it is not enough for me to have clarity; though it is an essential step.
clarity allows me to see...
my past.
my present.
clarity leads me to my vision of my future.
an authentic existence.
a Path of wholeness, of Service.
clarity also allows me to see my choices and their impact, their ripple effect.
clarity also allows me to see my interdependence, my place in the Cosmos.
i also need commitment.
commitment to maintaining the clarity.
commitment to positioning myself so that my vision is realized.
by any means necessary.
this doesn't mean that i allow myself to leave a trail of bodies in my wake.
i am certainly capable of doing it that way.
no, instead, i practice fierce Compassion.
and nurture my discipline to stay the course.
to get up when i fall.
and i fall often.
to choose this way of life each and every day, every moment.
my dear friend, Amy, emailed the other day.
sabi niya, " I feel more and more strongly that the best way to live this life is to put down the things that take away my clarity, even my own passion."
i am struck by her words.
this is the stuff of deep, deep Love.
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2 comments:
ouch! letting go of passion. when Venus was here there was passing mention of how Buddhism can be incompatible with the Filipino temperament - so passionate, volatile, so fiery. what is the Filipino Buddhist way here? :-))
oo nga. i know it sounds so counterintuitive. there is a lot there. put down my passion? that feels too much like putting down my voice. i've been quiet far too long! what exactly is being asked of me? and by whom? perhaps the key words are "put down." to me, it signifies an intentionality. it implies a mutual recognition: being ruled by my passions, ultimately, does not serve. it's a process. in order to be in appropriate relationship with my passion, i have to allow her room to stretch out and show herself properly, give her her due. the warmth can turn quickly to scorching. and when it is hot, it is easy to move. and react. and overreact... perhaps it is in this moment that my discipline and commitment to clarity are most helpful. because in that split second, i can be ruled by my passion and run amok or i can acknowledge her, expand that split second for however long is needed for breath and space, and move forward with exactly what is called for--no more, no less. i actually love my emotionality. it's such a privilege to FEEL. i didn't always appreciate it. it used to confuse me and i used to slap her away all the time. why can't i just be "like everyone else?"i didn't understand why i would be a heap of tears and others around me would be seemingly unaffected. nowadays, i know that i choose to embrace my sensitivity and willingness to be vulnerable. and i'm learning when and how to shield myself, too. it's an interesting dance. /|\ ps. remember, i'm NOT buddhist! ;) hee, hee.
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