Norman Fischer translates this slogan: Don’t get stuck on peace. It’s a little clearer than saying “self-liberate even the antidote,” right? Fischer says, “Don’t get excited about the empty, dream-like nature of everything, because now you’ve conceptualized it and made it into something, an idea, and soon that idea is going to trip you up… It is too easy to make these slogans into belief systems.”
And the point of these slogans isn’t building a belief system. It’s training the mind to be agile and wise. It’s pretty ironic that we can get fundamentalist about the dreamlike nature of things, but honey, don’t underestimate us. Humans can tie themselves into knots about anything if we put our minds to it. (ha!)
So, again, this slogan gently reminds us to take all of this lightly. Don’t get stuck on seeing everything as a dream or examining the unborn nature of awareness. Don’t get stuck anywhere. The point is to move freely and well.
Don’t Get Stuck On Your Own Peace
I like the other aspect of this translation, too, which warns against that laziness we mentioned in the last post. In modern terms, we call this “spiritual bypassing.” It’s when we focus on maintaining our sense of peace or inner harmony so much that we shut ourselves off from the real suffering or pain in the world- or in ourselves. This is why people rightly criticize the (mostly middle/upper class white) wellness industry for advocating that (mostly white) women just leave the stress of their lives and go for a spa vacay with friends. It feels hollow when these same women cannot handle tough conversations on racism or privilege, amiright?
So take this slogan as a reminder that all of this inner work and meditation is for the good of the world. It’s also for you, because as it turns out, what’s good for the world is also good for you. Wholeness. Justice. Centeredness. Integrity.
So, this week: Don’t get stuck on finding your own peace to the detriment of everyone else’s. That ain’t it, beloveds. Don’t get stuck on peace, period. Stay in the flow.
