Conversation With Kasia

A few days ago I published a post titled Searching For a Handhold. The following conversation ensued in the comments to that post with the woman climber, unknown to me at the time of writing. I thought it worth bringing the comments together to make a post because it demonstrates how ‘refuge’ works. There is a back and forth, a conversation which draws out wisdoms. From both parties. Refuge is not a onesided business.

I love the image of Kasia on the rock so much, here it is again so we can connect with it all over again.
Mugo, Love how you managed to grasp all my life struggle just by seeing the image of me climbing. Feels like your message comes to me in the right moment. Thank you. Kasia

Dear Kasia, what I saw in looking at the image of you in the rock was a body moving well and a focused mind, body and mind working together. I saw that at that moment the photograph was taken a person who is awake, alert and intent on making the next good move. Then I used that example to talk about how in life one can get stuck ‘gripped out’ i.e. stuck or confused and how being as you were on the rock is an example of how to get ‘unstuck’. I didn’t see a person with an inner life struggle, I don’t think I have that kind of insight. What can happen though is that while doing some kind of skilled activity, such as rock climbing, playing an instrument, gymnastics etc. one can function fabulously and then when that activity is over….lifes troubles come into focus and intention flies out the window. So, if this post has helped you I am happy. Several people have identified with the message of the post.

For those who might be interested, I tend not to know what the message of a post is when I start typing. The message or ‘teaching’ emerges as I write and I’m frequently surprised at what the message is! Mugo

Rev. Mugo, You are absolutely right. At that moment I was focused, my body, mind and heart were as one. Nothing was distracting me and I know what I was going for. The question is, yes how to move this into everyday life, then we not get distracted and stay in that pure consciousness. Kasia

Dear Kasia,  I really don’t think we are trying to achieve a certain state of mind or consciousness in either daily life living or through some kind of focused activity. Not in formal meditation for sure. As I said in yesterdays post ‘Anicha is our friend’. Everything changes, all is impermanent especially ‘states of mind’.  I’ll not say more now but it is so good to be having this conversation with you. May it continue.
Bows, Mugo

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4 thoughts on “Conversation With Kasia”

  1. Thank you Mugo for your new post and wisdom. You are right saying that all is constantly changing and nothing stays same. However as human beings we are always searching for that perfect moment and we want to keep it with us forever. Maybe simple thing would be to just accept it. I need to remind this myself more often :)

    1. Dear Kasia, you are absolutely right. What you have said in this comment gets to the basic fundamentals of Buddhism. I sometimes think of this searching as ‘chasing rainbows’. We want that pot of gold (the perfect moment) at the end of the rainbow. Loving and enjoying and appreciating the rainbow as it comes and goes, and accepting that it comes and goes, is the Way of Buddhist practice. I would like to say we carry that ‘gold’ with us all day and every day and the fact we do not know consciously is not a problem. It doesn’t diminish the gold or our sincere efforts to move on to the next ‘handhold’, literally in your case or figuratively.

  2. I understand that Anicha is our friend……and…
    ..I still find myself thinking I should be striving for a state of mind. That is either in meditation or in some sort of focussed activity. It can sometimes feel like an addiction.

    1. Yes to addiction or habit even but so much of Buddhist teaching is pointing towards a discrete, awakened state of mind = enlightenment. The pot of gold which we are encouraged to ‘go find’ or ‘achieve’. So you could say this striving is with all sincerity holding to teachings handed down to us about Enlightenment. I don’t think the Buddha taught that what he found was a ‘state of mind’ but we all can be forgiven for thinking that. Because generally, we tend to think ‘well! this obviously isn’t the enlightened mind’ as we stumble our way mentally and emotionally through our days. I love what Kasia said in her comment this morning, ‘Maybe simple thing would be to just accept it’. (the striving after a state of mind). Love that.

      Rev. Berwyn recently had a short piece published on the Throssel blog which you may find illuminating. A reminder of what you already know.

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