This morning I awoke in the dawn-grey light to the most striking, luminous full moon setting in the west over the Jemez Mountains here in Santa Fe, where I’m visiting with family for the holidays. 

Oddly, a low-hanging cloud was covering the top half of the full moon as it set, so it looked like a lemon wedge balancing on the ridge of the mountains – a sight that confounded my sleepy mind for a second. Was the moon half full? Was it moving up or down?

And then I got my bearings and watched as the lemon wedge quickly dropped behind the mountains and out of sight as the sun rose in the east behind me.

***

This has been another treacherous year – in so many ways heartbreaking and eye-opening. In the face of such widespread global violence, confusion and unrest, so many of us are seeking simple, trustworthy guidance on how to navigate such deep hardship and moral reckoning. The right action is not always clear, and sometimes it feels there is no ethically valid way forward – damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Yet I am reassured by the recurring themes and repeated echoes I find in the traditions of the Vedas including Ayurveda and yoga. The timeliness (or timelessness) of the guidance in these wisdom traditions speaks loudly now, even thousands of years after they were first recorded. 

Three major teachings have helped me move through moments of confusion and despair this year, and I share them with you as the touchstones they have become for me: 1) Hold tight to the Truth, 2) Spread goodness, and, 3) Care for the environment and body.

#1: Hold Tight to the Truth

It is hard to deny that it has become increasingly difficult to discern what is the Truth, in both the mundane and in matters of grave significance. The prevalence in our public discourse of both outright lies and unverified hearsay has ballooned as social media has risen and professional media has fallen in public regard.

And even when a truth is clear, such as in a personal conviction or awareness (like, “I really need to stop doing so much,” or “I always feel better after I dance”), it can be hard to keep it in the front of the mind when it matters. We increasingly find ourselves giving over our ears and eyes (and thus, our minds) to distraction, as outside forces manufacture a hunger for sensory stimulation and quick urge satisfaction in us.  

This is why the ancient texts of many traditions teach us to practice NOT following the whims of our senses, but rather to harness our senses like wild horses and train them to follow the beneficial guidance of our higher consciousness. A tough order in this day and age.

The task at hand for us Truth-seekers, then, is not only to seek the truth but to make every possible effort to remember the Truth we already know when it matters most.

In this effort, we can draw upon the technique of mantra recitation. We can find or formulate a truth that we want to remember – a priority, a conviction, a guiding light. If we are lucky enough to know mantra-s from the Veda, or prayers or sacred phrases from any tradition, we can hold up those nuggets of truth that are meaningful to us.

We can write them on our hand, on our bathroom mirror, on our computer wallpaper. We can sing them in the car, when we’re walking, as we fall asleep. In time, with repetition, they will be written on our heart and more easily called upon in times of need.

We can also make a mighty effort (and it must be mighty indeed) to reduce the onslaught of noise and distraction passing through our awareness. With focus rallied in full awareness of what we are up against, we can learn to close the door – especially first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. We can defend against input allowed in through scrolling and newsfeeds, and instead feed our mind the Truth. 

Truly, holding tight to the Truth is one of the very most important things we can do. It is a goal worthy of tremendous effort.

#2: Spread Goodness 

Many spiritual traditions teach us to take care of our neighbors as we would our own family, to regard the guest as king, and to treat others as we ourselves would want to be treated. Most of us have a good sense of what “spreading goodness” means at the level of our own communities. It actually feels really good. It feels warm and generous.

Spreading goodness is a reliable path forward when unsure of the best action, yet sometimes the mind tries to complicate it. Some might say, “It’s best to give to this organization, not to that one,” or “If you really want to make a difference, you ought to do this instead.” We get caught up trying to identify the perfect action to spread goodness, or we overcomplicate a pure urge to simply lend a helping hand.  

Many traditions such as Buddhism guide us to focus on “right action” and not get misled by trying to predict the outcome. The Bhagavad Gita teaches, “Do your dharma (your duty, or the actions that are most in alignment with your moral convictions), and do not concern yourself with the results” (chapter 2, verse 47). This calls for introspection and consideration, not a knee-jerk reaction. I’m finding that a sense of urgency is a sign for me to slow down in my response.

Likewise, we are encouraged not to seek praise or commendation for doing what we believe is right. Let these be quiet actions. There is no need to make proclamations, seeking approval or status by announcing our goodness. Let the goodness speak for itself, the texts teach us.

The concept of Karma Yoga teaches us to be of service to those around us. We can trust our inner knowing on this one. If we turn to the child within us and ask, “Is this action spreading good?” we can usually come to an answer. Let that be enough.

#3: Care for the Body and Environment

This has been a profound learning for me in recent years. One of my Ayurveda teachers offers a clarifying interpretation of several verses from an ancient text, the Charaka Samhita, renowned for teachings on health and healing that remain relevant to this day. 

In a passage that expands on how to find right action, it explains that our primary duty and the only pathway to physical and mental health is to take care of our surroundings, to avoid polluting or exploiting the space we live in. Significantly, this includes taking care of our body, the “place” our soul lives, ensuring it has pure water, unpolluted foods, and a peaceful inner experience whenever possible. 

Thus we are advised to put the health of our surroundings AND our body above all else. We must take care of our macrocosm, the environment and community we are part of, the rivers and soil and air and plants and animals of our planet, and we must care for our personal microcosm, the galaxy of our cells and organs and microflora, and ensure that we do not spoil it with pollutants or foods we cannot digest, nor emotions we don’t give ourselves time to process. 

Care for the environment is critical. And care for our body IS care for the environment. The path forward at any time must include meticulous care for both.

***

These 3 guidelines have given me a clarity of purpose in recent months and years. In their simplicity, they are easy to break down and repeat, even when my mind gets confused, even when the moon looks like a lemon and it’s hard to tell which way is up.

1. When you find the truth, recognize it as the life-changing treasure that it is. Nothing is more valuable. Hold on to it dearly. 
2. Spread goodness. You can trust that you know what that means.
3. Take exquisite care of yourself and your entire surroundings. You matter more than you know.

May we find our way forward together to a more compassionate, loving world where we truly care for each other and all on our planet.

Lokāḥ Samastāḥ Sukhino Bhavantu

May all beings everywhere be easeful and free of suffering