Consistently practice meditation when not overwhelmed or in crisis, as this builds a strong foundation that will automatically support you when inevitable difficulties arise.
Recognize that while meditation can start with selfish motivations, true happiness and deeper understanding reveal that the self is interconnected, making happiness dependent on the well-being of others.
Understand that the ability to ignore suffering, while seemingly comfortable, hardens the heart and makes one blind, ultimately causing personal detriment.
In meditation, honestly observe your own capacity for harmful thoughts or actions, including past instances of indifference, to cultivate humility and inspire renunciation of evil.
Adopt promoting civility as a fundamental human purpose, recognizing that mutual survival and societal functioning depend on respectful interaction.
Understand that true personal happiness, or ‘wise selfishness,’ involves acknowledging interdependence and working for the well-being of others, as we are a social species.
Make an effort to spend time with people from different backgrounds than your own, as this engagement helps you feel their pain and fosters a sense of shared community when they are targeted.
Recognize that violent actions, from snide comments to physical aggression, often stem from an inability to process and hold one’s own suffering.
Practice the Brahma Viharas (loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity) to shift focus from constant self-gratification to promoting the well-being and happiness of others.
Enhance your ability to form healthy relationships across differences by regularly practicing mindfulness, meditation, loving-kindness, understanding interdependence, and participating in your community.
Understand ’no self’ not as non-existence, but as a deep interconnectedness with all beings, which fosters a sense of shared existence and responsibility.
After meditation, intentionally direct any positive experiences or insights towards the well-being of all sentient beings, preventing narcissism and extending the benefit beyond yourself.
Recognize that most of your time is spent in relationships, and let the desire to improve these interactions be a key motivation for your meditation practice.
If you have taken vows to alleviate the suffering of all beings, critically examine whether your meditation practice is solely for personal benefit or if it also supports this broader commitment.
Continuously meditate and commit to listening to the suffering and challenges in the world, even amidst personal anger or despair, to maintain a compassionate response.
Amidst uncertainties about the future or death, consciously choose how you will live and embody your values in the present moment.
Use your accumulated wisdom and ethical vows to catch and breathe through impulses to do harm, preventing you from acting on base instincts.
Accept that it’s normal to cycle between awareness and inattention to difficult social issues, and practice gentleness rather than self-criticism when you become aware again.
Shift your perspective to see all people as part of a single human community, rather than categorizing them into ‘minority’ or ‘majority’ groups, to foster greater empathy and connection.
Refrain from categorizing people into separate communities when discussing shared pain and injustice, as this excludes others who also feel concern and hinders collective empathy.
Begin interactions by acknowledging others as human beings who need kindness to flourish, fostering a commitment to mutual well-being.
When greeting someone, pause to genuinely feel and express kind words like ‘I’m pleased to meet you,’ recognizing the unique and potentially fleeting nature of the encounter.
Acknowledge the current societal dangers and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for upcoming challenges and potential value conflicts, practicing ‘shock protection.’