No Greater Victory

From “Race ya to the slide,” to “Race ya to the White House,” we are a competitive people. Unfortunately, if we don’t compete regularly and often, a loss may feel exceptionally painful. For some of us, a loss may even result in extreme disappointment, anger and even fear. Often, these feelings lead to resentment. If the pain of losing becomes too difficult to bear, sometimes we simply stop caring about winning at all. When we stop caring, we stop trying and accept (expect) defeat without any disappointment. Learned helplessness has been observed in hopeless people, resigned to loss. Elie Wiesel (Holocaust survivor), opined: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.” Rather than anger, resentment or indifference, let us train to develop sympathetic joy for those who experience victory, even if our defeat is part of the price paid for them to win. Here’s a brief overview of how you can work to change the way you feel about the winning team when you’re not on it: 1.During a 15-minute dedicated, daily session, visualize yourself accomplishing (winning) what you desire. Yes; you are the winner in this first step of the exercise program. Really focus, imagining the positive feelings associated with winning. Do this for several weeks until it feels natural and easy to imagine yourself winning and feeling joyful. 2. The next step is to shift the focus of your visualization to someone you love; see him enjoying success. Be creative. 3. Once you’re in the swing of things, move your focus to someone you don’t like. 4. You knew it was coming; now, focus your mind on someone you really dislike and repeat the exercise. 5. Finally, visualize someone you detest. By the time you get to this step, you’ll have spent 8-12 weeks in daily meditation, focusing your attention on the imagined success and joy of one person each day (having started with yourself). It will get easier as you go along, believe it or not. Once anger enters into the human mind and heart, it can become a most powerful challenger and adversary to joy. Be wary of it. Anger easily becomes resentment which burdens mind and body. Be courageous in the battle within you. Of all contests, the most challenging involve varying ideas and the will of humankind. No matter the outcome of today’s competition, train your mind to be truly joyful for the winner(s) and thus free yourself from the chains of resentment. “There is no greater victory than to fall from this world a Free Man." (from Spartacus: War of the Damned) Be well.

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