08-25-2018, 04:46 PM
I went to the Buddhist temple in Denver this morning. I try to go every Thursday for guided meditation given by a Buddhist instructor, who also are disciples of their founder: Choje Rinpoche.
I was surprised this Thursday's meeting that Choje Rinpoche would be visiting us Saturday (today) in person at 10am, outside of their usual public hours. He also was giving an online stream given to Denver's temple, where we would be allowed to ask direct questions and say hello afterwards.
I was given many ideas from this guru. One of them being the idea that femininity and masculinity have specific roles in the universe. I couldn't quite hear what he was saying when he described the masculine role, but I remember him saying the feminine role was that of providing space for things to manifest. This seems to be in line with the Law of One archetypes, as well as some of the teachings in Hermetics. He suggested that the feminine principle offers space for things to manifest in the universe. For something to manifest, we first must give it space to do so. He suggested that we often fall prey to negative thoughts due to feeling "cramped" in stress. He suggests we devote as much or as little time as we can afford (in the morning especially) to meditate and give our minds "space" to deal with the stress.
I was looking forward to meeting the guru in person, and having conversation with someone enlightened. This was not what happened.
I think my lesson right now is to realize that my greatest teacher is not a man, but the life I breathe in and mingle with. Every mistake, ill thought or misguided action can be noticed by myself if I simply pause and reflect on it. I am able to do this without meditation, of course, but meditation can help make the process more efficient.
For example, I was hoping to meet the guru at best, and the highest fantasy being realized would be to become his friend. Of course, this is unlikely, and going with this hope shouldn't dissuade me or cause me stress. It is becoming more evident that the universe itself and its karmic laws of cause and effect are the best teachers. For when I went, and was surprisingly offered the chance to raise my hand and ask a question, the first meeting I was unprepared for this and asked a question of little impact/help to me, and in the second meeting my raised hand was passed over despite being prepared.
If I try to heed the lesson in this turn of events, I come up with the following:
I was surprised this Thursday's meeting that Choje Rinpoche would be visiting us Saturday (today) in person at 10am, outside of their usual public hours. He also was giving an online stream given to Denver's temple, where we would be allowed to ask direct questions and say hello afterwards.
I was given many ideas from this guru. One of them being the idea that femininity and masculinity have specific roles in the universe. I couldn't quite hear what he was saying when he described the masculine role, but I remember him saying the feminine role was that of providing space for things to manifest. This seems to be in line with the Law of One archetypes, as well as some of the teachings in Hermetics. He suggested that the feminine principle offers space for things to manifest in the universe. For something to manifest, we first must give it space to do so. He suggested that we often fall prey to negative thoughts due to feeling "cramped" in stress. He suggests we devote as much or as little time as we can afford (in the morning especially) to meditate and give our minds "space" to deal with the stress.
I was looking forward to meeting the guru in person, and having conversation with someone enlightened. This was not what happened.
I think my lesson right now is to realize that my greatest teacher is not a man, but the life I breathe in and mingle with. Every mistake, ill thought or misguided action can be noticed by myself if I simply pause and reflect on it. I am able to do this without meditation, of course, but meditation can help make the process more efficient.
For example, I was hoping to meet the guru at best, and the highest fantasy being realized would be to become his friend. Of course, this is unlikely, and going with this hope shouldn't dissuade me or cause me stress. It is becoming more evident that the universe itself and its karmic laws of cause and effect are the best teachers. For when I went, and was surprisingly offered the chance to raise my hand and ask a question, the first meeting I was unprepared for this and asked a question of little impact/help to me, and in the second meeting my raised hand was passed over despite being prepared.
If I try to heed the lesson in this turn of events, I come up with the following:
- I did not come to ask questions when planning to meditate in group meditation. If I am offered a new opportunity to do so, and it does not present itself for me, then I should not be for the worse. I came and received what I originally planned and set out to do, and any new opportunity, achieved or otherwise, can only benefit me. The theme of this lesson would be to let go of attachment and distractions.
- If the universe and its karmic laws can be trusted, then I can assume that nothing is lost, and everything is for a good reason. If my raised hand is passed, then it is for the better. One way I can interpret this is that he answered the followers that truly required his answers, and the universe knowing what's best, understands that I can achieve answers without the guru's help. In the same vein of a teaching I heard recently, where when we are left to ourselves, sometimes even in our darkest moment, for the very reason that God has faith in us, like we should have faith in Him, we are expected to overcome our biggest challenges even when we are alone.
- This could be considered yet another sign that my greatest teacher is not in a far-off land, or waiting to be met in person as a living human being. Instead, my best teacher would be the karmic cause and effect that the universe employs to manifest impermanent conditions upon me in the form of adversity or joy, and that it is not outside my understanding to bend my ear to such teachings and learn from them. They are subtle, quiet, and not easily noticeable. Sometimes they are impossible without first noticing the emotions they stir in you. For me, when I feel negative or positive feelings and am unsure why, it is usually a clue that there was a teaching hidden in the chain of events.