The dharma bells rings and vibrates an invitation to begin our meditation. We immediately follow our breath into the expanse of our heart space. Our gaze and bodies seem to automatically relax. Soon, meditation soothes us, lofting us away from our busy lives, and the attachments we hold to the roles we play. Even our important thoughts are transitory. They come and go, as do the sensations we experience. The presence of who we are meets the present moment, helping us embrace life as it is. Perhaps only momentarily at first, meditation helps us attune to a space of inner peace.
So, what happens when we are simply engaged in the play of life? Can we still hear the inner dharma bell then, or when life isn’t going the way we had planned? Can we hear it when our heart feels wounded from a loss, or someone’s judgmental comments or harsh words? How do we retain our meditative presence while in the midst of a busy life?
Being unmovable like a stone Buddha is not the goal of a spiritual practice, at least in outer appearances. We still have facial expressions, and will respond verbally and physically as we may. There is no right or wrong action, nor are the events in our lives ultimately good or bad. In Consciousness, all is equal, not more, not less. It is still the One Consciousness revealing itself in endless manifestations. The image of the Buddha refers to an unchanging quality within us, the space within that remains the same. In the midst of all arising, our awareness or sense of presence remains untouched. It is the blank screen in which all the scenes of life take place. Consciousness or God includes the screen and all that is arising. Ultimately we realize we are not separate from this either.
So, what can we do when we have moved into a space of contraction and feel the constriction of a hardened heart? First know, this is the dharma bell, too. These situations invite us to attune to the present moment just as a call to meditation. So, if you are having difficulties getting out of your head, and having a hard time letting something go, try this:
1.See any uncomfortable feelings, sensations of contraction as the inner dharma bell. Instead of turning away and trying to avoid what is happening, turn your attention into the feelings you are experiencing. Feeling thoroughly is the passage to freedom.
2.Breathe. Let in light to places of darkness. Feel the expanse of your own heart.
3.Understand that all that is happening is arising in Consciousness. We, as a separate one, are not creating what is happening, thus do not have control over the situation. All we can do is attune to the space of our own hearts, and be with what is. Action or non-action will then come freely out of this space.
4.Thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations come and go. Relax into what you feel in order to notice subtle fluctuations in your experience. Example: you can’t feel angry or sad all the time, nor always think the same thought. Everything that arises in Consciousness is subject to change. See if you can observe this.
5.Finally, notice what within you stays the same, despite the feelings and thoughts that are arising. Simply attune to your very own sense of awareness. Feel this space expand the more you focus on the present moment. This spacious awareness is your true nature. Relax into the unknown space of the heart, no matter what you are feeling. This is where Truth is revealed.
The presence of who we are meets the present moment, helping us embrace life as it is.
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