Good for today

[sabrinamari]

Being satisfied with what we already have is a magical golden key to being alive in a full, unrestricted, and inspired way. One of the major obstacles to what is traditionally called enlightenment is resentment, feeling cheated, holding a grudge about who you are, where you are, what you are. This is why we talk so much about making friends with ourselves, because, for some reason or other, we don’t feel that kind of satisfaction in a full and complete way.

Meditation is a process of lightening up, of trusting the basic goodness of what we have and who we are, and of realizing that any wisdom that exists, exists in what we already have. Our wisdom is all mixed up with what we call our neurosis. Our brilliance, our juiciness, our spiciness, is all mixed up with our craziness and our confusion, and therefore it doesn’t do any good to try to get rid of our so-called negative aspects, because in that process we also get rid of our basic wonderfulness. We can lead our lives so as to become more awake to who we are and what we’re doing rather than trying to improve or change or get rid of who we are and what we’re doing. The key is to wake up, to become more alert, more inquisitive and curious about ourselves.

Pema Chodron

Comments

[citabria]

A very, very apt bit of writing for me today. Thanks for posting it.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

[spiffnolee.livejournal.com]

I am content with what I have, and I also want more. Not in an acquisitive sense; I want more gnosis, more energy, more love. It could be said that I am content with my strife.

I don't understand "it doesn't do any good to try to get rid of our so-called negative aspects." I agree that one should understand them, since a "negative" trait may also be a source of strength, and only the negative aspects should be pruned. Where I'm confused is when one has destructive traits, either toward the self or others. Those traits might be spicy, but straight capsaicin is harmful.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I'll think about this a little bit, Lee, so I can share more about what it says to me. Thanks for bringing this up.

[bobby1933.livejournal.com]

I understand this, and have often struggled with it in my own life. Does it hinder my growth to be too content with who and what i am? I think i will one day be able to answer "no", not because i will have attained enlightenment or perfection, but because i will have become more aware of the truth that I was born perfect and when i can accept that there will be nothing more i need to learn or do. I endorse Pema Chodron's statement (whoever he or she is).

[bobby1933.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing this!