Hello again,

​Despite the current state of lockdown in many places, these are dramatic times on the streets and in the hearts of many communities.  It can be hard to hold all the events and emotions, especially when so many of them might seem so overwhelming.  Many of us are struggling and, to be honest with you, I have been trying to give my own mind some time to settle before writing to you again.  Given how we always talk about the importance of making use of mindfulness to help find a site of spaciousness from which to think about our responses and actions, I wanted to make sure that I honoured this in communications with you during these challenging times.  So, in previous weeks I have apologised for being late with my message, but this time I think I should simply say that it’s taken me quite some time to see where my mind has settled.
 
As usual, I think I’d like to address two things: ...

Hello again,
​
The last week or so has seen some dangerous, disturbing, and frightening developments, especially in the USA.  Some of you have written to me to express your heartache about the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May.  For some, your response has been despair and horror, for others anger and outrage, and for a few something like resignation.  And then many of you appear to be struggling with how to feel about the protests, the destruction, and the violence that has been unleashed in the period since then.  Some of you have been directly involved.
 
To be honest with you, I too have been listening to various responses to this terrible situation and I have also been struggling with how to respond.  As I mentioned in my mail last week, the COVID pandemic has both revealed and exacerbated social and material inequalities in all societies.  Racism and other forms of bigotry and chauvinism, none of which are new to our societies, seem to be being emboldened as the pressure-cooker of lock-down is beginning to be released.  People are venting, sometimes in the most offensive and dangerous ways. ...