QUESTION
I’m now two days away from 75 years old! Wow!
I read one of the questions to you from a woman whose children moved her to a senior home. How unhappy she is because of the environment. This struck a chord with me.
Everyone here is older than me. This place is an independent living development and they have so many group gatherings. Of course I’m friendly enough but not interested in the chatty bit.
I feel like I will die here with many regrets not being able to reconcile with my daughter and family. I understand death can come anytime but I’m searching for a purpose and peace of mind not just have a comfortable place to live.
I’m not ungrateful for the help and comfort I have, just struggling with what can I do to be of benefit and contribute? Jobs are few plus my age is now a factor in getting hired.
I’m looking for work and hoping something comes soon.
Love,
A
ANSWER
Dearest A:
So glad you’ve settled into your home. After all these years, finally you have a lovely place: so special. And the result of your hard work all these years.
- Now you can focus on your practice and on being of benefit, as you say. You’ll find something, no doubt — you always do.
- It’s important to rejoice and to practice being content, as Lama Yeshe says. This is so hard for all of us. And what does “practice being content” look like? Literally, saying the words: “I’ve got my health, a place to live, my practice: amazing. This is enough.”
Lama would all the time say, “Good enough, dear!” And why he would always tell us that is because of attachment, which causes us to never be satisfied, to always think there’s something missing no matter how much we have or achieve. So we have to literally argue with that misconception. Say the words. Slowly, slowly we’ll start to actually feel content. It takes practice.
- Another thing is this, and we’ve been discussing that at this weekend’s teachings, because of our attachment, we want to see results immediately. But when we really understand the way karma works, we’ll realize that if we’re practicing every day, purifying our minds, living in our vows, keeping our commitment, our word of honor, with our lamas, then we are sowing unbelievable unbelievable unbelievable seeds in our mind. And seeds take time to grow into the fruits.
If you were a gardener and you’ve spent ages pulling out all the garbage, all the weeds, and now the ground is ready and you then put in all the seeds of all the fruits and veggies and flowers and trees that you want for the future, you’d be blissed out every day, wouldn’t you? The garden right now looks like nothing — all you can see is the bare earth. But you know the seeds are there, and you nourish them every day, with confidence that they will grow exactly as you planned.
THAT’S how we need to think when we have the view of karma. But because of attachment, we’re addicted to feeling we don’t have enough and desperately grasp at seeing the results right now.
Please, A, practice cultivating this view. It will transform you.
- You need to listen to the teachings.
This would transform you as well.
Love,
Robina
QUESTION
I want you to know I listen to your teachings online all the time. You post on Youtube and I enjoy the short videos, and the mantra recitations I play in a loop.
Currently I am listening to How to Face Death teachings.
Thank you for the review. Yes, I can change how I see things, change my mind.
ANSWER
I’m delighted to hear that you listen to the teachings, A: Youtube is perfect!
And you have reason to rejoice SO HUGELY in your hard work: you have achieved so much. Say it to yourself every single day.
Rxx