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An ancient expression from the Zen tradition states, “Before enlightenment… chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment… chop wood, carry water.”
Jack Kornfeld, a fellow Vipassana practitioner, a long-time student of A Course in Miracles, and a practicing psychiatrist, wrote a book. “After the Ecstasy, the Laundry.”
Most of my so-called moments of great ecstasy occurred in the most unusual places. One in a children’s restaurant in Canada, ‘Bullwinkle’s’ similar to the old ‘Chunky Cheese’ chain. Another, as I was walking through the Emiliano Zapata Food Market here in Vallarta as it was closing. And I could go on. Not in India or Tibet, or on a retreat somewhere exotic or so-called ‘spiritual,’ but in my everyday life when I am least expecting this.
Wherever you are, you are walking on ‘spiritual ground.’ You are this incredible heroic being here at this momentous time of change, attempting to become more humane and slowly awakening to who you truly are.
And yes, after my ‘ecstasies,’ dinner needed to be made, laundry needed to be done, and toilets needed to be cleaned. You simply go back to attempting to be the best human you can be because you are already spiritual.
We are all perfect in our imperfections, and it is not what is happening to you or around you, or in your country or the rest of the world; it is how you deal with it.
It’s easy to have expectations and reasons to believe that something outside of yourself, some circumstance, some situation, some person, is going to change your world.
And, it’s natural to look forward to that, or it’s natural to be trepidatious about that. However, both or everything in this movie we find ourselves getting lost in lately is coming from our minds.
Being in a state of fear or negativity feeds the chaos, feeds the fear, and continues to create the illusion that all is about to crash around you.
Nothing outside of you will change your world. Nothing outside of you is either good or bad.
The goodness that you seek is not a circumstance. It’s not a situation. It’s not an event. It’s something that you are, that lives inside of you, that is much larger than your physical body, thoughts, past, or imagined future.
And, when an event finally arrives that you think will make a difference, you’ll realize that your life is just the same and that you have the same choices about where you’re going to focus.
Many have had the experience of something that they dreaded, that later they saw was a blessing. Conversely, they’ve also had the experience of something that they awaited for optimistically, that did not meet their expectations when they look back upon it.
This is quite natural when you look outward for the truth. And, it’s very easy for your life to be about, “Oh good!” and “Oh no!” and “Why?” None of this is important.
What’s important is that you allow things to be the way they are and continue to go deeper into who you really are such that it includes everything that happens as part of yourSelf.
When things happen that are unkind, cruel, fearful or unloving, expand to include them as well and bring love to those situations and those people.
It’s not about changing people’s minds. It’s about changing your mind about all of it.
Do not be swept up into the “Oh good!” or the “Oh no!”
Your life is not different than it was a few days ago. Let your life be about love, acceptance, forgiveness, kindness, and peace.
And, in your world, that’s what will be reflected– deeper connections, more meaningful connections with people regardless of circumstances, situations, or politics.
Let your love of your Self and every aspect of your Self deepen as the days go by, so that you feel no separation with anything you see or hear, or feel.
Extend that love to your physical body so that no matter what happens with it, you are the context of love in which all of it takes place.
Take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy this moment.
Life is not in what is happening around you, it is in how you react to what is happening around you.
I love you – all of you – you are my mirror, and I love what I am seeing and experiencing because you are me, and I am you. And look where we have chosen to live in this moment of our ‘now.’
Thank you for reading my words.
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