Sometimes the signs of trouble are subtle, but sometimes they are perfectly clear and we still choose to ignore them. My friend’s wife was struggling with the loss of her father. A year later, they lost a child in pregnancy. Faced with so much loss in such short period of time, my friend chose to focus on his work instead of dealing with the pain. She did the same.
Delusion is like a fire
In the Blue Cliff Records, it says “smoke over the hill indicates fire, horns over the fence indicate an ox.” The meaning to this advice is that a fire or an ox in the backyard might be scary or a difficult problem to confront, but we should pay attention to the signs. My friend chose to ignore the signs and two years later, the marriage fell apart. Fire, when ignored, will consume everything.
The same text notices, on the other hand, that when you acknowledge the ox in the backyard or the fire, you are not deluded any more and you can “enjoy perfect freedom in adversity and prosperity.” This teaching applies to your own life, to the community and the country. Are you ignoring the signs of trouble around you? Do you acknowledge the difficulties at the door and are you facing them without delusion?
Try this meditation:
- Breathe in and out mindfully, and notice the signs you see in your life and around you. Notice whether or not you have been ignoring them or acknowledging they are there to challenge you.
- Be open to face what is. Without judging whether those signs are good or bad, notice whether or not your heart is willing to enter this new experience.
- Your journey is shaped by your willingness to be flexible and open to the signs that indicate a new experience, a new chapter in your life. Acknowledge what is going on, and that will set you free.
- Gently, open your heart to the challenge, and get the work done as you move through the difficulties of the world. Moment by moment, just do it.
Peace,
Juan