Dhamma practice.

When Dhamma practice is not clearly understood it can easily be seen as a new hobby or pass-time or even a career direction. Something to do when there is nothing good to watch on television, or a way to make a living and be someone in front of others. True Dhamma practice is none of these things. True Dhamma practice is the way to complete and full liberation. So many people now want to be teachers rather than disciples, but being the disciple is when we learn. We may arrive in front of the teacher with goals and ambitions, but if we are blessed with a true teacher, they will always encourage us to leave all our ideas outside the Dhamma hall and simply be. To practice without intention or desire and surrender with love and awareness into the reality of the mind and body as they manifest moment after moment. Without this attitude of humility and ‘not knowing,’ whatever teachings are shared with us can easily be rejected or manipulated to suit our own limited, if highly intellectual understanding.
Our views and opinions obscure the pure Dhamma when we look only for those things that already agree with what we feel to be true.
One young woman wrote to me to say that she did not like the idea that romantic, sexual love is finished with enlightenment because it was a feeling she enjoyed, so what should she do?
I replied, “become enlightened first and then see what happens!”
How can we learn if we already think we know? The door to truth is closed and we will argue and dispute with others, even to the point of putting words into the mouth of the Buddha himself to support our own ideas. The Buddha that we must listen to is the Buddha of the heart, that already wise and loving part of us. Wisdom knows wisdom and the bow to the Buddha is the symbolic gesture of humbling ourselves before wisdom.
If we take our practice seriously we want to be free, not simply carrying more ideas and opinions and the truth that we realise is the truth we carry in our own heart. In every moment we are responsible for our life, so live with love and be aware. In this way you will be happy and able to share that happiness with all beings.

May all beings be happy.