AUTHENTIC RESTPublished on June 3, 2014
The lilacs have come and mostly already gone. They came late and left early, and they, like so many plants and flowers this year, appear to have been harmed by the harsh winter. Some of their flowers and leaves are kind of twisted and gnarled – winter burn.
As for me, I will be traveling with my daughter May, her husband Seth, and our newest granddaughter Iris. Margaret and I will be the official "baby-holders" while May performs at several concerts.
As for the internal me, I have been thinking a lot lately of the great Mahasidda Tilopa's request for us to "rest in genuineness," to allow ourselves to be authentically us (however that is), rather than whatever we think society or our self wants us to be like, to rest as we are.
If I read closely, this request of Tilopa's is not really an option. Unless we can rest in our own authentic approach to the dharma, it is written that realization will not arise. And the Buddhists say there are 84,000 dharmas, thus 84,000 approaches to dharma, and 84,000 ways to be authentic. The pith texts and great dharma teachings help to mold our practice, but there is a jumping off point for each of us where we must leap beyond the mold and do the fine finishing work ourselves, becoming comfortable with how we enact the dharma in our own particular situation.
Allowing myself to settle in and be comfortable, yet also dharmically authentic in my own skin is something I work toward each day. I pray that all sentient beings may rest in genuine awareness, at home in their own mind and skin.
[Lilacs just outside by front door, now already gone.]