Awakening: The Path of Enlightenment
Everything changes. Life is a constant shift of evolving relationships and connections. Yet our spiritual nature strives for balance and peace while we navigate this dynamic life path. And because human beings are endowed with free will, intellectual power, everything we do involves choice. From the simple to the critical, we focus on the environment, moment to moment, and we choose. From these focused choices, we create our reality. In this space of human development, meditation becomes the single-minded focus of your own spiritual Path.
Often, past karmic influences and our busy day to day lives, create conditions of extremes, situations that feel as if there is no room for choice. Consequently, decisions are made without thoughtful regard to moving life forward in the most positive direction. These are the small choices of every day, every moment. Becoming aware of the way we choose, developing a calm abiding mind capable of conscious acts of choice, is what true meditation is all about.
In 2020, a pandemic and the global response, threatened our way of life and health and was deadly to the most vulnerable among us. Collectively we experienced the truama of true suffering and the feeling of fear and powerlessnss to control our own lives or the lives of those we love.
Most Recently, in the United States, (and possibly around the World) some of us have experienced that same collective trauma with the results of the national election...that same feeling of fear and vulnerability. Is this the triggered pain of the past? Is this a new reality? How do we move forward with freedom and integrity when it "feels" as if our government may not have our collective best interests at heart?
In times of collective national and world crisis, when the future seems out of our control, we are asked to rely and focus intently on our feelings, intentions and choices, choices that seem even more critical and vital...not just for the short term, but for the future beyond our own time on the planet..beyond our own personal, cutural or national interest. It can become overwhelming to respond in a spiritual way that moves us personally and collctively forward.
The Native Americans refer to this long range vision as concern for the "7th Generation" ...each member of the tribe, or the tribe as a whole, takes into account the effect any decision will have on 7 generations into the future. They understand the ultimate Law of Interdependence, not only of sentient beings, but of the entire cosmos...Everything is sacred and connected. Everything and everyone... past, present and future....IS CONNECTED!
If in these moments of personal or global crisis, we pause to see the beauty AND the suffering and its impossibly long unimaginable chain, we can evolve in ways we were meant to, as stewards of this beautiful planet. If in that moment of choice, that weighty moment of 7 Generations, our thought becomes, "What is this moment teaching me? Who will this help? Who will this hurt?" then we will thrive, not merely survive, during our time on Earth. And all of Earth will respond with a sense of peace that is felt as compassion and love.
Meditation trains us to think beyond our ourrent situation, by putting us in the ever present moment that becomes our future. Poet Rainer Marie Rilke said it best: "...Because we stand in the midst of a transition where we cannot remain standing. The future stands still...but we move in infinite space."
On a planet of some 8+ billion people, We are all unique souls. Our paths require our own personal perspectives. There is no one way on the Path. Therefore, the most beneficial spiritual practice should create a personal experience of meditation that incorporates what Buddhists call, "The Middle Way"...taking action that is in harmony with our intentions and the experienced karma of the World beyond us. With guidance and training, the ancient time tested tools of spiritual evolution can support us to develop a new way of seeing our place in the World. We can learn to step in rhythm with our daily lives in a way that no longer finds crisis and conflict as a routine. When transition or crisis comes to us, we move easily through the maze of decision making. We are no longer burdened with the past or chained by its triggered pain..
From a Buddhist perspective, it is our misconception of the cause of suffering that works against our efforts to create peace in our lives. Meditation is a journey towards understanding the true nature of our suffering and how our grasp of impermanent phenomenon keeps us from the true potential and possibility within each of us. With this understanding, along with training the mind to focus regularly, we can begin to choose a Middle Way that enhances our lives. We witness ourselves consciously letting go of the conditions that cause suffering. The Source of our inherent Buddha nature (the Highest Self or Soul) becomes more available to our everyday realities and every act of choice.
Though we may struggle to keep up in a fast-paced World, we come to know each step of our journey. Literally, we walk in Awareness. We begin to see our lives reflected in the World around us, especially in the Natural world of our planet Earth. We participate and communicate with the collective consciousness of Earth, in all its myriad expressions of Life, on a very deep spiritual level. We take responsibility for our connectedness to all life. We realize we have always been part of the ever growing community of Life on Earth, the Sacred Earth Sangha.
This is our inherent gift of Life on Earth. The Heart, the center of our Soul, the Source of our being, is simply given space to unfold. And like the sacred Lotus that rises from the depths of darkness...
the whole Earth responds in Love and Beauty and the Earth begins to heal.
"...Not merely to escape the antithesis of 'yes' or 'no', but to find a positive way in which the opposites are perfectly harmonized...not through logic, but through a mind of higher order."
-D.T. Suzuki, Zen scholar
The Path of Freedom
The Power of Meditation is not based on a belief in Buddhism. It is a personal practice that transcends the conditions of any one religion. The Dalai Lama would be the first to affirm that we must each find our own way. Buddhism is merely a place from which to start. It is through Buddhist and other eastern religious practices, that the concept of meditation was realized, as spiritual masters and sages devoted lifetimes to finding the answers that could alleviate suffering.
The Buddha taught that through the practice of meditation we become more conscious of the inherent interdependency of all Life and The Path of Enlightenment is awakened in us. We choose to respond compassionately to all beings, to respect our environment and live in harmony with the Earth that sustains us. And in order to extend this great compassion to others, we must first develop a true sense of compassion towards ourselves, by forgiving the regrets we may have from the past and accepting ourselves as a sacred part of this Earth. This is the real work of meditation...the realization that letting go of our past is essential to growing the seeds of our future.
Meditation develops our strong determination and commitment to move forward in Life with wisdom, understanding and patience. And as we accept our responsibility to create peace in our own lives, ultimately, we create peace in the World. This is the true Path of Universal Freedom.
“…There are no sravakas (saints) who attain nirvana. What you practice is the path of compassion; and if you practice step by step, you will all know Enlightenment"
- The Buddha