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The light begins its slow return to places in the North, and today a new year begins. Some people are saying it already 'too late' — climate chaos, species loss, war, disparity — that we have gone too far, the darkness is too profound. We, however, believe no darkness is so profound that a single candle cannot dispel it. The Buddha's teaching on light and darkness is simple: they depend on each other for their existence, like 'above and below', 'left and right', 'birth and death' — take one away and its partner ceases to be. They do not have a separate self— and neither do we. Each of us is composed of many elements — our ancestors, DNA, what we consume, our relationships, and our actions. Maybe somewhere in the world, our 'opposite' also exists. Anger, outrage, despair, fear — these are common responses to the injustices we see around us. We want to take action, to rebel, to protest and oppose the people on the 'opposite' side of the issue or debate. However, we must be skillful at transforming these feelings into compassionate and non-violent action, if we want this kind of resistance to be effective. This resistance requires satyagraha.
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