Modern society has some humans thinking that because of the technological advancements, we are no longer the same hominid species from thousands of years ago. Acts of horror on the news, not only horrify people, but people think they would not or at least also harbour the same potential to do the same act, like the act of killing.
In some people’s pursuit of a utopian world, violence is seen as disease hindering their goals. Society is the matrix, an illusion, removed from our basic instincts. Who we are and what we are is animals, and when our survival is put on the table, who and what we truly are, is manifested.
Our “civility” as humans, may not necessarily be our technological advancements or our ability to speak, write and do mathematics etc. Our civility is in our compassion to help and this could be one of the factors that hold our society together. Other than that, below all the politeness and smiles, we are ferocious aggressive animals.
Like the hungry lion looking for food, we are no different. Once we accept this and understand these emotions within us, can seek balance and harmony. Training our mind, we establish a sense of peace. Because the world will be what the world was and always has been; the peace we seek must come from the inside, because it is there where there is all the turmoil. The utopia we seek is more guaranteed on the inside because that we control.
In meditation or Chinese martial arts is the concept of the two minds, the one is the wisdom mind and the other the monkey mind. The wisdom mind is known as (Yi (意) and the monkey mind is known as Xin (心). The monkey mind is the animal in all of us. And the goal in training the mind is to harmonise the two.
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”-Rumi
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