I have been assured that no matter how dark it gets, a person can abide in light. That even if one is standing in the darkest place on earth, one can still be in the light and walk in the light. It is a choice. Making this choice not only means that we can live in the light no matter where we go, or how bad things get, but also that those around us have an easier time accessing the light.
What is light? it is awareness, wakefulness. When we are in the dark, we don't know what is going on. When we are in the light, we can see each other and the green of the grass, the blue of the sky. When we are in the dark, there is no such thing as beauty. When we are truly awake, we can also see through the surface of things. We can see the beauty beneath the scarred face, the diseased body, the spoiled landscape.
Although I do not profess an organizational religious affiliation, the three commitments of Mahayana Vajrayana Buddhism strike me as especially sound. The first is a commitment to one's own growth. This is like saying, "Put on your oxygen mask first." The second is a commitment to the well-being of others. With your oxygen mask on, you can help others put their oxygen mask on! And the third commitment is to the sacred world.
The sacred world! Imagine if people regarded the world as sacred! If they did, would they throw their trash out the car window?
Even if people merely remembered that the world is their home, maybe they would stop turning it into a dump and start taking care of it.
Relating to the earth as sacred, priorities would change, business values and practices would change, the quality of life would change, the environment would change for the better, and new technologies and jobs would emerge. Air and water, both essential for life, and the soil, essential for growing food, would be at the top of the list of Important Things, along with health care and education and housing. We could easily create an earthly paradise if we saw the world as sacred and were committed to our spiritual path and to the well-being of others.
Whatever challenging times come, we can abide in the light if we choose to do so. No one has to give in to fear and division. It is a choice. But for some, this choice is not easy. How do those who have known great darkness and suffering choose light? One way is to start with small memories of light. Memories of the touch of a loving mother or other family member. A dust mote sparkling in the air. A leaf or flower. A scent that made them feel safe or cherished.
No life is without a moment of joy here and there. These moments are treasures of connection. They are links to the gridwork of light and love at the quantum level of reality. This is one way to reconnect when we feel disconnected: Think on those things that link us back to reality, back to what is truly real: love.
What is light? it is awareness, wakefulness. When we are in the dark, we don't know what is going on. When we are in the light, we can see each other and the green of the grass, the blue of the sky. When we are in the dark, there is no such thing as beauty. When we are truly awake, we can also see through the surface of things. We can see the beauty beneath the scarred face, the diseased body, the spoiled landscape.
Although I do not profess an organizational religious affiliation, the three commitments of Mahayana Vajrayana Buddhism strike me as especially sound. The first is a commitment to one's own growth. This is like saying, "Put on your oxygen mask first." The second is a commitment to the well-being of others. With your oxygen mask on, you can help others put their oxygen mask on! And the third commitment is to the sacred world.
The sacred world! Imagine if people regarded the world as sacred! If they did, would they throw their trash out the car window?
Even if people merely remembered that the world is their home, maybe they would stop turning it into a dump and start taking care of it.
Relating to the earth as sacred, priorities would change, business values and practices would change, the quality of life would change, the environment would change for the better, and new technologies and jobs would emerge. Air and water, both essential for life, and the soil, essential for growing food, would be at the top of the list of Important Things, along with health care and education and housing. We could easily create an earthly paradise if we saw the world as sacred and were committed to our spiritual path and to the well-being of others.
Whatever challenging times come, we can abide in the light if we choose to do so. No one has to give in to fear and division. It is a choice. But for some, this choice is not easy. How do those who have known great darkness and suffering choose light? One way is to start with small memories of light. Memories of the touch of a loving mother or other family member. A dust mote sparkling in the air. A leaf or flower. A scent that made them feel safe or cherished.
No life is without a moment of joy here and there. These moments are treasures of connection. They are links to the gridwork of light and love at the quantum level of reality. This is one way to reconnect when we feel disconnected: Think on those things that link us back to reality, back to what is truly real: love.
RSS Feed