Have you ever watched a wildlife show on public television, where predators hunt other animals for food? The tiger hunts a deer or a snake swallows a frog. These shows are filled with suspense. We hope that the deer will escape the tiger's claws, and the frog will be saved from the snake's fangs. It is painful to watch the tiger tear apart the deer and the frog disappear into the snake's mouth. This kind of program is not invented it is real life. We long for the well being of the frog and the deer, but rarely do we consider that the tiger and the snake must also eat in order to live. We humans eat chickens, pigs, shrimp, fish, and cows, and, like the tiger and the snake, even deer and frogs. Yet because it is painful to watch, we take the side of the prey and hope it will escape. In these situations, as meditators, we must remain very clear. We cannot take either side, because we exist in both. Some people can remain unmoved or even enjoy the sight of a tiger tearing ...