Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? .....Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:25-34 ESV
I wasn't sure what to write today but what comes to mind is the passage from Matthew that I copied yesterday and this, for whatever reason, that I found scribbled in the few notes I jotted down while listening to the audio version of Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful book, Fear: 3 robes, an alms bowl, a water filter and a mat.
Say what, crazy lady?
Those few things were the only possessions allotted to the Buddha's disciples. And they had it good compared to Jesus' disciples.
He [Jesus] told them: "Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt." Luke 9:3
No Possessions; No Attachments
Why were these followers forbidden to bring anything besides the minimal with them on their journeys? Were they being asked to renounce all attachment that does not serve? Were they meant to remove all attachment to the external, material world so they could better embrace the internal one? Were they being asked to understand, at the experiential level, that life was more than food, and the body more than clothing? Were they expected to have enough faith to trust that they would be provided for? Was this a test of that faith, a test they would pass if they did not give into the very human tendency to be anxious without? Was this a way of allowing them to delve into the "priority" of their life experience---to seek first the kingdom of God or the Pureland and then all the things of the material world will be added on? By then, would they realize those once cherished materials and luxuries they were once so attached to, had so little meaning compared to what they gained? Was this a way to help them totally extinguish their "desire"?
I don't know for sure. I am not a Buddhist scholar or theologian, obviously. But it seems to me that both the Buddha and Christ were saying , "Be attached to nothing from the external world. It is not important to your true Life. Renounce your belief that you are merely a body. Accept that you are a spirit having a short human experience; not a human having a short spiritual one.Seek the glory of this realization, this enlightenment...and have faith that your basic human needs will be provided for as you do. Don't worry: God, the Universe, Life has your back."
Oh "me", of Little Faith
Man, it took a lot of faith, I imagine, for these disciples to give up everything they once owned and cherished ( including their families, communities) to become "Forest Dwellers", students, teachers, on a mission to end suffering and bring the Ultimate Peace to all.
And here I am complaining about my hardships. I want what they sought, yet I am still afraid to give up that which I am or was attached to...my financial freedom, a sense of security, some sense of control over Life. I do not trust, like they did, that I will be taken care of and provided for, The birds and the lilies, I believe, they will be fed and clothed ...but not so sure about me. So "i", of little faith, am pretty anxious about the whole thing.
At the same time...if you came up and said to me: "Okay. it is one or the other. You either let go of that which you are still clinging to...this house, for example... or give up your mission for higher consciousness, I think I would loosen my grip pretty quickly...(well maybe not quickly but I would let go eventually lol.) I may never get enlightened in this life time, may never reach the kingdom of God or the Pureland...but that path of true understanding: seeing the interconnections of all, compassion, altruism, love and peace...doing what I can to end suffering in myself and others...is the only path that makes sense to me right now. It is the path I want to be on.
Detaching?
I do not want to lose my house. I do not want any added challenges right now. At the same time, I know if I lost my house I would manage. Those I am with will be fine. I have no idea where I would go or what I would do but maybe it would be more "freeing" than challenging in the long run. I have gradually been getting used to going without certain things and it isn't that bad. Especially, if I feel the going without is taking me deeper.
At the same time...I also still have a lot I could renounce...certainly have more than three outfits to wear in my closet and more than a mat to sit on. Maybe being without much of this that we take for granted will be freeing. I don't know
So though I may not have voluntarily and quietly put down many of those possessions and things I once cherished, it was only by being without them that I really began this journey. And this is the journey I want to be on....as crazy as that sounds. I am not sure if being on this path means I need to keep struggling in this way....though. I would, when all is said and done, not say No" to the "added on" if it were to come my way but maybe I don't have to want it quite as much as I do. I can want, and if inspired take steps toward changing my external world for the better...but I do "know" now what is really important.
No Harm in Asking As Long as We Are Keep Our Priorities In the Right Place?
Doing the Abundance Meditations from Deepak Chopra again. Why? They just showed up lol. So as I used the mantra "Sat-Chit-Ananda"/ "Existence- Consciousness- Bliss" . ...I was reminded to repeat this phrase throughout my day: "Today, I embrace my potential to be, do and have whatever I can dream!"
What do I wish to be? Peaceful, loving, open, happy, fulfilled.
What do I wish to do? Serve in a greater way...teach, write and speak...just a tiny bit like the disciples did ( Of course, I am not intending to do so at that level of grandeur. I mean, I just want to do as much as I can, as little as that may be in the long run, to help alleviate suffering. )
Crazy! I know.
My point: We would all benefit from following the disciples example: being less attached to our possessions and more attached to finding the truth of who we really are.; being willing to let go of them and finding peace in doing so. We would all benefit from having more faith and trust in Life, God, the Universe. At the same time we can ask for and take inspired steps towards the "added -ons" knowing they are just that, added-on...and not our priority.
Hmm! All is well in my world.
Deepak Chopra (March, 2021) 21 Days of Abundance: Guided Meditations. Spotify
Thich Nhat Hanh. Fear https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/63967084/book-fear-essential-wisdom-for-getting-through-the-storm-free-download
No comments:
Post a Comment