Guest guest Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 Michael, I agree with you. It is sad that it takes such events to make us aware. Isn't this like Gautama's life before he saw the sick man, the old man and the dead man? I certainly didn't have any awareness before the cancer appears like I have now. Two new words have been added to my vocabulary with much reality: APPRECIATION and RESPECT. Yes this world is impermanent and filled with suffering, but this world is also a sacred blessing. Before, Zen Haiku were lovely and inspiring, but now I KNOW what they mean from the inside, not the outside. The only way I know to reach such a state always, no matter what the form, is to face personal death. There are three ways, as I see it, to achieve this: 1. Meditation in the presence of the death of another 2. Do a Vision Quest, like aboriginals suggest 3. Experience a truly life-threatening experience or similar shock. What do you think? John L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 , "John Logan" <johnrloganis> wrote: > Michael, > I agree with you. > It is sad that it takes such events to make us aware. > Isn't this like Gautama's life before he saw the sick man, the old > man and the dead man? > > I certainly didn't have any awareness before the cancer appears like > I have now. Two new words have been added to my vocabulary with much > reality: > > APPRECIATION and RESPECT. > > Yes this world is impermanent and filled with suffering, but this > world is also a sacred blessing. > > Before, Zen Haiku were lovely and inspiring, but now I KNOW what they > mean from the inside, not the outside. > > The only way I know to reach such a state always, no matter what the > form, is to face personal death. There are three ways, as I see it, > to achieve this: > > 1. Meditation in the presence of the death of another > 2. Do a Vision Quest, like aboriginals suggest > 3. Experience a truly life-threatening experience or similar shock. > > What do you think? > > John L. Hi, John, Interesting discussion. I find that living daily with my husband's cancer hurts, but not all of the time. There is respite and we both seek it. I write about my personal experiences as we go through it because it is so helpful for me. I think writing about it balances the common view that people on the path should show no emotion lest they be seen as "failures." Ha! Bob and I pray together every day now; whereas we never did when he was well. Our spirituality seems to be centered around finding peace as often as we can. It also has forced us to set new boundaries to give us the time we need for introspection and rest. I know it has been deeply profitable for you on a spiritual level. It has forced me to become more organized, which has led to seeing that order is a beautiful thing. It gives you breathing room. This is the old Zen thing about knowing that you are washing dishes, etc. staying in the moment and taking care of business. Chopping wood and carrying water in the face of impermanence...in the face of a calender filled with doctor visits, etc. Love is found in many different ways--sometimes we must go through deep anguish to see that love is deeper than that, stronger than that. Love, Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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