Life is stormy, filled with ups, downs, and all manner of chaotic surprises. Just look at the world: the ongoing drama of Covid, the potential for war in Eastern Europe, political divisiveness, environmental challenges, and on and on. It is easy to be overwhelmed with fear, anxiety, and dread. Let us turn to a well-loved Gospel passage and consider once again how Jesus taught his disciples to handle their fear in a literal storm at sea:
“On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Let us cross to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was, and other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?’ They were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?’”
When it comes to fear, we always have two avenues available to us: the path of Jesus’ disciples who were overwhelmed with fear, and Jesus’ capacity to calm the storms. Because we are human, it is impossible for most of us to avoid the feeling of fear, yet we each are fully capable of setting a realistic goal to learn how to handle fear with wisdom and grace. The starting point of being able to handle fear with wisdom and grace is the practice of Dharma. Let me explain:
Dharma represents the universal principles of moral goodness, a “righteous path” in Christian terms. Moral goodness protects the heart, keeping it pure; a pure heart is clear, focused, and steady. When Dharma becomes a way of life, we think more clearly and make better choices. Our choices arise from a wise and sincere source within us: our hearts. Most significantly, when we engage the world from our hearts the world gives us better choices because the world is always giving back to us what we give to it. Windows of a higher order will open up to us. To the degree we operate from a pure heart, from moral goodness, God’s grace comes to us in order to remove karmic obstacles. It is not that God loves us more because we live according to dharmic principles, but it is because we live by those principles that God‘s goodness is able to find a receptive space within us and our lives.
Far too often, we reduce Dharma or moral goodness to a lifeless code of behaviors. Nothing could be further from the truth! Dharma is the mind of God operating within creation as loving and organizing energy. Thus, living a moral life is never about mechanically following a set of dry rules and regulations. Rather, it is a living dance between ourselves and the dynamic wisdom of God. Moral goodness is literally a loving force that gives us the necessary energy, strength, and courage to keep our hearts open and pure—regardless of the storms swirling around us. Dharma is an immovable rock which allows us to stand firm amidst the crashing waves of life’s trials and tribulations. Dharma empowers to be a sane and calming force in the world, just like Jesus.
Heavenly Father, Divine Mother,
Beloved Gurus,
At times,
I do not yet have faith.
Yet, you will give me everything I need
To sail through storms
With wisdom and grace.
