Hi all,
In Mexico, my land, these past few days have been a big whirlwind of many things going on because the new president decided to fight the people stealing gasoline from the pipes. If you aren’t aware of this, please take a look at international news and you’ll see some terrible images, words and really shocking videos.
For about 50 years gasoline stealing was the modus vivendi for thousands of towns and small cities. Ex presidents, the military, the police, clergy, ministers, politicians… everyone seems to be involved! It is a huge network of corruption that rendered my country in a very bad situation of poverty and ignorance. They make a living from milking gas and selling it to cheaper prices. Being an oil producing country, you can imagine the impact that gas stealing has in the country.
So part of this war against gas stealing is to have the military overlook and control the pipes that run from refineries to the cities. Thing is, the towns that live off of this crime didn’t take it well. Last weekend hundreds of people overran the soldiers and made holes into a pipe in order to keep on stealing.
The pipe became a geizer and towns folk were celebrating and laughing, taking a nice and long gas shower while they filled tanks and bottles.
Soldiers tried to prevent this but the people became very violent. Since all was drenched in gasoline, soldiers couldn’t use any kind of weapon that could create sparks and ignite the fuel. They retired to a safe distance and waited.
And a spark from who knows where, ignited the pipe and it blew up. The people lighted up in flames. 95 people died and 70 have third degree fire injuries. Many small children are among the victims.
I tell all this to give you context of what’s going on and why I am so moved in many levels. As a human being and as a Zen Buddhist priest.
Public reaction has been polarized to say the least. Some blame it on the government, some on the towns that steal, some on poverty and some make jokes.
The thing is the amount of life lost is terrible and my heart is broken.
We know that the root of suffering is attachment and desire. When we embrace the Tree Poisons of the Mind, we harm ourselves and others. This situation is a reminder of this. If you follow your greed for money, if you think you are very clever and smart for overpowering police, this kind of things happen.
But if we think about it on a more subtle and profound level, this kind of suffering all over the world comes because we have pushed ourselves to consume stuff. We consume the planet, other species and even ourselves. We have to own, we have to control, we have to possess things. The more and bigger, the better. We teach this to kids for generations.
So consumerism is pretty destructive in poor countries because people can’t have what they see on movies and TV, but they are pushed into having them. At the first chance they get, they’d do anything to consume and be like the people on TV. And they do this even if they harm themselves and others.
Of course, this gas problem is a dragon of a thousand heads. I could go on discussing the matter, but it’s no use.
I’m sad. I’m angry. But at the same time I am at peace and aware that this is a birth. Every challenge, every “tragedy” is a birth disguised as something bad.
Our practice allows us to feel all the range of human emotions with honesty and courage. We don’t turn away from them. We invite emotions to come, have some tea and then they leave.
We remain open to all possibilities of life and we walk only one step at a time. Always looking to help others in the best of our capabilities.
As long as there are people suffering, we have a lot to do as Buddhists.
Thank you for reading this.
Gassho,
Kyonin
Sat/LAH
In Mexico, my land, these past few days have been a big whirlwind of many things going on because the new president decided to fight the people stealing gasoline from the pipes. If you aren’t aware of this, please take a look at international news and you’ll see some terrible images, words and really shocking videos.
For about 50 years gasoline stealing was the modus vivendi for thousands of towns and small cities. Ex presidents, the military, the police, clergy, ministers, politicians… everyone seems to be involved! It is a huge network of corruption that rendered my country in a very bad situation of poverty and ignorance. They make a living from milking gas and selling it to cheaper prices. Being an oil producing country, you can imagine the impact that gas stealing has in the country.
So part of this war against gas stealing is to have the military overlook and control the pipes that run from refineries to the cities. Thing is, the towns that live off of this crime didn’t take it well. Last weekend hundreds of people overran the soldiers and made holes into a pipe in order to keep on stealing.
The pipe became a geizer and towns folk were celebrating and laughing, taking a nice and long gas shower while they filled tanks and bottles.
Soldiers tried to prevent this but the people became very violent. Since all was drenched in gasoline, soldiers couldn’t use any kind of weapon that could create sparks and ignite the fuel. They retired to a safe distance and waited.
And a spark from who knows where, ignited the pipe and it blew up. The people lighted up in flames. 95 people died and 70 have third degree fire injuries. Many small children are among the victims.
I tell all this to give you context of what’s going on and why I am so moved in many levels. As a human being and as a Zen Buddhist priest.
Public reaction has been polarized to say the least. Some blame it on the government, some on the towns that steal, some on poverty and some make jokes.
The thing is the amount of life lost is terrible and my heart is broken.
We know that the root of suffering is attachment and desire. When we embrace the Tree Poisons of the Mind, we harm ourselves and others. This situation is a reminder of this. If you follow your greed for money, if you think you are very clever and smart for overpowering police, this kind of things happen.
But if we think about it on a more subtle and profound level, this kind of suffering all over the world comes because we have pushed ourselves to consume stuff. We consume the planet, other species and even ourselves. We have to own, we have to control, we have to possess things. The more and bigger, the better. We teach this to kids for generations.
So consumerism is pretty destructive in poor countries because people can’t have what they see on movies and TV, but they are pushed into having them. At the first chance they get, they’d do anything to consume and be like the people on TV. And they do this even if they harm themselves and others.
Of course, this gas problem is a dragon of a thousand heads. I could go on discussing the matter, but it’s no use.
I’m sad. I’m angry. But at the same time I am at peace and aware that this is a birth. Every challenge, every “tragedy” is a birth disguised as something bad.
Our practice allows us to feel all the range of human emotions with honesty and courage. We don’t turn away from them. We invite emotions to come, have some tea and then they leave.
We remain open to all possibilities of life and we walk only one step at a time. Always looking to help others in the best of our capabilities.
As long as there are people suffering, we have a lot to do as Buddhists.
Thank you for reading this.
Gassho,
Kyonin
Sat/LAH
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