"Knowing how to be happy, imaginative, compassionate, wise and relevant as a human being is not easy. I find much of my frustration is coming to terms with that fact. And we search for answers outside ourselves in many ways, books, training, etc, but the point in mindfulness practice is to learn through direct experience. This is what knowledge means in buddhism: the experiential encounter with your own insight. And down the centuries, insights have been written down in sutras, rituals, books, and temples get built... But you have to remember that human insight preceded all of those manifestations, and that insight comes from our own heart, and our own mind.
"But it is difficult to access this insight, because we are profoundly distracted by our human nature, and the conditioning of the modern world, all the while forgetting that the world is full of the ruins of great achievements...”
Senior dharma teachers ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh, Larry Ward PhD and Peggy Rowe EdD are the leading proponents of Engaged Buddhism in the United States. Deeply inspired by Thay and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., they have committed their lives to non-violent social change, healing, and transformation at all levels: from individuals and communities, to the global scale. Peggy and Larry are co-authors of the book Love's Garden: A Guide to Mindful Relationships.
Republished with kind permission of the Lotus Institute.