Reminiscing: My first step towards the path

In the Spring of 2012 I took my first class at the Kadampa Buddhist Center. I had been putting it off for nearly year. Periodically, I would check out their website, look at the class schedule, and find some reason for not attending a class or a Sunday morning teaching. Honestly, I was more than a little intimidated. I have never really been a joiner and I was concerned that upon visiting the center, I would be surrounded by fervent, empty eyed believers, like Scientologists or Amway salesmen.

When I finally communicated with someone at the center, they recommended I start with the Meditation 101 class, which is non-denominational. This class teaches basic meditation skills and would be of benefit should I decide to continue studying Buddhism.

Kadampa Center Stupa

I remember my first impressions of the center. Except for the stupa, the building is somewhat nondescript. The people in the lobby were warm and welcoming when I walked through the door. There seemed to be quite a few newbies attending the class, which was conducted in the Gompa (the place of quiet learning). There were pews in the back of the room, chairs down the sides, and cushions in the middle of the room - all facing the altar. Having been raised as a Methodist, I found the vibrant colors on the altar, in the tangkas (paintings), and prayer flags to be somewhat shocking.

But, when in Rome....

Lhamo

I took my place on a cushion. When our teacher, Lhamo, entered I was at first unable to stop staring at her shaved head, but that only lasted a few minutes. Her calm demeanor, thoughtful answers, and good humor soon won me over. Since that first class, I have spent time on the cushion nearly every morning to start my day as well as some evenings to end the day.

Nearly two years later, the vibrant colors are now soothing, the people continue to be happy and friendly, the teachers are inspiring, and while I am a long way from enlightenment, I just may be a slightly better person than I was - which is really the goal.

Spiritual Path: Karma Finally Catches Up With Me

Bangkok: 10 years ago. Today I would call it Karma.

Last summer I took a leap and followed a path that had been calling me. After a few classes on meditation I knew I had made the right decision, but there was so much to learn. Following the new year, I began attending a series of Discovering Buddhism classes offered through the Kadampa Center. This series consists of 14, six-week courses, each focused on one aspect of Buddhist philosophy. If you attend all 14 courses, including a two week retreat, and complete the assignments, you receive a certificate. 

It is possible that one day I may become a certified Buddhist, until then, I will continue working to improve myself. 

 The most recent course focused on the rather complicated topic of Karma. To complete the course, students were asked to answer this following question:  

 According to the Buddha, every aspect of our experience of life, no matter how trivial or insignificant, is the result of karma, our past actions of body, speech, and mind. Do you agree or disagree with this? Why? Whether you believe this or not, how would your life be different if you lived as if this were true?

My Answer:

Even before I took my first class at the Kadampa Center, I always felt that there was a cause and effect for all things that happen in this life – I simply lacked the framework for properly understanding it. Of course, I was previously more apt to apply this outlook to the problems of others rather than myself. From a distance it is often easier to see how someone is making a rather uncomfortable bed in which they will one day be whining about having to sleep. And, I hate to admit, I have rather bluntly and with a lack of compassion pointed out to family, friends, and co-workers that the unhappy situation in which they find themselves appears to be due to loose lips, poor choices, or not taking the time to read and follow the instructions.

Over the last ten years or so, I have attempted to think of myself as a self-contained, pragmatic person; however, following my recent introduction to the intricacies of Karma, I feel as if the light has broken through the clouds. Rather than attempting to exist as an island with no cares in the world, I now find that I am trying harder to be kind and compassionate to the people I interact with on a daily basis and more friendly to people randomly encountered throughout the day. I feel myself taking the time to recognize when I am being impatient, not practicing generosity, about to say something without thinking, or obsessing about the fly that is buzzing around my home. My nascent awareness (and sharp wit) may not prevent me from speaking before thinking in every occasion, but I do feel that by recognizing those actions that result in unhappiness and making the effort to avoid them, my happiness quotient has increased.

If I had this knowledge from an earlier age, rather than learning it at the contemplative age of 50, I am unsure how my life would be different today. Perhaps I would have worked harder to maintain some relationships and ended others more quickly. Perhaps I would have considered the long-term consequences of my choices rather than the short-term pleasures I sought. In retrospect, there are some decisions and words I wish I could take back. However, regardless of these past actions, today I can only learn from the past and act in a manner that generates positive karma to carry forward. After all, I would not be on this happy path today had I not acted as I did in the past. For that I am grateful.

Namaste!  

The Karma of Breaking Bad

Last year, I made a resolution to explore my spiritual side. This consisted of attending meditation classes at a local Buddhist temple. I followed that by taking an Introduction to Buddhism class. Since then, I have continued my meditation practice and reading. Buddhism is a bit like being your own therapist in that it forces you to be aware of your thoughts and recognize that YOUR actions and reactions result in your own happiness or suffering.  I am intrigued by these teachings, in that it is easy to see the wisdom of being both wise and kind as a means to avoid mental suffering.

I have found that my practice over the past year has made a noticeable difference in my life. I am a more considerate driver (LOL), more patient with and empathetic to others, slower to judge, more thoughtful in my speech, more focused on finding the positive, and much more analytical of my motivations resulting in a contentedness I have not felt for many years.

A few weeks ago, I took the next step on this journey by signing up for a Discovering Buddhism class, which is a two year course divided into 14 different curricula. The current course work focuses on Karma, which when directly translated, simply means “action.”

There are four laws of Karma

1)    Karma is definite: Virtuous actions always lead to happiness, while non-virtuous actions always lead to suffering.

2)    Karma expands over time like a seed that grows into a mighty oak tree.

3)    There is no result without a cause (i.e. cause and effect)

4)    Karma cannot be lost; however bad Karma can be purified and good Karma can be destroyed by anger.

Pretty simple actually - I am not to blame, but I am responsible for my life, my joy, and my suffering. Which brings me to the topic of today’s blog post: The AMC series Breaking Bad.

Several family members, friends, and colleagues have recommended this show, but I have been actively trying to reduce the amount of time I spend in front of the television, so I simply added the first season to my Netflix queue last year. A few weeks ago, the first CD made its way to my mailbox and I am now obsessed with the tragic life of Walter White.

If you are not familiar with the series, this synopsis from IMDB pretty much sums it up: “Informed he has terminal cancer, an underachieving chemistry genius turned high school teacher uses his expertise to secretly provide for his family by producing the world's highest quality crystal meth.” While there is plenty of tragedy, sadness, and anger, there is also plenty of love and humor to balance the series.

What intrigues me is that while I watch it, I see all the laws of Karma at work. Walter’s motivations are honorable, yet the non-virtuous means he utilizes for obtaining his goal does not lead to happiness and security for his family. Rather, as he states in a fit of anger, for every step forward, he is pushed three steps further from his goal. The karmic seeds he plants in the first season continue to bear bitter fruit in the second season and probably into seasons to come. His actions negatively affect not only his psyche, but also the lives of his family, co-workers, partners and “employees.”

Buddhists do not believe in chance, meaning we are where we are in life due to the choices we have made in the past. I am beginning to think there may be something to this since my Netflix queue seems to have been perfectly attuned to my spiritual journey.  Or maybe I am simply more attuned to Karmic results due to the classes I am attending. Either way, I am grateful for the life lesson and excellent entertainment this series provides.

Lesson learned: Meth is bad and will ruin your life – whether you are cooking, selling, or using it!