Remembering the dharma amidst other cares

Jeffrey

I am a person who for a log time has burned aromas during the day to ward off the blues. Or just to see a light of the candle burning. And feel that there is a power in the aromas to encourage me I guess.

While meditating the image of myself taking the aroma lamp and throwing in the garbage burst at me like lighting. It wasn't sad thing. Earlier in the weak I threw away a memento of my former girl friend. But this throwing of the aroma lamp was so powerful. So I kind of fault myself. I should have seen clearly something? Why do you think I had this?

Now I don't want to just sheepishly do this. I wished that I would have had it in me to let go of that lamp. I have ruminated over this.



Ok none of that matters. What matters is what YOU think about how we decide what things to let go of. I have a murky view about the candles being related to awakening. That's done. but does anyone else have their own 'lamp' that is hard to let go of?

Ok now I am putting the lamp away. I will burn an aroma each Sunday morning from now on and meditate on emptiness. @taiyaki helped inspire me to do that, he was in my thoughts.

ThailandTom

If something causes you suffering then let go of it, mentally or physically. I had a whole bunch of long letters that I kept from an old relationship, but I got them all and some other things and burnt them. Out of sight out of mind. But if I was not clinging on to the whole breakup, they would have merely been seen as bits of paper with words on them, so like I said at the start, I think whatever it is you are thinking of chucking/letting go, ask yourself if it causes afflictive emtotions to arise? If it does then is it best to let go of it, most of the time probably.

taiyaki

I've been making letting go my primary practice. Just letting go as my meditation object.

Then letting go the letting go.

It's been an interesting week. I've come to touch different aspects of my minds personality.
At the end of the day it is just the play of our karmic energies.

Just the passing show. Appearance-emptiness.

Then I realize that even though there is letting go, there is no one doing it. Everything is always moving. Rest in that.

genkaku

Don't throw anything away. Keep as much stuff as you like ... hopes, beliefs, kitchen cutlery, cars, harems, religious bric-a-brac, toenail clippers, attachments ... don't try to get rid of anything. An uncluttered living room is not the same as an uncluttered mind.

Just keep on practicing. Where there is practice, things walk away all by themselves. Just keep up a determined, courageous practice.

See what happens.

Jeffrey

I read in a book Spiritual Materialism that giving things up can burden us even more than keeping things as they are. Like we make a big thing out of 'giving them up'. Just relaying what I read. I think I have a different style maybe is coming out though. I was quite shocked at the vividness of the idea to throw the lamp.

When I was in college I studied and studied and studied etc my organic chemistry text. I studied like crazy. That's not to brag but just that when I moved to another city that text had disappeared, maybe someone found it later, but I guess my style is more anxious about what is possible.

With the lamp I was like 'what's happening', the vision of decidedness and clarity, and then tentatively tried to cobble together a plan of compromises. I admire someone who would just throw it.

But we all have our styles. I am glad to discuss my practice.

@Thailand Tom, it was a powerful vision that pre-thought. It was so clear that there was something off about burning aromas as MY dharma practice. For a time, but it's like I am getting to something clearer needed in my practice.

@taiyaki, I always wonder if you have examples to explain. Because you do seem quite enlightened. Both in may admire and wondering what the specifics.

@genkaku, thanks for the encouragement,

ThailandTom

I read in a book Spiritual Materialism that giving things up can burden us even more than keeping things as they are. Like we make a big thing out of 'giving them up'. Just relaying what I read. I think I have a different style maybe is coming out though. I was quite shocked at the vividness of the idea to throw the lamp.

When I was in college I studied and studied and studied etc my organic chemistry text. I studied like crazy. That's not to brag but just that when I moved to another city that text had disappeared, maybe someone found it later, but I guess my style is more anxious about what is possible.

With the lamp I was like 'what's happening', the vision of decidedness and clarity, and then tentatively tried to cobble together a plan of compromises. I admire someone who would just throw it.

But we all have our styles. I am glad to discuss my practice.

@Thailand Tom, it was a powerful vision that pre-thought. It was so clear that there was something off about burning aromas as MY dharma practice. For a time, but it's like I am getting to something clearer needed in my practice.

@taiyaki, I always wonder if you have examples to explain. Because you do seem quite enlightened. Both in may admire and wondering what the specifics.

@genkaku, thanks for the encouragement,

From my own personal experience I have never had any negative emotions arise when giving away things to people who may want them, never. As for the burning, I know myself and if I had those letters now I would read them and out myself back in that place at the moment with that suffering. Your lamp, that is all on you dude, I dunno whay to say. But I will say that everything that is needed for liberation from samsara is already there from birth, no lamps, no armoas, no cushions, just the consciousness.....

Jeffrey

Yeah Tom, I guess it was an experience that feeling of vividness. Not to get attached to.

taiyaki

Last month lust has been the primary object of meditation. After a long time of sitting and just being mindful throughout the day, you can start to see patterns of karma.

It's always interesting because previous girl friends start to message me and the mind brings up thoughts which brings up various sensations of lust and desire. On a gross level lust and sexuality is not much of a problem. As I have a healthy relationship with my girl friend at this moment.

But the energy is strong. So I've been constantly renouncing and sitting with insane amounts of lust. Which ironically if one sits long enough, sees that all lust is is a longing for love.

So then the energy moves from lust to love.

So this is something that I've been just watching in my sitting practice.

Another thing I am dealing with is an insane craving for pizza. This is conditioned by 6 years of working at a pizza place. So just sitting with that is interesting.

It all comes in waves. All dependently arisen.

You can play or not play. Everything is the dharmakaya.

There is something interesting about living a normal human life. Everything is okay. Even the suffering.

Jeffrey

taiyaki sounds good. I am experiencing a jarring of thought, multi-tasking my misunderstanding. It's all good, but I get coffee in threes and sage tea for my soul Pointed out that attachments in this place. Like it's really real.

taiyaki

Always bring it back to this moment.

Thats something that really punched me in the face.

taiyaki

I guess what i am getting at is that the dharma is only relevant in the moment.