For years I have, like many of you, responded with various attempts to act mindfully to the unrelenting acts of terrorism, and the copy-cat gun violence mass shootings engendered by them. I refused to be hijacked by fear, and shrink my world. I refused to participate in hate-mongering, and become part of the problem. I participated in community vigils, prayers and silent honoring of the lost lives, group chanting, offering donations, engaging in discussions, working for a greater good world, alone and with others.

But today, some other part of me showed up in response to the newest terrorism report. Something BIG inside of me coalesced and then suddenly erupted.

It was like a “Truth Download.” I looked at my sorrow-filled face in the bathroom mirror and heard myself declaring, in a BIG voice: “ENOUGH! Enough of terrorists manipulating and defining the emotional atmosphere on this planet. NO MORE. I will not stand for life to be degraded by the terrorists’ extreme acts of hate and violent destruction. It’s time for something to antidote their poison.”

There was a potent pause as I scrutinized my face in the mirror, which now appeared radiantly fierce, and then somewhat puzzled, awaiting whatever was about to download next. My thinking mind was scrambling, and my emotions a flooding torrent as I wondered, “WHAT? What will antidote this ever-spreading poison of terrorism?” I could not take my eyes off of my eyes looking back at me in the mirror.

Then I heard my BIG voice bellowing again:

“Terrorists, meet Ecstasist. I AM the antidote to your poison.

I spread the Medicine of ecstasy--extreme joy-- over the damage from your poison of terror, extreme fear.

As you stand for hate, destroying life, I stand for love, serving life.

As you generate trauma with violence, I generate healing with kindness.

As you unleash suffering, I unleash care and comfort.

As you attack those different from you, I validate the common ground of being human.

As you perpetuate separation, I perpetuate oneness within diversity.

As you cause polarization, I cause unity.

I meet your terror stance of extreme fear-mongering with my ecstasy stance of extreme joy-mongering.

Just as you commit unrelentingly to envision, plan and deliver your poison of violence, I commit unrelentingly to envision, plan and deliver my Medicine of care.

Just as you dedicate your life purpose to destroy, I dedicate my life purpose to repair.

Does all this boil down to “you are wrong and bad, and I am right and virtuous?” NO. But you do have wrongful means.

So know this: at every step of apparent destruction, you fail, utterly. For NOTHING can destroy the power of love. Love sustains joy, extreme joy…ecstasy.

Until you stop, I meet you at every extreme, with the Presence of a Big Medicine that antidotes your poison: Ecstasy.*

And so it is. Because I say so.”

*Ecstasy: the expansive feeling of great happiness; bliss; extreme delight, often involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence.

The Terrorist  

• Attacks and destroys people who believe differently
• Power used to coerce, dominate and control
• Elicits extreme fear
• Induces trauma with violence
• Induces suffering
• Destroys those they deem as obstacles
• Incites hate
• Operates by projecting blame outward, onto others
• Outward destruction as mode of operating
• Operates by extreme dogma, religion to justify killing

The Ecstasist     

• Validates the common ground of being human
• Power used to serve Life
• Elicits extreme joy
• Instills healing with kindness and compassion
• Relieves suffering
• Recognizes there is no separation, all are interconnected
• Invokes love
• Operates with self-accountability and response-ability  
• Inner transformation as skillful means for outward contribution
• Operates by reversing “dogma” to “amgod,” the divine within the human