Cynicism

Cynicism A shocking cynicism is deeply embedded in the hearts and minds of so many of us. Because we have grown up in this rather miserable world, most of us have more than good reason to be cynical about the possibility of Liberation. But if our goal is a spiritual Enlightenment that is profound, then we must find a way to make ourselves available and receptive to that which is unimaginable. There is something very safe about being out of touch with the possibility of true emancipation in this life. Indeed, it is not difficult to recognize that the fundamentally cynical stance that so many of us unknowingly allow ourselves to abide in protects us from the potentially overwhelming experience of stumbling upon the Truth. I have seen many people fall into a state where  suddenly ­ they find that they are awake, deeply in touch with the experience of being alive. A state where their heart has been liberated from its normal, very closed-down, ­cynical condition. And I have noticed that in most cases, the depth of vulnerability that was experienced was too much to bear. Indeed, to see that deeply and to know that much forces a depth of surrender that mercilessly challenges every single idea we have about who we are. To be cynical means that we don’t believe that it’s possible to be free, that we don’t believe that it’s possible to be truly happy. To be cynical means that we are mistrustful of life and frightened of love. Those who are cynical find it impossible to believe in a kind of love that does not want for itself. Indeed, they do not believe there is such a thing as perfect goodness. If we want to be free, we must recognize that cynicism protects us from the deepest part of ourselves. It protects us from the unimaginable mystery that always lies within us. Believing that life is fundamentally not trustworthy also protects us from having to face into its overwhelming complexity. The cynical stance always provides the luxury of not having to question too deeply. It lets us off the hook. But even more importantly, cynicism makes it very difficult to experience life in such a way that we will know what is meaningful, significant and profound beyond measure. That is why if we do want to be free, we have to find a way to destroy the cynicism that has been protecting us from having to be too vulnerable, see too deeply and know too much. If we want to be free, we have to find a way to face into life absolutely.