Wake Up To The Real Reality
Many of the wisdom traditions use their own methods to help us feel that we are not entirely bound to this world. The shortcoming of feeling that we are completely bound to this human world is that we’re forced to buy into all the worldly affairs, the human drama, the human game.
Sojong Reminder from Anam Thubten for August 2019
Dear Dharma friends, Many masters, such as Thogme Zangpo, the author of 37 Points of Bodhisattva Training, have used the analogy of our human body as a guest house and our consciousness as the guest. This is telling us that not only is life transient, but that we don’t belong to this world as much as we may feel. This may sound counter-intuitive. Everything from the outside informs us that we belong to this world; being born into a family, being a member of society, and carrying the expectations of those around us. Everything that happens in our life impacts us in a way that makes us happy or dejected. Many of the wisdom traditions use their own methods to help us feel that we are not entirely bound to this world. The shortcoming of feeling that we are completely bound to this human world is that we’re forced to buy into all the worldly affairs, the human drama, the human game. Alas! It lures us into caring so much about conventional values and it causes us to be enslaved by our circumstances. The desire to be loved, to be successful, and not to be this or that always binds us. It never lets us be truly free, even while it give us endless tempting comforts. There is another way to live without such bondage. The ancient sages knew this fact and discovered unshakable joy from seeing the most worldly affairs as the antics of a child. The purpose of our life is not to be chained by fears and all these worldly desires, but to help others to the best of our ability while enjoying this ever-fleeting life. How can one truly enjoy this life? No amount of material gain and luxury will offer the answer. The secret is to be truly carefree - and not in a casual sense. When regarding this human world as a temporary guest house and oneself as the cosmic traveler, all worldly affairs and values increasingly become a game that can't be taken too seriously. An intuitive intelligence reminds us that we’re just here for a while and that we could feel joy for oneself and compassion for others as much as possible. In the end, the sacred aphorism for life is “nothing to lose, nothing to gain.” Sojong is a ceremony that invites us to wake to the big reality. Even if our heart might already know what it is, we tend to fall into the trap of forgetfulness. Every now and then, our heart has to be reminded to pay attention to the truth that gives immediate freedom from fear and attachment. With palms joined together, I invite all of us to hold the commitment to bring this reflection into everyday life. With gratitude, Anam Thubten