Description
All the ways we try to get out of awakening! It becomes a real burden, to not let some piece of life touch me or penetrate. These things become very clear in retreat; it becomes hard to ignore what’s there. And all the efforts to snare it, charm it, or steal it from someone else, including a past or future versions of oneself … despite these efforts, we can’t hold off awakening.
Summary
What is it to be in the bath? What is the way?
The times we are convinced we are not on the path, thinking we have to get things “out of the way” to be on the path, but when we look back, we see we were always on it.
All the ways we try to get out of awakening! Awakening is actually inevitable. My efforts to snare it, charm it, or steal it from someone else, including a past or future versions of myself … despite these efforts we can’t hold off awakening.
All the moments and things we “reserve the right to do or not do”—
“I’ll get in the bath BUT I won’t do … ”
“I’ll be authentically me in every area BUT with my parents, my partner … ”
Or, taking refuge but reserving the right to keep breaking one of the precepts.
It’s reserving the right to not let awakening filter into a piece of my life, trying to hold some piece of ourselves out of the bath. It becomes a real burden, to not let some piece of life touch me or penetrate. These things become very clear in retreat; it becomes hard to ignore what’s there, like the dogs barking at midnight.
Our images and ideals about awakening: “One talk and I forgot all I knew!” If you think that’s what yours should look like, too, that is part of the refusal of the awakening that is actually appearing right now.
What is that?
Read More▼