Saving Lives – Big and Small

The Heroes and Zeroes post of October 21, 2019 drew as many positive responses as any post I’ve ever posted. Readers resonating with the realization that the smallest actions on behalf of common humanity and “looking for the helpers” can be as significant to cultivate resilience as the truly heroic efforts on a larger scale.

He who saves one life saves the world entire. – The Talmud

By the end of last week, the state of California, where I live, was engulfed in wildfires, burning hundreds of square miles in northern and southern California, causing power outages and forcing evacuations throughout the state. And yes, every part of the country has experienced natural disasters this year – hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, drought, all exacerbated by climate change. We’re not alone in coping with devastation.

There are huge acts of heroism by firefighters, first responders, social workers sheltering thousands of people forced to leave their homes. And the smallest acts that count, too – with no electricity people taking turns at blacked out intersections, conscious of the common plight of all of us together, acknowledging each other, coping as best we can.

I do teach tools to cultivate resilience and to strengthen the mindset that everything that ever happens is an opportunity to practice resilience.

The November 8-10, 2019 workshop on resilience at Esalen is full, but I will be teaching a similar resilience workshop at Spirit Rock Meditation Center December 14-15.  The importance of “looking for the helpers” in any tragedy or adversity is part of both.