Being Present
This morning I ate sultana bran with bananas on the balcony of my friend's flat. It overlooks Wellington city and the harbour, and the view is beautiful. The breakfast tasted great.
I suppose the reason I blog that is to share how I am increasingly living in the present. You may have heard
"You in the West are always getting ready to live."
I think this is true.
When I get a job, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
If I get that job, when I get a car, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
If I get that car, when I get a house, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
If I get that house, when I get a family, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
...
It is no wonder people have mid-life crises. As a highly priveleged person who is able to wander the world with very few cares, soaking up the sun in some of the most beautiful and friendly places in this world, it's been difficult for me to look to the future in promise of hapiness, or peace. I really have no excuse - if people can be happy, I really should be happy now. Sometime's I've been tempted to look to my next location as the ultimate, the one that will bring me peace and happiness. But I cannot put-off whatever it is, whatever life is, to the next country, because I will eventually run-out of countries to visit.
So over the months I have become more present. I've been influenced by people of the Christian and Buddhist contemplative traditions, and they both agree on this idea. When we eat, let us eat. When we talk, let us talk. When we do the washing up, let us do the washing up. I'm beginning to be able to do these things and focus on them, without my mind planning the rest of the day, or needing to read a book whilst eating. And in appreciating the simple I am peaceful, and happy, and feel that I am alive.
I suppose the reason I blog that is to share how I am increasingly living in the present. You may have heard
"You in the West are always getting ready to live."
I think this is true.
When I get a job, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
If I get that job, when I get a car, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
If I get that car, when I get a house, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
If I get that house, when I get a family, then I will be happy, then I will be living.
...
It is no wonder people have mid-life crises. As a highly priveleged person who is able to wander the world with very few cares, soaking up the sun in some of the most beautiful and friendly places in this world, it's been difficult for me to look to the future in promise of hapiness, or peace. I really have no excuse - if people can be happy, I really should be happy now. Sometime's I've been tempted to look to my next location as the ultimate, the one that will bring me peace and happiness. But I cannot put-off whatever it is, whatever life is, to the next country, because I will eventually run-out of countries to visit.
So over the months I have become more present. I've been influenced by people of the Christian and Buddhist contemplative traditions, and they both agree on this idea. When we eat, let us eat. When we talk, let us talk. When we do the washing up, let us do the washing up. I'm beginning to be able to do these things and focus on them, without my mind planning the rest of the day, or needing to read a book whilst eating. And in appreciating the simple I am peaceful, and happy, and feel that I am alive.
Technorati Tags: life spirituality
posted by kit at 02:24
4 Comments:
sounds a good place to be at the moment. enjoy it. the question is can it last and should it? is there a way to retain this peace of mind and also impact more on others. pardon my bluntness, but i remember someone who used to feed the homeless every saturday night. you may have more peace now, but being present surely can't be all we are called to be? i'll be interested in seeing how you combine the two. an excess of peace at the expense of impact would seem to be as bad as the other way round? anyway, i'm glad you are having the chnace to approach this equation from the other side! yours, rob
Thanks Rob.
Can it last? I think if you're dedicated enough, yes. Should it? Only if the 'excess' of peace doesn't damp down the homeless-person-feeding-side of me.
Someone emailed me and mentioned Tich Nath Hanh. He is relevant here. He is (as I understand) firstly a buddhist, but he also has roots in Christianity. He says that if we meditate only to escape the pain of the world, that we block things out of our mind, we are not doing well. 'Mindfulness' should be precisely that, being mindful of all that goes on in the world, without any distortion. This sort of spirituality is about liberation through truth, not escaping pain trough blindfolding yourself. There are many other monastics from various traditions who agree.
Tich thinks that more people who struggle for justice should bring peace to themselves in order to bring peace to the world. He thinks both are very important. I tend to agree.
I am now earning again, and will finally start giving money away. Money earned in Western countries goes a long way to bringing peace in others.
But for now my admittedly egocentric approach is focused more on developing my self before tackling the others' problems. That's just where I am, and is all I can handle at the moment. I think it's OK: I'm young and on an adventure. When I raise my eyes to the future they see me as an outward-looking person again, helping other people at home, in my communities, and in the world. I just haven't reached that yet. For example, when I look at the people on my psychiatric ward my heart is moved to help them, but I just feel now is not the time.
This is a bit off topic here, but I was wondering if you saw my post about Google video in response to your post about kiting
http://dissidentwords.blogspot.com/2005/10/kiting.html
Thanks very much, yes I did get your post, but am never in a position to install software on a computer. When I get back to England...
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