Wrong forest?

Listening to many podcasts, on economics, religion, society, philosophy, spirituality, etc., some seemingly on the right or conservative side and others seemingly on the left or more liberal, progressive approach, it seems we’re most often starting from the wrong place for the discussion.

As I think about it in brief, it seems both (all?) sides seem to be chopping wood in the wrong forest. Let’s name that forest “I know” or “I’m in charge” or “if I don’t look out for #1 who will?” or “I need more control”, or “I’m a part of the group that has the best solution”… you get the idea.

The problem is that our thought constructs continue to run into each other because they are trying to achieve the same goal which is based on external stuff (structural, and material outcomes). We further our difficulties by not being able to ever realize we’re in the wrong forest.

Turns out, voila!, there’s only one forest. So how do we suddenly find ourselves in the right forest? by focusing on Love, especially compassion and mercy. Both are needed. Both are difficult for their own reasons.

Right forest compassion invites us to co-suffer with others. One’s deep compassion can be tapped into when one can come alongside one’s own suffering and the suffering of another to bring healing, restoration or reconciliation in some way.

Right forest mercy points us to care for people that have hurt us and or still want to or strive to in some way. This becomes a difficult inner move and means we learn to embrace our own need to be treated mercifully based on the ways we have knowingly and unknowingly hurt each other and ourselves. This may seem difficult and I think it may be one for the most difficult things to do… and yet, it is doable.

I’ll stop there for now because you may need a little time to digest this and begin to consider, in your own life and experience how you often look in the wrong forest for everything but compassion and mercy and think about times when you’ve experienced compassion and mercy suddenly discovering yourself in the right forest.

If you’re waiting for someone else to go first, I hope you’ll realize you’re still defending your many efforts in the wrong forest.

Standing by to help you explore the forest.