January 10 – Finding the way of balance

By | January 10, 2020

Dear Friends,

Continuing with the talk from Kamala Masters, “Equanimity-Seeing the World with Quiet Eyes

Kamala mentions the eight worldly conditions. They are:

  • Gain and loss
  • Fame and disrepute (when Adrianne Ross was in Saskatoon last October, she described this as “being seen and being ignored”, which might be more relateable)
  • Praise and blame
  • Pleasure and pain

Here’s what the Buddha has to say about these:

Practitioners, these eight worldly conditions revolve around the world, and the world revolves around these eight worldly conditions. What eight? Gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain. … An uninstructed worldling meets gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain. An instructed noble disciple also meets gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain.

~ Lokavipatti Sutta (AN 8:6)

What I appreciate is about the Buddha’s statements: these things happen, whether we’re a “good meditator” or not. We can’t escape from loss, disrepute, blame, pain – they happen. And so does gain, fame, praise, pleasure. We will get blown around by these winds. What we learn through practice is how to weather the storms with more ease and wisdom.

There’s a quote that Susie Harrington shared when I was on retreat with her in August, attributed to Phillppe Petit, a tightrope walker:
There is no balance, only balancing.

Kamala describes that notion this way,

We’re constantly in that homeostasis, flux – constantly finding the way of balance. This wisdom we’re learning – seeing the truth of how it is, taking it in, and learning the skillful means to navigate that place – we’re learning how to be in that kind of balance where we can find that place of ease more readily.

If we don’t, there’s equanimity to be there with it. That’s where we find the ease.

Guided meditation: Oren Jay Sofer led a meditation on “Equanimity of Being Here”, which brings in reflections on these ups and downs in life. It’s about 18 minutes.
https://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/248/talk/50391/

Feel free to share your reflections or comments below, or by email.

With warm wishes,
Andrea