SARA BARCHUS-FERRARI | Zen Wisdom

If you don’t water weeds, they won’t grow. if you do, then your garden will be overrun. Some people don’t mind this, however. Many weeds produce beautiful flowers.

Meditation makes you clearer as to when thoughts and feelings arise as well as the motivations behind them. You begin to see the roots and seeds of vexations within you, and with such clarity comes the ability to deal with them better. You can refrain from acting on these thoughts and feelings. If you don’t water weeds, they won’t grow. If you do, then your garden will be overrun. Some people don’t mind this, however. Many weeds produce beautiful flowers. At least, however, you will know who is responsible for the consequences.

Awareness brings control and power, power to deal with your vexations. You may give in to them anyway, because you can’t do otherwise, or because you want to give in. There is the saying that ignorance is bliss. Those who are completely controlled by their thoughts and desires have no idea why they do what they do. They say, “This is who I am, ” and suffer the consequences time and again. Some blame others. Some just resign themselves to a life of suffering.

Hopefully, practitioners are different. Hopefully, meditation, repentance and the Dharma can bring one greater self-awareness, self-control and humility. However, Buddhists are not perfect and the spiritual path is not always smooth, straight, or clearly marked. That is why it is called practice. For all of us there will be times when the flood comes. The best advice I can give for times like that is to keep your mind on your practice, learn how to swim, keep your head above water, and get on to higher ground. You must learn how to survive your own floods.

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