Be not Afraid of Growing Slowly.

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

-Chinese Proverb

James: This quote really resonated in my heart today because I often feel like my practice isn't where it should be, but how could it be anywhere except where it is? I must keep reminding myself (gently, of course) that there is no moment but this moment and that you can't get "there" without being here first. I use, "there" in quotations because in this case, "there" refers to realizing enlightenment and liberation from suffering--not an actual destination someplace in the ethereal future as we know that the future is but a hologram.

It can be easy to be discouraged and think, "I'm not meditating enough" or long-enough but even Buddha got discouraged. He studied with several mystics before his enlightenment but was eventually discouraged by their teachings, which he felt unsatisfied with. In addition, he pursued extreme aestheticism only to be discouraged by it. During his meditation under the Bodhi tree, before his enlightenment, he was tempted by desires to abandon his practice. He could have easily given up after all of these events but he pressed on not knowing what would come next until he shattered the hold of the ego and realized enlightenment.

Something else to consider is that our sense of progress is too often seen through the eyes of the mind, which demands immediate, Earth-shattering and over-whelming results. So it can be hard sometimes to see our progress; especially since progress seems to unfold in increments. Yet even the lotus seed has to burst up through seemingly unending layers of mud and inches of murky, shifting water to eventually reach the top of the water to bloom in the sun. Our journey is similar. It seems like an impossible journey yet it has to be such for if the lotus grew instantly to the surface the stem wouldn't be strong enough to hold the enlightened flower.

So, we too must build a strong base or foundation for our practice. Thus, we don't need to worry so much about how "fast" we're growing in our practice. We can only grow as fast as our karma will allow. There is a lesson in everything and just because someone might seem "advanced" on the path doesn't mean they aren't having difficulties on their way to the sun too!! The goal isn't to keep up with some Zen master or those around you whom you consider stronger meditators but rather that we keep growing--period. I realized that wanting to be further along in my practice is giving into the desire for being better than others. It's hard to accept it but that's at the root because why would we be unhappy with our practice if we weren't trying to, not only keep up with others, but outdo them? As if it's a race to see who realizes enlightenment first. No, it's better for me to stay happy with where I am because like it or not, that is the only true reality. The rest is destructive delusion.

~Peace to all beings~

"Welcome to England"...

... is how it looked in the morning when we woke. A cold drizzle of rain. Very disappointing, for folks who had come all the way from London to find some sunshine. I said as much to Matthew when I picked him up for the drive out to the Irvine Amtrak station to pick up his Mom, arriving by train from Iowa, via Albuquerque, where she had spent some time with friends. We drove up through the canyon in the rain and arrived in good time to learn that the train was delayed by a few minutes. We were still debating where to pick her up when we were surprised by a shout from the other end of the track... She had taken an earlier train and had been waiting in the drab cafe.

Dropping them off at the hotel I returned at home for a quiet breakfast with Ellie before the gang arrived. Here they are, enjoying yesterday's blog entry...

By this time, the weather was clearing just a bit, and we decided to make the most of the opportunity for a walk we had planned along the long beach at Crystal Cove.

A good choice, as it turned out, because the weather continued to clear and we all had a great time strolling along the water's edge, exploring tide pools and beach combing. Here's Alice...

Georgia is an avid beachcomber, like her grandfather, and I had to explain to her, sadly, that we're no longer allowed to take our treasures with us when we leave the beach--a rule she followed graciously enough, but wanted, at least, a picture of her finds...

Sometimes the hunt is pleasure enough in itself. Joe, who had done a report on fossils at school was interested to learn that the huge, circular rocks along the shore are actually ancient tree stumps and fallen trees...

We must have walked a good mile in each direction, and it was already two in the afternoon before we returned to our starting point, by the Beachcomber restaurant nestled between the beach cabins at Crystal Cove...

A good place to stop for a feast of hamburgers, hot dogs, fish and chips... And the sun came out!

We split up, then, into two parties--one, including Diane and the two grandmas, stopped off at Trader Joe's and The Gap for some shopping needs. Matthew and the kids returned to the hotel with me, where the twins were anxious to spend some time in the pool. Alice came back to the cottage, and we picked up George to give him a good run in the park at the Top of the World. Never at ease with children, George has been learning slowly to accept that these are his family, and that he must be at pains to make himself somewhat tolerant of their attentions. Up at the park, Alice took his leash and threw the ball for him, and thus earned his lasting affection. We hope.

I dropped Alice off at the hotel to join the twins in the pool, and drove back home for a brief rest before Ellie arrived back and the supper prep began. Matthew trudged up the hill a little later, to join me for the drive to John Wayne Airport to pick up his brother, Jason, arriving from Iowa via Minneapolis. He had texted earlier from the gate that the flight seemed to be leaving on time, but we should have checked the updates on flight arrivals before leaving; they were half an hour late leaving Minneapolis, delayed by screw-ups over the loading of snacks. I learned to know the circuit at John Wayne much better than I would have wanted to.

But anyway, finally he arrived, and we drove back to Laguna to find the family gathered and hungry. We (now nine of us!) all sat down around our rather small dining table for a delicious white bean soup, spinach salad, and cheeses with good brown bread. A great and regrettably rare occasion, to have so many of us gathered in one place at one time. Unfortunately, no one had the good sense to bring out the camera. There will be another time.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/31/2010

"On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are the shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If you live a pure life, nothing can destroy you."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/30/2010

"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Shopping, Swimming, Seder...

So the day started out quietly enough, with breakfast at home whilst our visitors slept in, we hoped, at their hotel. We even managed to get in a half-hour's workout at the gym, before heading downtown to meet up with the gang. Shopping, it seemed, as the first order of the day. There were necessities like swimsuits and shorts to be purchased, along with California sweat shirts and the other goodies with which the stores on our main shopping street, Forest Avenue, are replete. Joe and Georgia managed to have fun...

(Joe, who is as full of mischief as a young boy should be, dreamed up this performance, and Georgia happily joined in. It's a little odd, by the way, to have two Georgies around the place, especially when one of them is of the canine kind!)

And Alice managed to find a broom named after her...

We found a much needed cup of coffee for Matthew at the beachfront Starbucks, and some of us headed out to the boardwalk for a stroll while the shopping chores were being brought to a conclusion.

Here's Diane, with her two beautiful daughters...

By this time, we were all ready for lunch. There's a little food stand in the village, La Sirena, which provides excellent Mexican food at reasonable prices, so we gathered there and enjoyed, variously, tacos, quesadillas and burritos at two conveniently neighboring tables--one vacated for our crowd by an obliging couple who saw our need and responded with kindness.

Returning to the hotel--some on foot, others in the car with the shopping bags--we decided to take advantage of the still beautiful weather (there's rain on the way) to try out the beach. A good idea, as it turned out. I had thought the kids might have some fear about the waves, not being used to them, but they had an absolutely marvelous time romping in and out of the surf...

... in what seemed to (paddling) me ice-cold water. Such a pleasure to watch them scream and plunge about--and to remember how much I loved this when I was their age! Here's Georgia, testing out the flippers...

... and Joe in his brand new swimsuit...

... and Alice, looking gorgeous in her new green bikini...

Ellie and I returned home to get ready for the seder. Not much left to be done, really, but to set the table, and to ensure that the proper symbols were provided in their proper place.

The ceremony went off fine, with myself leading and everyone joining in along the way. Here we all are, at the start of things...

Ellie and I were much impressed with the way the children read their pieces, and participated in the meal despite growing fatigue after their long journey--a fatigue obviously not limited to the youngest...

All in all, a wonderful day. Much love spread around, with much joy and laughter. A special thanks to Ellie, for having proposed the seder as a good idea for kids and adults alike, and for having organized it all from start to finish. Sad that she's the only one with a picture at the ceremony... but she does have a nice one with the grandchildren, above.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/29/2010

"In the sky, there is no distinction between East & West; people create distinctions in their own minds and then believe them to be true."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Family

It's a joy to have the family gathering with us here in Laguna Beach. It started yesterday, when Ellie and I drove up tandem, in both cars, to meet our gang arriving from England at Los Angeles International: Matthew, my older son, and Diane, and their three children, Alice, now 11 years old, and the twins, Georgia and Joseph, now 8. (Pictures later; we haven't had the head to take them yet.) You can see why we needed both cars. Tomorrow, Tuesday, my former wife, Elizabeth arrives at Irvine railway station from Iowa, and my younger son, Jason, flies in to Santa Ana airport, also from Iowa. Thursday, our daughter, Sarah, comes down via Amtrak; and finally her friend, Ed, arrives on Saturday. You can see, it's a busy week. The Buddha Diaries may suffer some neglect...

Much of Saturday and much our morning, yesterday, went into preparations for the basic necessities--marketing and food prep. It was Ellie's idea that we should do a seder tomorrow evening, to pass on that tradition from her side of the family to the grandchildren, so we had two dinners to think about. In such circumstances, I'm usually appointed sous-chef, and put in a good deal of time on the considerable amount of chopping and slicing required by Ellie's recipes. She's the chief cook and organizer. By the time we left for the airport, we had the two first dinners pretty much in hand. The only thing left undone was a prior inspection of the hotel room we had booked for Matthew and family, but that would not have been possible anyway; we called ahead and discovered that the room would not be available before we left for the airport.

We would not, in any case, have been able to do much to remedy the snafu in our hotel booking. We had reserved, months ago, a very nice suite at the Laguna Riviera, with space enough t sleep all five of them in comfort, and a great terrace overlooking the ocean with lounge chairs and barbeque. On our arrival, we discovered that they were booked in, instead, to a much smaller room, below the one we had reserved, with a narrow balcony instead of the terrace where the children could have played. The confusion resulted in a good deal of calling back and forth from the front office, but nothing was to be done. Diane and Matthew did seem happy enough with their temporary quarters for the week, and the kids were just delighted to be a stone's throw from the beach. We left them to pack, and returned home to set the dinner table...

What a pleasure, finally, after then obligatory tour of the cottage and the changes since our remodel last year--they marveled at the new kitchen, and at Ellie's work in her new studio down below--to sit down around the table in our little cottage with the gang. The children's energy, even after the long flight from London, is boundless, uncontainable, and literally fills our normally quiet little living space. They are all three growing into such different people, and it will be a delight to have this opportunity to get to know them better in the two weeks they will spend with us. No doubt they will exhaust us, but I'm looking forward to a rich and wonderfully rewarding exhaustion! Today, I must remember to take the camera with me.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/28/2010

"In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/27/2010

"He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Sleeping Solo

It's a rare occasion, to be waking up alone. It has not, in fact, happened for years. It happened a bit more frequently in the days when I was traveling for conferences, interviews, and other work-related purposes--but even then it was not frequent. So it did feel strange to be going to bed alone, and waking up alone this morning. The reason? We need two cars down in Laguna this weekend, because we will be picking up our family at Los Angeles International on Sunday and bringing them all down to Laguna for next week. And I needed the extra time in my office to wrap things up for a two-week absence.

That's right, two weeks. After our week in Laguna, we're all traveling to Joshua Tree for a couple of days, then back to Los Angeles, with family, for their last three days' vacation. I don't suppose I'll be spending much time in the office until after they have left. So I'm leaving everything in the hands of my new assistant, Emily, and my new Master Navigator of the web, Craig, until I return. The Buddha Diaries will likely be the exception. I usually manage to find a few minutes for these pages, even when I myself am on the road.

So I went to sleep alone, and woke alone this morning. No Ellie, no George. They left yesterday and spent the night at the beach. I'll catch up with them a little later this morning. I took advantage of the unusual quiet in the house and went to bed at nine! And woke, refreshed, at five. Did my meditation, got up, made a cup of tea, and here I sit, in bed still, with The Buddha Diaries. It feels very quiet. Where we live, we are protected from much of the city's sounds by a baffle of trees and shrubbery. Only a soft hum penetrates, to remind us of the world out there.

I am enjoying the solitude. I would not enjoy it nearly so much if I did not know that it was temporary, but it's good to experience it with attention to its particular qualities. The silence. The freedom that it brings: inevitably, when there are two of us, we make small adjustments for each other. When George is here, he has his needs--the morning walk, breakfast... This morning, I am on my own time, and mine alone. I am in my own space, and mine alone. I expect that Ellie is experiencing much the same down in Laguna--though she has George.

In solitude, we are alone with the core of who we are. No expectations from others, no need to perform the role we give ourselves in relationship to them. It's at once exhilarating and a wee bit scary too. The shadow lurks closer to the surface, the existential doubts, the awareness of the sheer strangeness of being alive, surrounded by inanimate objects, by the sense of hidden living beings, the breath of vegetation. Without distractions, the preciousness of life, along with its precariousness, seems all the more acute.

So I relish this moment, even as I miss my intimate companions and my familiar routines. Soon enough, it will be time to get up, set about the preparations to get on the road, catch the news, have a bite of breakfast. For the moment, though, I breathe...

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/26/2010

"Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

The Buddha on PBS April 7th.

The Public Broadcasting Service here in America was kind enough to send me an advanced copy of the documentary, "The Buddha" by David Grubin, which is set to air on April 7th (check your local listings). It tells the story of the life of Buddha and the teaches he shared that would bloom into one of the largest religions of the world. As I watched it noticed I noticed that it was very similar to Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh's book, "Old Path, White Clouds." It is a book that is very thick and somewhat tedious to read in parts but it is probably the best book I've read on the details of Buddha's life as we know them. If you don't have the time to read such a large book then I highly suggest watching this documentary if you can.

The imagery used in this documentary is as beautiful as it is inspiring. The fields and villages shown look as though they probably did back in Buddha's time, which helps the viewers realize the timelessness to Buddha and his teachings. I found this documentary to be very intimate in that it portrays Buddha in such a humble light. Some documentaries laud him to the point of godhood, which I think the awakened one would caution against. The music blended nicely with the storyline and carried us from scene to scene as if it were Buddha's hand itself guiding us along. In a sense, this documentary not only tells his story but our own as well. After all, the point of his story is to open the door to the path he followed, for ourselves. It is not just a bedtime story but rather a map that explains life itself.

~Peace to all beings~

Bad Memory

Here's a truth about myself that I have known and acknowledged for years, but which I have found hard to accept and have found necessary to keep, where possible, from others: my brain is not good at retaining stuff. Stuff like names, dates; who wrote what and when; what this book was about, or that movie; facts of all kinds. Let alone the factoids.

And the truth behind that truth is that it's not about the quality of my brain. I think I have a good one. I simply have not trained it in the art of retaining things; I have chosen to allow it to be lazy, and I suffer as a consequence. I suffer from the fear of others learning that I'm not nearly as smart as they thought I was, and don't know nearly as much as they do. I suffer from the embarrassment of exposure when, for example, I look into a face I have known for years and can't put a name to it.

There are many things that I remember perfectly well. I remember nursery rhymes I learned seventy years ago! I remember French poems, word for word, that I was compelled to learn at the age of six and seven. But I don't remember the name of many an artist whose work I saw just yesterday. I don't remember what the work looks like, nor where I saw it--unless there's something about it that calls to me and transcends that laziness.

I have always admired those who have minds like traps. They remember who wrote Don Quixote (well, actually, I remember that!) and when he wrote it (I don't.) They remember the names of characters in novels by Dostoevsky. They remember the dates of the Civil War and the names of the generals who fought it. I envy that quality. It makes me feel kind of stupid, less in some way than I feel I should be, but I envy it.

It comes down, I believe, to paying attention, and what I choose to pay attention to. Or, perhaps--as in the case of those French poems--what I'm forced to pay attention to, or else. Too often, I allow things to pass right through my brain, like water through a sieve. No sooner does it fill the void than it drains right out again. No wonder I felt so uncomfortable as a teacher in the classroom. I couldn't remember half of what I was supposed to know!

These stray thoughts emerging from a tired mind today, as I recall, yesterday, not remembering the name of one of the guests at the Standard, when I had my pen poised ready to sign her book; and the shame I felt at having to ask her for it. It's odd, isn't it, that I so easily remember the particular moment in which I failed completely to remember. Perhaps, I speculate, it's easier to store the memory of feelings than the memory of facts...?

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/25/2010

"Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

The Standard, Part II

Well, it was a lot of fun. Each new venue, I have found, brings its own challenges, and the Cactus Lounge at the "Hollywood's Hippest Hotel" (see yesterday's entry) was no exception. Through my own inattention, I had the timing off. I read the detail of the hotel's flyer only yesterday. The 7PM start was billed as a warm-up hour with wine and conversation; my part was scheduled to start only at 8PM. The lounge itself is a pleasantly luxurious space, with patio-style easy chairs arranged around small drinks tables and (what else?) desert scenes with cactus painted on the walls. The entire south end of the room opens out onto a view of the hotel pool, with guests lounging still, on a warm evening, on chaises, and a wide view of the city beyond. Music, programmed by a DJ in the neighboring lobby, pervades the space.

The lighting in the lounge itself, as night approached, became low and atmospheric--an interesting challenge, and one that proved critical because I had decided, unusually, to do a good deal of reading from the book. The event had been billed, after all, as a "reading," so I thought I should make good on that promise; and, not having read very much at past events, I decided that this would be an interesting change of pace. So I watched the daylight disappear at the skyline outside with some concern, and wondered what to do about my plans. They were clearly going to need some modification.

We started promptly at 8PM, with a nice introduction by Paige Wery, the publisher of Artillery magazine, co-sponsor of the evening with the hotel. There had evidently been an unsuccessful search for a lamp for me to read by, and the only solution to the problem turned out to be a flashlight, with which Paige valiantly volunteered to stand behind my shoulder to cast light on the book. So we started out that way, a bit confused as to whether to sit or stand--Ellie signaling unambiguously from the back that I should stand--and I read the first passage I had selected to describe the predicament of the creative person in today's money- and celebrity-dominated cultural environment. But I soon concluded, even as I was reading the passage, that this was not going to work; and abandoned my plan in favor of a series of riffs on the contents of the chapters I had planned to read.

It went well. I was happy to see a number of good friends, along with several unexpected faces and a gratifying supply of new ones. Unexpected--and a delightful surprise--were the long-time, well-respected art dealer Gail Feingarten and her husband, Jerry; Peter Shelton, of established reputation as one of the most innovative and powerful artists working in the medium of sculpture today; Tom Bussler, a man I know through his dedication to work in the ManKind Project. Old friends included Judy Karfiol, a doctoral student from my days at USC in the 1970s, and a dear friend since then; Carey Peck, skydiver extraordinaire; and Jayme Odgers, well-known as a prominent designer back in the day, now devoted to his work as a painter. New(er) friends and wonderful supporters included Gregg Chadwick, fellow-blogger, whose monk paintings I reviewed just a few days back in The Buddha Diaries; the young Iranian-born artist, Ardeshir Tabrizi; and Lisa Adams, the painter.

So, thanks to Paige and Jenni Boelkens, art director at The Standard, all went well. I left feeling truly gratified and privileged to be able to attract such gathering of wonderful and diversely talented people. I was happy, too, to have my two new collaborators with me for the evening: Emily, my new assistant; and Craig, to whom I have given the title, in my mind, of Master Navigator for my online work in spreading word about "Persist."

Oh, and before we left, the DJ from the lobby stopped by--to buy a book!

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/24/2010

"Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

The Samadhi of direct encounter with the Buddhas of the present

The Samadhi of direct encounter with the Buddhas of the present
Anyone who is serious about Pure Land studies must have this title. Not only is this book one of the foundation texts used in China to begin and resurgence of Pure Land Buddhism from India, it is incredibly detailed for visual meditations to actually view the Pure Lands, Buddha's, and Bodhisattvas. Another key teaching point that expands this above the two normal Pure Land Shoter and Longer Sukhavativyuha Sutras is the basis of moral teachings to set up guidelines for sangha practice and foundations, almost like the Theravada Vinaya

This tomb is vastly more complicated than the shorter/longer sutras but is much more detailed on personal practice and moral obligations as a follower of the Dharma where as many pure land schools pass over this very basic principle for the more simplified and less academic practice. Faith alone is a foundations but more from the basis of a school and lineage teachings, not the Buddha's. Faith needs a vehicle and this sutra grants that availability of scripture to create and full pure land practice without any holes or worse, personal interpretation of what to do in this "branch" of Buddhism.

This sutra also sets up the practice for solitary students that wish to be as intense as they could ever hope to be. All levels are accomplished through this teaching. Even as Pure Land priest myself, I found this more unrecognized sutra as the most complete sutra on Pure Land I have ever read.

Depositfiles

Megaupload

The Standard

A very different venue tonight for my speaking engagement series, the Standard Hotel in Hollywood, described as "Hollywood's Hippest Hotel" by no less an authority than Playboy Magazine. It may feel a little odd, in this context, to be talking about the negative effects of celebrity and money on the creative spirit! Still, as I have reiterated frequently, when asked about this, I have no objection to material success, for those fortunate enough to achieve it. My worry is for those many talented artists, writers, musicians, and so on, who have not achieved this kind of recognition and success, and who perhaps never will. Does this make them any less "artists" in their heart, their sense of who they are and what they were given to do with their lives? I think not. So then the challenge is in knowing how to "persist," how to live in integrity despite all obstacles and discouragements.

I know there are some who will disagree with me, who feel that our (still!) new President has betrayed our trust and dashed our hopes for change. For myself, I was struck by one line in the brief speech he gave, late at night, after the result of the House vote was known. He said, "This is what change looks like." Those of us who longed--still long--for radical change on almost every front in American life do well to remember the struggle for change in our own lives. It rarely happens fast, in a bolt of lightning. And even if the bolt of lightning strikes, with a sudden epiphany of realization and determination to change, the change itself takes a long time to process. I still find myself slipping back into old behavior patterns that I had hoped to leave behind me, still re-fighting the old battles, still finding new areas of resistance.

My choice is to see in Obama not the savior, not the rapid game-changer, but one who offers the model for what it is I fervently believe in: persistence. I do not believe that the change in our health care system could have happened without any of the anguish we have experienced this past year. Sure, there were missteps along the way. From my comfortable distance, I could have handled everything much better than Obama did. Fortunately, though, I'm not in charge of the situation. My magic wand exists in my imagination only--a fond delusion.

And sure, I would have fashioned a more perfect bill than this one--in my dreams. I find it particularly galling, speaking for myself and I'm sure for many others, that the abortion issue was allowed to play so large a role, and that those I personally disagree with were granted so much power.

That said, however, this is a big, difficult country, intolerant of government, intolerant of change. And the health care problem was--is--a big, difficult problem, no matter how much we would like to reduce it to simplicities. Decades of neglect have made it even more complex than perhaps it needed to be, had we addressed it in good time, before it loomed to critical proportions. Seen in this light, I believe the achievement of Obama, his administration, and the Democrats in Congress to be one of huge significance, and I honor them for having managed it, with all its imperfections.

There is a piece in a poem by Robert Creeley to which I return often in my mind. The poem is called The Innocence, and the last two lines read thus:

What I come to do

Is partial, partially kept.

I find in them a quiet serenity, an acknowledgement of limitations, a permission to be less than perfect in "what I come to do." In this, they are profoundly comforting, as is the poem itself...

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/23/2010

"Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Plop, plop! Fizz, fizz...!

Oh, what a relief it is! Alka-Seltzer has nothing on the pill that Congress (finally!) prescribed last night to reform the health care system in this country. I know, I know. Like many of my readers, I would have preferred something more... radical. But I believe that our Barack Obama has an instinctive, practical wisdom about the minimum and maximum achievable, and that he gauged this right, not for me personally, but for the country. And he got it done. Kudos to him, and to Nancy Pelosi and the House leaders, for this great achievement. A vast number of Americans will rest easier for this legislation, particularly the most vulnerable among us--those who do not have, or choose not to use, the megaphone of the Tea Party-ers and other right-wing conservatives. These are the people who have written anguished letters to their representatives and to the President, whose very lives are threatened by the callous, bottom-line priorities of the insurance companies, and who face the threat of bankruptcy and family disintegration.

Bravo, then, Democrats! Shame on Republicans for their cynical, lock-step rejectionism. Not one could summon the courage to cast a vote in favor of this much-needed change. Not one!

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/22/2010

"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Attachment to Outcomes

An old friend and a fellow-sitter in our sangha brought in some cards this morning for our feedback. The cards are a part of a whole project she has long been working on, having to do with the application of Buddhist teachings and principles to our daily lives. They are designed for one to be picked blind from the pack each morning--as when the magician offers the pack for our selection--and set in a decorative stand as guidance and inspiration for the day. The one I picked, in what she intended as a demonstration, was headed "Attachment to Outcomes."

No accidents. I guess it's a little like throwing the I Ching: no matter what shows up by apparent chance, it happens to be totally relevant to the situation in which we find ourselves that day. Attachment to outcome is what has been keeping me awake at night. My mind has been so attached to the "success" of Persist that I have been unable to sleep. It keeps coming up with new plans and strategies; it keeps rehashing the old ones.

And here we are, today, Sunday, March 21, 2010, awaiting the outcome of the congressional vote on health care reform--and unsure, even at this last moment, of what that outcome will be. I have the TV set turned on, even as I write, because I am so attached to the result. They just played a clip of President Kennedy, back in the early 1960s, proclaiming his passionate belief in the need for a just and sensible health care system in this country, and noting that every other developed country had provided for the health of its citizens for years. That was nearly fifty years ago, and since then nothing has been done. There are still millions of Americans with no health care insurance at all, and millions more whose insurance can too easily be snatched away from them the moment that it's needed.

The wonder of it all is that so many Americans have been persuaded to consider it some kind of devil's work. The wonder is that our representatives, even two dozen or more Democrats, lack the courage or the wisdom to do what is morally imperative. I continue to watch this spectacle of lunacy in utter disbelief.

So yes, here's another outcome to which I must confess to being passionately attached. Is it enough, as my friend's card suggested, to take in the information, smile, and breathe...? The Buddha's wisdom teaches that it must be enough, if I'm to retain some measure of serenity. And yet... there are moments when the Buddha's wisdom just sails out the window of my mind, and I frankly fret. I admit that my fretting doesn't do me any good; it doesn't change the situation. It's not going to change a single vote in Washington. But try telling that to a mind that's passionately engaged...

I'm touching wood, I'm keeping my fingers crossed... Perhaps, if I believed in an all-powerful divine being, I'd be praying! But no, I'll settle for good old-fashioned superstition. And hope that common sense and reason will prevail.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/21/2010

"Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

"Unmistaken Child" Documentary on PBS is Worth Your Time.

I was recently sent an advanced copy of an upcoming documentary on PBS titled, "Unmistaken Child." It follows the journey of a young monk in Nepal looking for the reincarnation of a great lama who also happens to be beloved friend. This documentary was as much about finding the courage to believe in yourself as much as it was about finding the reincarnated Rinpoche.

As a Zen Buddhist, I try not to follow my mind down the rabbit hole into the realm of what happens after death too much because it is keeps me from staying in the "now," which is really the only moment available to us. It is where our practice takes place. So I have been taught that if I concentrate too much upon what might happen I miss what is happening. However, for the sake of conservation I have no problem with the idea of death and dying. I also have no problem with the idea of rebirth and suspect that it happens. Likewise I have no problem with the possibility that nothing happens after you die.

However, reincarnation of a specific person or "soul" seems counter to what the Buddha taught but I'm no expert. As a skeptic of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of reincarnating lamas I must admit though that this documentary really makes me reconsider the possibility again. I truly marveled at how accurate the process was. Look for a cameo from the Dalai Lama.

It truly was remarkable to follow the journey of the young monk seeking his reincarnated teacher and watching his struggles, his triumphs, courage and undying patience and respect for his mentor. The documentary did a wonderful job in showing us the intimate process of testing children to reveal the new body of this master. The dialogue was minimal, which seemed fitting for such a sacred and serious mission. I didn't realize how intricate the process was for finding a reincarnated lama. I had some idea from the movie "Kundun" as to how the Dalai Lama was found but I didn't know that the process involved divination of the ashes of the cremated teacher, astrological charts and dream interpretation.

It was fascinating to discover just how deep Tibetan Buddhism is intertwined with the metaphysical. After watching this movie and getting even more insight into the heavily ritualized nature of Tibetan Buddhism, it really does seem like its own branch of Buddhism. So instead of the traditional recognition of only two main branches of Buddhism, Theravada and Mahayana, it makes sense that some say there is a third--Vajrayana, because Tibetan Buddhism is so unique. While there is some overlap with Mahayana schools, Tibetan Buddhism has such a distinct nature, which is probably due to its development in such an isolated region of Asia.

Anyway, the documentary was enthralling, inspiring, educational and revealing. The scenery of the Nepalese highlands is stunning and worth viewing this film for that alone. The high mystical peaks seem so very fitting for such a otherworldly exploration. I highly recommend you watch it when it airs on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) here in America on April 7th at 10p.m. (check your local listings).

~Peace to all beings~

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/20/2010

"Without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering - an image of death."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Reticence

It came to me yesterday, not for the first time but in one of those fine moments of clarity where things come unexpectedly into focus, that virtually every leap forward in my life has come as a result of my having had to confront some reticence, or prejudice, or fear. It happened most recently with the publication of "Persist," in that week before my first speaking engagement at Th Inside Edge. I was all set to do what I have usually done in such a circumstance: write out a script from which I would be able to read. Then I read the letter I had received, inviting me to speak. It said quite clearly: "Please do not read. Our members are sophisticated listeners; they do not like to hear speakers read prepared speeches." Time to panic...! You know the rest of this story. I have been enjoying this new medium every since.

But this was only the most recent example. As I was speaking yesterday in my friend Stuart’s class, as I do every semester, I heard myself repeat the joke that so often gets a laugh: I describe something—a workshop, a retreat, a challenge of any kind—as the last thing in the world I want to do, explaining the reasons for my reticence and the fear that accompanies it. And then I add, “So then of course, I immediately signed on.” And whenever that happens in my life, the adventure starts anew, there’s some huge lesson to be learned, some new step forward to be taken, some new freedom waiting to be seized.

So these days I find it useful to watch out for those moments where every fiber of my being says, No, don’t go there; or, No, I don’t like that, because I know that this is nothing more nor less than a signal that I need to pay attention. My fears and prejudices, I understand, are there to protect me. But sometimes I don’t need their protection. Sometimes it’s better to take the risk, jump in, and find out that much more about those deep, reactive patterns that can govern my life and limit my opportunities without my even being aware of them. Because when I do, the reward is always infinitely greater than the risk.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 3/19/2010

"When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear."

~Buddha

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma