Friday, April 24, 2009

Something I Read


Follow the Difficult Path

Our difficulties are not obstacles to the path; they are the path itself. They are opportunities to awaken. Can we learn what it means to welcome an unwanted situation, with its sense of groundlessness, as a wake-up call? Can we look at it as a signal that there is something here to be learned? Can we allow it to penetrate our hearts? By learning to do this, we are taking the first basic step toward learning what it means to be open with whatever life presents us. Even when we don’t like it, we understand that this difficulty is our practice, our path, our life.

–Ezra Bayda, from Being Zen: Bringing Meditation to Life (Shambhala)

7 comments:

  1. I like the zen attitude toward difficulties. I like the tone.

    It made me think of something I recently read about the stoics and Seneca in particular that addresses the same subject, but takes a more resigned attitude. This was something he said after having been exiled to Corsica:

    "Never did I trust Fortune, even when she seemed to be offering peace. All those blessings which she kindly bestowed on me -- money, public office, influence -- I relegated to a place from which she could take them back without disturbing me. Between them and me, I have kept a wide gap, and so she has merely taken them, not torn them from me."

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  2. Your quote, and the comment above, are both inspiring and thought-provoking. Plus, I agree with them. =)

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  3. Sophie, you and your family are in my prayers. I hope the homeopath finds another solution for you. I'm sorry the new drug failed her.

    I wish all of you healing and the strength within yourselves to prevail over this difficult path.

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  4. Lisa, Thank you for the fantastic Seneca quote.

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  5. Both yours, and the first quotes are great. I'm going to copy then, and keep them ... use them down the road in my kids blog.

    I'm not sure if I have noted you or not, but I started to follow you, I'm a new reader. I have a couple of unique kids and have been trying to connect with other parents with unique kids.

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  6. I need to get that book! I love it when you share these things :)
    I feel so enlightened...

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  7. It's the "Under Mountain" .... "Over Mountain" picture again. A very haunting image to me ....

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