A true renaissance.

A renaissance is a time for renewal and rebirth. It is the kindling of an emergent potential.

If there is to be a true renaissance in our modern world, it must include everyone. The innate potential and value of all people will have to be recognized and called upon. The notion that we all have something to contribute and that we all have the capability of doing so will have to become known.

The grounds for this rediscovery lies in each of us. It appears to be missing, but it is always lying dormant just beyond the fray of our busy and distracted lives. It becomes readily apparent when we can learn to still the mind and embody genuine presence.

Genuine presence is the ground in which we can mine for gifts worth sharing. Each of us, in our own way, has something to contribute to the world. We can each share from a place of kindness and abundance. We can move through the world with unconditional compassion.

A true renaissance unfolds with the embodying of genuine presence in our lives. It is the subtle shift in our posture that has the potential to shape the world and to shift the culture.

This doesn't require that everyone is always fully present, that is not possible. But it does require that we fight to remain present, when it is often much easier to tune out, turn away and shut down. The commitment to being present is the work that must be done. That is the work worth talking about.

Letter to a friend (The Renaissance Letter).

Dear friend, 

It has been quite some time since our last conversation. Summer has revealed her bounty and now fall is just starting to take form. The lavender is dried out and has lost its fragrance, the witch hazel tree has turned a fiery red, and the maple has already begun shedding her leaves. The world that we find ourselves in today is undergoing seismic shifts. We all find ourselves troubled by the challenges of climate change, political theater, and a society utterly destitute of belonging and community. Don't get caught up in speculation and longing. Take the time you need to cultivate inner abundance and joy, and take pleasure in the simple things around you. Find ways to support and inspire other practitioners in your life, as we are all in this boat together!

Just as the outer world changes, there is dramatic change unfolding in you. You may not notice it, you may not see its form, but if you are still you can feel its presence. Take time to sit and listen to that which is inexpressible. Within that space of deep stillness, you will find something that moves in you. Don't fixate on it, don't become too elated. Just relax. Clarity reveals itself naturally without effort. Effort in this moment simply creates more confusion and a cycle of disappointment.

This inner work of revealing your own heart is not easy. Don't take it lightly. You need to do the work, which means putting in the time and effort into your practice. I suppose that is why they call it the path of meditation, because we need to traverse the inner landscape of our own heart and mind in order to find what it is we have to share with the world. Don't be afraid of getting lost on that journey. Just as when one is in a new city, getting lost can reveal more and create more of an impression than rushing straight to your chosen destination. You are always blazing the path of meditation in your own life, meaning the trail is always behind you.

This commitment and dedication that you have is quite uncommon in this world. I know at times you must be frustrated and feel at a loss. Be patient with yourself. Your work inspires us all, even though we often do not have the words to say it. Bit by bit, our intentions and actions shape the world. The work of compassion and generosity is rarely done with a hammer and chisel, often it very subtle and we do not get to appreciate the final form in our lifetime. Be confident that form does reveal itself even if you do not see it. Your work, your art, leaves an impression in the world and that impression is in the lives of the people you impact.

The renaissance was a time of reawakening to human values and the measure of man. This question of what is sacred and what it means to be human is ever more urgent in our world. Artists moved the renaissance. Artists were the creators of change and the drivers of what people came to value and appreciate. Their art created an impact, it changed the culture. Now is a time in which we need more artists.

Take a moment to look at your own work, this inner work that you are doing. Does it lend itself to refining your values and who we are in the world? Does it examine the nature of what it means to be fully human and the nature of the world in which we move? Does your work reveal insight into the human condition and our place in the world?

This work that you are doing is the work of an artist. You are the blank canvas and the block of marble. In order for art to make an impact, it must be shared. It must go out into the world where it can interact with others, influence their perception and shape their values. Art that isn't shared isn't art at all, it is just a painting or a piece of sculpture. Art creates change. The way that you create change is by being present and contributing. Compassion, kindness and generosity are the expressions of your art, and each of those has the power to shape a human life and to make an impact in the world.

We too find ourselves in a renaissance, only this time the art won't stand in galleries. Art is the gift of our humanity that changes and benefits the lives of others. A life dedicated to this work and practice has both purpose and meaning. It has the power to shift the culture, to create a culture of awakening. This is the work of the bodhisattva, the work of revealing our own heart for the benefit of others.

With fervent admiration and support for you and the work that you do.

Gregory Scott Patenaude

Join the Movement

Our communities have changed.

We are no longer surrounded by like-minded individuals who share our worldview.

We are no longer surrounded day and night by people who can help us get up when we fall, guiding us in the right direction. 

Our communities don't revolve around anything sacred.  They revolve around 'me', which is often caught up in a lot of mundane activity, meaningless work and a lifetime of distraction.

You are out in the battlefield all by yourself. 

You have your practice.  Keep it.  I am not asking you to buy in.  

I am asking you to own it.  And it ain't a show man.

I am asking you to take your stand, to cut away the frills and the fraud.

Once you can stand, take a step forward with your heart.  Be an artist who uses reality, people and interactions as their canvas.  If your a bodhisattva, your art is generosity, love and kindness. 

As you learn to walk with confidence, you will find that the world no longer fights you.  Every interaction is a support for your practice, an opportunity to dig deeper and to practice your art. 

You'll find you are not alone anymore. 

You are surrounded by community.  Join the movement. 

Siddhearta's Essence of 2012

This year has been a great year for me, my first full year of writing a blog.  My writing this year has taken a rather whimsical trajectory without much rhyme or reason, but looking back there are a couple themes that prevail throughout the year.  So rather than create a 'Best of 2012', here are the essentials that you may have missed:

Be an Artist- which to me means being generous with whatever you have to share with the world and those around you, influencing them and bringing benefit along the way. 
1. The Renaissance
2. A Simple Discipline

Mind Training- the simple yet effective technique of training in bodhicitta, the awakened mind.  A step-by-step method to continuously contemplate and integrate with our daily life that yields untold benefits for ourselves and others.
3. Karma
4. Tonglen- The Rising Tide of Bodhicitta

Non-sensical poetry
5. For Sale: Supreme Vehicle (SUV)

Thank you for all of your support this year, here is to a very happy 2013!

The Artist

 

Namo Buddhaya!
I prostrate and praise the sublime artist,
Who chisels away the afflictions and obscurations of beings,
Refining their body, speech and mind,
Into the indestructible three kayas.

He who reveals this timeless work of art,
Innate buddhanature,
Is simultaneously the art and artist,
Benefitting beings through their creative display.

Siddhearta's Intent

'The present is a freely given canvas'
Annie Dillard

Stumbled upon this on an afternoon walk today, 
Reminded me that every moment is an opportunity to practice art.
Go, be an artist.

A Path of Discovery

'The bad news is you're falling through the air,
Nothing to hang on to, no parachute.
The good news is there is no ground.'
Chogyam Trungpa

Scientists are often surprised.

A routine experiment yields a new discovery.
New evidence provides another lead to follow.
A changing landscape provides the opportunity to plot a new course.


Setting yourself up for discovery is a conscious choice.


The meditator never believes they have it all figured out.  Their experience never testifies 'this is it' but rather continues to open up new ground.  Contemplation, investigation and insight are all indispensable on the path to discover the awakened mind. 
 

The Renaissance

This time the art won't stand in galleries.
It won't be sculptures portraying feminine beauty,
Nor frescos that celebrate the triumph of man.
It will not be found in melodies of memories past,
Nor in written words of far off enchantment.

Art is the gift of our humanity that changes people's lives.
It is a rediscovery of the ground of being.
It is exemplified by personal interactions that bring benefit to others.

This is the new Artist.
She has a simple discipline.
Fearless patience.
Acts with joyous perseverance.
And with a calm and clear mind,
She simultaneously accomplishes her own and others wishes.