“Associating with the Wise” with Jean this Sunday at Minneapolis Insight

Dear Community,

Sunday 10am Community Practice & Discussion

Recently, I heard Mohsen Mahdawi, the Palestinian student at Columbia who was incarcerated for 16 days for protests against the war in Gaza, interviewed by Gil Fronsdal.   (At the time of his arrest in 2025, Mr. Mahdawi was president of the Buddhist Association at Columbia.)  This is some of what he said:

I was born and raised in a very difficult situation in the refugee camp in the West Bank, and I have seen such very painful events and images as a child, a trauma that stayed with me over the years. I noticed that meditation and the concepts, the teachings of Buddhism, were very helpful to that inner child that I carry within. The more I did it, the more at peace and the more calm I would become, mentally and spiritually, and this is how I stepped into it.

Buddhism has taught me how to empathize with myself regarding the pain and the suffering that I could be experiencing, and it taught me how to empathize with the other…  It breaks through the duality of the other or the enemy, and it roots me in deep beliefs that empathy and truth and justice and interconnectedness is at the core of our existence.

That’s why I’m not scared when I get detained.  Buddhism helped me in an unbelievable way. Waves of fear would come, but the moment I meditate, I am clear. And people think I am crazy. This is what happened when I was sheltering in place. That’s what happened when I got detained. I was not afraid, and I gave the peace sign while smiling. It happened when I was in prison, when Senator Peter Welch came to prison to interview me, and he said, “How could you be at this place and you’re smiling,” and so on. I said, “I have faith, and part of my faith is to stay calm and clear and to trust that whatever difficulties we’re facing, I will overcome it.” This is what happened when I was released and the first thing I wanted to tell people: “I am not afraid.”

Mr. Mahdawi’s description of how compassion (for self and others), mindfulness, and connection to others gave him the courage to work for peace inspires me. 

The Buddha spoke of the importance of associating with the wise (see Bhikku Bodhi’s short piece on this at https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_26.html.) This is especially important at times like these.  

Mr. Mahdawhi is wise.  All of us are wise. Please join us this Sunday to share your wisdom in the service of others. All are welcome! Registration and Zoom information available here.

With mettā,
Minneapolis Insight