Buddha Along Side the Road
hey Buddha
as i was going to work
i saw you sittin along the road
so i had to run you over
but the strangest thing happened
on my way back
you were still there
so i did it again
but the next morning
you were still there
so i smiled and drove on by
and then you were gone
“The searcher in the modern world no longer has a clear and pure path to follow and finds in its stead only foggy, vague distortions of the original truths. And so the searcher never fully understands where he or she is going; the successes are few and far between, and the results questionable. The greatest teachers of the spiritual world are still out there, not to be found in dusty books or hidden temples, but in the temples of creation and through vision….. What follows is not a field guide to the spiritual world….(but as) an introduction to the greatest teacher of all – nature, the vision, the Creator”.
“Others in this modern society, feeling the void of material existence, want desperately to believe in the magical world of spirit. In a way, their searching adds a certain mystical existence to their lives…. They search out endless religions, gurus, and philosophies. They play with crystals, meditation, songs, chants, ceremonies. They reach toward the customs and traditions of cultures other than their own mixing and matching, hoping to create out of it some personal religion or philosophy. But in the modern era, where results are immediate, people are rarely willing to dedicate the concentrated amounts of time and energy to just one path. They get bored quickly with anything that requires time and dedication. They want to be instant gurus, shamans, and healers, without paying the price…. When their quick fixes do not pan out, they are abandoned or lost, and the people once again return the their desperate searching”
“They had forced their religion upon the people, and though this religion held many truths spoken, rarely did the whites live the truths they espoused. Their black robes might speak of peace and love, but their lives were struggles of greed, power, and war.”
“Grandfather said that there were only two types of people in the world, critics and doers…. Doers are the people that the critics criticize, because they are the ones doing. With doing there is living. Doers are the people who make change, who never criticize, because they are too busy doing.”
“I had been looking forward to exploring the lower swamps, and now the whole day was wasted, boring, and rather debilitation. I lacked energy and drive to do anything and chose to lie down and bemoan my imprisonment…. I decided to try to change my debilitation perception and to look at it as an adventure and a challenge…… I found that there was no such thing as a good or bad day; there is only kind of day we choose to look at.”
“We learned through the teachings of Grandfather and through survival, that we have within us a primitive self-a self that could be called upon for insight, or for power in a time of need. This is a basic self that all beings carry within; a primal self closest in kin to the spirit-that-moves-in-all-things. We learned that the only thing standing in the way of this inner primal self was logical thinking and the restriction of the society we lived in.”
“Animals, like humans, make in life the mistakes that will ultimately lead the their death, either physically or on a spiritual and emotional level, as with this deer. People and animals that stay on the same paths in life will eventually wear themselves into ruts-a complacency to life born of the false security, comfort, and monotony of that path. Soon the ruts become so deep that they can no longer see over the sides. They see neither danger nor beauty, only the path before them, nor do they abandon that path so often traveled, for fear of losing their security and entering the land of the unknown.”
“He had stressed the use of the old customs, traditions, and ceremonies, and stressed following them precisely. Now he was contradicting himself….. He smiled “Custom, tradition, and ceremony are but tools for a spiritual path. Once learned they are used to make your own path. The only danger would be for those who did not learn the use of the tools fully and tried to walk a spiritual path. They would be thrashing aimlessly in the dark and eventually hurt themselves and others. That is the trouble with this modern world; everyone wants things too fast without taking the time to learn the tools before setting out on his or her journey. Anyone who has the tools and follows the paths of others will only meet a dead end and pain.”
“Grandfather had often described what he perceived as the plight of modern society, a society decieved by its shallowness into confusing material acquisition with fulfillment and yet in turn frustrated by its haunting sens of lack. There is a spiritual world beyond the fleshly existence of modern man, a wold of the unseen and the eternal, a world that most people never really understand or seek to know. Certainly, he said, there were the meager attempts by modern man to reach this spiritual world, but at best, they were superficial, all too complicated with customs and traditions that no longer seemed to work. Most of modern society has lost its ability to see beyond the flesh and the logical thinking, which is its guiding force. Yet society so desperately seeks fulfillment outside the realms of that superficial flesh. It seemed to Grandfather that after man acquired the comforts of flesh and the heights of learning, he is then left lost and searching for more to life. He acquires more and more of the false gods of the flesh and mind, and he soon finds that the acquisitions of the flesh can give him no more. He seeks wilder forms of entertainment and toys, and nothing fulfills his most desperate yearnings or the emptiness inside of him.
In desperation he searches for a deeper meaning to life, but there are no answers. In frustration, he turns to drugs, alcohol, or sins of the flesh to quench his pain. Some end with killing themselves. Others realize that there must be more but do not know where to find it. Religions spring up, and philosophies that are only but a Band aid. Nothing really works for him. Modern man then grasps for straws, following anyone or anything that point the way to enlightenment, or playing with any spiritual toy that brings relief. In the end, non of these things will ever quench his inner fires of searching and loneliness. Even his children at an early age are realizing the futility of it all, feeling that there must be more for them than theoretical knowledge and owning. He is lost, desperate, and destined to live out his existence in exile from what life is all about, marking time and awaiting death to free him.
Grandfather felt that somewhere in man’s ancient history society lost its communication with the spiritual world and with the spirit-that0moves-in-all-things, the life force. Grandfather knew that man was a duality, part logical and physical, but mostly spiritual. The problem is that man has concentrated on mostly developing the logical mind, while allowing the spiritual consciousness to atrophy. Grandfather felt that man found it difficult to deal in the realms of the spirit and south the logical, as it was more provable, probable, and less work. This pursuit of the logical then followed mankind through the centuries and into modern times, where now he believes only in things manifest in science and knows nothing based on faith. Thus logical man began to persecute and eradicate all who dealt in the spiritual, considering them pagans, insane, or lunatics. The spiritual way of life interfered with man’s science and explanation, and showed the shallowness of society’s meager attempts at being religious.”
“Trying creates impossibilities, letting go creates what is desired….You believe that penetrating the veil is impossible, because that is what you have been told to believe. You have created that reality based on other people’s beliefs that there can be no world of spirit. Somehow, you think that it must be difficult to enter this realm and that you must suffer and try hard to get there. This then is what you have created. But when you have absolute faith, learn to let go completely and purely, then, and only the, will you touch the veil.”
Grandfather stressed the Vision Quest as being as equal in importance to our survival path as survival training, awareness, and asceticism. The Vision Quest was held in the highest reverence as the ultimate sacrifice of self. Indeed, the quest was more important than any other spiritual sacrifice, but it could not stand alone. Nevertheless, the Vision Quest did what could not be done with asceticism alone. It answered the deepest spiritual questions, directed our lives, and helped us transcend the realms of the flesh to the purity of spirit. The quest was the ultimate self-denial, requiring us to fast from all things familiar, including rational through. It was a “little death” that sacrificed the self for the wisdom of the grander things of life and spirit.
About 10 years ago, I left the Jehovah’s Witnesses for good. I was pretty well convinced that all churches were bad. The only religion I had much faith in was Buddhism at the time, and that was more on a philosophical level. So why the change in heart? Well I wanted to be a member of some organization that offered the following:
So what organization did I finally join? The Unitarian Universalists, in particular the Church of the Larger Fellowship (since the nearest UU group is about 35 minutes drive. I would have never thought that such a group existed, let alone a group that calls themselves a religion / church. Although I don’t consider it a church or a religion in the modern sense.
Some of the facts that attracted me to join the UU’s:
These last couple of weeks I’ve really immersed myself in buddhist, meditative, and mindfulness studies. In particular studies on the subconscious mind, the ego, and general buddhist studies. This whole ego thing just has me in a tailspin. I am very open minded and usually comprehend quickly, but its just like the whole thing doesn’t make sense (at times, and depending on what kind of mood I’m in).
I was in such a whirl today that I could feel my anger and frustration level rising so I cleaned up and went for a bike ride to distract my mind. It seems to have done the trick, but now I’m afraid to pick up my studies again. I keep taking a dualist approach to this, and that just doesn’t work. Its like one day I get it and my mind feels calm, then I gradually wind up, then I begin to calm down, then I get angry and irritated about it.
What does seem to make sense more and more and more is that I’ve never gone on a vision quest / retreat of sorts, to be still and contemplate all this without distraction. Backpacking used to give me focus and help me reconnect with nature, and since I quit backpacking 5 yrs ago, I feel sort of displaced. I just cant get over the selfish feelings of leaving my family for 2-3 days every so often. Before I started backpacking and even while I was a bper, I’ve always contemplated going on a visions quest of self-discovery. I like to think that this can be done internally, but it just doesn’t seem to work. I think I need to work out a plan…..
You may notice something very interesting when you slow down. As you experience more space in you mind, there is more distance between you and your emotional reactions. You may still react out of habit, but these reactions don’t really have their hooks in you. You may react out of attachment, for example, wihout feeling very attached, or you may say something aggressive without really feeling the emotion of aggression. Seeing this is the beginning of being able to separate you true nature from your habits.
It’s important to know that these emotional reactions are not who we really are. They come from learned social conventions, from what we’ve been taught to value and how we’ve been taught to react. For instance, someone cuts you off on the highway and you find yourself reacting aggressively, the way you’ve seen others do. You might even be surprised by the intensity of your reaction. In moments like this, try to slow down and reflect on your reactions. You may find them to be at odds with the way you would naturally respond.
Many habitual tendencies spring from seeds of a past we can’t even trace. They lie dormant in the alaya consciousness until they’re activated by particular causes and conditions – at which point we find ourselves reacting with attachment, jualousy, insecurity, or aggression. Regardless of where they come from, we must learn to disassociate ourselves from neurotic habitual tendencies. This doesn’t mean nnot responding to things; it means bringing awareness to our reactions. Seeing that they are neither permanent nor solid, we can relate to them in a way that is intelligent and beneficial.
Emotions can only overtake us when we are unaware of them……..But labeling our emotions as terrible or wrong has a puritanical slant. It implies that they should never occur, that we should be as pure and enlightened as a buddha…. Thy instead to work wihg your mind in a way that is more mature and in accord with practice….. The difference between not reacting and suppressing reactions lies in awarness. The key is to maintain awareness of the nature of the reaction, as well as its expression.
Keep a joke book by your bedside. Before turning out the lights at bedtime, sit silently for a few minutes breathing with awareness, watching any thoughts and emotions, and noticing how your body is feeling. Read the jokes for ten minutes or longer, keeping a smile on your face even if you are not lauging at all the jokes and maintain a mood of amusement and fun. Focus on the jokes, not thinking about anything else, only the jokes.
Simply by watching the disturbance of mind, body, and emotions, with non-judgment and acceptance, slowly, over time, the traffic of the mind begins to slow down, and we move from being controlled by the mind to connecting with the heart. This brings us more balance and clarity as it accesses our inner intelligence, dignity, and wisdom.
This is what happens in meditation. The meditator takes a journey from the outer realm to the inner, subjective world where she finds the parts of herself she often ignores, forgets about, or is disconnected from: her feelings, emotions, soul, her essential being.
It is not that meditation is against the mind; it is beyond the mind. The mind is our bridge from the subconscious to the conscious, our gateway of expression the outer world…. Don’t see it as an enemy, but as a friend.
As this friendship with the mind deepens, the mind will no longer disturb you during meditation. You are not fighting it; you are simply letting its thoughts pass by…..Whatever you are doing – walking, sitting eating, try to do it watchfully.
By making this a continuous inner process, you will be surprised how life can change its quality. Once we reach that place of watcher, or witness, we begin to see ourselves with more clarity and objectivity. We see the dramas in our lives with perspective and compassion, and insights and understandings will begin to arise naturally…… The mind and the ego will want to make it complicated, but it is not. Mind always wants to control. It is a technician. But watchfulness is beyond its control.
The liberation you feel once you realize that you are not the mind can be extraordinary. There is no more anxiety; you are at ease, in a deep let go. You know you can drop down beyond the mind to your inner haven of peace and stillness.
Observe the mind as you would a TV screen
Watch the different shows your mind flashes across the screen and remember you are the watcher, dis-identified, relaxed. You are the master, in control, calm, centered, viewing everything with objectivity and clarity.
As we practice watching the mind in meditation, we begin to observe our judgments. When they arise, we can accept them and let them go. Nonjudgment means accepting life the way it is, getting beyond the good/bad duality of the mind to a place of relaxation and inner stillness.
When we judge we cut ourselves off from the world around us; we lose our sensitivity, we shrink, and we close. Through the practice of watching, by and by a subtle awareness arises that keeps us open-minded for unknown possibilities to emerge. We become more available for life to happen through us. We become more loving.
Mind moves horizontally from on moment to the next, like a train with many compartments. It wants to put every person and situation into a compartment. When we suspend judgment, we can get off the train and participate in life; have a cup of tea, joke with the ticket collector, go for a bike ride, smell the flowers, and listen to the birds in the sky. Life is always original, new. It is vertical. Each moment can rise into height or fall into depth.
Techniques to try: At a store or museum or any place, try walking and notice how many judgments go through your head. Try not to judge yourself for judging. Simply observe how many judgments the mind keeps on making, nonstop, about what it sees. Then see if you can observe your surroundings without judging.
Judgment clouds our sight; it’s like looking at a view through a dirty window. This technique gets us comfortable with just looking at things without judgment, allowing us to be present with what is.
Try just looking at a flower or some other small thing for a few minutes. Don’t say “beautiful” or “ugly.” Don’t say anything. Don’t bring in words. Simply look. The mind will feel uncomfortable. It would like you to say something. Try to just ride through this feeling. Try to just look…. By opening your vision, your heart, and your mind in this way, you will find a greater flexibility, openness, and receptivity within yourself to the world at large.
Remember, just look, without judgment; just be present with what is.
Stage 1: Laughter
Stage 2: Crying or Anger or both
Stage 3: The watcher on the hills
Creating your own Practice
…..
Just as real seeds need particular conditions in which to germinate and ripen… so does karma: The results of our actions depend on certain conditions for fruition, and we cannot foresee when these conditions will take place. Sometimes the results are immediate. For example, if we share our lunch with a friend, we might experience appreciation.
The three refuges involve strengthening our intentions to let go of suffering and to cultivate happiness. Spend a few moments considering your intentions, and then take the refuges formally using the phrases:
The key to walking and movement meditation is to focus on the movement of your body as you are performing the act. For walking this would be to focus thought on the action of walking (lifting foot, shifting weight, moving leg….). In addition, this could include walking by counting steps to 10 and then resetting. One of the keys of this and other forms of meditation is to be aware and cultivate mindfulness, if you begin to focus on seeing something, label it as seeing or hearing or thoughts, then focus your attention back to walking.
Begin to notice your thoughts, and for one week keep a journal of the kinds of thoughts that predominate. Notice the qualities associated with your thoughts. Do they bring a sense of well being? Of tension, anger, doubt, desire, contraction, or opening? Do they bring you into connection with life, or do they separate you further in the little box you are already struggling to free yourself?
Notice any physical qualities associated with your thoughts. Can you feel contraction, tension, and pressure? See if you would like to let go of unskillful thoughts and cultivate skillful ones in one particular area of your life. Write down the kinds of thoughts you would like to cultivate and the ones you would like to let go of. Keep reminding yourself of the intention.
Begin to notice the patterns of when you make an effort in your life and when you do not. What are the results? Practice one particular of the four efforts (guarding, abandoning, nourishing, and maintaining – each week for four weeks.
Take two weeks to practice each foundation of mindfulness. Start with the first foundation – the body. Focus on specific practices such as bending and stretching, eating, or bathing. Each night write down when you remembered that foundation and how it felt to you. Also, begin to notice if any patterns arise as you work through the foundations. Take a foundation and think about it before you meditate.
For increasing concentration, when you notice your mind wandering while you are in the middle of an activity, try making an effort to come back to what is happening and to remain focused on the activity as long as you are doing it. See if you can make a determination to remember more each day.
You can strengthen your capacity to be mindful in your daily life by choosing some specific prompts. Pick one simple everyday action, and use this one action in particular eto try to train yourself to remember what you are doing. It might be walking upstairs, which can bring you back to yourself through feeling the effort of thigh muscles lifting the body. It might be turning the knob to the bedroom door. It might be opening the car door. Write yourself a note in your diary, and give yourself cues that you can easily see. Write a cue on your cubicle wall. When you feel that, you have become very mindful of that action (opening a door for instance), expand that practice to one more action (closing the door or starting the car for instance), and continue adding to the exercise.
