Mindfulness and Liberation True Love Global Sangha: - The ...

true LOVEwrong perceptions about us, we should notexpress this just after they have spoken.We can just apologize, saying that we arevery sorry that we have made them suffer.If we have an opportunity in the future, wecan try and explain a little more to helpthem feel better.Sharing a long-term difficulty andasking for support: At times we eachhave difficulties and pain that arise fromour past to surface in the present. Whenwe share an issue that we are dealing with,people around us have an opportunity tounderstand us better and offer the supportthat we really need.photo by Renee Burgardway that helps us take care of difficult seeds. We do our best, butif we make a mistake, we recognize it quickly and take care of it,even by practicing Beginning Anew informally that day.We had a large group of Sangha friends over the other day. Iwas rather focused on our guests as everyone was leaving and didnot hear David say goodbye. Once everyone was gone, I noticedDavid wasn’t there. I called out to him and received no answer.Then I noticed his car was gone. I was shocked. He had left withoutsaying goodbye. Earlier that day, he had asked me if I would sitwith him as he got his monthly massage. I declined, and he lookeda bit sad, but I was still catching up on things since I had been outof town the past few weekends. “Where did he go?” I wondered,realizing that his massage wasn’t for another ninety minutes. “Washe mad that I wouldn’t go with him to his massage? How could heleave without saying goodbye?” David doesn’t carry a cell phone,so there was nothing for me to do but breathe and do things I hadplanned to do.We spoke when he returned. I had forgotten about the errandhe planned, which was in the neighborhood of his favorite restaurant.He’d had just enough time to get a bite to eat there; thus,he left in a hurry, before our guests were gone. Still, I could notunderstand him leaving without me knowing he had gone. He heldup his right hand and said, “I vow two lips before I go, always!” Hepursed his lips together in a kiss. I laughed through my tears.He then touched my face and asked, “Don’t you know Itreasure you?”“Yes, but for some reason I forgot today. It’s not often I forget,”I murmured.“I guess the causes and conditions were right, today,” he saidas he stroked my hair.“Yes,” I said, as I recognized the seed that led to our misunderstanding.“But remember, I know what it’s like not to betreasured.”The practice of Beginning Anew helpsus develop our kind speech andcompassionate listening. Beginning Anewis a practice of recognition and appreciationof the positive elements within our Sangha.For instance, we may notice that ourroommate is generous in sharing herinsights, and another friend shows a caringspirit towards plants. Recognizing others’positive traits allows us to see our owngood qualities as well.Along with these good traits, we eachhave areas of weakness, such as talkingout of our anger or being caught in ourmisperceptions. When we practice “flowerwatering” we support the developmentof good qualities in each other, and atthe same time, we help to weaken thedifficulties in the other person. As ina garden, when we water the flowersof loving kindness and compassion ineach other, we also take energy awayfrom the weeds of anger, jealousy, andmisperception.We can practice Beginning Anew everyday by expressing our appreciation forour fellow practitioners and apologizingright away when we do or say somethingthat hurts them. We can politely let othersknow when we have been hurt as well.The health and happiness of the wholecommunity depends on the harmony,peace, and joy that exist between allmembers in the Sangha.Reprinted from www.deerparkmonastery.org.photo by Young Whan Choithe Mindfulness Bell 25