Minister's Post, Fri Apr 21

Dear Ones:

Reality is never depressing. Nor is hearing and learning about reality ever depressing. It's the effort of trying to resist reality that can provoke depression.

Judith Lief writes:

"Any time we feel sorrow, any time we are touched by the suffering of another being, we reconnect with our own beating heart and the quality of lovingkindness."

By allowing in the sorrow, we connect with others, and with love -- and thence, even in the midst of that sorrow, to joy.

Yours in the faith we share,
Meredith

Join a Journey Group: http://cucwp.org/journey-groups

I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It)

The Apr 16 service, "What Evil Is":



The Apr 9 service, "Easter and Passover":



PRACTICE POINTER

From the Tibetan teachings called Lojong, our 30th training in compassion is: Loosen the grip of negative impulses. Along the path of practice obstacles, blockages, neuroses keep popping up.

There are three challenges. First, notice the beginning of the negative impulse. Anger, fear, aggression, ignorance, jealousy, pride – be on the lookout for whatever your habitual negative impulses are so you’re aware of the instant any of them pop up. Usually, by the time we recognize that we have been captured by a confused emotion, it is too late: we are already overwhelmed. If we try, though, we can get a little quicker on the draw, and recognize them sooner in their arising.

Second, let go of the impulse. Once it appears, it is compelling and very difficult to release. Here’s a technique that can help with that: As soon as you notice the negative impulse forming, stop. Literally, whatever you’re doing, stop. If you’re walking, stop walking; if you are sitting, stand up; if you are thinking, stop thinking. Take a deep breath. Then let yourself release the impulse. You may notice that the root of these negative impulses is our fixation on ourself.

Third, rinse and repeat. The force of the residual habit energy will bring the habitual impulse up again. Notice it’s arising as early in the process as you can, and let it go, again.

The practice isn’t about being perfect or getting it right. It’s about noticing each obstacle, and coming back to your intention – over and over. If you can do that, that’s all the “getting it right” that there is.

For the rest of the instruction, see "Loosening the Grip of Negative Impulses."

Here it is, your...
MOMENT OF ZEN
#155: Pores

The boundary between imagined self and imagined others is shot full of holes. Through which compassion flows, becoming compassion.

Case

One day Badger came by for a private chat. "What is the source of compassion?" he asked.
"Pores," said Raven.
"How are pores the source of compassion?" asked Badger.
Raven said, "There are small pores in between the big ones."
Badger asked, "What do the pores do?"
Raven said, "There are littler pores in between the small ones."
Badger said, "And so on, I suppose."
Raven said, "Not much left, after all."

Verse

Bare feet on the cool kitchen tiles
A wisp of steam rising from a mug of coffee
A bean sprout pushing through soil in a paper cup
Someone upstairs stirring into the day.
Outside, down the slope, a stream wends between trees,
Waterbugs skating on it.
The Earth, as ever, crawling with its creatures.
The veil between, an infinite fractal of holes,
Gone.

Case by Robert Aitken; introduction and verse by Meredith Garmon

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