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Heaven and Hell
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<blockquote data-quote="recoveringenabler" data-source="post: 618788" data-attributes="member: 13542"><p>A chapter from<u> Comfortable with Uncertainty</u> by Pema Chodron.</p><p></p><p>A big burly Samurai comes to a Zen Master and says, "Tell me the nature of heaven and hell."</p><p>The Zen Master looks him in the face and says, "Why should I tell a scruffy, disgusting, miserable slob like you? A worm like you, do you think I should tell you anything?"</p><p>Consumed by rage, the samurai draws his sword and raises it to cut off the Master's head.</p><p>The Zen Master says, "that's hell."</p><p>Instantly, the samurai understands that he has just created his own hell--black and hot, filled with hatred, self protection, anger and resentment. He sees that he was so deep in hell that he was ready to kill someone. Tears fill his eyes as he puts his palms together to bow in gratitude for this insight.</p><p>The Zen Master says, "that's heaven."</p><p>The view of the warrior-bodhisattva is not "hell is bad and heaven is good" or get rid of hell and just seek heaven." Instead we encourage ourselves to develop an open heart and an open mind to heaven, to hell, to everything. Only with this kind of equanimity can we realize that no matter what comes along, we're always standing in the middle of a sacred space. Only with equanimity can we see that everything that comes into our circle has come to teach us what we need to know.</p><p></p><p>Living in that "sacred space" and seeing life (in particular the difficult child side of life)this way, makes sense to me ............... it is acceptance of what is. To the degree that I can really hold on to that, is the degree of peace that I have. This is my practice. </p><p></p><p>My difficult child daughter put me through the PHD program of learning this! And, lo and behold, that brings on that gratitude that the samurai in the story felt and gratitude feels really, really good. </p><p></p><p>My goal at the start of the intense part of the detachment process was peace of mind and acceptance................so all those "lessons" along the way "came into my circle to teach me what I needed to know." </p><p></p><p>Today, I feel in awe of that.</p><p></p><p>Here in PE, this seems like what we are all addressing ............I would be interested in hearing your thoughts...........</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="recoveringenabler, post: 618788, member: 13542"] A chapter from[U] Comfortable with Uncertainty[/U] by Pema Chodron. A big burly Samurai comes to a Zen Master and says, "Tell me the nature of heaven and hell." The Zen Master looks him in the face and says, "Why should I tell a scruffy, disgusting, miserable slob like you? A worm like you, do you think I should tell you anything?" Consumed by rage, the samurai draws his sword and raises it to cut off the Master's head. The Zen Master says, "that's hell." Instantly, the samurai understands that he has just created his own hell--black and hot, filled with hatred, self protection, anger and resentment. He sees that he was so deep in hell that he was ready to kill someone. Tears fill his eyes as he puts his palms together to bow in gratitude for this insight. The Zen Master says, "that's heaven." The view of the warrior-bodhisattva is not "hell is bad and heaven is good" or get rid of hell and just seek heaven." Instead we encourage ourselves to develop an open heart and an open mind to heaven, to hell, to everything. Only with this kind of equanimity can we realize that no matter what comes along, we're always standing in the middle of a sacred space. Only with equanimity can we see that everything that comes into our circle has come to teach us what we need to know. Living in that "sacred space" and seeing life (in particular the difficult child side of life)this way, makes sense to me ............... it is acceptance of what is. To the degree that I can really hold on to that, is the degree of peace that I have. This is my practice. My difficult child daughter put me through the PHD program of learning this! And, lo and behold, that brings on that gratitude that the samurai in the story felt and gratitude feels really, really good. My goal at the start of the intense part of the detachment process was peace of mind and acceptance................so all those "lessons" along the way "came into my circle to teach me what I needed to know." Today, I feel in awe of that. Here in PE, this seems like what we are all addressing ............I would be interested in hearing your thoughts........... [/QUOTE]
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