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It seems we all agree that training the body through exercise, diet, and relaxation is a good idea, but why don't we think about training our mind?
Within my mind
I live on a small blue planet.
Everyone seems far away,
No one seems close.
Everywhere is blackness,
Yet abundant life consumes each moment.
I wish and hope
Everyone could see this blue fragile life
Floating in the blackness–
Next time they miss the bus,
Next time they forget to look and smile.
We are floating on a blue dot–
We should all be frightfully concerned.
No matter what you think, what I think,
We will always be on this blue dot,
Unless we are the masters of darkness
Or the emperors of blackness.
Look at each other–
Be kind
Stop
Look up
See blue.
That color came from somewhere.
It could be another color if we don't play our cards right.
Our worst enemies we should hold,
Because even they love blue.
The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche
Paris, June 2002 on the occasion of a solar eclipse
Within my mind
I live on a small blue planet.
Everyone seems far away,
No one seems close.
Everywhere is blackness,
Yet abundant life consumes each moment.
I wish and hope
Everyone could see this blue fragile life
Floating in the blackness–
Next time they miss the bus,
Next time they forget to look and smile.
We are floating on a blue dot–
We should all be frightfully concerned.
No matter what you think, what I think,
We will always be on this blue dot,
Unless we are the masters of darkness
Or the emperors of blackness.
Look at each other–
Be kind
Stop
Look up
See blue.
That color came from somewhere.
It could be another color if we don't play our cards right.
Our worst enemies we should hold,
Because even they love blue.
The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche
Paris, June 2002 on the occasion of a solar eclipse
In looking for my mind, I discovered that it seems to be in many different places. Sometimes it is drinking a glass of water, remembering swimming in the summer, feeling the breeze. In this contemplation I observed that the self is more elusive than I thought.
When I ask people to contemplate selflessness, the sometimes react as if I’ve asked them to put their house on the market or give away all their money. If there was a self that existed in the way we think, discovering selflessness would be like putting our house on the market. But in the Buddhist tradition, the discovery of selflessness is called “completely joyful.” It’s not called “the raw end of the deal,” or “I’d rather go back to bed,” or “This is scary and depressing.”
Even when we speak of selflessness, the mind goes to “me.” We think, “I’m selfless,” but everything is selfless.
As I live my day, I always try to have a contemplation going - whether I'm talking to people, riding in a car, giving teachings, or eating. This can be as simple as bringing my mind back to the thought "May others be happy" at every opportunity. Or I might focus on selflessness or how to help someone who is ill. That power of intention helps me turn confusion on its ear and enjoy my life. When self-absorption arises, I use the precision of my morning meditation to turn the energy inside out. i find that the more I do this, the less worried I feel. Each day is an opportunity to sharpen and deepen the conclusions I've drawn in my morning practice.
It is said that if our intention is to help others--even if we are unable to follow it through--we will never have any regret. Regret is a result of trying to make "me" happy.
Whatever we do lays a seed in our deepest consciousness, and one day that seed will grow.
Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don't even notice it.
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