The Power of Trust

A transcribed talk given in Waldhaus Buddhist Zentrum Germany in August, 2024

This is a transcribed, edited and adapted audio talk given in August 2024 in Waldhaus Buddhist Zentrum, near Andernach, Germany,

Christopher explores the importance of the power of trust and love in meeting life’s challenges. The text emphasises the need to embrace the unknown and take new steps with an open mind. Theme explores the importance of dealing constructively with differences to prevent conflict and promote understanding and freedom from dependency on heartfelt love while engaged in service.

Photo taken on visit to refugee camp inside Myanmar in 2006 with Hal from California, founder of a trust to give support to Myanmar citizens, Dieter Zeppenfeld Georg Mass (a documentatry team) and myself. A forlorn little boy stands alone while others sleep. Orphans, one parent children, two parent children, guardians, older children look after little ones, little ones look after each other, with traumatised parents, siblings/parents who have lost limbs. One of the costs of the civil war in Myanmar. See last section of text below.

THEME FOR THE AFTERNOON TALK. THE POWER OF TRUST AND THE POWER OF LOVE

There are many ways to demonstrate an act of faith. You cannot prove faith, itself. You may be confident in the accuracy of the assertion, even though you cannot provide definitive proof. A clear example is the belief in rebirth or reincarnation as an act of faith in the afterlife; belief in the existence of a higher power is also an act of faith.

The belief there is no continuity of any kind at the end of life expresses an act of faith. The teachings encourage us to reflect on our experiences and to identify instances of faith in our daily lives. For some of you, this retreat will be your first experience of a retreat. This event confirms an act of faith, a first step into uncharted territory, different from what has gone before.

As a result of this decision, certain experiences may follow. We can review and evaluate these experiences and see the benefits. Perhaps the retreat will contribute to further interest and pursuit. This means you have made a change from faith to trust based on experience. Let us not discredit acts of faith but exercise clarity and mindfulness when engaging in such acts.

Over the years, I have witnessed many instances where individuals have made significant acts of faith by taking steps into the unknown. A person's outlook or approach to life undergoes a sudden and dramatic change. By way of illustration, many of you may recognise this in a personal context. Interpersonal relationships can develop on a foundation of trust and mutual respect. We see this approach may have limitations in terms of its long-term effectiveness.

Relationships need to develop and grow over time through sharing and learning, as well as adaptation to the needs of the individual and the relationship itself. If the relationship continues in a static and uninspiring way, despite the initial enthusiasm and commitment, one partner or the other may eventually lose interest. This can trigger a desire to get out of the situation or suffer through it.

Loss of Trust and Living with the Unknown

A tedious relationship leads to damage in communication. Loss of trust can become irreparable. In any kind of relationship, we need to access our own beliefs and views to ensure they remain fit for purpose. In a state of disconnection, we may place our trust in situations where there is limited evidence to support it. This means that the power to identify our beliefs and views have become misaligned with reality. This requires making the necessary adjustments, otherwise we continue in the naive belief that the relationship will indefinitely hold together.

The Buddha spoke directly about faith and trust. The Pali word for faith/trust, saddha, denotes a shift away from acts of religious belief/faith without the ability to confirm the faith. He emphasised the role of saddha as primarily meaning trust and confidence based on experience as a motivating factor. Wise faith can support the mind even without confirmation of the faith.

Experience, insight and understanding can shape our trust, so we abide with clarity in the reality of the heart, mind and world. When faith enters the unknown, we face the challenge of developing the ability to navigate through and live with the unknown knowing a healthy and confident attitude.

There is a power to remain steady with the unknown, a trust to support it while remaining receptive to insights. It may become apparent our activities and strategies are not achieving the outcome that we perceive. Trust shows a willingness to take steps. Skilful reflections support fresh activities if our strategies are not achieving the outcome that we perceive.

An introduction of new ways contributes to a welcome outcome for ourselves and others. Trust requires the acceptance of the unknown, the taking of new steps, and the willingness to embrace the future and whatever the outcome may be.

The flow keeps going with minor necessary adjustments. If you are unable to make changes then I wish you the best of luck!

Unrealistic Expectations

Tendencies and reactivities of the mind create obstacles. You may feel overly eager for results and a quick resolution to an activity that shows confidence.

Regardless of the length of time, this does not confirm you have become entitled to the result you seek. You may have unrealistic expectations. Take time to reflect, to step back and look at the bigger picture. Stay clear and honest with challenging situations that arise.

Life offers many issues, such as dealing with ageing, health, illness, money, lifestyle, relationships, spiritual exploration, meditation and more.

Pressure often arises internally when the mind focusses on achieving a positive outcome as quickly as possible. This pressure interferes with our ability to consider expanding approaches to problem solving.

The Buddha's frequent use of the concept metta (love, loving kindness, deep friendship) in the body of his teachings emphasises the importance of metta, which we can recognise as crucial to a fulfilled approach. Metta confirms an active response to situations, not just a feeling in the heart. Let me clarify my view.

For example, you make the intention to take a certain action but find yourself with considerable doubt, uncertainty. and speculation about whether you have made the right decision. There is fear of making a significant error of judgement. You could reflect on significant challenges you have faced in your personal, family or professional life. Remember you successfully navigated or worked your way through this challenging period. You recollection will support your confidence to work your way through the current action.

Memory supports the trust you can get through this period and learn a lot from it. Give yourself two or three examples of major challenges in the past, reflect on them. Recognise the resilience and strength from drawing on or from these periods in your life. You will see that you have demonstrated determination in the past.

You overcame circumstances in the past, so confidence can arise about the current situation I will cite my mother's experience. Aged 78, she made the decision to leave England and move to Australia to spend the remaining years of her life with Judy, my sister.

She told me that she told me she wanted to sell her modest home in England. I advised her to rent out her home as UK house prices continue to rise. She might not find Australia suitable but then would find it impossible to re-enter the UK property market if she returned home. I was surprised at my conservative view!

My mother said to me, "If you are going to do something, do it in its entirety, take all the necessary steps. Don't hold anything back. Don’t do things by half.”

She sold the house and got on the plane to Brisbane. She flew to Australia with confidence.

I mentioned to her that the journey to Australia would take 24 hours – a challenge for a 78-year-old. She told me she enjoyed long distance flying. “There are so many interested people to talk to.” She lived in Australia for 16 years until her death just weeks before her 95^th birthday.

Let us look at our relationship to trust in our personal and professional lives.

Recognising the Power of Love

The power of love also requires a willingness to embrace the unknown and to adapt to changing circumstances. The power of trust and the power of love mutually support each other.

The Buddha's concept of metta mostly translates as loving kindness in the Buddhist tradition. Metta includes a close relationship with people, animals and the natural world.

Metta always refers to a practical application of friendship, loving kindness or love, which affirms itself through a range of expressions. Metta can form the basis of our relationships with family, friends, colleagues, clients, strangers and others, as well as aspects of our tasks, work and engagements with the world of caring value.

As human beings, we have this significant capacity to develop and express the power of love. Love serves as a vital component in our daily lives, a function of immense value.

Love, coupled with insight, recognises the differences between people that potentially give rise to conflict. These difference can trigger projections onto others, such as identification with the ideology of the nation-state, politics and religion accompanied with negative view of others with a different background.

Failure to acknowledge and address the differences results in negative or cold emotions, blame and violence in body, speech or mind. The division creates a mental burden and increased alienation from each other. The self-reinforces the construction of the other causing distress, impacting on others, creatures and the environment. The intolerance of the other kicks metta into the gutter.

Impressions also arise from painful childhood experiences that inflame conflict. But not always. Children can experience a healthy, positive upbringing receiving much love from a parent(s) or guardian. That does not guarantee the person will live that way in everyday life. The same person might join the military, engage in war, killing, torture, and the decimation of others. Ideology controls their mind. A happy upbring does not ensure wisdom and compassion in adult life.

My work between 1992 and 202 included short annual visits to Palestine. I met those who were or had been committed to armed struggle (killing Israeli soldiers and civilians). They behaved no differently than their persecutors. Others saw no way forward through armed struggle and supported non-violent direct action.

In such circumstances, the application of non-violent principles can show love and compassion without any such feelings in the heart. The resolute activist may find metta in the heart regularly inaccessible. A common perception in our culture concludes we have to feel love for it to be love. This view reveals a narrow view of the expanse and significance of love.

Heart-felt love may become exaggerated to the point where we can't see the bigger picture of love. Love in poetry, music and soap operas involved primarily feeling and emotions and such sentiments in a fenced off inner landscape. Sentimental love barely touches metta. This means that a view arises love can only express through feelings and emotion.

A deep and profound love recognises the scope of love as a powerful force without being dependent on feelings for its recognition.

Notice the regular instances throughout the day when you do not experience feelings of love, yet love shows itself in your activities. To illustrate, let me give you an example of what I mean.

A Visit to a refugee camp in Myanmar

Around 2010, a Dharma friend and I undertook a trip and a film crew to a remote area north of Chiang Rai in the northernmost region of Thailand. I spent more than four years in Thailand as a Buddhist monk. The ongoing civil war in Myanmar (formerly Burma) provided an opportunity to accompany my friends to support ethnic people in the far north of the country, subjected to brutal oppression. My friend had converted a significant amount of a very thick wad of notes in Myanmar currency converted from dollars. He placed this box of notes in his backpack – money for schools and clinics for Myanmar refugees close to Thailand.

Due to the military controls in place, we were unable to proceed directly into Myanmar. As an alternative, we proceeded via the jungle trails before entering the country. This necessitated the use of two motorbikes. As passenger, we sat behind the Thai drivers. Thai military personnel guarding the road stared at the two Westerners on the motorbikes. I presumed they thought we were tourists visiting the region.

I was concerned the soldiers might stop us to search to inspect our backpacks. If they discovered the considerable sum of money in our possession, they might well assume we intended to purchase illicit substances. Fortunately, we drove past the military personnel without having to halt.

Our drivers took a turning off the road so travel through the narrow paths and alongside the rice paddies to enter Myanmar. Upon arrival at the settlement near the Thai border, we observed a camp of refugees based in their own country. I cite this as an example of taking action with mindful concern during the journey. The heart does not feel full of love given the risks involved in Thailand and Myanmar.

Commitments to values of service to other can take place outside of any emotional contentment. It is vital that we persevere with the tasks at hand overcoming unease, uncertainty and obstacles.

Our visit included meetings with the teaching staff, translators, parents, supporters and children to listen to their needs. Results of actions can differ from our expectations. The civil war in Myanmar continues.

On a distant hilltop, we noticed we were being watched through binoculars. Should the outcome differ from our expectations, there is the potential for a notable impact on our emotional state.

Let us carry out actions of service, even if we do not see the results, nor feel love at the time.