How to deal with anger and despair as an activist?

Q&A with Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, Deer Park Monastery,California, October 2013

(Bell)

(Bell)

Dear Thay, my name is Bob.

I live in Los Angeles.

I'd like to talk to you
about the nutrients you spoke of.

In particular, a nutrient
that I thought you left out,

and that was air as a nutrient.

In the travels that you have done
throughout the world

perhaps you have looked at the skies

and you may have seen a spraying

that is coming
from high altitude aircrafts.

White lines that are criss-crossing
even over cities.

They are all over Los Angeles.

These chemtrails spread,
they become artificial clouds.

There is an overcast
that happens in Los Angeles

and we are getting less sunshine
that we normally have had.

What disturbs me is that
there has been independent scientists,

with integrity,

that have taken samples
of this spraying, of this residue,

and they have found aluminum,
barium and these are toxins,

toxins to our health.

We are consuming this air,

this is very dangerous.

My personal concern is
that I have two fears.

One is that I am very frightened by it,

because it means
that my health is threatened,

my loved ones' health is threatened

if we are ingesting
this kind of toxic air.

Also I am angry,

I am angry that nothing is being done.

The mediums say nothing.

Politicians, senators
are saying nothing about it

or they are denying that
something is going on with our skies.

I have to cope with these two fears
or two feelings in me daily.

I am involved with a group in Los Angeles
to try to change it.

But we are getting nowhere
because there is mostly silence.

I'm asking you:

What can I do as an activist in this area

to cope with these feelings
of anger and fear that I carry?

Anger and despair
are two kinds of pollution.

Pollution.

I wish it was only that.

The internal pollution.

If you have hate, anger, fear, despair

there is pollution inside

and that will not help

to reduce the pollution outside.

People have their idea of happiness.

They believe that
without a lot of money, power,

they cannot be really happy.

People believe that
happiness is the capacity of consuming.

When you have a lot of money
you consume a lot

and you are happy.

So these notions of happiness
are very dangerous.

Because we are destroying
ourselves and the world

by that kind of notion,
idea about happiness.

So the education system,
there is something wrong in it.

We do not teach ourselves and our children

how to experience true happiness.

So if you want to be a true activist,

first of all you have to
live your life in such a way

that can set an example
to the people around.

Your life becomes your message.

With that kind of living example
you can influence other people around you.

If you write a letter of protest,
if you speak with anger or fear,

that will not help your cause.

That is why

look deeply and see the people who
are victims of their notions of happiness,

their wrong views about happiness,

their way of life that destroys
themselves and the ecosystem.

You see that they are
the object of your compassion.

You are not angry at them anymore.

And you try to help them.

To write an angry letter of protest is not
as effective as to write a love letter.

Because when you are able
to write a love letter

you touch the best thing
in the politician, in the leader.

You may wake them up

and the may change their course,
their idea of happiness.

So we need a community, a Sangha,

in order to be able to do something.

Alone, even if you are
a very talented person

you cannot do much.

Even a Buddha without a Sangha
cannot do much.

So as an activist,
if you want to change the world

you need a Sangha,

you need people
who have the same kind of insight,

the same kind of purpose,

the same kind of motivation,

the same capacity to live a life

that can be an example for the world.

With such a Sangha
you will be able to do something

to change.

Otherwise,

we cannot find a way out of the situation.

That is why, for me,

to practice mindful living,
to build a Sangha

so that you have a collective
energy supporting you

gives you a means to promote your insight

and offer to the people
the way out,

save the planet and our own species.

(Bell)

(Bell)