The best thing.

When we arrive at Pure Dhamma training we are given the best and purest advice as to how to be free from the suffering and difficulties in our life and how best to serve others. We are to cultivate the balance of love and awareness and so stop simply following the mind and its endless thoughts, moods, feelings, emotions, desires and fears.

To recognize them all as clouds passing through an empty sky, not me, not mine and not what I am and, more importantly, to recognize that each one only ever has the power we give it. The moment we let go of our habit of identifying every mental movement as 'me' and 'mine', we are free.

However, this advice is often rejected because it seems to be too easy or conversely, too difficult or simply does not fit our own idea of how true spiritual teachings should sound or be.

And so, even if we are offered the best and purest way of training, we look for what we believe is the next best thing and so side step the path to liberation.

Now, in these days of Corona virus anxiety, an inter species malady, climate and global stress we still resist the best thing.

To stay at home, to be still, to eat good food, and perhaps most importantly, to become vegan. At least part of the cause of the global virus is connected to the fascination with the killing and then eating the flesh is of fellow beings on the planet. Of course it is easily argued that in the twenty first century it is not necessary to consume the flesh of animals after they have been cruelly treated, tortured and filled with steroids and hormones, but it is easily accepted as 'normal'.

Now is the time to look at the best thing; to live with love and be aware for nothing is greater than this.

The world offers many things, but all are fundamentally empty and so diminish in the shadow of Dhamma.

When the heart is open, when we truly love ourselves, we love all beings, selflessly and kindly, and that love radiates into the world. However we can argue about this, it is the best thing, it is the best thing for you, the best thing for the planet and the best thing for all the beings we share our life with.

May all beings be happy.