Let’s speak plainly, there is a lot of discrimination out there. For those of us who identify with a minority class, the weight of bigotry and prejudice feels heavier than normal. We have shifted from a society who embraces individuality and self-expression to one that seems bent on squashing diversity. It is hard not to feel angry and dismayed by some of the things happening in today’s world. It is important we find ways to cope and not allow those who would seek to erase our expression steal our joy and strength.

One way of coping with discrimination and minority stress is to modify our reactions to it through the process of generating impartiality. Impartiality is similar to the philosophical teachings of Stoicism, which teach that contentment is a product of focusing on what one can control (such as our thoughts, emotions, and actions), and accepting the things one cannot control, such as the actions of others. Impartiality is not a form of nihilism in that is does not reject the existence of discrimination or the need to overcome it. Instead, impartiality is a method of managing difficult experiences in a manner that does not impede or delay our constructive responses to them.

To use an analogy, generating impartiality is similar to being a stone in a river. As much as the river flows, the stone remains motionless.

In the meditative traditions, impartiality means giving up our hatred for enemies and cultivating an even-tempered attitude to all people and situations. One way to do this is to imagine our enemies as neither good or bad, but rather neutral. If this is difficult, try to reflect on their ignorance and imagine they are someone you care about who is doing harm to themselves. Compassion is often a great antidote to our own negative emotions, and can help us generate impartiality toward those who hate us.

To generate an impartial mind, we need to recognize how our responses to our environment impact our mental states. When someone says something unkind to us, or reacts to us with anger, our initial impulse is to react in kind. Using the previous analogy, we get swept away by the river. By reacting in this way, we give away what power we have to the other person, and this makes us less effective in our response.

Impartiality then requires mindfulness. It starts with an awareness of our initial emotional responses and an active choice not to react in the same way. At first, it may be helpful to imagine one’s power as a brilliant jewel. When we react to anger with anger, or hatred with hatred, we give away our power (you have handed your jewel to the other person). If this happens, visualize the brilliant jewel in the other person’s hand and gently reach out and take it back. Taking back our power gives us the ability to react in a more constructive way.

As one trains their mind in impartiality, the propensity to give away power will diminish. Instead, when confronted with discrimination, the wound of it will not go so deep, and we will be able to respond to it constructively with love and compassion.

Let’s make the world a better place together. 🙂