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Lama Yeshe.
Isn't spirituality another word for frustrating business? I mean, what really seems to be the problem? Why are people not happy exactly the way they are? It seems to me that often people are not happy about what they are, aren't, have and what they don't have.
If things get downright frustrating, how would you like to have a switch? One that you could flip, and instantly feel total acceptance and peace with yourself and the circumstances you're in. That would be something, wouldn't it? Well, if you feel any attraction to such a switch, you're not alone I guess. Something that can turn off jealousy, anger, impatience and dissatisfaction forever... Wow! Trying to find solutions for things that are not satisfactory takes a lot of energy. A lot of what one can do in a day, can be consumed by this kind of thinking.
For example. Let's say your boss compliments you on a job well done. Feeling delighted you immediately get loads of satisfaction. You feel at rest, in peace and confident that you have found your dream-job. But lets say that after a while, a big project you're working on fails. Maybe you have not been paying enough attention, being content and all... And now that same praising-you-into-heaven-employer is now telling you that you are one step away from being fired!
That's life. You try to hold on to the good things, and struggle to get away from the bad things. So, let's get spiritual! Let's try to fix this situation! Say mantras like “I am accepting myself the way I am and all bad things go away...”, “Om mani padme hung, I am Buddha...”
Yeah! That feels good! Finally you're doing something about the very core of your problems! Your negative thinking, that needs to be cured! Not the circumstances, no, that's all clear. But what if you could change yourself, become a better, new and improved you! If you change, finally all circumstances will be just right! Yes, now finally this is a way to change the world around you into paradise!
Well, my friend, this all sounds very good. But still this is not a peaceful situation, isn't it? Instead of feeling peace, enlightenment and enjoyment, you are now working hard to clean your spirits. Is this relaxing at all? Is it ever going to end? Will there be some distant moment in the far away future where you can rest assure and find yourself ending your project, being able to say: well, guys, this was a long, hard fight, but now, finally, I'm thru! Palm-trees are all around me even while doing my job at some boring old office and angels fly around my head when my husband is screaming at me for not having his dinner prepared in time.
You know, I guess the problem is: that meddling in your head, and the resulting dissatisfaction, discomfort and restlessness; finding a cure, isn't that creating another bottomless pit? You want to relax, open up and feel more at ease, and you try to achieve that by getting tight up in prayer, meditation, Ayahuasca-drinking and candle-burning.
So, maybe sometimes you'll tell yourself: Just lighten up, damned! As much as I can! Right now! I want to stop fighting! Hmmm, but I have to be careful not to create more tension in getting rid of my tension... On the other hand, the way I'll feel two years from now totally depends on the amount of effort I put into this. But putting a lot of effort in this is likely to stress me out; isn't that a funny paradox? Like I said when I started this posting, spirituality seems like frustrating business to me...
Maybe you will like what Lama Yeshe has to say about all this.
Thought provoking and interesting article. I acknowledge that for some the initial movement along the path to spirituality can be difficult and at times seem to have little reward, though one thing I have drawn from the time I have spent in meditation developing my spiritual side is that in the long run it is worth it. Granted at times there are things which can create a wobble with inner peace, however the sense of inner peace gained from developing your spiritual side is totally worthwhile and very beautiful.
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