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Thoughts and impressions on applying Buddhist principles in daily life, and modern applications of Buddhist concepts.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Faith versus Reality
A few personally traumatic experiences in my life in the last few weeks pushed me to truly examine the value of faith, of spirituality, in my life. For some people, spirituality is relevant only when big changes come in one's life, usually the death of a loved one, or the birth of a child, marriage or some other significant event in one's life.
But, in the last few weeks, I have come to realize that spirituality is something that is intensely inter-related to one's daily life. Spirituality brings a greater context to the day-to-day activities that fill up our lives. Waking up in the morning, taking a shower, commuting to work, and all the other routine activities we go through has some spiritual aspect to it--if and when we are aware of it. Rather than something we simply have to go through in order to move forward in our life, they are moments when we can appreciate exactly what it is we have in our lives that gives our lives meaning.
The fact we can wake up means we are alive; the fact we can take a shower means we are fortunate to have clean water; the fact we can commute means we have freedom to travel, the fact that we go to work means we are able to financially support ourselves, and more than likely are able to help others in the process.
For some people, this realization may not be new; in fact, for me, it wasn't something I didn't realize until now. But, after a couple significant changes in my personal life in the past few weeks, I've come to realize more intensely the value of everything I have in my life--rather than dwell on what I may have lost.
Life is full of change; and as much as we may try to accept it, it's probably human nature to never fully accept it, because in many ways we are instinctively creatures of habit, not unlike any other form of life in nature. The only difference is we feel an emotional attachment to everything we enjoy, and simply want to keep the good times rolling forever, as much as we know it won't happen.
It may sound somewhat depressing to think that good times ebb and flow in one's life, but another way I'd like to think of the process is, one good time makes way for an even greater moment in one's life. The challenge to be happy then is all about recognizing that when change happens, it's a transition to something better, even though in the interim it may feel like a step backwards.
A few personally traumatic experiences in my life in the last few weeks pushed me to truly examine the value of faith, of spirituality, in my life. For some people, spirituality is relevant only when big changes come in one's life, usually the death of a loved one, or the birth of a child, marriage or some other significant event in one's life.
But, in the last few weeks, I have come to realize that spirituality is something that is intensely inter-related to one's daily life. Spirituality brings a greater context to the day-to-day activities that fill up our lives. Waking up in the morning, taking a shower, commuting to work, and all the other routine activities we go through has some spiritual aspect to it--if and when we are aware of it. Rather than something we simply have to go through in order to move forward in our life, they are moments when we can appreciate exactly what it is we have in our lives that gives our lives meaning.
The fact we can wake up means we are alive; the fact we can take a shower means we are fortunate to have clean water; the fact we can commute means we have freedom to travel, the fact that we go to work means we are able to financially support ourselves, and more than likely are able to help others in the process.
For some people, this realization may not be new; in fact, for me, it wasn't something I didn't realize until now. But, after a couple significant changes in my personal life in the past few weeks, I've come to realize more intensely the value of everything I have in my life--rather than dwell on what I may have lost.
Life is full of change; and as much as we may try to accept it, it's probably human nature to never fully accept it, because in many ways we are instinctively creatures of habit, not unlike any other form of life in nature. The only difference is we feel an emotional attachment to everything we enjoy, and simply want to keep the good times rolling forever, as much as we know it won't happen.
It may sound somewhat depressing to think that good times ebb and flow in one's life, but another way I'd like to think of the process is, one good time makes way for an even greater moment in one's life. The challenge to be happy then is all about recognizing that when change happens, it's a transition to something better, even though in the interim it may feel like a step backwards.
