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Daily Refuge?
Elauderd
MS, USA New
In a previous post I got a response along with some info about taking refuge daily, and I wanted to know a little more about what that would entail. Im unable to go to any center, but I do meditate regularly and I was wondering if taking refuge daily could be incorporated in that. What exactly would I do? How could I take refuge daily, and is it something I should do?
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I Took Refuge, Committing myself to a Buddhist Path, at home, on my own, and creating my own specific, personal Ritual.
What I did is not necessary, neither is it a sacrosanct process.
It's a good idea if each person "does their own thing"; in other words, if you wish to perform a single, preliminary "official" ritual of your own making, ensure that it reflects the honesty of how you feel, what you're happy doing, and what feels Right and effective.
Here's what I did:
I decided I would wait until my whole family had left the house, and I had the time to myself.
My daughters had gone to school, my husband had left for work.
I put the house phone on 'silent', turned off my own portable phone, and then took a shower, during which, I silently envisioned the 'old me' being washed away, and the 'new me' arising clean, fresh and new.
(I emphasise: I did what felt right at the time, and what felt right for me.
Were I to perform any ritual currently, I would probably do it differently....)
I then put on clean, pure cotton clothing, and prepared myself an altar, with my meditation cushion in front of it.
I lit candles, burnt incense and had fresh flowers. I placed my statue of the Buddha centrally, sat on my cushion, and began meditating, to clear my mind.
I then recited the triple Gem, and took refuge.
I sat for a while longer, and meditated for probably a half hour or so.
At one point, I felt that I should get up, and commence my day in a return to the normal usual fashion.
I rose, let the candles and incense burn out, and carried on the day in quiet contemplation, mindfully applying myself to doing the everyday mundane tasks I usually did.
When my daughters came home from school, nothing was outwardly different, and life resumed its normal familial routine, as if, to them, nothing had happened.
But I was aware of a subtle shift, and I felt 'different' within myself; a feeling that lasted about a week....
And that was ok.
In the Thai Theravada tradition, they often chant before formal meditation sittings, especially when monks are present, which includes paying respect to the triple gem, the three refuges, and the five precepts. You could incorporate a short chanting session before your meditation, and include the three refuges:
Here's a Pali chanting guide if you're interested. They also have audio here. Or, alternatively, this and this.