Diligence

I was focussed on getting to meditation. I got in the car with my boiled
potatoes in a bowl, put them on the seat, and took bites as I drove.

Getting off the first exit, a state cop was out of his car pulling over a
driver. I tried getting my seatbelt on but it was stuck in the door.
Maybe it was hanging outside the door! He took one look at me
and pointed for me to pull over also.Was I driving too fast? Did he see me eating?
I had my seat belt on when he came to the window of my car.

I sat and sat. I got brave and left my car to explain to him I facilitate a
meditation group and people will be leaving not knowing where I am. He
said he'd be right there, it was a seatbelt fine, $90, it's click it or ticket for the
Memorial Day weekend. At 7:15 pm I arrive at the Sangha for 7 pm
meditation time.

There are four people there outside conversing, looking comfortable,
happy. No one seems upset. This is good. I explain what happened.

After we sit, I remember the fourth paramita,
virya paramita, the perfection of diligence, energy or continuous practice.
Thich Nhat Hanh says we can practice recognizing the positive seeds that are in us.
We have a "store" consciousness where negative and positive seeds lie. If we water
the positive seeds they come up into our consciousnesss. Every time they do this
they get stronger.

I see the police man as a bell of mindfulness, reminding me to be present, to take
care of myself, nurturing me. I see the $90 as worth this reminder to be present
for myself, to take care of myself happily.

Diligence of practice.

Another Day

It is another day. Wind has come back and Pebble is kicked down the
river, and there is Rock once again.

"Hi Rock."

Rock says, "Pebble, maybe you can try therapy."

At least that's what Pebble thinks Rock is saying.

She is not stable like a mountain,
she is not present to Rock,
she is not in the present moment.
She is defending herself, screaming at Rock.

Later on she asks, "Am I sure?"
She finds a little crack of space and asks Rock, "Did
you say I need therapy?"

"No," he answers, "I was just suggesting different
things that might help with Wind. "

Sometimes Pebble who's been around 60 years,
knows so much, there is no room for what is.

Right View, Right Understanding, Right Perception.

Inclusiveness

Water went away, drought came. Wind found Pebble, branches once again
fell. Pebble had already made room for Wind, was cozy in her spot.
She wasn't angry, she didn't feel like a victim.
What's this about anyway? she silently asked herself. Wind and I have done this so often and I
never was able to stop and look deeply till now.

Later on, she saw Wind. "Wind," she said, "I noticed something interesting.
What's it about anyway? We do this thing where
I am here and enjoying this part of the Earth and you come along and drop all
these branches, even jostle me out of my place next to Boulder and Rock.

I don't know what it is about. I'm thinking this is interesting what we do
together.
What do you think it's about?"

Pebble had found the 1st paramita, generosity, had learned to give by
being present to another, to be stable, to be fresh, open to new ideas,
and she had found the 3rd paramita, inclusiveness, sometimes called
patience and forbearance. Instead of pushing away feelings of aversion,
hatred, anger, she could sit with them, let them be fuel for the compost
that creates beautiful flowers. The feelings didn't toss her about here and
there. She had found right view and right understanding. Just as Boulder
had shown her.

In the space for Wind, she asked, what do you think it is about?
In the space for Wind, she knew she didn't have all the answers.

2010

It is 2010. Pebble is resting here in the river tonight.
Boulder is here, right understanding, right view are
in Boulder. Boulder doesn't get caught in the river.
The river moves around Boulder. Rock is here too.
Rock rolls now and then, crashed into Pebble a few times.
Once they both went rolling down the stream
crashing violently into each other just before they found
a space and landed, not too far from each other.

Pebble sits with Boulder.

Wind comes down and whips the water violently. It
tosses branches into the water. Down, down, down they
come. Branches hit her as she rolls back up the river, back and back, far from
Boulder. She doesn't want to be back here, been here before
and it isn't so great. She wants to be there with Boulder and right
view.

She falls from the ledge she is on and goes deeper, resting
in concentration and attention to all that is around her.