Q: Dear Todd, how would someone, say in Ukraine at this time, for example, freezing no water no food, no home, how can they feel they are exactly where they should be? These concepts escape me, is our moment of suffering ordained?
Todd Answers: With our physical needs unmet, we will not even be alive to enjoy having our spiritual needs met. Physical needs must always take precedence. However, there are Buddhist monks who set themselves on fire without making a sound. Their world is literally burning all around them and yet they maintain their peace.
No matter what is taking place around us, there are infinite ways to look at our circumstances. The most healthy and beneficial way is to face what comes with presence and peace. Stress, anxiety, and despair always make the situation worse. I hope for people in war zones everywhere can always have the awareness of the deep peace within themselves.
