Some years ago I was sitting amongst a group of meditators anticipating the arrival of the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. For years I had revered this gentle persistent warrior for peace. We sat trying to be of the moment, following our breath etc. But soon it became apparent that something was delaying the monk.
When he did enter it was laboriously and his eyes avoided ours. Finally he positioned himself in his posture and proceeded to describe his recent experience. Haltingly he informed us that he was delayed by the intensity of his anger. After hearing about the United State’s entry into the Persian Gulf Conflict”, he became encompassed by rage that lay deep in his personal history of violent strife. He was unable to sit with us because he could not “sit” with himself .
Then we proceeded in our joint sitting practice. All of us attempted once again to be with our internal experience of peace and conflict. Some of us were newbys, some of us dedicated to this practice for decades. But all of us were flawed humans. When we are disrespectful towards ourselves, or towards ourselves; tenderness seems to be the only antidote. The teaching I received from Thich Nhat Hanh as he simply expressed his terrible unrest was deeper than any expression of perfection.