Hope

Listened to an interesting forum on the subject of 'hope' over podcast. 'Hope', it appears is not a topic in Buddha's teachings (according to one dharma teacher). It was reasoned that perhaps 'hope' is associated with expectations and may set a person for disappointment. One guy called expectations "premeditated resentment". Another participant apologetically but very bluntly described 'hope' or faith as leaving your brains at the church door.

Two other health care workers however spoke of the importance of 'hope' which helps patients to recover faster and fight terminal diseases. They felt that 'hope' helps to build resilience. Similarly, it was 'hope' and optimism that helped people survived concentration camps as another participant suggested. (I also personally feel that "hope" is a good strategy for counselling). On the other hand, one participant who suffered from cancer related her mental anguish when her open warfare strategy yielded no result. She then adopted an acceptance mode which brought her more peace and which she believed contributed to her remission.

The Dharma teacher felt that for Buddhism, it is more of trust where trust is opening ourselves to what's happening around us instead of creating a story to hide our fears. A participant opined succintly that whilst 'hope' is wishing an external factor will change our life, trust is knowing what we believe to be true and trusting ourselves to change our life with our internal resources.

I relate this interesting discussion to my own experience in counselling. In counselling we try to bring 'hope' by helping the client see the alternative steps that may be taken to alleviate a dire situation or a reframing of the attitude towards an irreparable one.