Communication: It’s important for the family to gather daily and talk about what happened during the day or what will happen.
There is fear everywhere, you can feel the fear, you can breathe fear. In migrant communities, fear is palpable. They don’t know if they will be back after going out to work, it doesn’t matter whether they have legal residence or are undocumented.
This happened in Washington, where ICE agents carried out a raid at a roofing installation and repair factory. They took everyone.
I dare say that the majority of residents in this country know or have someone they know or relatives with irregular immigration status. But this is only part of the fear. When we have a President who governs daily with threats, revenge, and ego, it’s logical that people feel fear. I read a post from a history professor at the Navy, and upon arriving at his office, he was surprised to find that he had no work. The same happened to thousands of federal workers and those in inclusion and diversity programs.
You wake up each day wondering what new idea Donald Trump had the night before to strike at our right to exist.
But Trumpism is already here, it’s not going anywhere. For the next (almost) three years, we will face an uncertain and unpromising future.
Why did I mention Buddha in the headline? Well, the doctrine of Buddhism is based on the Four Noble Truths. These are:
The First Noble Truth: The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha):
Life inherently involves suffering, encompassing various forms of pain, both physical and emotional, and dissatisfaction.
The Second Noble Truth: The Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya):
Suffering arises from attachment, craving, and ignorance, particularly the desire for things that are impermanent and unsatisfying.
The Third Noble Truth: The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha):
Suffering can be overcome and ended when the causes of craving and attachment are eliminated, leading to a state of liberation or enlightenment.
The Fourth Noble Truth: The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga):
The path to end suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, a practical guide consisting of ethical and mental practices that cultivate awareness, understanding, and ultimately, liberation.
One of the great wonders of Latino culture is solidarity and family life. “Where two eat, three can eat.” We are hard workers, loving, and fighters. (Permission granted by photographer Robert Sturman)
And it’s not meant to be funny.
As we say in Mexico, we’re already screwed. Now, since we can’t change things, we have to defend our right to mental health that benefits us and those around us. We cannot fall into negativity or feel isolated and without an escape.
One of the great wonders of Latino culture is solidarity and family life. “Where two eat, three can eat.” We are hard workers, loving, and fighters. We cannot accept that a president like the one we have ruins our lives. We need to build a strategy so that, if we are deported, if we lose our jobs, or suffer harassment, we are mentally as well as possible.
We think that, to be happier, we should push away or ignore our fear… The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look closely at it.
The great Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a book precisely with this title, Fear. And in it, he develops a whole path to healing. We don’t need to follow it exactly, but some basic advice can help.
-Communication: It’s important for the family to gather daily and talk about what happened during the day or what will happen. Don’t hide the risks, and come up with an action plan in case a calamity occurs.
-Take 10-15 minutes for yourself. Sit down or walk, if you feel safe, try to be ‘in the moment,’ calmly review the situation you and your families are in, and accept it. You can’t change it, but you can change the way you confront it.
-Breathe. Breathing is our main tool. If you start with five-minute exercises, it will be enough. There is a very accessible technique. Inhale while counting to 4, hold for 4, and exhale while counting to 4. And so on. You’ll notice a big change if you have anxiety.
We need to transform fear into love. There is a beautiful mantra by Thich Nhat Hanh, and it is done like a kind of recitation or prayer, and it is for oneself: “Darling, I know you’re suffering. That’s why I am here for you.”
Let’s try to be there for ourselves.
