Guard it with care.
"Do you ever go out for a walk by yourself? It is very important to go out alone, to sit under a tree...not with a book, not with a companion, but by yourself...and observe the falling of a leaf, hear the lapping of the water, the fisherman's song, watch the flight of a bird, and of your own thoughts as they chase each other across the space of your mind."-Jiddu Krishnamurti
While we are afforded ease and comfort in our modern world, every so often, we long for the primal. The singer Bjork puts it aptly:
“The more digital we have, the more naked skin and rawness we will want”
But why then, do we seldom go out for a walk? In our world of constant information, why do we not confront the bitter wind on our face, the rain on our back, or our thoughts darting about? Perhaps, it’s because we forget what rawness really means. Nature won’t coddle us, nor will she greet us warmly - but in her indifference lies her embrace. Mother Nature is ever present, ever waiting for you to settle yourself.
“Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing” August Wilson
Is it not out of fear that we hate to be alone? A demon isn’t a fiery red monster, it’s that ache in your belly that’s been left unattended for a year. That one thought you continually push away. And as long as you continue to push, there will always be a pull. So how do you stop playing that game?
“How do you let go of attachment to things? Don’t even try. It’s impossible. Attachment to things drops away by itself when you no longer seek to find yourself in them” -Eckhart Tolle
You just watch the display. You just smile at a sunrise. You just let it all pass through. You just sit with yourself as you are! Because truly, what you really are, has space for everything you’ll feel in this lifetime.
And you don’t just relish those small moments, but look for the gold. When you gain a tranquil heart, and feel like you’ve made it home - try to remember how you got there. And try to see that the path is everywhere. You’ll know when you’ve found it - I hear it’s like meeting an old friend.
Thus we urge one another
To guard it with care.
At the moment of fashioning,
The wisdom of pure mind
Is as precious as gold. - Fu Yu
Smile at the sun more often.
It is as it is
-Sasha
And the Beat Goes on
Dhamma Talks
Ajahn Amaro - Don’t Cling to Anything
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