Mindfulness and Buddhism Are Tools of the Resistance

In recent months, we've seen an onslaught of reactions to the election—people are calling their senators, protesting, figuring out productive ways to change things that aren't working. At the same time, my meditation practice—a secular mindfulness technique known as insight or vipassana meditation—is gaining momentum. Which is great, because it offers a reprieve from the news of missile tests, terrorist attacks, and other stressors.

When I meditate, I sit on a cushion on the floor in a comfortable, alert posture. Then I try to relax and focus on my breath. The strengthening of meditation practice occurs the moment you recognize that your mind is wandering, and instead of telling yourself, "I'm so bad at this; my mind races too much; I'm a terrible meditator," you say, "I've gotten off track. Let me refocus on my breath and begin again." This is an opportunity to bring self-compassion and sympathy to your practice rather than judgment. While it's impossible to stop dwelling on flaws in myself and others, operating with less judgement helps me process some of the utter bullshit I see on TV or read on my social media feeds.

I'm deeply concerned about the future, but a friend recently told me that I didn't seem pissed off enough. In her view, I was more concerned with inward exploration, my own personal vision quest, while the rest of the world was taking up arms. She mistook my tranquility for apathy.

I get that: Meditation can appear to be a passive or isolating experience—sitting with eyes closed alone on a cushion, we remove ourselves from reality. But while it can be a form of escapism, mindfulness can also help spur you to action. James Baraz, co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California and author of Awakening Joy, tells me that Buddhist teachings—while they seem like they're all about peace and deep breathing—are actually about learning to take steps toward change. In today's tense, post-election climate, mindfulness can be a crucial part of the resistance.

"We are now in a race between fear and consciousness, and consciousness holds the key to us waking up," says Baraz. "The more consciousness we bring forward to the world, the less we are driven by fear, and the more we can wake up to see the situation clearly and respond effectively. The more you are awake, the more you are present, the more you're in touch with clear and skillful action and response. It's not enough to find peace within yourself—it's much more fulfilling to express that peace, clarity, and open heartedness to all beings. That's how things change."

The Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF) is one organization leading the way for nonviolent activism. They follow the teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk whom Martin Luther King Jr. nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1967. The BPF is currently active in a demilitarization campaign that supports Stop Urban Shield, a national annual SWAT training coalition.

The BPF will join the coalition in California to urge the city council to withdraw the Berkeley Police Department from what are known as the annual "War Games" exercises. Their goal is to get other municipalities to follow suit, says Katie Loncke, the BPF's co-director. She explains that their work not only uses Buddhism "to pursue enlightenment, but to engage with suffering, including on the level of social injustice, oppression, and war." Mindfulness, in fact, has been a central tool for resistance within Asian communities throughout history, and its effects resonate today at marches, protests and town hall meetings today.

"It's more than just running out into the streets and protesting. There needs to be understanding," says Mushim Ikeda, a member of the BPF who teaches at the East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California. "In mindful social justice activism, each of us can regard ourselves as a community resource. But just like any resource, we need to assess how it can be used most wisely."

As we practice mindfulness and become more in touch with our role in the political landscape, it's easy to get lost in anger—a perfectly understandable response to suffering. Mindfulness allows us to ask the question: What do we do with anger?

Sitting quietly and finding inner stillness simply won't cut it. Mindfulness allows us to figure out how we act not from anger, but from a place of informed action. As Thích Nhất Hạnh put it, "Unless you embody peace, you can't say, 'I'm working for peace.'"

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