Q: What does it take to create happiness, well-being and peace in our lives?
A: The right intention and the right conditions for that intention.
There is an old saying in Buddhism that bringing a new idea to a new culture is like bringing a flower and a rock together.
“The flower represents the potential for compassion and wisdom, clarity and joy to blossom in our life. The rock represents the solidity of a bewildered mind. If we want the flower to take root and grow, we have to work to create the right conditions….the problem for most of us is that we’re trying to grow a flower on a rock. The garden hasn’t been tilled properly." - Sakyong Mipham from Turning the Mind Into an Ally.
Most of us are wise enough to know what the right seeds are for happiness and well-being. We are smart enough to know that planting “get rich seeds” won’t bring us happiness. That planting "be famous" seeds won’t bring us satisfaction. Having the right seeds is only the first step.
We like to think of the seeds in this metaphor as your intention. It is critical to pay attention to not only your intention, but the ecosystem your intention lives in. To use a trite example, if you want to lose weight, going to an all-you-can-eat buffet every night is not going to help that seed grow.
Consider taking a moment now to reflect on whether you are creating the right conditions for your intention to be realized and to blossom?
We ask that knowing it is a very challenging question to answer for yourself. It is very hard to objectively see the water we are swimming in.
In order to answer the question, you need awareness. Awareness that a condition exists. Awareness that a condition is not supportive to realizing your intention. You need the awareness of what conducive conditions would be.
Awareness is our field. We traffic in it and working with us can help you cultivate it and increase it where it matters most to you. This alone will soften the surface of your mind. There are also more active steps you can take to break up the solidity of your mind; we can help. Respond to this email to find out more.
To the right conditions!
