Years ago I was sent a short video taken by a student visiting Bodhicharya Retreat Centre in Sikkim with Ringu Tulku.   It was on the Bodhicharya email list – maybe you saw it too?  The filming followed Rinpoche’s footsteps as he walked down the winding forest trail to the retreat centre.  As I watched the video it looked a little bit magical but I felt quite sick because, although I felt drawn there, I was sure I would not have the chance to visit this place for many years, if ever.  As a mother of younger children, I felt I had left my travelling days behind with the old backpack I had swapped for a Volvo and holidays in Cornwall (also very lovely I have to say).  India had passed out of my league.

But then life turned rather challenging, demanding more of me than I would usually be able to come up with.  I received another email notifying of spaces on the October Vajrasattva retreat at Bodhicharya Retreat Centre.  I found myself starting to pretend quietly that I could go on this retreat if I needed to.  Vajrasattva is my main practice and 2 weeks, the length of this retreat, was how long I had decided I should give to retreat, weighing up my various responsibilities to practice and to other people.  At the beginning it was just pretend.  I could not really see myself travelling to India at this stage of my life.  But, not being entirely stupid, if I was going to continue to believe I could go I had to put things into place to make it possible, at least in theory.   So I found myself getting an Indian visa, flight details, a room reserved, should I by some miracle make it.  And I started wondering to family members if they might like to come and stay while I was away to help look after my two daughters.

As the retreat drew nearer, the problems I had sought the support of practice for, had become manageable.  Knowing a retreat is coming up is magic for me and it had worked this time.  Obviously nothing really changes except my attitude, but it gave me strength and I could support those around me again.  And things turned alright again.  Maybe Vajrasattva was shining through the stuff of life a little, albeit dimly sometimes.  But in a way he was already starting to show me more how I can be.  By now everything was in place to go on the retreat – the old traveller side of me, who knew how to organise ‘travelling’ things, was quite handy to have inside me somewhere.  It would have been rude not to go after all.

This was how I found myself following fellow retreatants down the winding forest path that descends the hillside to BRC.  It was Oct 29^th – Lhabab Duchen, celebrating the day the Buddha descended from one of the heavens to teach.  It was a bit magical: the forest steaming away on either side with insects galore and massive spiders – with massive webs to match.  Orchids trailed through the trees and panoramic views stretched out at turns in the path.  I took a photo nearly every step to show the family back home.  There is no road to BRC, only this single-track foot pathway.  Everything that built this special place was carried down this path.  Having laboured taking only our small packs down with us, we heard the stories from Pema, Rinpoche’s brother, and marvelled at this feat.

We passed through the gate and were regaled with row upon row of prayer flags.  Great swathes of white billowing flags followed by rows of lapis blue, all the colours singing out their prayers on the breeze.  The centre itself has a genius and quirky design.  To the thinking mind, one keeps getting confused what level one is on, what wing of bedrooms one has walked into.   Everything is square on but the squares never join to make a whole square.  But to the heart it all makes perfect sense.  The shrine room is right at the heart of the centre, double floored with a balcony around the edges upstairs.  This balcony also houses a small library area and gives way to far-reaching views on all sides.  Below the shrine room the little kitchen leads to a dining area and on further to a terrace.  We had our breakfast usually on this terrace, looking out to the mountains with no words to disturb the wholeness.   Later on there were jolly lunches with Rinpoche here too, a big long table laid out in celebration of the days he would come and teach.  The bedrooms are arranged in wings of four rooms with a bathroom.  I know it is not your priority on retreat, but it was very nice to have hot water to shower with and clean bathrooms.  And even the toilets here must have some of the best views in the world.

Rinpoche would come and go, as his schedule allowed.  We would never know for sure when he was coming back next but we had all we needed and got on with our practice.  Every two or three days he would arrive and teach.   This balance was precious.  Then, during our afternoon practice on the second to last day, I was practising in my room.  My gaze had fallen on the movement of the greyish clouds out of the window – swirling slowly in a rhythm of their own, free to float and drift and form and re-form.  Slowly it dawned on me that they were no longer being entirely grey.  Colours were forming in the grey.  A rainbow was materialising before my eyes.  It felt auspicious and hopeful and happy.  

A great big rainbow spanned the whole valley before the retreat centre.  It arched over Gangtok, the other side of the valley from us, where Rinpoche’s family home lies.  It was glorious.  A few retreatants were pacing the various rooftops at different levels, but many were locked in practice in the shrine room or their own rooms.  I’m not sure what the etiquette of these situations is but this was a rainbow to be shared.  I went very quietly into the shrine room, asking the Lama’s permission via Ani Wangmo at the front, and was given the go-ahead to tell everyone what was going on outside.  We all emerged to view this majestic example of nature being nature, our eyes looking through the practice of Vajrasattva.

This is what is, for me, the message of retreat.  The grosser ways of living are pared away for a while and allow us to see life afresh, a little more lightly, a little more as it is.  We no longer have ‘To Do’ lists.  We only really have a ‘Be’ list.  In that state the simple magic of life’s subtle, but continuous, affirmation is found.  We find ourselves with it and remember again it is everywhere:  all of life is ‘OK’.  It is all magical in its unending arising and disappearing.  There is nothing in life that cannot be OK.  Because it all hangs together in this light, ever-changing way.  Just like the rainbow materialising and hanging there while it did.  The great potential of life is held in everything. 

I am one of those people who loves to be on retreat.  But I have found, for me, it is not the whole answer.  Retreat can become your prison and everyday life your soaring freedom, just as easy as the other way round.  There is a great wisdom in life that seems to balance everything out, isn’t there?  If we do too much of one or the other (retreat or putting it into practice with the rest of life), we get the signals to lead us back to more of the other.  If we stay true to our heart and the present moment expression of life – and the principles of dharma we have learnt – reality unfolds itself and dharma unfolds through us.  Well, this is my clearest experience.  And I think there is something infallible in the process. 

Now at home, every time I open up my computer this picture (above) greets me.  It was the view out of my retreat room in Sikkim for those two weeks.  It reminds me; it gives me a little extra space to work in somehow: Tibet is just the other side of that far ridge of mountains.

About the Author:

Mary Heneghan has worked as an acupuncturist for the last 10 years or so.  She lives in the multi-cultural area of East Oxford with her husband, who is a doctor, and her two daughters, aged 9 and 11.  She studied medicine and psychology before training in acupuncture and now balances her clinical acupuncture practice with dharma: following the teachings of Ringu Tulku, contributing editing work to the Bodhicharya publishing team and teaching kum nye yoga.

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When did you get the wake-up call?

At the end of the 70s when I was working for Air France as a steward I became aware I had to find the answers to the metaphysical questions I had been asking myself since childhood, it was becoming urgent, it was impossible for me to spend all my life without taking care of the spiritual dimension that I felt was essential to my life. I had felt this from the age of 7 and told my parents that I wanted to be a Christian monk. Nothing was pleasing me more than visiting monasteries or any other Christian holy place. Around the age of 25, when my life was seemingly balanced on an emotional and professional level, a part of me was in a state of permanent dissatisfaction, a kind of non-completeness, I then started my quest, first in Catholicism and then in oriental traditions as I became disappointed by the answers I found in Christianity.

Was there a particular event that made you “ leave it all behind” or a long series of global and/or personal issues?

When reading the life of Buddha, I felt very deeply that in there was an answer to my quest. That path seemed logical to me and I started devouring a huge number of books on the Dharma. The more I read the more deeply in tune I felt with this doctrine.

What difficulties did you encounter?

I did not encounter any apart from, at the very beginning, some uneasiness towards Christ and his teachings. My choice was somewhat a betrayal but the dilemma quickly disappeared and I took refuge as early as 1983.

Did you meet one, or more special Buddhist or Buddhists who inspired you and helped you along the path?

After taking refuge, I met Kalu Rinpoche in Paris. I did not feel anything special on my first encounter but on my second meeting I felt the arising of an intense devotion, an uncontrollable, powerful devotion that resulted in endless sobbing. It was uncharacteristic behaviour, far from my rather Cartesian and reasonable usual ways. I had difficulty explaining it, feeling a limitless opening of my heart mixed with a great confidence.
 
When and how did your life on the Dharma path start?

From that time, as soon as I had a few days’ leave, I would take a plane to India and spend several days a month in Sonada, in Kalu Rinpoche’s monastery, near Darjeeling. Rinpoche introduced me to the preliminary practices and on my request gave me the Chenrezig initiation in his sitting-room. The idea of becoming a monk emerged again in my mind and I asked for part-time employment in my professional capacity in order to live in India as often as possible. I took the Bramacharya vows in 1985 and with Kalu Rinpoche’s agreement, I started getting ready for the traditional three year retreat by studying Tibetan, the different rituals and by freeing myself from any affective attachment. In 1987 I took the Guestsul vows with Kalu Rinpoche. These are the basic monastic vows and in 1988 I went into retreat in Burgundy (France) until 1992. At the end of this retreat, I took the Guelong vows with Bokar Rinpoche. These are the vows for fully ordained monks.

How did it all unfold from becoming a monk, to becoming a lama, to becoming responsible for Bodhicharya-France?

After my retreat ended, I had 6 months of solitary retreat and understood that living as a hermit was not for me. After being a Lama for a few months in a centre in Normandy, Bokar Rinpoche allowed me to teach within my own association. In 1997, I moved to Strasbourg to create a centre upon the request of a small number of practitioners there. I met Ringu Rinpoche in 2002 when I invited him to come to Strasbourg. When Bokar Rinpoche passed away in 2004, Ringu Rinpoche agreed to my request to become the spiritual authority of the Strasbourg centre and of other groups of practitioners in several towns in France. Our centre then took the name “Bodhicharya-France”.
In 2008 we bought a property near the village of Lusse, in the Vosges mountains while maintaining a meditation group in Strasbourg and I settled in this new monastic centre.

You have a gift for languages. Was learning Tibetan challenging and how long did it take you to do so? Why did you learn Esperanto? Do you use Esperanto a lot?

Learning Tibetan was not difficult but I speak it really badly because I was too lazy to learn it in greater depth!
I learnt Esperanto because I found the idea of creating an international language interesting not to say brave. It is a pity that it is often considered with contempt and not taught. Esperanto is easy to learn and is as rich a language as any other. Learning it as a second language would create equality for all humans. We did not create the European currency with the ‘internationalisation’ of a national currency!

Any other hidden talents? (painting, sculpture, writing, music…?)

I studied opera for several years. My grandmother on my mother’s side was an opera singer and she transmitted to me the taste for this particular art.

Why did you choose the Lusse area?

We were looking for an isolated place, in the country-side but not too far from big towns and cities in the East of France. The Vosges met the criteria. We were really made to feel welcome by the inhabitants of Lusse and the region.

Is the Buddhist Sangha around Lusse growing? Is it local or from a fairly wide area?

Overall the Sangha has grown since we started in Lusse. About fifteen persons from the surrounding villages come to the centre for practice weekends and the monthly teachings.
The tcheulings or meditation groups affiliated to Bodhicharya-France cover the greater part of eastern France (Alsace, Bourgogne, Champagne-Ardenne, Franche-Comté and Lorraine regions) as well as the South of Paris region.

Any on-going projects to develop the centre at Lusse?

The centre is currently being renovated. The dormitories are all turned into en-suite single bedrooms or en-suite bedrooms for two. We decided to take on this renovation to better fulfill the objectives of the centre, that is, to allow monks and nuns to live in accordance with their commitments and also to allow secular visitors to spend a few days in retreat and meditation.
This renovation will be spread over several years depending on available finance.

How many nuns and monks are living in, if any?

We are three monks, one nun and two secular persons in full-time residence at the centre.
 
Any regrets?

None.
 
In your opinion, what aspects of their behaviour should individuals change to make the world a better place?

To work to transform their minds while becoming aware of the misguided working of their minds and following the Buddha’s instructions. People are expecting too much from outside themselves, from society, from others, from the state, etc.

You have the environment at heart. What measures are you able to take at Lusse?

We have started a small plot for organically grown vegetables, we are all vegetarians and we are also vigilant in avoiding any waste, in particular energy waste. We also protect the animals around us especially in the winter months.

Do you remember a funny event that happened to you as a Buddhist?

I would have to think about it!

Are you a busy lama or a lazy lama?

I am rather an active lama, I teach a lot, in eight towns every month, once a month in Berlin from next January and also in other European towns. I also contribute to “la Fête du Bouddha” that takes place every year in Strasbourg which is open to the public at large and which regroups all the various types of Buddhist communities in Alsace, providing inter-faith exchanges.
I initiated the building of a school in India called “Une école à Bodh Gaya” in a small village close to Bodh Gaya. There are three hundred pupils, all born into the misery-ridden untouchables. The education is free as is lunch and medical care. It is essentially financed through donations and a sponsorship system. To the school, we have added the building of a dispensary where care and medicines are free for the local people. A male and a female nurse are working full time in this medical centre.
And finally we have opened a vocational training centre for the women of the village. Up to now, several of them have completed seamstress training validated by a state diploma which would allow them to be salaried if need be. So I go to India at least once a year to check it is being run well.
Visit the link: http://ecolebodhgaya.pagespro-orange.fr

Any particular message you would like to send our readers?

Anyone is able to give a spiritual dimension to their life, with love, compassion and respect for all that live.

Photo of Lama Tsultrim by Thierry Duparquet,  Summer Camp 2010.

For more information about Bodhicharya France please go to http://www.bodhicharya-france.fr/

About Jet Mort

Translator English-French and vice-versa for Bodhicharya.

I moved from South-West France to England when the  Miners’strike was coming to an end.  I taught in three private schools in North-west Cumbria then joined a local comprehensive and left my babes (kids) some fifteen years later when my husband retired.
I met RTR in Samye-Ling ,Scotland and took refuge circa 1992 while he was there.

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Throes of Upheaval

We live in troubled times; ecologically, socially, politically and economically, our planet seems to be in the throes of upheaval. In a constantly changing world many of us may feel that life is increasingly out of our control as we struggle to maintain a sense of order and harmony. Nevertheless, in times where everything seems to be falling apart, we can regain control by deciding to live according to the Dao.

Living according to the Dao means living a simple life, respecting the resources of the planet rather than overusing and wasting them. The seasons show us that all times of expansion are followed by contraction and to disregard this law and endlessly expand leads to a massive contraction causing great suffering. Thus we need to stop recklessly consuming and head instead for the secondhand shop, become greener in our outlook and recycle, stop using chemicals in our houses and gardens, use the car less or not at all, and try to take our holidays locally rather than using up gallons of aviation fuel. In these small but significant ways we can take responsibility and positively affect our capsizing world. Feeling as if we can make a difference we will have a greater sense of control over chaotic outer circumstances.

Being at Ease

But however much we may change our behaviour we may continue to feel a strong underlying sense of uncertainty as we face these troubled times. When reacting with fear and confusion to a rapidly changing world we need to remind ourselves of the words of Chuang Tzu, the Daoist sage, who said in response to his own era of upheaval; “The ten thousand things may all be capsizing and turning over at the same time right in front of him and it can’t get at him and affect what’s inside – so where could he go and not be at ease?”

Changes that come at us unexpectedly, whether due to sudden loss, ecological upheaval, illness or to any of the ‘ten thousand’ things that life throws at us, may naturally provoke our inner uncertainties. We may try to protect and insure ourselves against unforeseen changes and fear anything that threatens our security, but ultimately we need to accept life’s ever changing nature, live simply and cultivate being ‘at ease’.
At times of upheaval the Daoist will focus on being at ease by practising centering techniques such as the Chi Kung exercise below. By aligning with the centre we are able to feel grounded and stable in body, mind and spirit whatever the outer conditions of the world. We may never control all the outcomes of our efforts to change the world, but the one thing we do have control over is our attitude towards our feelings of insecurity. And as we feel more at ease so, like ripples from a pebble thrown into a pond, our calmness will radiate outwards and help others to calm their anxieties.

Balancing Heaven and Earth.

If you are feeling anxious and off-centre – be reminded of the Daoist way and simplify your life as much as possible to help yourself and the planet as a whole. Having made outer changes, take the opportunity to practise the following Chi Kung exercise daily. Working inwardly with the life-force in this way will help you to feel more fully present, grounded and connected to handle all of life’s changes more easily. Furthermore, by doing this exercise and bringing your inner capsizing world back into balance, you will make a further positive impact on the chaotic conditions of the outer world.
• With feet parallel and knees slightly bent, imagine you are holding a ball in front of the naval, the right hand under the left;
• Breathe in, on the out breath stretch the right hand above the head, pushing upwards with the palm, and push the left hand down by the left side with your palm facing the floor.
• Breathe in as you bring the hands to cross in front of the navel, pushing the right hand down by the right side and the left hand over the head;
• Repeat evenly and rhythmically matching breath to movement and affirming that whilst one palm connects with the earth the other connects with heaven. Visualize ‘heaven’ as your individual human consciousness uniting with the ‘earth’ – the outer collective world. In this way remind yourself that these two aspects work together – as your individual inner state feels calmer, you will positively affect the outer collective world.

This article first appeared in Positive Health Magazine.

Vicki McKenna Lic Ac trained as an acupuncturist at the College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in Leamington Spa with Professor Worsley from 1981, gaining her Lic. Ac. in 1984, and has been practising acupuncture in Scotland since then. She can be contacted on vickimckenna51@hotmail.co.uk

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An enforced week of being stuck indoors, due to illness, had me reflecting on an email I received recently from a friend.  My friend had attended a large Buddhist gathering which, on the whole, she had enjoyed but she also wrote, ‘I didn’t feel there was much kindness going on’.  Her words struck a cord with me because I knew exactly what she meant.

In work situations where we have to take part in various seminars and presentations, we rarely expect to come across examples of kindness or caring.  And when it does happen, we are usually pleasantly surprised because it is seemingly ‘out of context’.  But, for a Buddhist, when we attend teachings or centres or study groups and come into contact with fellow Buddhists, there is maybe a certain amount of expectation that we will be, at least, kind to each other. There is always so much lofty talk about compassion and Bodhichitta, and aren’t we encouraged to aspire to become Bodhisattavas?  So, why is it often so difficult for us to just be truly kind to each other?

It may be that when we attend these large Dharma gatherings and are caught up in the moment that we simply forget what it is to be kind.  Perhaps we are so in awe of the teachers and will do anything to be near to them that we don’t notice someone sitting next to us who is having a hard time. And maybe the teachings we hear so many times just don’t reach our hearts but stay closed in the part of our brain that tells us that we are ‘good Buddhists’ because we have a great teacher and receive deep teachings and know all the right Buddhist buzz words. But, still, we don’t know how to be good human beings.   

A number of years ago I read a book titled Random Acts of Kindness (365 Ways to make the World a Nicer Place) by Danny Wallace.  Danny is an English author and ‘personality’ and the reason for writing the book was to document an experiment where he tried to form a cult, just to see how easy it was to do that. He realised early on that any cult or group needs a common purpose or goal and he decided that his cult would have the common goal of random acts of kindness.  It’s an interesting book because it starts off just as a kind of a joke and develops into something rather profound.   At the end of the book, the readers are encouraged to take a pledge to perform random acts of kindness (which are anonymous). And what are these kind acts? It isn’t giving large amounts of money to good causes; it isn’t anything big at all.  It’s something as simple as smiling at a stranger or giving up your seat for someone, leaving a biscuit on a colleague’s desk just because they look a bit down.  And the biggest realisation that came to Danny? It’s, as we all will know from Dharma teachings, that just from performing these random acts of kindness, we will feel good too!

HH Dalia Lama is known for saying that his religion is kindness and we all solemnly bow our heads in admiration of this wonderful human being.  But why is it so difficult for us to follow his example? Most of us will not reach the level of a Bodhisattva in this lifetime but what we can do is simply be kind to each other.  And as we watch the Dalai Lama meet someone, and he takes their hands in his and he smiles and looks into their eyes, can’t we see that he is giving us his greatest teaching? Because it is something we can all do. We can all make kindness our religion each and every day.  As His Holiness says: ‘Be Kind whenever possible. It is always possible.’       

About the Author:

Margaret lives in Scotland and has been trying to understand and practise  Dharma for about forty years. She has been a student of Ringu Tulku since 1993.

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Where the fountains of passion
Lie Deep
The heavenly springs
Are soon dry

Self Importance

Recently I found myself fiercely determined to be ‘in the right’. As I tried to maintain my argument I became aware that I was feeling off balance, hot and bothered. As I stuck passionately to a favoured theory I realized that I was now breathing rapidly from my upper chest, and I was starting to feel exhausted! By wanting to be right I was cultivating self-importance and tying myself up in knots. I could feel the chi rising to my chest and head, and by my strong desire to win my ‘opponent’ over to my point of view, I was constricting the free flow of my energy, and risking my health and wellbeing.

Chuang Tzu the Daoist Sage described the true Daoists in this way:

‘Minds free, thoughts gone
Brows clear, faces serene.
Were they cool? Only cool as autumn.
Were they hot? No hotter than spring.
All that came out of them
Came quiet, like the four seasons.’

From these words we see that the Sage has let go and is empty of self. He is not concerned with being right but with living in harmony with Nature.

Being in harmony with Nature, the Daoist aligns with universal chi – the innate intelligence of the universe. There is nothing particularly mystical or ‘airy-fairy’ about this. All living organisms live in accordance with the life force. A flower closes on a cloudy day and opens when the sun shines – it obeys its instinctual, intelligent nature. When we are furiously determined to be right and cling to a viewpoint, we distance ourselves from the here and now because we are so caught up in defending our position. In this way we lose touch with our life-force, our innate intelligence. When we lose touch with our inner harmony we are no longer able to respond appropriately to what is happening, and end up feeling overheated, scattered and drained.

Being Yourself

When we are determined to be right this means we are afraid of getting it wrong and looking foolish. By being open to making mistakes, accepting our flaws, and being able to laugh at ourselves, we relax and allow the chi to flow. Being yourself and not worrying about being right, you lighten up in an argument and ask ‘tell me what you think?’ and respond ‘How interesting, I never thought of it in that way!’ Interested and open, quiet and cool, you learn more about yourself and the person with whom you are having the discussion than when full of bombast and self importance.

Even though empty of self, you can still feel deeply about a cause, have an opinion, and feel strongly about something. Chuang Tzu said that “The true men of old were not afraid when they stood alone in their views”.

The mark of the wise Daoist is that even though she may hold a point of view she does not cling to it, and is not interested in being right if it means creating an imbalance in the life-force. The balanced mind is never for or against anything – it remains unperturbed, quiet and cool in its reactions and responses, accepting and relaxing.

Being inflamed with the need to be right encourages an imbalance in Fire and Water. Firstly be aware of your breathing – if you are breathing rapidly from the chest then allow your abdomen to expand as your diaphragm moves down in a full breath, then let your abdomen relax as you exhale completely. Try the following to quiet and cool the fiery heat of self-importance:

Awakening the Kidney Chi

• The acupuncture point Kidney 1, known as ‘Bubbling Spring’, is on the sole of the foot between the second and third metatarsal bones in the crease formed when the toes are flexed. Allow two thumbs to meet at this point, press firmly and rub each foot in a clockwise direction for at least three minutes;
• The point Kidney 3, known as ‘Greater Mountain Stream’, is just behind the inner anklebone. Press firmly and rub each ankle in a clockwise direction for at least three minutes;
• A point associated with the Kidneys can be found on the Bladder meridian, running down the back on either side of the spine. Place your hands on your hips and bring your thumbs to rest about three inches on either side of your spine. Press firmly and rub each side in a clockwise direction for at least three minutes.

As you relax affirm; “Letting go of needing to be right I align with the life-force, feel relaxed, cool and quiet”.

This article first appeared in Positive Health Magazine. See www.positivehealth.com

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vicki Mckenna trained at The College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in Leamington Spa with Professor Worsley from 1981 gaining her Lic Ac. in 1984 and has been practicing acupuncture in Scotland since then.

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Not Enough Time

Picture the scene in my flat earlier today. I am sitting quietly sipping my breakfast tea when the phone rings and at the same time my front door buzzes. I know I have an appointment in an hour and had not planned on these diversions from my timetable. Suddenly the sense I had of my day stretching out in front of me vanishes and instead I feel pressured. No longer feeling leisurely, I feel overstretched and harassed and, in the fifteen minutes that it takes to deal with the callers both at the door and on the phone I feel as if five minutes have gone by.  

Later that same day I take a walk in a park and sit quietly on a bench looking at the sky.   I feel at one in the stillness of the landscape and when I look at my watch I am surprised that only a quarter of an hour has passed –  in this  calm space it seems as if I  have been here for a leisurely  half an hour. Interestingly, I feel refreshed and re energised whilst it seems as if time has slowed down and stretched out.

Looking at these two episodes we can conclude that time is relative – it is perceived passing at different speeds according to how we feel inside ourselves. When we are flustered and pressured we feel time speeding up and when we are calm and tranquil we will have an expanded sense of time or as if we have all the time in the world. Furthermore how we experience time has an impact on our health and research shows that when we let go of feeling pressurised by it we experience more health benefits.

How did we come to create this idea of time and allow it to develop into a tyrant that impacts on the quality and length of our lives? The “western” or Judaeo Christian view of time is linear which is to say it is seen as a line that travels from the past to the present to the future. The personal development teacher Steve Taylor sees linear time as a result of our having developed strong egos. He writes:

“Our strong ego structure gives rise to …’thought chatter’, the habit of constantly talking to ourselves inside our heads. …We seem to have lost control of this mental talk…our egos won’t stop talking to themselves… (and) this constant stream of thought chatter …gives rise to our strong sense of linear time. Almost all of it is concerned with the state of the future and the past in some way – memories of past experiences or plans, daydreams and projections of the future.”

Our ego based perception of time has its uses –it allows us to order and organise events and get things done at set times- doubtless it has developed as a survival tool – but it also means that we no longer live in the present. Living in the past we regret tasks undone and pressure ourselves to complete tasks set up for the future. In this way we have created a tyrant out of time, we feel stressed and suffer.  But with a little training of the egoic mind we can ensure that time is no longer a tyrant squeezing us with its demands. And one of the best teachers to show us how to handle and train the time conscious ego is the Daoist.

Cycles of Change

Whereas our 21^st century view of time as linear is a result of a strong and rigid ego developed over millenia, the Daoist experience of time is to see it as cyclical – as cycles of change. For example the seasons change from spring through summer to late summer, autumn, winter and back to spring. This is observable truth unlike the idea of linear time which is an idea imposed upon reality. We in western culture have divided time up mathematically into hours, minutes and seconds and given names to months and days. We have separated ourselves from the natural world by creating arbitrary divisions of time and as we try to meet the demands of these divisions through rigid timetabling and multi tasking, unsurprisingly we may well feel pressured. Instead the Daoist aims to consciously be part of the whole, part of the cycles of change, and respond in harmony to them. This means getting up with the sun and later bedding down as it sets, living in a way that calmly responds to the needs of the present moment rather than the demands of a man made timetable.  

The Daoist practitioner lives in harmony with the cycle of the Five elements, drawing in during winter and expending more energy in the summer. She eats at a time when the stomach chi flourishes and sleeps when the kidneys are at their lowest ebb of energy. Living in harmony with these natural cycles she is quietening her heart rate and lowering her blood pressure alleviating stress and lengthening life. Furthermore certain practices help the mind to become yielding and still. Practises such as Chi Gung, Tai Chi and meditation are central to the Daoist training of the egoic mind – they slow it down to experience timelessness.  In my own practice of Daoist disciplines I have noticed that time seems to stop as my mind stills, my breathing quietens. In this way I am able to live more in the moment and less according to a rigid plan worked out by my more cerebral chatterbox ego. And no need to get rid of my diary- I will still make that 11.30 appointment to the dentist but I won’t have been thinking of it beforehand (getting stressed) and if something crops up I will be flexible enough to reschedule if I am in this state of quietude and tranquility. Some multitasking is unavoidable but we should be aware not to overdo it.

Our modern 21^st century world has many comfortable pluses but it comes with a price. As we rush about multi tasking making time our enemy and feeling stressed we deeply affect our health and well being.  The Daoist way of living according to natural cycles, rather than strictly in accordance with linear time, and through the cultivation of inner stillness and tranquility, brings us back into harmony in body, mind and spirit. Practise this mindfulness exercise to help you be more aware of the here and now, to slow down and develop an expanded sense of time.

Mindfulness exercise

Make a set of cards divided into different senses containing instructions like: “Sight: look  at your hands, paying attention to the different lines, textures and shades.” And “Taste: eat a piece of fruit carefully and pay attention to the different flavours and sensations.”  Or “Touch: go into your living room and feel the fabrics, the cushions and rugs.” Or “Smell: visit a park and smell the plants and flowers.”  And “Listen: open the window and listen to the sounds in the street.”  For each sense make 5 cards with different instructions. Choose one per day and be aware of how vivid and intense your senses are by the time you have worked your way through all 25 cards. Notice how time slows down as you focus on the activity in the moment.    

 Sources

1.Taylor Steve “Making Time” Icon Books 2007

This article first appeared in Positive Health Magazine. See www.positivehealth.com

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vicki Mckenna trained at The College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in Leamington Spa with Professor Worsley from 1981 gaining her Lic Ac. in 1984 and has been practicing acupuncture in Scotland

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There are many different responses to the pressing ecological and human disasters that beset humanity in the new century. Protesters of globalization, whether peaceful or violent represent only some of the most vocal. 

Differing perceptions of the ecological crises and the causes generate different responses. At the “shallow” end there is the short-term, superficial reformist approach such as many kinds of conservation and the “greening” of our major political parties and businesses. Some of the violent disruptions of the kind we have seen recently would also have to be considered superficial. At the “deep” end there are the long-term responses which involve a thoughtful critique of the dominant worldview and which involve changed behaviours in our daily lives that generate harmony with all that lives. Peaceful protests could fall into this category. While reforms and short-term responses are beneficial, there is a growing awareness that they are not enough. The roots of the problem, of which the environmental crisis is but a symptom, must be understood. Without this understanding, our actions will only exacerbate the problems. This deeper understanding, once cultivated, will inform our actions (or non-actions) by putting them on the firm foundation of being motivated by universal compassion, universal responsibility and wisdom. 

Let’s explore further how Buddhist teachings can shed light on the various ecological and social disasters looming ahead, and how they might aid our responses to them. 

The Dharma 

The Dharma could be described as the “laws of nature” or things as they are. These teachings according to senior Tibetan teacher Tai Situ Pa “are a coherent and detailed description of perceived reality which clearly indicates moral codes regarding our relationships with all life forms and includes a strong sense of individual and social responsibility.” Prince Siddhartha took an ancient ayurvedic diagnostic tool usually applied to illness and then radically applied it to life itself. He was concerned, as are all modern people, with the deep existential questions such as “How can I live my life happily and beneficially in the midst of the difficulties and uncertainties of life?” He asked the essential questions: What is the sickness? What are the causes of the sickness? Is there a cure? What are the elements of the cure? The Buddha produced a startling and detailed analysis of all our ills and their causes as well as solutions to them. Like a doctor he diagnosed the greater illness and then offered the most comprehensive remedy.

 The Four Noble Truths 

His medicine was The Four Noble Truths. Dukkha (that which is to be known deeply), the causes of Dukkha (that which is to be let go of), the ending of Dukkha (that which is to be realised), and the paths to the ending of Dukkha (that which is to be cultivated). Buddhism has always adapted to the particular culture into which it has travelled, but in order for it to remain a living tradition in the 21st century and the emergent global consumer culture, it must address the existential questions that concern us today. While much of what causes people to suffer has not changed since the time of the Buddha – there is still birth, old age, sickness and death – new factors must be taken into account, such as the systemic ecological problems that have the potential to terminate forms of life. Looking closely at the First Noble Truth, The Truth of Suffering (that which is to be known deeply) we see that all beings in conditioned existence, from the largest to the smallest, from the most powerful to the weakest, seek happiness, peace, comfort and security. They do not wish to suffer and, holding their own life dear, do not wish to die. We also learn that all beings do not find permanent happiness, peace, comfort or security and do in fact suffer and die. 

The First Noble Truth 

The First Noble Truth is a bold statement of fact: there is suffering in conditioned existence and we must face the situation squarely before we can begin to deal with it. To try to escape from it, deny it, ignore it or indulge in despair is to miss what it can teach us about ourselves and our situation. Denial of a problem is a common occurrence, as any doctor or psychotherapist will tell you. This tendency to be in denial with respect to the ecological crisis is a major difficulty. Most people would rather not face the seriousness or magnitude of the situation, nor do they have much compelling exposure to it. Preferring to escape by endlessly distracting and entertaining themselves or even flatly denying the problem and their responsibility for it, they maintain a “business as usual” attitude. After the Titanic hit the iceberg people continued to dance, believing that the ship was unsinkable, despite the sensory evidence of disaster all around them! If such a dramatic example of changing circumstances can be ignored, imagine how easy it is to deny a problem when the more subtle changes and the suffering they cause happen at a much slower pace, often over generations! The Buddha stressed the urgency for change saying that the human situation is like a man whose house is on fire. What was true for the individual then is becoming increasingly true for our collective existence today.

 The Second Noble Truth 

Even a superficial investigation into the causes of the crisis, as called for by the Second Noble Truth, will reveal that the collective behaviour of humanity and the impact it is having on living systems is the cause. The Earth is under tremendous stress, and we are clearly overstepping the limits of her life support systems to cleanse and balance the pollution and preserve nature as we know it in all its beauty and diversity. Meanwhile the consumer society with its dire attendant social and ecological impact goes largely unquestioned and mostly unchallenged. 

The Third Noble Truth 

The Third Noble Truth reassures us that a cure is possible, that we can arrive at an awakened plenitude not only for ourselves but more importantly for all beings. As Tai Situ Pa put it, we can fully awaken to the “perfect embodiment of universal wisdom, great compassionate love and personal power to help whomsoever is open to that help.” So in our analysis of the ecological crisis we need to recognize that a cure to ecological ills is possible. Indeed in some ways this has already been revealed by the Gaia Hypothesis which states that the Earth is a self regulating mechanism which always tends towards balance and harmony. The problem is that Gaia may just harmonise humans right out of the picture! So from the human perspective we need to look at how we can live on the Earth in a way which will sustain and support all living systems. But by identifying ourselves more with Gaia, than as individual consumers, we will be less motivated by fear of our own impermanence as a species, and able to fully respond to the situation we face from a place of deep connectivity. Buddhism can be a big help in this regard because it trains us in a habitual attitude of reverence towards all life. The teachings counsel us that we are not really separate from all beings and that the happiness we all seek lies, ultimately, in the happiness of all beings.

 The Fourth Noble Truth

 This is the Fourth Noble Truth in its essence: the path that must be cultivated. By training our minds in the six paramitas–or perfections–our being literally becomes the path, and all our actions spontaneously shift from being part of the problem to being part of the solution. 

The first of the paramitas is generosity, which can also be translated as liberality or openness. This has many aspects to it but can involve the giving of resources, shelter, comfort, space, help, and so on, at a very practical and physical level. It can also be the willingness to “hear the cries of the world” and to respond with wisdom and compassion. Ultimately it is the recognition that one is not a separate “skin enclosed ego”, that there is no inherent “self” or “other”, no “giver”, no “gift” and “no one who receives”.

 The second paramita, right conduct or ethics, is not to kill, cheat or steal, to avoid unwholesome actions and to develop wholesome attitudes. Ultimately it is to practice restraining selfishness and to find positive ways in which to support the welfare of all sentient beings. Right livelihood is a key aspect of this. In his book “Small is Beautiful,” E.F.Schumacher said that “Buddhist economics must be very different from the economics of modern materialism, since the Buddhist sees the essence of civilization not in a multiplication of wants, but in the purification of the human character”. Right conduct means non-involvement with those activities which are contributing to the suffering of the world. They require one “to live simply so that others might simply live!” Such a lifestyle would be, as Bill Devall said, “simple in means but rich in ends.” Although we would consume less, we would be happier knowing that our lives are in harmony with all living systems.

 The third paramita is forbearance which is also described as patience- the opposite of anger. Ultimately it is to have more patience than the mountains and rivers themselves, indeed of Gaia herself. It is to have the patience of the Dharmakaya. The problems we face are vast, endless, complex, daunting – without patience, the game is up before it begins.

 The fourth paramita counsels us to be strenuous, energetic, and persevering in our efforts. It is one thing to overcome our own denial, take responsibility for the problems, and become part of the solution. It continues to be challenging to live in a society where most people are clearly not doing this.

 The fifth paramita highlights the practice of meditation so that we may attain concentration and oneness in order to serve all beings (aka our true self). It involves perfecting a stable, peaceful mind that is able to concentrate and develop penetrating insight. Thus we can begin to free ourselves from the tendency of the mind to become scattered through the push and pull of craving and aversion and take rest in equanimity. From this firm foundation of a peaceful mind we are able to investigate all the other mental states in ourselves and others so that we can free ourselves from the suffering of conditioned existence.

 The Prajna paramita, or sixth paramita is our ability to rest in this wisdom, and in so doing, give the benefit to others. Just as a smile is infectious, and causes delight in others, so, much more powerfully, our wisdom and compassion shines like a warm and tender light on those around us, and our very being becomes a gift to others. The tremendously powerful delusions that keep us locked into a destructive way of life and produce great suffering individually and globally are supported by social structures and institutions based on values that are inimical to sustainable living. Beliefs in ideas such as the existence of value free (objective) knowledge, unlimited progress, and growth coupled with an attachment to individual freedom without corresponding responsibilities have eroded the moral values of our ancestral religions.

Secular society gropes for values with which to deal with the maze of moral problems confronting it. Buddhism is favourably placed to offer tools for transformation to a secular society because it does not rely on belief but rather on experience gained from inquiry and insight. The darker it gets the more brightly the light shines. I once asked Ringu Tulku Rinpoche how to deal with the enormity of what we may be facing. His simple answer impressed me deeply. If you do your best and the situation is turned around then that is good and there will be good fruits of those actions. But, he said, if you do your best and the situation is not turned around then that is still good and there will still be good fruits of those actions. We will never know if it is enough. Motivation and intention is everything. The outcome is out of our hands.

About the Author:

Colin Moore became interested in Buddhism whilst writing a dissertation on consciousness for his degree in psychology at UCNW, Bangor in 1979. In the late 80s he spent four years at Samye Ling Tibetan Centre where Akong Rinpoche asked him to give talks and workshops on Buddhism and environmental issues. In the 90s he became a member of the Sharpham North Buddhist Community. In 1995 he and his wife, Helen, were asked to co-manage the newly formed Sharpham College for Buddhist Studies and Contemporary Enquiry which they did for four years.  He has a postgraduate teaching and counselling qualification and is trained to teach the Mindfulness in Schools Project curriculum. He is a member of a Transition Streets group, part of  the cutting edge Transition Town Totnes, which is preparing ordinary people for life after peak oil.  He teaches Buddhism at the Barn Rural Retreat and at the Golden Buddha Hall in Totnes, Devon.  He is a student of Ringu Tulku and lives with his wife and son, Luke, along with chickens, dog and guinea pig in Totnes, Devon.

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Life is constant change, right? We all know this. Sometimes change comes of its own accord and sometimes we just make it happen. This happened to me last year when I was given the opportunity to take early retirement from my job in the Scottish Government and I decided to go for it. The idea was to retire at the end of March 2011, so from last October until then I duly counted off the days waiting for ‘the big day’.  What I hadn’t bargained for was that my life was to change even more than giving up work I had done for nearly 30 years.  My sons, who are in their mid-twenties, also decided it was time to fly the family nest and find their own place to live.  So, by the end of April this year I no longer had a job and our house was emptier by two.

Maybe I should explain that I was one of those women you see rushing around in a panic because there are not enough hours in a day.  My life (until April) was spent working, shopping , cleaning and sleeping, not much more. Sleep was my ultimate joy because I didn’t have to think or do anything, although sometimes in my dreams I found myself running, running after something I could never catch.   As a Buddhist I jealously listened to people talk about their retreats and ‘practice’.  I wondered how they found the time for such luxuries but instead I gave any spare time to doing more; I helped organise travel schedules, I edited transcripts; I published books, I looked after bank accounts.  Anything that needed doing to help the teacher, there I was.  I decided that if I couldn’t find time to practise that at least I could ‘do’ something.  Because ‘doing’ was what I was good at.

But, by April, all that changed.  At first it just seemed like another holiday. When people asked (and everybody asked) ‘Well, how is retirement?’ I usually admitted that it was too early to say.  But, those first few weeks were euphoric.  I was euphoric and felt free and full of some sort of crazy joy.  Suddenly there seemed so much time to do anything I wanted to do.  And everyone told me ‘Oh, you’ll be okay, you are always so busy, and you’ll find something /lots to do’.  So, why, after returning from a week in the sun, did I wake up one morning and think ‘Well, what now? is this it? Is this the rest of my life?’ And there was no answer. 

So, for maybe a month, that was how it continued. I would wake each day wondering who I was now.  I would take out my list of ‘things to do’ and then put it away again. I would take out my carefully written ‘practice plan’ and then put it away again.  Then I would watch TV, or sit on my bed and just watch the sky.  When sleeping I was no longer dreaming but instead would wake up in the wee small hours and wonder who I was.  What happened to the too busy running woman? Where had ‘I ‘ gone? I wondered if I had made the biggest mistake of my life, should I have stayed on at work? 

But, one day, very recently, I sat on my favourite spot (on my bed ) sky-watching as usual, when a memory came back to me.  It was of a very small silent child sitting watching the sky, and it was me. 

I was born into a large noisy family.  If you wanted to be heard you had to shout! But I never could shout quite hard enough so I usually found sanctuary and peace alone in my shared bedroom, yes, just watching the sky.  Why I developed this habit I don’t know.  But, this was where I felt really at home.  Whenever I felt lost or afraid or lonely, the sky was always there.  So, over fifty years later, here I was again, sky-watching.  And when I remembered this it all fell into place and I was happy.  I listened to my heart beat and life flow through me and I was happy just to ‘be’.

There are no great revelations here. I have no answers as to how we deal with big changes in our lives, and we can’t escape change.  Maybe, like me, it’s when you no longer do the work you have given your life to, or your children leave home.  It may be that you become sick and you just can’t carry on as you have before.  Or it may be that you lose someone you love and there is an empty space where there used to be someone you needed to be in your life.  There are many ways of coping with and accepting change.  Most people, when they lose either a life’s work or someone, try to fill up the loss with something or someone else.  This is what I thought I would do when I retired and my sons left home.  I had a ‘plan’.  But what I hadn’t counted on was that, although my head had a plan, my heart and mind wanted something else.  It  took some time to understand what that was.  It took time to realise that when life as you know it disappears and there is no ground under your feet, that there is suddenly a spaciousness that you can jump into instead of filling it up with something else.  And if you can carry that spaciousness with you as you gradually find a new life or a new someone, then that is a very precious gift.  Maybe there is no need to be someone but just to ‘be’.

Now, I think it’s time for more sky-watching!

About the Author:

Margaret lives in Scotland and has been trying to understand and practise  Dharma for about forty years. She has been a student of Ringu Tulku since 1993.

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No summits, no NATO,
No instant mashed potato
Just winkle
A twinkle,
From that gloomy face,
No DJs, no jingles,
No dreadful charity singles,
Teeth gleaming,
Get beaming,
And smile all over the place.
Victoria Wood

Lightness of Heart

Often we look for happiness outside of ourselves—through material things or by wishing that our lives were different in some way. Daoist philosophy teaches us that the path of happiness lies within and certainly one of the defining traits of Daoists Masters’ is the way they exude a state of happiness, a sense of light heartedness and fun.  Much of Traditional Chinese Medicine theory is derived from Daoist philosophy and tells us that happiness depends on cultivating the chi (energy) of the Heart whose corresponding element is Fire, and this balance of Fire energy in the Heart will increase our sense of inner joy and happiness. Thus when the Heart chi is deficient or in excess and Fire is out of balance we may find ourselves experiencing unhappiness and feel agitated and off centre. Furthermore  there is an aspect of the Heart that is the wellspring of all our happiness.  

The ancient Chinese text the Nei Jing, ‘The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine’ tells us that the Heart is the spiritual and emotional centre of the body and on its deepest level is residence to the Shen-the eternal spirit and source of joyful serenity. Most of us identify with the habitual self –that heavy collection of habits, likes and dislikes that we call ‘self’ and take far too seriously. Instead we need to align ourselves with the joyful lightness and radiance that is the natural state of the Heart Shen and in this way come to view ourselves and others with good humour and compassion.

Let go of the burden of the habitual and serious self with its rigid opinions, its likes and dislikes, relax and find contentment in all that life brings. Daoists tell us to lighten up by embracing without resistance all the events of our lives and all of our reactions towards those events –both pleasurable and painful. As we open our Hearts to embrace life we connect and align with the Shen, balance the Heart Fire and return to our innate state of happiness.  

Daoists’ created practises that translated their spiritual insights to the physical body and these exercises help us to cultivate a sense of being whole in all of  body, mind and spirits. Daoist exercises traditionally use breathing, visualisations and meditation to quieten and open the Heart, and so connect with its natural sense of happiness.

Although there is a Chinese saying “laughter is the best medicine” and research shows that  laughing lowers the blood pressure and keeps the Heart healthy, Daoists might say that smiling –particularly the practise of the Inner Smile goes deeper to cultivate a lasting happiness. It is this  exercise that can align the practitioner  with the Shen and so connect him with his true source of inner happiness.

 The Inner Smile 

• Sit on a chair with straightened spine and closed eyes. Inhale slowly through your nose and gently exhale through your mouth .Do this several times.
• As you inhale feel a movement all the way down to the Dan Tien – the energy centre just below the naval.  Allow your abdomen to expand as your diaphragm moves down in a full breath, then let your abdomen relax as you exhale completely. Breathe continuously, with no pauses between the exhalation and the inhalation.
• As you breathe smile into your naval and Dan Tien and then bring your awareness into your Heart area.
• Feel the flame of love deep within your Heart—a  warm light that is your deepest , most real Self. Smile into your Heart centre and feel the healing light of the Shen radiating out to all the cells of your Heart.
• Now turn your awareness to each of your organs in turn –stomach and spleen, lungs and intestines, kidneys and bladder, gall bladder and liver and smile into each organ whilst breathing deeply and feeling calm and peaceful.
•   Come back to the Heart and rest there feeling the Inner Smile harmonising and balancing your energy and be aware of the serene happiness of the Shen –your eternal spirit.
• Affirm “ with a smile in my Heart I embrace my life.”

This article first appeared in Positive Health Magazine

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Vicki Mckenna trained at The College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in Leamington Spa with Professor Worsley from 1981 gaining her Lic Ac. in 1984 and has been practicing acupuncture in Scotland since then. She is author of “A Balanced Way of Living”. See  balancedway@hotmail.co.uk 

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