Has January gone now? That’s a relief. It’s been a difficult month personally. I won’t go into the details, but life just hasn’t gone as planned and there have been some huge challenges.
Despite being a practising Buddhist for many years and meditating daily, after several months of pressure I’m afraid I lost perspective. I had a moment of melt down. I didn’t keep my head above the water, I submerged myself head first into the whole sorry mess.
I think where my Buddhist practice did help was that I didn’t stay there for long, in fact after just a day I was able to gain perspective, calm body and mind and resurface. And in doing so I was able to help others around me who were also struggling.
My Buddhist practice became like a life jacket for me, then a life raft for others.
There’s a great Buddhist text:
May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to crosss
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
And you know those moments when just the right thing serendipitously comes along at just the right time? Well, I often listen to audio dharma and this meditation dropped into my lap at just at the right time.
I’m a real fan of Gil Fronsdal. He delivers simple pithy introductions and then lets you to meditate. They are subtle, deep and always beneficial. This meditation called ‘Being With’ is about being with our emotions and thoughts without being pulled under. It was like the image of that beach tractor it steadily hauled me up and out of the sea of my emotions.
Take half an hour and give it a try.
Reading Group
We have our own Wabi Sabi Reading Group on Threadable. In Feburary we are reading The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka.
Between the first and second world wars a group of young, non-English-speaking Japanese women travelled by boat to America. They were picture brides, clutching photos of husbands-to-be whom they had yet to meet. Julie Otsuka tells their extraordinary, heartbreaking story in this spellbinding and poetic account of strangers lost and alone in a new and deeply foreign land.
To join in download the Threadbable app a new social reading platform (only available on iPhone at present) and use this invite code: 45281.
If you like Japanese literature check out Tokyo Weekender for their choice up and coming books for 2023.
Gratitude
Thanks for reading. Writing Wabi Sabi Life takes time. If you want to support my work you could buy me a coffee or become a paid subscriber.