Trouble dealing with the evil in the world

Julesj

I support a number of animal rescues and am very active in campaigning for animals. Lately, I am having a lot of trouble recently dealing with the numerous tales of abuse I come across. I am beginning to feel demoralized. Can anyone give advice on how to deal with these feelings without giving up on these causes. I need to be aware of what is happening in order to help. Might there be a meditation that would help?

taiyaki

You embrace the feelings fully. Then something magical happens.

They go away. Then they come back. But your job is to just embrace them like a guest.

Then you start to realize that the sadness and suffering felt becomes fuel for compassion. It allows you to act compassionately and it fuels the work you do.

But it all starts with embracing it all. The evil. The good.

When there is aversion or attachment to whatever arises then we will suffer and be of no use to anyone.

When there is correct vision and appropriate space given to what arises then it will do its thing and then leave when its ready. Meditation and life is about learning to have sane relationships with everything.

Just some casual rants.

patbb

maybe try to remember what you are trying to do.

You look at a problem "as it is" and try to improve the situation.

You look at a mess in your basement, assess it (as it is), and come up with a strategy to deal with it.

It's the same as any other problem we are ever going to face in our life.

building a house, helping out on disasters, painting a room, dealing with a problem our child have...

feeling sad, helpless, anxious, angry... is not going to help us renovate our house after a flood, and it is only going to drain our energy.

Julesj

I read this and it makes sense. And I know in my head it makes sense. I need to transfer it to my heart to make it happen. Sometimes I feel as if I take the animal's pain on myself. Which of course doesn't help get anything done.

twobitbob

If it's getting too much, take a break, let someone else do it, then return to it when you're feeling up to it. At least that's what professionals dealing with child abuse and the like are told to do.

Zero

Perhaps mitigate your exposure to the stimuli that makes you demoralised.

You know that sh!t stinks - even before you smell it you know it will most likely stink - so ok, take a little sniff to make sure - yep - it stinks as you predicted - another sniff to make sure? you never know, could have mixed up that smell - no? ok - so how many sniffs before you have to admit to yourself that somewhere, somehow, you like that stink - you want to smell it and you want to log it as disgusting but your actions show a disjointed fascination with the very thing that is supposed to be abhorrent.

Similarly - how many times do you need to expose yourself to the bad thing before you accept it is there and you understand it - also once you're commited to a solution, should you constantly re-ponder the same path over and over until you lose the desire to the solution you are committed to?

Its compelling taking a sniff - work your way towards less sniffing and rather just accepting that it probably stinks and rather youre going to spend your energy on solving best you can... all meditation will assist in one form or other (rarely directly but more to strengthen aspects that will assist with your day to day living)...

genkaku

Activists, whether enthusiastic or just mildly supportive, invariably hit a brick wall because they expect to do some good. And perhaps they do.

Buddhist practice helps us to see through the expectations.

Julesj

Thank you all very much for the support! I'm happy to have found this message board. There's a lot here I can relate to. I think I need to step back and make sure I'm not obsessing. I need to develop the ability to see the goodness in the world. There has to be some.

WallyB

I need to develop the ability to see the goodness in the world.

My intention is not to confuse you but I disagree. Imo, you need to see the evil in the world more clearly until you are at peace with it & understand: "The world is this way. This is the way it is". The tales & acts of animal abuse will continue & possibly increase. Your demoralisation occurs due to the desire for the abuse to be otherwise. The world is made of two kinds of people & this world will not change:

(1) those who abuse animals

(2) those who work to save animals

Just like the role of a parent is to clean up after children, the role of animal savers is to clean up after animal abusers. Thus, the question do you have enough passion & compassion for the cause?