346 What Separates Us
WE ARE SEPARATED BY LABELS, by words like Israeli, Palestinian, Buddhist, Jew, and Muslim. When we hear one of these words it evokes an image, and we immediately feel alienated from the other group or person. We’ve set up many habitual ways of thinking that separate us from each other, and we make each other suffer.
People are caught in these notions and images, and they cannot recognize each other as human beings. The practice of peeling away all the labels so that the human being can be revealed is truly a practice for peace.
On the other hand, this is also basically applicable to colorblind racism. If you choose not to see diversity, to understand how an individual’s experiences may have been affected by the way they were born, then how can you become aware of the suffering they uniquely endure which you might not?
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I don’t interpret this as not seeing or celebrating differences. Rather it’s about looking past those to see and experience oneness in the spirit of empathy and compassion. 🙏🏻
What book is this?
Your true home by Thich Nhat Hanh
