Harmonizing with the Rapidly Changing World:
Thoughts on Dr. Li’s Talk on Vancouver Chan Meditation Centre
On August 1st at the Vancouver Chan Meditation Centre, Dr. Rebecca Li led more than a dozen guests through a short meditation session, followed by a talk on Harmonizing with the Rapidly Changing World. Dr. Li, a sociology professor at the College of New Jersey, quite naturally emphasized relationships and cultural characteristics in flux. It was a talk to encourage replacement of facile judgements with honest consideration, supported by awareness and compassion.
She pointed out some examples of changes in behaviour that might seem inappropriate to us at first, but under honest and in-depth scrutiny, can be seen as arbitrary and unsuitable for critical judgement. Or maybe the "new" behaviour is actually overdue emancipation, or the matter of righting a wrong. Or maybe our cultural habits have drifted, sliding sideways into new difficulties with tragic consequences. With the increased rate of change and the complexity of relationships, personal and collective communication with each other is going to be needed. We need to be open-minded, sensitive and aware.
As Buddhists, or meditators, she suggested we may recognize the benefits of culturing clear awareness and skillful means. We will need to free ourselves from habitual judgement, cultivate compassion and value tactfulness. She readily emphasized that this is not simple passivity. We need to be engaged. It was a thought-provoking talk and very affecting. I am glad I did not miss it.
Thank you, Dr. Li and thank you all who helped to make this talk possible.