Mountain Practice

Problems — everyone has them.  They are so pervasive in life I think they should be added to the classic triad of suffering; sickness, old age and death.

Problems provide us with wonderful opportunities both to enhance our practice and to realize the benefits that come from practice.  Most of the time practice will not solve problems, but it will aid us in understanding them, in finding the best alternatives to confront them and in avoiding behavior that will only serve to make them worse.

Of course, there is a pitfall if we use practice solely as a method to distract ourselves from the worries and fears that accompany problems.  That is only slightly better than using drink or drugs as a solution.  However, by using practice to focus attention on difficulties and on our internal reactions to those difficulties can significantly reduce the disturbance within us and thus enable us to act more effectively.  Finding this balance can be complicated but making the effort is crucial.

As with anything else, the key is compassion.  When problems arise we are all tempted to blame.  More often than not we blame ourselves.  This leads nowhere.  Whether our suffering comes from the actions of others or from our own shortcomings, compassion is necessary.  If the urge to blame is strong, then the need for compassion is greater.  Compassion does not mean blindness to reality.  There is no conflict between a clear appraisal of a problem and the disposition to forgive unconditionally both oneself and others.  Building this within ourselves will make our actions skillful.

It is important to recognize the role of worry and anxiety.  When we meditate we train ourselves to observe what arises without attachment.  This skill can be an enormous help since it will open the way to clear thinking about what troubles us.  Daily meditation is vital in difficult times.

Buddhist practices have ancient roots and proven efficacy.  Not all practices will be equally effective; we are all different.  Perhaps the variety of personalities is the reason there are so many practices.  What works for us one day may not be the best path every day.  But here the crucial point is effort.  If we keep making the effort even when it feels pointless and inadequate, we are making progress.  Like anything that is incremental it may take some time for us to realize how far we have come.  Rest in the assurance that practice transforms and avoid impatience.  Progress will come.

It has been nearly a year since I last posted here.  My absence was deliberate.  It seemed to me better to be silent for a while.  During that time I have made some progress for which I am grateful.

Last Sunday I reached a milestone in my path when I was ordained doshu in the Tendai tradition.  The event marked the end of a third year of training, study and practice.  Now I am permitted to lead sangha and undertake other efforts to propagate the Dharma.  I have a number of ideas on the future which need a bit more reflection and maturity.  Soon I will take the first baby steps on this new section of the journey.

Taking the vows of a doshu has given rise to many thoughts and impressions.  But for the moment the dominant thought is of how many other people contributed to it.  This has not been my achievement; it comes from my teachers, my Dharma sisters and brothers, my family and so many others.  My contribution is puny in comparison with all that others have done for me along the way.  Their compassion is a lot to live up to.

So I hope to have more thoughts to share here in the future.  The focus must now shift outward to others after this interlude of introspection.  That is the Bodhisattva path.