“Eschewing the Fisherman’s Hook!” March 7, 2010

“Anger or hatred is like a fisherman’s hook.  It is very important for us to ensure we are not caught by it.”   Dalai Lama

 

As we contemplate the world today, we see so many examples of the results of being caught up in anger and hatred.  Individuals and nations find themselves at war because they have allowed themselves to get caught by the fisherman’s hook.  Until we learn non-violent communication wherein each party is able to clearly state what it is that they need, confident that they are being heard, it would seem that conflict is inevitable.  If we are to ever experience peace (true peace and not just the absence of conflict), it is necessary that each individual develops peace and compassion in his or her own heart. Peace does begin within each of us.  We can learn to practice these qualities in every aspect of our life.  Instead of reacting in anger at the driver that cuts you off, or the clerk that is surly, for instance, we can practice a compassionate response, realizing that that individual or those individuals are probably experiencing a need that is not being met, a feeling of not being heard.

 

 

By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus