Good day, friends!
I hope you’re well today. I hope you’re receiving from this beautiful life we all share, from this amazing world, and from our practice, which gives us the means to be present with all of the abundance we receive each and every day. I sure am. This morning I’m basking in the afterglow of the remote sesshin–an intensive meditation retreat– that we finished yesterday. I spent these past three days along with a small handful of others practicing sitting and walking meditation, each in our own location, and enjoying the peace and the nourishment that comes from devoting a period of time intentionally to spiritual practice. I’ve been practicing for over 30 years at this point, and I love it as much as I did the day I began, or even more. We have a way, good people, to end suffering, to transcend ego, and to come to rest in simple awareness and consciousness. Let’s not miss the opportunity! Life is too short to indulge in unhappiness of any kind. Let us face the challenges that arise, and let us endure the inevitable pain of life, with courage and equanimity, and let us tend to ourselves through all of it with compassion and unconditional love. That’s our practice!
Speaking of which, I thought I’d send along the above quote from Bruce Lee, which someone sent to me the other day. Wow! What a guy! I so admire the wisdom and the courage demonstrated in the things he said. All of it seems good and beautiful to me, and the last two lines moved me when I first read them. I’ll repeat them here for emphasis:
“I treasure the memory of the past misfortunes.
It has added more to my bank of fortitude.”
Well done, Bruce! You clearly lived well and with integrity, and I thank you for it.
Enjoy the day, friends!
D