A balanced mind in an election year
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Practicing Democracy 
Aug 20, 2012 How to practice the Dharma while watching the 2012 United States presidential election, which saw incumbent President Barack Obama running against Republican nominee Mitt Romney. If you have trouble maintaining equanimity over political views, tune in:
- Seeing the person you disagree with as a product of conditioning
- Recognizing that even bad situations can be transformed
- Learning to have a positive attitude and being content with contributing to the things we are able to influence
- Remembering that we can speak out against ideas, policies, and actions without having anger or hatred for the people who hold them
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
