As the Buddha neared death, Ananda, his faithful attendant, feared that if the Buddha died before appointing a new leader of the community, the Buddha’s lifework would die with him.
Continue reading Make Your Life A Refuge
Self Love
Deep Healing, Rest, Relax, Let Go
I walk to the Gloucester Unitarian Church 5-days a week to lead morning meditation. Last Tuesday, I got a late start, so anxiety quickened my pace. With my rushed steps, I added tension and stress to the walk. Of course, I made it to meditation on time, but I also decided to set out ten-minutes earlier for my walks. These extra ten-minutes give a boost to the quality of my day. No more rushing, a bit more relaxing. Part of the deep healing I need to do in my life involves noticing and letting go whenever I slip back into habit-stress and habit-struggle. The extra minutes give me time to walk slowly, to rest and relax, to let go along my way.
Anger
Anger is an important, extremely unpleasant, powerful, and often destructive energy. Personally, any time I feel it, I immediately know that something I’m deeply attached to is at stake. When I feel antagonized or emotionally chafed I know that I’m clinging to some opinion or idea I hold dear in the moment. When I find myself boiling with resentment, that uncomfortable roiling around my heart prompts me to identify my personal boundaries and tells me I expect they’re about to be crossed. This kind of informative clarity might be called anger’s upside.