Dear Common Ground Friends,
To approach life as a learner requires humility and a willingness to be taught by whatever arrives, whether in the midst of ordinary daily activities or in profound, life-changing moments. It is no small thing to accept life as our teacher. You may want to try this on: Whatever comes my way, I make a vow to take it as my teacher. This is a radically different orientation to experience and a sign of spiritual maturity. What a relief to no longer have to resist moments of frustration or turn away from our controlling and obsessive tendencies. Instead, we can become curious about the experience in front of us, understanding that there is no more relevant teacher on the path to liberation than our own lives.
Frustration can bring us face to face with ill will, a difficult but deeply human experience. Conflicts with others expose our vulnerability and our relationship to it. Joseph Goldstein sometimes says, “Don’t waste your suffering!” There is a kind of spiritual maturity in being willing to let ourselves be exposed in this way. We learn to step out of habitual patterns of grasping or avoiding and attend to how the heart is relating to experience. It is a spiritual gift to encounter our unfinished business. The letting go that comes with allowing life to teach us takes confidence, though perhaps not as much as we might think. Confidence can be borrowed from the examples of others, including the Buddha, as we read, hear, and reflect on his life and teachings. This borrowed confidence is a beginning, strengthened by our wise sincerity.
In the days ahead, may we remain interested in how the mind is relating and keep flexing the muscle of letting life teach us. May we be willing to learn the example of others and remember that peace develops through the patient work of feeling into what binds us, understanding it, and letting it fall away. May we meet this week's lessons with a willing heart.
Shelly Graf
Co-Guiding Teacher