver has been abusive or unjust. But against our natural inclinations—no matter how much we burn and ache to slay and chastise the perpetrator with all our passionate might—it behooves us to remember ONE crucial point:
THE GOAL IS HEALING, NOT REVENGE.

IF we can stop engaging, IF we can withdraw ourselves from the fight club, and IF we can convert our raging fire to melancholic tears, THEN there is no more energy and bait for the Fighters to feed from. If we think of all the hatred and wars in the world (global and interpersonal), our best bet for healing, happiness and peace is a new perspective (well actually, three). It seems no governance, political pact, or agreement will ever heal the world. Cuz look at where we are given how far we’ve come. Grievously, injustice and hatred will always exist, as it’s the Fighters way to instigate their sick, immature war. Our responsibility to ourselves (and to our hope for a better world) is honestly to take charge of our own internal rage, to let it simmer and evaporate and heal into patient honest integrity. But integrity in terms of what exactly?

(I’ll get to that in a second)

What has been occurring with the Gaza-Israel and Ukraine-Russia conflict, along with Trump’s assassination attempt, brings up one clear point: that brutality (whether between individuals, groups, or nations) is deep insecurity disguised by a false perception of power (and money). But power is a big word. Power has many faces, many meanings. Many seek power in one or more of its superficial forms, such as wealth, authority, social status, political power, physical strength and beauty. But these can change in a moment’s time and can put up massive walls between us. Power is real when it is the kind that respects all forms of life and nurtures meaning in the greater scope of this thing called Life. True power can’t be forced, bought, endowed, seized or stuffed away. Those with real-deal power are those so internally strong and emotionally evolved that it would never occur to them to use force and aggression towards others. But that’s because they are aligned with their SOUL.

When we live our lives through our soul’s point of view, we stop judging. We can try to view even the most cruel and harrowing circumstances through the eyes of our soul. Here’s where I get into my personal belief system, that of reincarnation. May I?
I choose to view all of Life’s circumstances as part of a larger more karmic scheme. If we, as souls, each reincarnate with gifts as well as shortcomings—with positive as well as negative karmas—that means we can contribute to the whole either positively or negatively in each lifetime. The theory of reincarnation suggests that we carry a unique purpose, which we can choose to either carry forth or not. Our pain and our challenges offer us the opportunity to learn and grow, to gain wisdom and make choices by token of our free will. In accordance with this belief, I choose then to trust, let go, and have faith that I (my soul) will do its best to align with the Universe for its guidance, wisdom and grace.

Yes, I can feel compassion for humanity’s horrific circumstances and choose how to respond, but l understand that judging and feeling rage against the perpetrators means I also, even indirectly, contribute to the negative karma or energy at play.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE:

Suffering serves us. Only through suffering do we ever evolve! I find that the most beautiful people I know are those that have suffered greatly. I can stomach my own and all grueling human suffering with empathic, melancholic, understanding tears, so to speak. I can manage the pain with understanding. Understanding that there is healing to be gained through these experiences.

A SECOND NEW PERSPECTIVE:

Reverence, as opposed to respect, acknowledges the essence in every being. Reverence takes into consideration that our evolution (as souls) involves learning over lifetimes, and that Love is the ultimate healer. Reverence understands that appreciating progress rather than fixating on our shortcomings is possibly the wisest approach to everything that can stir up our rage.

A THIRD NEW PERSPECTIVE:

If it’s true that we have reincarnated here in this lifetime, each with our own criteria for learning and growth, then that implies that there are varying degrees of soul consciousness among us all. Wholeness is our purpose, but it takes lifetimes. And each lifetime is meant to bring us closer to reaching authentic empowerment—through practiced empathy, humility, forgiveness, clarity, and living in and for Love. 

I like these ideas because they explain the unexplainable. They justify the injustices. They ease the dis-ease and make the un-stomachable somewhat stomachable. I like these perspectives because they make acceptance possible.