The flowers and fruit of Buddhist practice.
At the Monterey Market, Berkeley
Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got (in your mind) till it explodes out of your mouth! For example on the spiritual insight level of things. Not so very long ago by way of spiritual encouragement I said, You have everything. You ARE everything. The response? Oh, that’s very Zen! This came as a bit of a shock. Especially since I don’t really go for pithy Zen like sayings, let alone come out with them. Just what did I think I was doing? Obviously I wasn’t thinking at all. It just came out. And had I paused for a nano second I’d have spoken a paragraphs worth, not half a lines worth. Statements of certainty are all very well however they probably don’t help much.
And generally what comes out of ones mouth needs to be watched doesn’t it. It’s just amazing what escapes the lips when you’re not watching. Little asides, sharp words, blunt words, words like arrows which penetrate into the recesses of ones emotional being. Uh! we all have sent and received those arrows, lobbed blunt paragraphs when something softer would have worked better.
Looked at from a Buddhist practice perspective those words, phrases and lengthier escapees are so helpful. Sometimes one simply does not know what’s there hidden below the surface of ones everyday consciousness. That’s until some aside slips out and takes one by surprise. Happened with me the other day. Rather than drowning in guilt and shame one can choose (and it is a real and difficult internal choice) to keep swimming along mentally/emotionally allowing the layers of understanding and appreciation to surface.
It never ceases to amaze me how the unfolding or deepening appreciation of thoughts, words and deeds which catch ones attention simple undo. Once again it’s the basic intention to keep on track with the Precepts that’s the saving of us. That and several dollops of acceptance/compassion. For oneself and for others.
Last thought. Meditation, being reflective during ones day, helps with the ability to make that all important pause before opening ones mouth.
The second paragraph really hit a spot today, thank you. I’m trying to work out why Ian seems to be so much better with Deborah’s currently many tantrums than me. The short answer is he’s Ian, and I’m me, slightly longer answer – he does escape them into work, but it’s not like work is an easy option, and the longer one is that he’s better at offering a listening silence and low tone of voice. Sadly shrieking make my blood curdle so at the first sign of shrieking I stop listening. But the thing to do is listen more, but listen better too.
Spare a thought for Ian, he’s having to increase his diabetes meds into something injectable (not insulin). He doesn’t like needles.
Glorious photo today and Sam’s photo the other day too. Hope life over the pond is going well.
In gassho, Rachel
Will keep Ian in my thoughts. Too bad things have got to the needle stage. And as for shrieking, well I have to tell you SOME little girls just love to hear themselves shriek and to see their poor mothers recoil and then retort. STOP SHRIEKING! Ah what pleasures. Sorry Rachel I can only imagine being the mother of a shrieker – I was a shrieker sorry to say.
Life is good and going well. Berkeley always brings lots of visitors and outings and invites for food. I’ll be heading north on Thursday via Reno, Nevada. Shasta on Friday.