Buddha Speaks – The Goal of Spiritual Practice

Buddha picture from email

“…..Three stages of spiritual perspective…..initial, because it is divided into three levels of training: initial, in which the mind is turned away from ordinary concerns and inspired to turn to the spiritual path; intermediate, in which it is caused to turn from the pleasures of spirituality and meditation, and instead inspired to seek true freedom; and, thirdly, advanced, where it is inspired to turn from the delights of personal freedom and inner peace to the greater goal of universal consciousness.” from the book “Meditations To Transform The Mind” by the Seventh Dalai Lama; translated by Glenn H. Mullin.

Although the conference that I was at last weekend was not dealing with Buddhist teachings, the theme in each workshop certainly emphasized the process of spiritual growth, more or less in the three steps detailed above. 

The emphasis on letting go of the ordinary, the finding fault with every little thing in our lives, was the pervading theme.  We all have so much in our lives – family, friends, food, money, homes/houses, and lots of “stuff”.  Yet, we are constantly complaining about little things.  As an example, I do not like skins on my fruit.  The texture of peach or kiwi or even some apple skins bothers my mouth.  However, in the scheme of all that is this Earth, skins on fruit is insignificant. 

So why do we focus on these little things?  Well, if we keep our minds busy looking at these small distractions, then we do not have to focus on the big things that are going on.  Or, we do not have to look too deeply into self. 

Over the last year, every time I have resistance to eating a skin on a fruit, I ask myself, “Why?” and go deeper into the cause of my dislike.  I am finding that in past lives, I have had misadventures in eating fruit, and that somehow, my mind has coded that into the idea that the skins are a problem.  Well, that issue with skins is a work in progress for me.  I am trying to make it less significant in my life.  A fun thing has happened though, and that is that a new type of peach that does not have fuzzy skin, has been developed.  And, I can eat that peach, skin and all without difficulty.

What are some of the distractions that are keeping you from moving along your spiritual growth path? 

Yours in progress,

Judy@angelsandancestors.com     See the October Magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf