Back at work and other activities this week after the traditional holiday « break. » Seems a bit strange, like I’ve been away for a long while, and strangely just the same, as if I’ve never left. I guess the truth is that both are true…
I’ve also been thinking how lucky I am to have « activities » like work and family and household tasks, which at times I consider to be burdensome obligations. How nice it would be to have « total freedom » to write and to devote myself « fully » to cultivating my Zen practice and work as a teacher! Actually, though, I know from experience that the way my life unfolds – just as it is, busy or not – is really, truly the very best « place » for me to « fully » live an awakened life. Right here at my office desk is the ground of awakening!
Yesterday I came across this perfect view from Thich Nhat Hanh:
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are three precious jewels in Buddhism, and the most important of these is Sangha. The Sangha contains the Buddha and the Dharma. A good teacher is important, but sisters and brothers in the practice are the main ingredient for success. You cannot achieve enlightenment by locking yourself in your room. Transformation is possible only when you are in touch. When you touch the ground, you can feel the stability of the earth and feel confident.
Please stay « in touch » all together in the coming year, my friends.
Merci Amy, merci Flamme d’or
ça passe trés bien pour moi les paroles qui vous avez écrit… rester en contact avec les autres, avec nous même au même temps, et avec "de ground"…… c’est un exercise trés utile, chercher de pas perdre le contact….. et aujourd’hui je commencerais a faire des efforts pour que je peut être la en Avril
a bientôt
céu
Dear Flamme d’or
Thank you. It’s great to hear from you, and to receive your very concrete offering in words on the screen of the connections we all share!
The golden flame is burning ever bright!
Dear Amy, dear Sangha Friends, dear all
´ Right here at my office desk is the ground of awakening!´
I hope by this little comment I can represent a glimpse of the happiness by reading you Amy, by hearing this call and ´ Yes´ , here right at my office desk I want to say:
´ I recognize this, even if you my dharma friends and teacher are not there , many times I am aware of our interconnection and though it is good to live it, to speak it out, to stay in touch by meeting and practicing…. and so I look forward to meet you…in France the next month I hope, and in Portugal in April…by writing it..joy comes up: life is sharing an meanwhile…the ground of awakening is here on my desk now, in waking up and meeting my fellow travelers in the train tomorrow…don´t know what practice exactly will be than…one guideline indeed: stay in touch!
Thanks for your blog Amy, for sharing, thanks brothers and sisters, aware or not…the fact is that we are always interconnected…how marvelous!