Sphere of Influence

There was a talk recently here at Mountain Cloud Zen Center about the subtle joy of practice; adding a “rosebud of a smile” (Thich Nhat Hanh) to our sit, and the equanimity and peace that naturally develops. The speaker/teacher was understandably cautious, however, not to portray a glib-ness or Pollyanna-ness to the world that is rife with suffering. There is seemingly an unstoppable momentum to the intensity and magnitude of the challenges that we face on local and global scales. And so, what often arises in Question & Answer sessions following these talks are inquiries into the value of sitting/meditation: What does the apparent passivity of the practice actually do for the world and its challenges? It’s an understandable question, but one that clearly comes from someone not yet deeply engaged in consistent inquiry and examination, because the answer arises of itself.

An unavoidable element of sincere practice is waking up to deep compassion—the imperative to move through/past empathy into skillful action in the service of reducing suffering for others. The skillful aspect manifests as a necessary right-sizing of our ‘sphere of influence.’

One of the great delusions of our time is the unexamined notion that positive developments happens through big, sweeping change in a top-down approach, simply by having enough voices—a big enough ‘platform’—shouting in the same general direction. There are examples of where this works, but what’s seriously and sorely missed, is the incredible effectiveness of “one more well-regulated human” acting locally, in myriad ways within their relatively small sphere of influence, and that locality blossoming out into broader impacts.

As practitioners, we actually need to be careful because this outcome is inevitable and carries with it a harsh shift in responsibility from self to other; potentially, if not likely, at the expense of self-concern in the form of comfort and security. Our self-centered concerns, illuminated in the light of awareness and interconnectedness, become untenable, meaningless, and not worthy of our attention and energy. Remarkably, and naturally, what arises in its place is a deeper, richer, more fulfilling experience of life, through simple, small, and not-so-small actions that compound into significant shifts in collective wellbeing.

While the practice itself, of sitting on a cushion every day, and the calm and equanimity that develop as a bi-product, may portray passivity towards the relative world (let’s not forget there is another level on which everything is perfect just as it is, because it is, but we’ll save that more challenging perspective for another time), the inner shift in relationship to the world and the clear-seeing of our inter-being, simply can’t not lead to action towards reducing the suffering of others. But this doesn’t necessarily mean starting a non-profit to tackle problems on a global scale; it may, and that’s a wonderful calling, but what comes along with this view is clear insight into the power and effectiveness of small acts of kindness and service within our ordinary lives.

With the deluge of minute-by-minute updates on serious issues across the planet, and ever-evolving ways for individuals to feel involved in those conversations, it’s becoming all too easy for us to lose sight of what’s happening here-now, in our limited physical presence. To be clear, this isn’t head-in-sand; not at all—an informed citizenry is critical. But when it comes at the expense of affecting meaningful change at the human scale, it becomes devastating for our collective experience of life. Practice necessarily leads to the skillful right-sizing of our sphere of influence, and the recognition of the ripple-effect those actions can have, while also giving us inner calm and the refuge needed to be true activists for local and global flourishing.