Reconnect with Wonder of Life
There is not even a single moment to be trashed. This might not be something our conditioned mind knows as it is often wrapped in an invisible veil of repeated thoughts and fantasies that obscure our awareness from embracing each moment, and living life fully.
Letter for Sojong 07/15 from Anam Thubten
Dear Dharma friends,
Whether we live for a long or short time, life is not some kind of extended, seamless, and disparate eternity that stands on its own. Each moment is an important building block of the whole, just like each music note is essential to a harmonious melody, and every drop of water a part of the great ocean. We cannot have the whole without the components. The most ordinary moment is the same as the most wonderful one. They both are different fabrics of our existence.
Yesterday, a group of us went to the historical city of Gyeongji in South Korea to see an ancient holy site that enshrines an image of the Buddha that was built there in the 8th century. During the trip, someone brought a 99 year-old man to share lunch with us. We both sat almost directly across from each other. There were some young people in their 20s and 30s in our group as well. When I looked at everyone, it felt now and then, that there was this vivid moment with the touch of the transcendence of time; past and future disappearing and only here and now remaining, as if life itself is reminding us that this present moment is our life and it is all we have.
The past is gone with yesterday’s beautiful sunset. You can recall it as if you’re looking back down the road that you just travelled to gather good memories or learn about the pitfalls, yet we don’t want to turn the past into a trap of regret and resentment that shackles our own heart. The future is also knocking on our door. In some ways, it is a reality exit in our mind so we can feel that we’re alive and there are many things to look forward to. It often brings a river of anxiety for those who never have gone to the interior world of contemplation.
Since we don’t know how much time we have on this beautiful earth, each moment is precious. We must learn to cherish and value all of them as we try to do with our life. There is not even a single moment to be trashed. This might not be something our conditioned mind knows as it is often wrapped in an invisible veil of repeated thoughts and fantasies that obscure our awareness from embracing each moment, and living life fully.
The method to reconnect with wonder of life is simple. All it requires is to pause here and there throughout the day. We can do the pause without doing anything or we can bring our awareness to the breath or physical sensations. Such pause allows us to step outside of the thinking mind and to feel this whole existence with non-judging awareness. Then this pure present moment can be a doorway into most profound truth, the great emptiness, the true nature of all things.
The 15th of this month is Sojong day. Let’s observe this day as time to reflect in which state of consciousness we have been living, and to make a sacred commitment to the path of awareness.
With palms joined, Anam Thubten