Many years ago, I was a member of one of the anonymous groups. I stayed with it for a long time and while I can’t say I lost a ton, I gained some good perspective and a few good people in my life.
This week I have been reflecting on my Practice. It started out looking at why I don’t put my cushion (meditation practice) on the top of my list and end with me looking at my life as practice.
We all have a bag of tricks to help us rationalize or justify our actions and inactions. When you go to the dentist every few months, “you should floss more”. What I honestly should say, maybe I will if I can get out of my current life habits that are keeping me from being my best Bonny, closer to my Buddhahood.
What is common to the Practice of the Pillow and Practice at Life… is you have to. That is if you want to keep doing the same thing, finding excuses for why you are not living your life he way you know you want to, you have to start the practice. Without practice, mindful awareness – awake and alert, we use our Pavlovian lifestyle to float aimlessly through the hours.
Just like a sitting practice, life takes practice. When you are awake, you stop the cycle of doing things the same way and getting the same results. If jot down what you worry about, or are anxious about doing before you do it, etc., over time, you will find you have established a lifetime DNA – and how you do anything is how you do everything. By practice – aware, awake, alert – you can change and become more in harmony with what is on your life plate.
I sat in the Blue Diamond Garden yesterday and only read while I waited for my food. I allowed my ears to shift from everyday conversation to the sound of the waterfalls. First, I took in the entire area, then the large plants and finally the flowers. Much of Thailand has gone to artificial flower... this garden has real living flowers. As I looked, there was a magnificent hummingbird – yellow with dark wings. The bird stayed for my second cup of coffee. Live happens in a very vibrant and lively manner when you are awake and alert.
When you know who your are and what you are doing etc., You put hurry away since you are at the right place at the right time and not distracted by the lint of life. You see a simple course of life as to what is important and you know what path to take. Most of the indecision come from trivial things… have the brown rice or white…. Who cares.. how important is that to the fabric of your life.
Make a life choice about the rice… and when it doesn’t work anymore… make another choice .. and just LIVE
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