Today we had to put down our cat Dixie Darlin’Jill that has been our constant companion for the last
eighteen years. We carry the loss and good memories of the life we shared.
To be truthful, I must say
that I am an inconsistent Buddhist. I
am also inconsistent about trying to learn to play the guitar I received for
Solstice two years ago. I am an
inconsistent gardener and carpenter and in general I don’t stick to any one
thing consistently: beginning – stopping – continuing – forgetting –
continuing…..
I recently posted about aging
and being constantly accompanied by the Grim Reaper. His presence isn’t something that
particularly concerns me; it is just a fact - and I am ok with it.
I am more fortunate than
many, my wife and I are comparatively healthy, I am retired and we are able to
keep the wolf away from the door – though just barely. Therefore it is presumptuous of me to give
advice to those carrying more burdens.
I can only state my own philosophy along with my inconsistent attempt to
remain a cognitive, sentient being.
It is imperfect logic to
believe that we are here, populating this earth, living our lives by any other
design than chance. If we were capable
of going back into time and starting this world over with the original
beginnings of cellular life there is no reason to believe that the outcome
would result the same.
Chaos Theory states that a
small, unexpected change in an initial condition can result in a major change
in an outcome; therefore we can not make accurate predictions on a long term
basis – there are always too many small variables that can change the outcome.
Chaos infers that we do not
have control.
AN EXAMPLE ON A PERSONAL
SCALE:
1.
Had my mother
given a blow job instead of having sex with whoever my father was: she would be
a cannibal, and I would not be here.
2.
Had I been put up
for adoption – I would not be the person I am today.
3.
Had my
grandmother not adopted me ……
4.
Had I not been
raised in the south ...
5.
Had I known
different friends and influences as a child …
6.
Had I not made
the thousands of choices as an adult that resulted in my being here in Maine married to the
woman that is my wife ….
At a thousand points along my
life time, had I made a different change or choice I would be a different
person today.
Last week a pregnant forty
year old woman was killed in a head-on collision about five miles from my
house. We had had a snow storm and she
was coming from a small village just to the north. A twenty year old was driving in the
opposite direction; he took a curve too wide and dropped his wheels into snow
on the road margin; he over corrected and swerved into the oncoming land
smashing into the woman’s car. She was
killed - he was injured.
1.
Had she driven
one mile an hour slower or faster she would be alive today.
2.
Had she lived her
husband’s and children’s lives would have a different future.
Our future is often
determined by making moment to moment choices from the chaotic circumstances
within which we live.
Almost all of our pressures
in life exist from circumstances out of our control – with reality. Though we are creatures of chance, we have
this need to be in constant control, and when can’t we are miserable. The ability to accept reality is the ability to
deal with things as they are.
Reality is direct seeing the
world as it is. It is not found in
thoughts, phrases or explanations.
Reality can not be transmitted from a religious teacher.
I have found help through
Buddhist teachings and meditation.
Meditation can free your mind of confusion and aid you in seeing and
accepting reality.
Many Buddhist teachings verge
on being a religion. Most declare the
necessity of receiving understanding through a teacher. I disagree (and so did the Buddha.)
To me, achieving mindfulness
and acceptance of reality is a personal journey; and if belonging to a group
and receiving instruction from a teacher is your thing – then it is probably
right for you. But, there are many
writings on Buddhist perspectives, and those inclined might find a better fit
from their own research.
I recommend Buddhism Plain and Simple, by
Steve Hagen. It is Buddhism without
religion – a recipe for living a conscious existence.
An abstract from Amazon:
Buddhism Plain and Simple
It is a classic, because it teaches the
essence of Buddhism - by ignoring all the miracles and Buddhist beliefs in the
Buddhism that is practiced in Asia.
143 five star ratings, this book is one of
Amazon's Buddhist best sellers.
The Buddha-dharma does not invite us to dabble in abstract notions. Rather,
the task it presents us with is to attend to what we actually experience, right
in this moment. You don't have to look "over there." You don't have
to figure anything out. You don't have to acquire anything. And you don't have
to run off to Tibet, or Japan, or
anywhere else. You wake up right here. In fact, you can only wake up right
here.
So you don't have to do the long search, the frantic chase, the painful quest.
You're already right where you need to be.
On my next post I will
outline the simple steps in meditation that I use…inconsistently.
The Ol’Buzzard
