Inner Resilience in Myanmar: Harnessing Three Powerful Tools to Navigate Adversity
In his appearance on a recent podcast episode, Rick Hanson was asked about good practices that people now resisting the military regime in Myanmar can keep in mind as they face horrific situations. Following is his response.
“The worse the situation, the more we need to draw upon these inner strengths, especially when the world around us is unsupportive or even terrible.”
As an American psychologist, I help people in psychotherapy and also more generally in self-help and human potential through books, classes, and teachings. My life is filled with advantage, privilege, and comfort, and most of the people I try to help also have somewhat similar lives. So yes, it's absolutely different from what people face in places like Myanmar, or even here in America, where some people encounter truly awful conditions within our own country. It's important to acknowledge that distinction.
That being said, the underlying idea remains the same. We all face challenges in our lives, including extreme ones like atrocities happening in our communities or within our families. We must cope with them, gradually recover, and offer help to others. Along the way, we strive to maintain a core sense of well-being within ourselves. To accomplish this, we tap into various strengths and psychological resources such as mindfulness, compassion, resilience, grit, spiritual practices, emotional intelligence, moral commitments, and more. The worse the situation, the more we need to draw upon these inner strengths, especially when the world around us is unsupportive or even terrible. Tapping into our internal reservoirs of strength is not something exclusive to privileged Americans or a mere "la dee da" New Age concept. It is genuinely important.
When something terrible happens and we find ourselves running for our lives, survival becomes the primary focus. In those moments, we rely on the strength to flee, and little else is possible. However, once the dust settles a bit and we can catch our breath, even if it's just for a moment, there is always an opportunity for greater healing, learning, and growth. This ability to influence who we are becoming in the face of such terrible conditions resides within us, an inherent power that cannot be taken away. It's not just about enduring trauma; there is actually potential for development along the way. The Buddha taught long ago that suffering is the proximal condition for awakening, as it propels us in that direction.
I can discuss at length the specific ways to develop and utilize inner strengths, such as resilience, in a fundamental way. We can certainly delve deeper into that. However, in this moment, I can offer three things that are rooted in science and in how the brain and body work together. These are practical tools that people can utilize to navigate exceedingly difficult situations. So, let me mention them here.
First, there is mindfulness (Sati in Pali) — the capacity to witness your experiences rather than being completely consumed by them. It provides a brief respite, a space, a buffer between you and the immediate circumstances. Mindfulness involves being aware of both your inner experiences and the world around you. It is a foundational strength and inner resource that can be drawn upon when facing extreme difficulties.
Secondly, I want to emphasize the importance of the heart's connection. This refers to the profound and heartfelt connections between oneself and the world, the people we care about, and those who care about us. It may also include a sense of meaningful connection to nature, culture, and the wider world. Your heart is engaged.
It's interesting that in French, the root of the word for courage is "heart." To deal with things, we need to tap into our hearts and be strong-hearted. In our evolutionary history as hunter-gatherers who lived in close contact with others, feeling connected and expressing heartfelt emotions were primal signals of safety. They reinforce our sense of being fundamentally okay. So, that would be the second tool.
To conclude, the third tool is quite remarkable in terms of its impact on the brain. It involves taking a wider view, adopting a bird's eye perspective, an objective and impersonal big picture view. It can even mean lifting your gaze to the horizon, embracing the larger space around you, and considering the wider context. When we do this, it immediately brings us into the present moment neurologically and helps relax self-preoccupation. It enables us to see the bigger picture, the vast frame in which many things are actually going okay.
Locally, it may be a complete horror show and a total disaster, but when we lift our gaze or take that bird's eye view, it allows us to appreciate the larger whole, the concept of dependent origination, interdependence, and ‘interbeing,’ as the great Thich Nhat Hanh described it. This perspective provides comfort in the present moment.
So, in summary, mindfulness, heartfelt connection, and a wider view are three scientifically grounded tools that people can employ in the midst of terrible circumstances. These tools can help them cope better and potentially even experience some relief and well-being.