A lesson in impermanence

This is probably the toughest lesson a spiritual person has to learn as they move from secular enjoyments to spiritual endeavors.

That nothing is permanent.

I found out Sunday night just how true this was, and my reaction actually shocked me.

When 9/11 first happened, I was horrified, angry, and fearful. I was not really a spiritual person back then. I wanted to re-join the army (but for my bum knee, I probably would have) and go kill some Taliban and Al'Qaeda.

Turning the other cheek and peppering the war mongers and Jihadists with love was an alien concept to me.

Then I found my own divine spark. I found a mentor. I also found Reiki. All these things happened within about a 2 year span from about 2006 to 2008.

While I think it is a good thing that this chapter in history finally has some sort of a conclusion, and people can finally have some closure... I was actually saddened at how many people jubilantly cheered over another human being's death.

So I sent energy, reiki, divine grace to the situation, and I can only hope that this death will lead to an end of the rampant anger and fear that 9/11 catalyzed.

My anger and fear were impermanent. And my reaction of sadness shocked me, for just a few years ago, I probably would have been one of those cheering.

Love,

Andy

I've stayed largely quiet over it myself, a nixture of personal & professional reasons. You're feelings are prompting me to relay mine. Just how messed up is this society, that any of us actually enjoy the destruction of others. This is normality now, and so it must be part of being 'sane'. Haha, i'm feeling a maniac laugh inside me. I don't know what to add here, it's depressing. 4AM, i'll either get into bed, again, or go watch another documentary on near death experiences. thanks for creating this topic, with hate we can do quite permanent things. Kill others, and/or twist our own humanity so far we forget what it used to be like to be normal.

I'm actually quite surprised at how confused I am by the cheering.

But then I think, while on the face of it, they are cheering for a death, are they really cheering for the death, or are they cheering because now they feel their fear and anger melt away?

Unfortunately, I don't think that the fear and anger will simply melt away for most people - it is too deeply ingrained and re-enforced, particularly by the media.

I cannot believe the amount of solid, end-to-end, coverage this event has received. Yes, it can be seen to be a momentous event in the "war against terrorism" but it can also be seen as yet another death in the name of terrorism. Yes, some degree of justice may now be felt by those who have lost loved ones through terrorist acts, which may bring closure for them, and this is a good thing. But anyone who thinks that this single death will bring and end to terrorism, or even al-qaeda, is naive at best.

Just think what the reaction would be if it had been al-quaeda that had sneaked into the Whitehouse and murdered Obama. I am sure that sections of the Moslem world would celebrate but I am also sure that plans for retaliation would be already under way.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
(Jimi Hendrix or Sri Chinmoy)

Unfortunately, I think we still have a way to go before "the world will know peace"

I must say that I agree with you all, and Colin - good points I can relate too.
I was very saddened to see the joy and cheering of the death of another human/sentient being - it was disturbing to me. This does not relay to the actions of humans terrorists or allied or whatever, it is just sad on both ends of the war - and who suffers? the civilian population.
We must not forget the horrid actions our allied side has been involved in - which at times could be seen as worse than death. In war there is no side that wins - it is a loose loose situation when looked upon from a humanitarian pov.
The actions of humans can be questioned, but I think cheering for the killing of one individual or many is quite disturbing.

f

cheering for relief, cheering because the threat is finally over
i feel sad for the death of another human no matter how "evil" he/she may have been in life.
murder is murder isn't it
does it matter who performs the act or for what reason
i can not see the death of another human as ever being right
yes i can understand the relief it brings to some but i fear that it's not the end yet
there are so many arguments for both sides. i don't /can't comment on these
but these are my thoughts.