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Inspirations from Buddha
Although it is not easy to refrain oneself from
all desire while wandering on the face of the earth, and even detach the self
from one’s “self,” one can grow toward a more mature state of spiritual
being. This state will limit, if not eradicate, desolation and exultation,
resentment and lust, excessive fear and extreme ruthlessness, as well as
every other disproportionate state of mind that only causes inner disturbance
and disparity. This state will enhance, if not entirely establish,
inner-balance and acceptance of life as it presents itself.
When one
has obtained a state that is free from wrath, disproportionate expectations,
greed, or envy, one can start enjoying one’s current circumstances more, and
live more fully, and with increased gratitude, in the here and
now.
Obtaining such a state takes time and effort, and one will
encounter multiple conditions along the way, even after obtaining the aimed
state, that will seemingly justify a relapse into old patterns and behaviors.
After all, living in a civilization that is build on influence, possessions,
a need for security, and a pressing prerequisite to engage in
political performance, almost seems to be an undeviating inconsistency with
the attainment of this liberated state.
How can one achieve liberation
of the self and still live in a subjugated world? How can one achieve
spiritual boundlessness and still perform up to daily expectations? How can
one discover, and hopefully find a lasting way to dwell on the inner nirvana
while remaining part of a controlled system,
entangled in oftentimes
ridiculous and rigid rules and regulations?
The answer cannot be given as
a pre-formulated, all-fitting set of
directions, as this in and of itself
would once again be a manifestation of the boundary establishment, which we
tend to struggle with in our modern culture of excessive organization and
control. The answer can actually only be found within oneself after thorough
inward turning, concentrating on one’ s circumstances and character,
formulating one’s personal perception of freedom, and determining one’s
capacity to persevere in reaching the discovered personal definition of
spiritual liberation.
Acceptance may be one of the magic words here. And
gratitude for all that one is and could not have been without carrying
oneself with dignity and sincerity. And respect for all that lives and grows
around him or her: family, colleagues, strangers, flora and fauna. And
awareness of matters without giving in to the tendency of falling into the
trap of mass-hypnosis, thoughtlessness, and justification of wrongdoing due
to partisanship.
Enlightenment starts with encouraging oneself to be
awake. And being awake starts with distancing oneself from mass thinking and
elevating oneself
toward personal views. And recognizing one’s personal views
starts with detaching oneself from unthoughtful adoption of group
perspectives while being alert enough not to become a pariah. And detaching
oneself from group perspectives starts with obtaining respect for one’s own
perceptions. And
obtaining respect for one’s own perceptions starts with
valuing oneself. And valuing oneself starts with accepting oneself. And
accepting oneself starts with loving oneself. And loving oneself starts with
knowing oneself. And knowing oneself starts with realizing the difference
between one and self. And realizing the difference between one and self will
provide insight in what matters to one without necessarily incorporating
self. And having
insight in what matters to one without necessarily
incorporating self will provide awareness into what is beneficial to all. And
awareness into what is beneficial to all will lead to doing things right
without fearing consequences, as one is detached from politics, refrained
from insincerity, and freed from excessive desires.
Such is the reward
of being awake: tranquility, peace, and serenity. It may not always be
present at the level one would prefer, as one is still part of the world,
part of a family, and part of teams; and one still has feelings and emotions;
but it can be maintained and enhanced as soon as one realizes that one tends
to regress into previous states of mind. The sensations
thereto are familiar
to all of us. All one needs to do is train oneself to stay in touch with the
inner source, and detect alienation from this source as soon as it occurs.
And growth will be a fact.
Joan Marques, Burbank, April 25,
2004
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About the
Author:
Joan Marques emigrated from Suriname, South America, to California,
U.S., in 1998. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, a Master’s
in
Business Administration, and is currently a university instructor
in Business and Management in Burbank, California. You may visit her web
sites at http://www.joanmarques.com
and
http://www.spiritcounts.com
Joan's
manual "Feel Good About Yourself," a six part series to get you over the
bumps in life and onto success, can be purchased and downloaded at:
http://www.non-books.com/FeelGoodSeries.html
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