Yoga

Yoga, Buddhism and 18 Years in Asia – Looking at

America and Americans

Those who write frequently seem at times to experience

two extremes.

One is that they have an idea that they want to share

with others but struggle to find the words to

articulate their views.

They may think that their ideas are worthwhile to

write down in order to grow as individuals and share

with others, but in the end they may find that they

have managed four or five hundred words that were a

struggle to get onto paper.

On the other hand, at times they are so wrapped up in

what it is they want to say or have so many varied

experiences, perceptions and knowledge about it, that

they can write with no effort for what seems like

hours and soon realize that they have written two or

three thousand words.

Of course in writing, word length is not a measure of

a good piece of writing, though we generally seem to

need a certain amount of words in order to get our

ideas, points and information across to others.

In writing about a subject such as looking at America

and Americans, one who was born in this country will

have a vast amount of experiences to draw from.

In addition, because the United States is the richest

and most powerful country in the world at this time in

world history, its influence, policies and the things

happening there on a day to day basis is something

that one, especially one that is from there may be

mindful about and reflect on a daily basis.

Does one need five thousand words to reflect on such a

place and people or can it all be stated in a just

these seventeen words.

“That there are conditions there that cause people to

suffer, just as anywhere else in the world”.

When this writer reflects on his experiences there,

perhaps with more insight because of his interest in

Yoga and Buddhism and having lived in Asia for 18

years, such a statement as the one above seems quite

accurate.

I lived in the U.S. from my birth in 1950 until I left

for what was to be a trip to Asia, with no real

timetable or clear intentions at the age of 36, in

1987.

Since leaving, I was back in The United States for a

period of and total of four months, from May to

September in 2001.

For the first seven of so years away from The U.S., I

was very involved in new things in my life and made a

conscious effort to not look at what was happening in

the U.S.

Of course these days, after having had some experience

with living and traveling in Asia, getting older and

hopefully more mature in both life and with the

practice of Yoga and Buddhism, and looking at life,

people, countries and cultures in a more universal

sense, I pay quite a lot of attention to what happens

in The United States.

I would have to say that my experiences growing up in

the United States were largely negative.

This does not mean that it is not a great country with

great opportunities and benefits for those who live

there.

What this means is that many of the people I knew, met

or interacted with during my life there seemed to have

been, on reflection, disturbed, troubled and confused.

It does not mean that they were bad people.

Just disturbed, troubled and confused.

Perhaps this has to do with how people are all over

the world, regardless of where they are from, what

kind of social and political system they live under or

what their racial and ethnic background may be, that

being that they feel a sense of alienation or

isolation from the place and people they live in and

around.

Yoga and Buddhism teach us that these disturbed,

troubled and confused states and ways that we can be

are because of our conditioning, ignorance and

unmindful and unskillful thoughts, words and actions.

In learning and understanding such philosophies, we

see that this explains how people can be in any place

or part of the world.

Certainly, on reflection, I see that most of those

negative experiences I had with America and Americans

were a combination of things, as I wrestled with my

own nature and finding out who I was, and others did

the same.

We all, then and now, wrestle with, and in the future

will wrestle with feelings of desire, guilt, and shame

about some things, while at other times have a sense

of understanding and clarity.

All of mankind seems to possess these two natures that

work against each other, with one being strengthened

or weakened because of how we live our life and what

our conditioning has been.

It would be easy to say that Americans are isolated, egotistical and abusive but such a statement would be quite stupid.

The way Americans are is not much different then how

people in any other country and place can be.

Can Yoga and Buddhism assist Americans in getting to a

better place in their lives?

Of course they can.

There is absolutely no doubt in this writer’s mind

about that.

Are Americans capable of making such a commitment and

effort?

This question can not be answered accurately because

it calls for a generalization, which in itself is very unskillful and unmindful.

Two teachers, one of Yoga and one of Buddhism, whose

teachings I have become familiar with over the years

have made statements as regards America and Americans

that may be worthwhile to look at briefly.

One said that America as a whole was lost.

My experiences in sharing Yoga and Buddhist teachings

and my personal experiences with many Americans shows

me that such a statement is not accurate.

Many Americans do see the shortcomings in their life

and have misgivings about how the culture and society

in which they live is functioning and operates.

They do see that they have problems and issues to work

on, which may or may not be related to the

conditioning they have been exposed to in growing up

and living in America.

They do sense states of stress, anxiety, anger,

resentment and dissatisfaction with their lives and

who and how they are and want to weaken these

tendencies.

And after saying all of this, many can be selfish,

manipulative and only interested in themselves, while

having little or no regard for, interest in or

compassion to other Americans or their country and

culture as a whole.

It is always interesting to meet so many American

people who are very negative about America and other

Americans and these views are often expressed in

generalized and unmindful ways.

And in their feelings of aversion to their own people

and country, they also think that these countries of

Asia and their people are more enlightened and

skillful in life and living.

Such a thought is not accurate.

Another view expressed by a teacher of Buddhism

suggested that Americans have a lot of enthusiasm to

learn and make changes but they can not maintain this enthusiasm.

This is somewhat understandable as modern countries

and cultures have elements to them that suggest that

there are quick fixes to problems and that we tend to

gravitate to those means.

Yoga and Buddhism do not promise quick fixes to

anything.

They give us systems of thought, word and actions that

lead to a process of understanding, healing and

growth.

In wanting or expecting immediate or quick results

from them we do ourselves a disservice as do those who

promise such a thing in order to get our money,

allegiance or admiration.

Perhaps one important aspect of being an American and

America is worth looking at, because it holds true for

all people and countries in the world.

That is what does it mean to be a success in life and

living?

We are taught in so many ways to look for and attain

material and financial wealth.

We are not taught to seek wisdom and be compassionate.

Whenever I think of this concept, I think of celebrity

hood and celebrities.

They seem to have the things that we all want and

desire, such as wealth, fame, and unlimited good

times, parties and sexual partners.

But then we see them being accused of and committing

crimes and harming themselves and others, in spite of

all the things that they seemingly have.

Maybe all they have is more of an opportunity to

engage and indulge in sensual pleasures and lose

mindfulness of their own thoughts, feelings and

actions.

Yoga and Buddhism both advise us that if we get lost

in the senses or look for happiness only through

sensual experiences we lose the greater joy that comes

from balance and wisdom.

And my personal experiences of living in America?

Are they relevant now to include in such a discussion

and discourse?

I sense my experiences there were one of being

victimized consciously and unconsciously by others.

Was it my parents who got divorced when I was four?

Was it how they seemed to enter a period of being

neglectful and abusive to me onward throughout their

and my lives from when I was aged 12 and 13, a period

of time when I encountered and experienced a number of challenging and traumatic episodes in my life?

Was it during and after a period of having been

sexually abused by a neighborhood minister when I was

13 years old?

Was it when I thought that drugs and promiscuous sex

could offer me happiness and satisfaction?

Was it being sent to prison on the word of a corrupt

and dishonest police officer?

Was it being abandoned by someone that I loved while I

was in prison?

Was it the endless search for someone who would have

the patience and interest to sit down and listen and

talk about these things and my thoughts and feelings

as regards them?

Was it seeking out a way to get away from drugs and be

sober and clean?

Was it the many friends who seemed to only be friends

when they wanted something from you, be it sex or

money and the later, conveniently forgot you or abused

you because you felt hurt or confused from the

experience with them?

Was it the snap answers, criticisms and judgments to

honest and searching questions that were based on

sincerity?

Was it the atmosphere of anger, judgment and hatred

directed to other racial groups and religions in one’s

own country and throughout the world?

Was it the tendency to be violent in words and actions

instead of be patient and wait, listen and learn?

Perhaps some of my experiences may mirror yours or

perhaps you have victimized others in such a matter

yourself.

Those things that have happened to me, perhaps like

you also, still cause me some pain and confusion, but

I look at them in a brighter light these days, with a

greater understanding of the people who did them and

how I myself was in a state that lead them to happen

or allowed them to happen.

The teachings and practices of Yoga and Buddhism can

give us the insight, strength and wisdom to know

ourselves so that such unskillful and unwholesome ways

of being and living are no longer allowed to happen in

our lives and just as importantly, we are not an

instigator into bringing them into another’s life.

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)