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The Buddha said that we should be our own refuge, our own
light, that he could only point the way but that we had
to walk the path of awakening for ourselves. |
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These teachings and practices are actually very simple. In fact,
they're almost too simple. Unfortunately, most of us have a tendency
for some reason to make things complicated.
What makes the practice difficult is all the expectation and judgment
that we can bring to it with our opinions and preconceptions.
It's best to have as open a mind as possible and practice as wholeheartedly
as we can.
You will find that your mind will wander again and again as you
try to keep it focused. It doesn't matter. Having to start over
again and again is essential and beneficial, not a sign of failure.
Great patience and persistence are required. In the end, the benefits
will be real.
As the philosopher Spinoza said, "All noble undertakings
are as difficult as they are rare."
Be assured that the practice of meditation is one of the noblest
of all activities.
While it isn't easy, it is worth the effort.
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The benefit of practice while on retreat
What does a retreat provide that daily life practice cannot?
A retreat environment provides conditions that can aid the development
of calm and focused awareness. Silence, simplicity, and aloneness,
for example, work together as powerful supports for purifying
the mind.
Perhaps the most important of these conditions is silence, which
can seem difficult for someone who is a beginning meditator.
It is rare indeed for us to spend any length of time being silent
when we are not on retreat. But it turns out that much can be
learned about the nature of suffering - and happiness - from doing
so.
Also, being alone with oneself does not necessarily mean being
lonely. It can be a wonderful opportunity to discover things that
we might otherwise never get a chance to see in our daily lives.
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How to develop the proper attitude for a retreat
Retreats are different from other activities. They're not about
gaining anything or getting rid of anything.
They're about letting go of what's unnecessary in our lives and
what blocks our natural capacity to be free.
Although we don't like to admit it, the truth is that we often
do not have much control over what we experience. Once we realize
this, we can begin to understand that freedom lies in changing
our relationship to our experience rather than trying to change
the experience itself.
The Buddha's teaching asks whether there is an alternative to
trying to make pleasant experiences last and trying to make unpleasant
ones go away. The efforts we make to do so, ordinarily define
much of our lives and can be exhausting. Instead of being victims
of these habits of greed and hatred, can we discover the power
and joy that comes through their renunciation?
Retreats provide an opportunity for us to do just that.
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We do not practice just for ourselves
Often people have the feeling that meditation is a self-centered
activity. But this is not accurate.
While it is true that no one can do the practice for us, during
retreats we see that we can't do it alone either.
Many people are involved in creating the supportive environment
of a retreat. We can feel a connection with them. This is one
example of how the practice of meditation brings us more in touch
with others.
Ultimately, we can begin to see that despite the many differences
we have, we are all subject to remarkably similar experiences
of suffering and happiness. We can then begin to have more compassion
for ourselves and others.
As our practice develops, our habit of referring everything back
to ourselves fades. Our interest in seeing clearly brings an openness
towards what is around us, a kindness towards life as it actually
happens. Our hearts discover a depth of patience and understanding
that allows us to be present and responsive to the living beings
we encounter.
Over time, it becomes clear that meditation practice is not just
for our own personal benefit.
As one teacher put it, we practice so that we may bring peace
into this world. We practice so that we can contribute to the
relief of suffering, for ourselves and others, in whatever way
is appropriate.
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"All noble undertakings
are as difficult as they are rare." |
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