Saturday, October 22, 2011

Happiness

Tonight I am sitting with myself reading and listening to lectures on TED.
My class on Happiness at the Zen Center is forcing me to reach out and investigate for class work.The title itself annoys me...I told the teacher I am leery of Happiness.
I listen to Matthieu Ricard it fascinates me to learn more about mind training. Alanon has helped pave the road to a new way of being with myself. The pure consciousness that lies under each human before it is covered over to deal with the world. Showing up for my life and doing the footwork all else follows.
Classes stretch my life.

Today I went swimming with my dear friend of many years. She brought her boyfriend, the Alcoholic along. As time progresses with her Alcoholic boyfriend she is more difficult to be around. The rage shoots out of her mouth. Yet today I called her and wanted to spend the day with her.
It is frustrating listening to her talk negatively to her boyfriend. Alanon is a progressive disease, I see it in myself and today in her.
My part in this is I know my friend is suffering from the disease. She is choosing not to get help for her life. I have a choice to continue to be her friend and set boundaries for myself or I can choose not to be around her anymore.
What boundaries can I set?

I practice compassion for myself as I watch a dear friend turn into a demonic monster from to the disease of Alcoholism. I will turn it over to HP tonight. Everyone has a HP -she he it- will watch over her just as they watch over me.


Matthieu Ricard
Consciousness is like a mirror that allows all images to rise on it. You can have ugly faces, beautiful faces in the mirror. The mirror allows that, but the mirror is not tainted, is not modified, is not altered by those images. Likewise, behind every single thought there is the bare consciousness, pure awareness.
So, because the basic fabric of consciousness is this pure cognitive quality that differentiates it from a stone, there is a possibility for change because all emotions are fleeting.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Such a good quote. I like the idea of that bare unconditioned and fresh apprehension of what is there in essence.

Syd said...

Yes, everyone has a Higher Power. And I know that I'm not it for those who are around me and having difficulty. The boundaries I have around those who suffer from alcoholic thinking are to remove myself when things get to be too much. I also can sit with a person, knowing that I cannot change them or get them to accept help. Thanks for writing this. It touched my heart today.

Annie

Annie