Buddhist Belief Blog

The question posed as the title of this post today is one weighing heavily on my mind. Since I firmly feel my Buddhist Belief can provide the answer, the way I’d like to deal with the question is to write about it. There are so many factors happening in my world these days which are causing my need to seek relief in my mind.

Of course, one of the primary lessons all of us have been taught, not just those of us who may be following a Buddhist lifestyle — we’ve all learned how we should stop trying to change the things we have no control over. Buddha said we should just learn to let things be as they are. It’s true, if we could learn to just let things be, we’d be a lot more peaceful and serene.

As I’m sure you know, this sounds a lot easier than it is. It’s the big lesson in Buddhist teachings — good old NON-ATTACHMENT. Buddha taught us how the cause of our suffering and dissatisfaction is craving and attachment. Learning how to let go of our clinging and grasping of things is how we can achieve true peace in our lives.

I read a good description about attachment somewhere — it went something like this — “Attachment is like holding onto a rope so tightly that it keeps slipping through your fingers — and it gives you rope burn.” The obvious solution is to just let go and your hand won’t be burning any longer. (Of course, if the rope is keeping you from falling over a cliff, hanging on might be a better idea. )

Let’s face it, people who are pessimistic — people who are worriers — people who are always trying to change things they have no control over — people who are clinging and grasping at more and more things, are generally rather miserable. On the other hand, people who are optimistic — people who are able to let go of negativity — people who are more accepting of the way things are –those folks tend to be healthier, happier and enjoy longer lives.

Since this is a blog about Buddhist Belief, the topic of “How Do You Spell Relief?” will lead us to take a look at another Buddhist Belief — AWARENESS!

Once we learn to be aware of whatever arises within our realm of experience and consciousness, and then becoming further aware of how we are relating to these things, we can take the next step of merely observing these things without any immediate judgment or reaction. We can investigate the thought or feeling without bringing any activity into the picture. If this thought or feeling does require some action to take place, then we can calmly make a decision on how to perform the action — or we can release the sensation to act on it immediately, and let it flow out of our thought process to deal with another time.

As you’ve read in my writings constantly, the practice of meditation is the best way to train our minds to be more aware. When we place our focus on our breath and let the thoughts drift on by as we continue to focus on our breathing, the mind has a way of relaxing and softening. We’re allowing things to be as they are.

We are humans, so we think all the time. The great Mindfulness teacher, Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote, “Letting go is not a pushing away of your thoughts or a shutting them off, or repressing them or rejecting them. In meditation, you are allowing the thoughts to do whatever they do as you keep your attention on the breath as best you can, moment by moment.”

Once we learn to let go and accept things as they are, we’ll find we have a lot more time to just “be” in the course of our day. We’ll discover how all the wanting just leaves us with more wanting. When we can learn to stop reacting immediately to every thought and feeling, we’ll no longer struggle to spell relief — it will be there for us.

Metta ….May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
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Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook