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What the Concept of an Enemy Teaches Us
External focus only threatens internal peace
People with whom we have less affinity can help us to be more patient and calmer, to discover our true strength.
The term “enemy” has led to discomfort for many. An enemy can be depicted as sounding too strong and focusing entirely on someone or something else. There is something we can learn about the concept of enemies.
The Dalai Lama is one of the people most known for favoring peace in the world. He often refers to enemies in his books and speeches on life satisfaction.
“My Spiritual Biography” is one of his books that runs through three vital commitments: the development of the qualities of the heart, dialogue, and the politics of kindness.
According to him, enemies serve as our teachers. He argues that we learn the importance of patience, control, and tolerance by facing them from this perspective.
Perhaps we already knew the theory, but only the enemy allows us to put it into practice. By forcing us to be tolerant, it will enable us to have a more serene mind.
People can influence us, but we don’t have to give them permission to control us.
