Good morning! Welcome to the DKos Sangha weekly open thread.
This is an open thread for members of the DKos Sangha and others who are interested in discussions concerning how we integrate our progressive political activism into our spiritual practice. If you have observations about the political discourse of the week, or about practice, or about anything else related to walking a spiritual path through the political world, if you wish to share, or if you seek support, or if you simply want to say hello, please do; this space is for you.
If you would like to write a diary for the DKos Sangha, please let me know.
If you care nothing for spiritual practice and only wish to denigrate and disparage, please do so elsewhere, and respect that this is a community diary for the DKos Sangha.
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Clouds fill the cove this morning, the far ridge unseen; it is as if, beyond the nearby trees, I am looking out into nothingness. Apart from the occasional caw of a crow, it is quiet, still. The porch is wet from last night's rain, and the air is cool. And the day's first cup of coffee warms the hand and touches the lips.
Generally speaking, the cause of our suffering, the cause of our worry, anger, disappointment, disgust, disillusionment, despair, impatience, annoyance, hate, prejudice, intolerance, jealousy, greed, hurtfulness, dissatisfaction, the cause of our wanting something other than what is here now, the cause of our wanting to distract ourselves from what is arising now, the cause of our wanting to run away from our problems, to hide from ourselves, to deceive ourselves, the cause of our dis-ease, is separate self; the idea that who we are is the thoughts that run through mind and the body that these thoughts are seemingly attached to.
And yet, at any time, we can let go of thoughts and just rest here in the present moment, resting in awareness, being present with the clouds, the trees, the caw of the crow, the wet porch, the cool air, the warmth and taste of the coffee; just being present with what is; just being here now as who we naturally are ...
... without all the stories and drama, and tension, and stress, and conflict. And because it's who we naturally are, it is available always.
It's quite a contrast; there is all of that dis-ease that most people carry around with them everyday, and there is a life of peace. The life of dis-ease affects not only how we feel inside, but also how we interact with others and the world around us. It can show up in families as abuse, within communities as violence, and among nations as war. The life of peace also affects how we interact with others and the world around us. It shows up as compassion.
Because of the culture that we are born into and within which we are raised, most people just assume that the idea of separate self is who they are; it never occurs to them that it could be otherwise. They identify with their suffering, their isolation, the voices in their head.
But it's just thought; and we can let go of thought at any time. It comes and goes; it is often meaningless, lost in fantasy. Sometimes thought gets wrapped up in telling us fictional stories of our relationships with people from our past, rewriting conversations and outcomes; or it gets lost in daydreams of the future, a different job, a different house, a different spouse, a different car. Much of what flows through our minds as thought is actually of little value, just keeping us caught up in fantasy, illusion, isolation, separation, dis-ease.
And it's just thought; we can let go of it at any time. When we begin the practice of watching the thoughts as they arise, when we see how they flow, often careening from one thing to another, when we see how they affect our well-being, mentally and physically, when we see how insubstantial they are, then it starts to become apparent that we must certainly be more than these thoughts.
And when we notice that there is something that is noticing the thoughts, then it becomes even more apparent that it isn't the thoughts that's who we are.
When we begin noticing the space within which the thoughts arise, when we notice that the caw of the crow is arising within that same space, when we begin noticing the sounds and the thoughts are arising within our awareness, and that the thoughts come and go just as sounds come and go, then we begin to rest in this awareness, to abide in this spacious and deep peace.
It can take time for this shift to occur; and that's okay. Wherever you are on your journey is where you need to be for the next step. Whatever is arising for you is what you need to notice, to open to.
So, breathe.
Let go of the stories and dramas for a moment, and just breathe.
Just rest here in this space for a moment.
The sounds, just arising within this space.
The sensations of the body, just arising within this space.
The occasional thoughts, just arising within this space.
The clouds and trees, just arising within this space.
The taste of the coffee, just arising within this space.
This space within which you are breathing.
This space that is your awareness.
This space that is naturally who you are.
Always.
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Namaste
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You are welcome to join us each week in our Monday night group meditation here at DKos Sangha. This online group meditation is hosted by Ooooh, and the diary is posted at 7:00 Eastern. So that we are able to be together for as many here at Daily Kos as wish to participate, the meditation period runs from 7:30 to 10:00 Eastern. This group sitting is open to beginners and advanced, and is not restricted to any particular traditions or practices. It is not expected that you sit for the entire period; sit for as long as you like, when you like. The idea is that we are here together; supporting each other, holding space for each other.
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Enjoy your day!
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