Friday, April 21, 2006
More Buddhas, Taras, Mortarboard Hats
I have long had a figure of Buddha in my life. My "external Buddha" is in fact a simple figure purchased for a small price by my mother when I was quite young. This sweet image (clad in blue and gold)holds a bowl in his lap, and my mother used to burn incense there, as I recall. Though she had no real knowledge of Buddhism as such, she was drawn, in a mystical way, to the notion of what mystery it might reveal. And--she also left me a "good luck coin," imprinted with another sitting Buddha (I used to carry it, but lost it several years ago.)
Lately, as I have said, I have been experiencing striking images of Buddha (and others) during my meditation practice (listening and moving slowly to Tibetan chants, complete with ritual gongs and heavy drums.)
I really didn't expect to feel or see much today, but decided to do a "healing meditation" for those in need. Soon a brilliantly lit Buddha flashed into consciousness. And this time, instead of appearing with countless replicas lined up behind him, there was a series of Buddhas streaming from his (and my) own head, as if to say, the Buddhas of the cosmos are infinite, and have existed and will continue to exist for all time.
It was as if I became Buddha, carried his body, with its exquisite bliss waves, inside my own, felt the splendor of his illumined spirit. Now, this does not mean that I am going to rush into the street proclaiming "I am Buddha." Not at all. It did tell me that each one of us is Buddha, we are born as Buddha, we exist as Buddha, and will know that truth once our original nature is reawakened. This is not to say we have to become "Buddhists" in any conventional sense. I think of Buddha as an archetypal image of compassionate devotion to this world and all who inhabit it. We act our compassion in various ways, according to our own individual talents and gifts.
As always, I am grateful that this "exercise in identification" is granted to me with so little effort on my part. I don't think I would be capable of sitting for hours or days or years trying to visualize a certain god or goddess in minute detail, in order to feel oneness of bliss with him/her. And, skeptic that I am, I would ask, "What is the point of this tedious exercise?" But, having experienced it, I know the point, have felt it within, and need no further explanation.
I think things are gearing up, on both physical and spiritual planes. It is in the air. As world crisis deepens, we feel our connection with the inner realms more intensely, as if we are preparing for a final moment.
We must continue our awareness of both inner and outer events, do all we can to bring peace and order into our world, speak our truth, act our principles. This is the time, and each of us must do all we can to bring into being the healing spirit and courage to stand up for what we know is right.
Lately, as I have said, I have been experiencing striking images of Buddha (and others) during my meditation practice (listening and moving slowly to Tibetan chants, complete with ritual gongs and heavy drums.)
I really didn't expect to feel or see much today, but decided to do a "healing meditation" for those in need. Soon a brilliantly lit Buddha flashed into consciousness. And this time, instead of appearing with countless replicas lined up behind him, there was a series of Buddhas streaming from his (and my) own head, as if to say, the Buddhas of the cosmos are infinite, and have existed and will continue to exist for all time.
It was as if I became Buddha, carried his body, with its exquisite bliss waves, inside my own, felt the splendor of his illumined spirit. Now, this does not mean that I am going to rush into the street proclaiming "I am Buddha." Not at all. It did tell me that each one of us is Buddha, we are born as Buddha, we exist as Buddha, and will know that truth once our original nature is reawakened. This is not to say we have to become "Buddhists" in any conventional sense. I think of Buddha as an archetypal image of compassionate devotion to this world and all who inhabit it. We act our compassion in various ways, according to our own individual talents and gifts.
As always, I am grateful that this "exercise in identification" is granted to me with so little effort on my part. I don't think I would be capable of sitting for hours or days or years trying to visualize a certain god or goddess in minute detail, in order to feel oneness of bliss with him/her. And, skeptic that I am, I would ask, "What is the point of this tedious exercise?" But, having experienced it, I know the point, have felt it within, and need no further explanation.
I think things are gearing up, on both physical and spiritual planes. It is in the air. As world crisis deepens, we feel our connection with the inner realms more intensely, as if we are preparing for a final moment.
We must continue our awareness of both inner and outer events, do all we can to bring peace and order into our world, speak our truth, act our principles. This is the time, and each of us must do all we can to bring into being the healing spirit and courage to stand up for what we know is right.
