Just What I Needed to Hear

Try to be reasonable in the way you grow, and don't ever think it is too late. It is never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today. If you keep your situation happy day by day, you will eventually reach the greatest happiness of enlightenment.

-Lama Thubten Yeshe, The Bliss of Inner Fire

James's comment: This reminds me of something that I just read in the book, "Transcending the Levels of Consciousness" by the mystic Dr. David R. Hawkins:

Periods of unanticipated difficulty are to be expected that may seem like "setbacks" but mearly mean that some trend (often primarily unconscious) has surfaced for recognition in order to be processed.

James: I think that most of us take ourselves and our spiritual development too seriously. We tend to be waayyyy too hard on ourselves and need to (as Lama Sura Das says), "Give ourselves a break." Perfectionism is a nasty disease that is rampant especially in the west. It has been quite the obstacle for my spiritual development given being raised in an extreme Christian environment that told me that I basically needed to be "perfect" or I would go to "hell." Maybe I misinterpreted that message but never the less it made it's impact on a young and impressionable child.

It also appears out of our society and culture that demands more and more, bigger and better instead of just being satisfied with what we already have and are. We are pushed, driven and brainwashed to constantly live in the ephemeral nature of desire and greed. This is the message of having to be "better then the next person." It is a lie and it is very dangerous to our spiritual development. That is not to say either that we should become lazy and slothful on our path for as you know it comes down to balance and staying on the middle path. And we keep that balance through sticking to our practice of meditation and mindfulnesss. Reading as was talked about in a previous post is not enough. Practice, practice, practice, practice.

-Peace to all beings-