Off the "Smartphone Mind"
Sojong Reminder from Anam Thubten 10/2020
Dear Dharma friends,
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Modern life often brings with it a continuous demand to work hard. It may seem like there’s no time to just relax in one’s living room, to take the opportunity to be in nature, or to drink tea with your friends while having a cordial chat. Many people feel that their lives are filled with one “to do list” after another. We have luxuries that people of the past couldn’t even begin to imagine, yet they require a lot of maintenance and often come with strings attached. In addition, the endless cycle of news and social media bombarding our everyday lives contributes to all kinds of mental health issues, and can take our attention away from what is truly meaningful.
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For all of these reasons, many people long for a life of simplicity. We might take a few days trip into the forest, avoid extravagances, or even get rid of possessions. All of these can be helpful practices until the modern world hooks us back into its trap once again. Now and then, we might even fantasize about leading an ideal life - like the Buddha - at a serene monastery somewhere where nuns and monks are living in a simple, healthy way, with just the essentials.
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There are many yogis who spent most of their lives in the Himalayan mountains, simply practicing meditation with basic food, like barley flour called “tsampa”. There is a common experience shared by all of them, which is peace of mind. In the old days, not only was life much simpler, but there was a whole community who would support you if you decided to live in the mountains as a hermit. On the other hand, without going anywhere or giving up too much, we can still experience that serenity, joy, and sense of simplicity by unhooking ourselves from the busy mind. I like to think that our busy mind is like a smart phone - it can be turned off anytime. Just like many people feel the need to make sure that their phone is turned off at certain times to feel peace, we could also turn off the “inner smart phone” here and there everyday through meditation.
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This message is simple. It doesn’t involve lofty topics like emptiness, no-self, or Bodhicitta, but is a reminder that not resting in our inner serenity can create a variety of problems. There are many ways our surroundings, and even our activities, can be a reminder to meditate or to take a rest from the monkey mind. In traditional culture, people chant before eating as way to bring their attention to something that invokes a sense of connection with the sacred or simply to be conscious and calm. You can turn activities like washing the dishes, walking in the neighborhood, recitation, or sitting silently before a meal into a reminder to be here now.
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I invite all of my dharma friends to join the Sojong for this month. It is time for us to renew our vows, and to purify and change the state of our consciousness. Everyone in our fellowship bears witness in this upcoming practice. May we inspire each other to continue on this path.
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With palms joined,
Anam Thubten
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