As the mid-term elections approach, political rhetoric is ramping up and along with it the usual fervor, apathy, distortion, and promulgation of hope (mostly false hope, I’m afraid). Here is a mindful perspective on politics from renown  Buddhist author and editor, Melvin McLeod.

Melvin McLeod edits the
volume Mindful Politics (Wisdom, 2006). “Politics is really about how we
live together as human beings, and all spiritual practices point to one simple
but profound truth about human life–that only love leads to peace, hatred
never does. This is as true for nations as it is for individuals.”

His proposed political
platform: (if The Buddha was a politician and the Brahma Viharas)

Universal in application
— all. Politics is emotions gone awry — vengeance, war, intolerance of
difference, and so forth. 

As Buddhism (particularly through mindfulness)
promotes emotional and social intelligences it might have something to offer
the world as an antidote to hostility, inequity, and damage. The dualistic and
false sense of “us” versus “them” underlies much of the
conflict. 

If we are not in this all together than we are divided one against
another. According to McLeod the keys to change are: forgiveness, awareness,
kindness, and selflessness. Politics is ultimately about relationships and all
relationships brook in power and conflict. 

How will these conflicts be
resolved? With mindful awareness or through the perpetuation of the Three
Poisons (which seem to be an apt laundry for the world’s problems).

Individual transformation
is the prerequisite for societal transformation. The first step is not to save
the world, but to save your self. If each individual works to limit or even
eliminate hatred, greed, and ignorance the world will be a better place through
the aggregation of this absence.

From Buddhist Monk and
Vietnam veteran, Claude Anshin

 Thomas in his book At Hell’s Gate: A Soldier’s
Journey from War to Peace.