Different traditions.

The tradition of study and contemplation that took place in Tibet and now modern day India and Nepal is quite different than our own tradition here in the West. Here in the West it is quite common to read a book over a month or two, make some notes, reflect on it and then move onto the next book.

We do cursory studies.

In Tibet, it was quite common to study a single text for months or years. There was an in depth attention and application of the text at hand. The purpose wasn't to get through the material, but to do an immersive study and internalize the work.

This immersive study took place under the guidance of a dependable teacher. They made the depth and breadth of the work accessible and practical. This was the very foundation upon which the classical studies of the Buddhist textual tradition was based.

If we are looking to transform our mind and our life, it doesn't happen overnight. We cannot expect to read a book or two and to discover what is meaningful. It takes effort over the long haul. It requires that we return again and again to the same teachings, coming at them from different angles and under different situations. Over time, we discover the essence and we are able to enjoy it for ourselves.

Reclaiming liberty.

Liberty is a state of being free from oppressive restrictions over your way of life and having the power to pursue your own interests. 

Liberty is one of our society's core values, but do we enjoy it?

Are our own hearts and minds free from oppressive restrictions? What's holding us back? What is getting in the way of our ability to chart our own course and pursue our own happiness?

Our society is struggling with a mental health crisis. Opioid addiction is running rampant throughout the nation. Our communities are polarized, subject to extreme views and divisive actions. We are all busy, overworked and struggling to find meaning and purpose in our lives. Our attention is literally consumed by the vast amount of news and information barraging us each and every day.

Is this liberty? Is this what we stand for and aspire to?

We all aspire to have a healthy mind and an open heart. We want to embody sacred human values, we want to have composure, presence and a joyful mind. We want to feel a sense of balance and ease in our life. We also want to be prepared for action, ready to act when called on.

Being in a state of presence and preparedness, that is what it means to have a firm hold on liberty.

A life of liberty is lived in the pursuit of truth and serving humanity. It is a life centered on practice. Just as a soldier trains to be ready to fight, so too we all must train to be ready to act for the benefit of others. Training is our job. It's not easy. It's not always fun. It is our work, the most important work worth doing. We train to be present and ready, even if the battle never comes.

The challenge that we are faced with is to see the gap. Is there a gap between where we are and what we aspire to be? What are we striving for? What does doing it right look like? Does failure mean we lost or that we have room to improve? Where are you getting stuck- emotionally, physically, spiritually or mentally?

Change is possible. We can leave behind our small self. We can leave behind the self caged in the confines of its own limited self-talk. We can recognize our birth right, our innate potential, and follow that which is authentic and genuine.

The first step on this path of reclaiming our liberty starts with self-awareness. For too long we have been not listening, not seeing, not acknowledging and not understanding. We have been blinded by our indifference to our own oppressive restrictions. Self-awareness starts with seeing who we are, what do we value and how exactly do our actions align with those values?

Self-awareness leads to composure, to self-worth and to confidence. Self-awareness illuminates the nature of who we are and gives us a ground to stand on as we learn to adopt a posture of compassion.

With self-awareness we are able to manage our own thoughts and emotions. We are able to navigate the tension between how we feel and how we act. We can accept ourselves, which means we can start to accept others. We start to grow and change, and things start to make more sense.

This change won't happen overnight. It will ebb and flow, but through practice it will become more stable. A life centered on practice always moves through periods of learning, growth and change.

And this is enough. The challenge is to bring all situations onto the path. To be present and ready, to have the power to choose and the power to act.

This is how we reclaim our liberty.

Unhappy mind.

A wandering mind is an unhappy mind.

Without a clear intention, the mind drifts endlessly. Mental states come and go, thoughts flow like an unending stream, pleasure and discomfort ornament our days.

A wandering mind is reactive, restless, easily hooked. Lacking clarity and awareness, insight fails to illuminate our own condition. Freedom to choose, to act, escapes us.

A wandering mind is not present. There are no lights on. No one to listen, no one to respond.

A wandering mind suffers a miserable existence. It longs for peace and contentment. It looks forward to the day that it feels vibrant and alert again.

A wandering mind longs to be a healthy mind. But to be healthy, you must train.

The main point is to do your practice. It takes work, but it is worth it.

Litmus test.

As our practice evolves we move through various periods of growth, learning and change. In the beginning, we don't notice much change. Our progress seems slow and inconsequential. We might feel that during our meditation we can maintain our focus and presence, but off the cushion we still feel swept away by circumstances.

In the middle of our practice, we see some change has occurred. We are more focused and less reactive. We are able to maintain a sense of openness and balance amidst difficult situations. We start to have more insights into our own situation and the world at large. We see and experience this change, but it also comes and goes. Some days we can maintain our equipoise and composure, some days we fall off the horse.

The end result of our practice is that we experience enduring and lasting changes to who we are and how we move through the world. We are able to navigate our daily lives with balance and openness. We enjoy lasting states of kindness, patience and ease. Our practice has fundamentally changed our life.

The litmus test of our practice is our daily life. The drama and tumult that we experience on a day to day basis is the very measure of our achievement.

Can we maintain our awareness and composure? Do we get swept away in our negative self-talk and emotions? Can we be present in the face of uncertainty? When presented with the opportunity to be generous and kind, do we share our gifts?

You are the practice. Every step is the way.

No shortcuts.

There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. 

Beverly Sills

The path to living a life of purpose and meaning often seems long and difficult. Many of us can see and feel the truth that is in our hearts, but the reality of our present situation obscures that truth and prevents us from fully enjoying it. We have this perpetual question that hangs out in our heads,  lingering in our life, waiting to for the right answer.

But there is no answer.

Your practice, call it spiritual practice, is to resolve this question in your life.

Can you get comfortable sitting with a question for which there is no answer?

How long are you willing to work on resolving this question in your heart and mind?

How hard will you work?

How much are you willing to sacrifice?

As with many things in life, your effort creates value. The more effort you put into your practice, the more meaning and purpose you will find. Mastery does not come easy, there are no shortcuts to a life of purpose and meaning. There is no hack, no app, no trick. Just effort.

If you want to live a life of purpose and meaning, you're going to have to do the work. Not work for work's sake, but the work of being more human and resolving the question of how to do that in your own life.

Pointing out.

Sitting here,
resting in the myriad display of appearances,
the unceasing luminosity of the ground
appears as the infinite play of dependent origination.
This energetic expression
points to the ground,
yet there is no ground.
Simply resting in complete openness,
utterly beyond all thought or description,
the unceasing dance of spontaneous presence
naturally unfolds,
revealing the single sphere of awareness
in which everything is inseparable-
kayas and wisdoms,
samsara and nirvana.
With nothing more to do,
and nothing to attain,
there is only the timeless freedom
of unborn bodhicitta.