Cahoot wrote:You know movingalways, I thought about this thing that you wrote. At first I flashed hot, because when anyone tells me that they “suggest” I do something… well, I hear sarcasm and I see a little head waggin. So I gave it some time and that reaction faded away, and I could see that the only heat came from my own reaction to my own interpretation.
Then I thought, she’s right. I was a bit agitated. It’s in the tone. That happens when intellect begins to stir, when energetic thoughts start banging around. Sometimes the swirling intellectual agitation displaces attention from simple things, like breathing, and the life force can even ebb. This is why thinking can be so hard. So I should be thankful for that advice, in a detached way, for it is good advice in order to see clearly, and seeing the truth clearly brings the ultimate antidote to all suffering ... awareness that dispels ignorance.
Then I thought, why do I need to wait until my mind is calm and undisturbed to read the sutras? Why would I need the comfort of sutras if everything is hunky dory? Why do I need to read sutras when I am at peace? When I am at peace I can live undisturbed, which is where dharma is supposed to take me to. Don’t need to go there if I’m already there. When my mind is raging and disturbed, this is when I need to read the sutras. This is when I need the refuge of dharma.
So, in considering your wise advice, I see that for me I must turn to dharma for that peace of mind rather than turning to action, for even though we can say that the dharma is merely relative teachings when compared to the absolute, time and events have proven that dharma is my predilection. That’s why I quote dharma. It is part of the continuity in which my identity here and now resides, and I can only begin here and now.
I think that in interpreting and considering the advice that you shared out of kindness, generosity, and concern, I will drop the sails until dharma has calmed the churning seas of punctuation, when the clouds break and precious gifts of communication effortlessly flow from unobstructed, natural ahimsa.
Better Dharma than Dharma Bum to quote that dead American author who ran into a brick wall thinking it was a shimmer of light.
A lovely write and honest to. There is not one of us who cannot understand the thinking process you went through.
Now dharma next the train, don't get too scared to jump aboard when the whistle blows. A friend of mine is off on a 9 day retreat with his Zen group, I have no idea how anyone can do that. I had a laugh with him when I told him not to forget to jump over the rainbow when he is in deep samadhi, he said 'I'll be happy with any shard of coloured light'.
Sorry I cannot keep my analogies in order they seem to wander uncontrolled.
Who says that enlightenment brings peace? I suspect that we remain the same basically, looking for a cat to cut in half.