Vulnerability

Way back in time I remember opening a thread somewhere on vulnerability . Some things pass by, outgrown, but the reality/idea of vulnerability remains with me. Often I realise how I have sought to bury it beneath various "assurances" that merely seek to tell me that all is well.

"Water and ice"....... We live as though we are frozen. Our personality, what we call “myself,” is knowledge, memory, attitudes, beliefs, and judgments, which have become solid, and so have become like the bars of a cage.

The above from somewhere else but relevant again here. The cage is safety.

Apparently in Japan a monk is called Unsui , which means cloud and water. Moreover, Unsui means the very flexibility, the very liquidity, the very movement of mind, of being. Dogen says that Buddha nature is impermanence. Unsui is a concrete way of talking about impermanence. Most people look upon impermanence as a curse, particularly when impermanence is seen as time passing. When we get to the age of 40 or 50, we begin to feel acutely this passing of time, this impermanence. We come to dread it. We want to find something that is fixed, something that is secure, that is permanent, that we can rely on. “A mighty fortress is our God” sings the choir in Bach’s cantata. Another hymn sings of the “Rock of Ages.”

The above is simply taken from a commentary on Hakuin's "Chant" which I've waffled about elsewhere.

I think vulnerability and "truth" go hand in hand. Seeking a "mighty fortress" that protects us is no answer to anything. Reality simply congeals.

Anyway, another lockdown approaches us in the UK. Another couple of days and no more Costa Coffee Shops for at least a month. Yikes!

We all have our vulnerabilities and we all deal with them according to our individual needs. Or at least, we should. Those unable to cope with a situation they feel is too much for them can obtain professional assistance.

And then, it depends what you call a "vulnerability". A woman in an abusive relationship is a vulnerable person through no fault of her own, but she can obtain help with that.

A young person with learning difficulties also falls within the definition of "vulnerable" and a different set of support structures apply. Psychological help may form a part of such support. It comes as a package which should be tailored to the individual's needs.

I'm not at all sure that merely being unsure of where you're going in life really qualifies as "vulnerable". We all go through a period of doubt and uncertainty about where life is taking us at some stage of our lives..... often in adolescence or early adulthood.

This is entirely normal and natural. Simple family or partner support is usually enough. Those without families or partners might seek social support and that too is available.

I can't really think of any specific kind of "vulnerability" that there isn't either a state supported or charitable organisation advice and support system for.

I would agree that vulnerability is not a "practical problem / practical solution" situation for anybody. It can have intense emotional and psychological connotations, but those who qualify to assist people in these difficulties are skilled professionals bound by ethically sound regulations.

Usually though.... the problem is getting victims to come forward and seek help in the first place.