Bits of Life

Ah, the holidays. And with them finals week, travels, shopping, short days, parties, and more. It’s also a time for reflection and gratitude. The year is coming to a close and a new one, pregnant with possibilities, approaches.

One of the things I am very grateful for, living in Western Montana, is the abundance of nature. I find myself hoping to stay here one more year to get to take advantage of that. I’m looking forward to starting off the new year with a snow-shoeing trip or a hike in to one of the nearby natural hot springs.

Here is a great recent article about the moral importance of time spent in nature.

I’m also looking forward to a year of teaching and writing. I was very kindly invited by Ven. Yifa (who coordinated the Buddhism in China program I was on this summer) to teach in L.A. for a few days to a group of 50 Whittier College students. Next fall I hope to teach in either India or Thailand; perhaps just for a few months, or perhaps for a full year, depending on what opportunities arise. In the meantime, though, I’ll be here in Montana, writing, writing, writing.

Work station #2, complete with a wonderful cat, Oliver, watching over my final-exam grading. I’ve had the privilege of assisting Dr. Clough here at U Montana for the last two years. Despite his class being an introductory course in Buddhism, I still found myself learning new things every day.
And the other side of the room, now with meditating cat and tid-bits from China. And while I sit in my comfortable apartment engaging in very enjoyable projects, I can’t help but think of the many out there who are not so fortunate. It calls to mind one of my favorite lines from the Metta Sutta is from the third verse:

Sukhino vā khemino hontu
Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā:

Which is poetically rendered:

Wishing: in gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.

All of the talk of economic and climate crisis can be a bit overwhelming at times. Following the Copenhagen talks and watching a PBS documentary about US debt has made me a bit pessimistic, revealing a bit too much of the lesser side of human nature. I like to stay abreast as much as possible, but I also see the benefit of tuning out at times. Simply siting, slowing down, letting the mind process. There is so much to do in the world, it’s true. But it cannot all be done by any one of us.

The sheer magnitude of the world can in fact be paralyzing. So for the next couple weeks I will be tuning out and resting the mind. This will make me more present with the people I am with, face to face. It will allow extra time to sit with the cat on the meditation cushion. It will help me see and take up opportunities to help those around me.

If you’d like to give the same a try, even for just a day, I’d recommend hopping over to my friend Rev. Danny Fisher’s blog to watch Lama Surya Das’ message for the holidays.