Do you ever wonder why your life looks a certain way?
How does it come about that each of us lives in a particular place, with certain people who think in fairly similar ways, doing a particular kind of job, and living a lifestyle that we have grown accustomed to?
Even if, once in a while, we feel a prompting to break free of old confining routines or situations, somehow, in spite of that surge of possibility, we sink back into the familiar pattern, feeling vaguely trapped and unable to change our circumstances.
Maybe we even have a sense that ‘the possibilities are endless,’ and yet, we don’t know how to get from where we are to where we might want to go.
In a recent teaching at the HÜMÜH Skycliffe Monastery and Life Science Centre, Wisdom Master Maticintin noted, “It is interesting that we have a sense that ‘the possibilities are endless’—which is true. However, it is not true for most people, because most of us live within the circle of our own karma.”
We just keep making the same familiar choices because, at least, we know what they are. In that way, they feel comfortable.
Like when we always choose strawberry ice cream because we don’t know if we would like another flavor as much.
Not that choosing strawberry is ‘bad’ or ‘wrong,’ but it repeatedly limits us to having just one, particular experience over and over, round and round in the same circle, never allowing some new or unknown possibility to enliven our lives.
Maybe, we can recall being drawn towards a particular new situation or experience without really knowing why—possibly a new job, or a trial exploration of shifts in family responsibilities and relationships.
However, instead of going towards this opportunity, we pulled back into the old familiar ‘comfort’ zone.
So the possibilities we originally sensed with a quickening of interest, instantly became no longer ‘endless’ for us.
Once again, we chose to pull back from even exploring them.
Vaguely afraid of what ‘might’ happen, year after year, we stick with the well-known ‘strawberry ice cream’ of life and miss out on the vitality that comes from an experience of knowing that we can go beyond our ordinary existence.
If you would like to ‘expand your possibilities’ this summer, you are very welcome to drop by the HÜMÜH Skycliffe Monastery and Life Science Centre and enjoy a couple hours of quiet time on the grounds.
The HÜMÜH Monastery is open to visitors every day from 9 am to 4 pm; and on Sundays, visitors are invited to attend the Sunday Service at 11:45 am.
After the service, visitors are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the monastery grounds, including the Forest Temple of Enlightenment, the Golden Healing Stupa and Red-Rock Stupas, Amitabha Vista, and the River Walk, as well as to make use of spiritual training tools, such as, the Edge Walk, the Labyrinth, the Karma Shedding Pit, and the Whirling Circle. For directions to Skycliffe, as well as, information about retreats, or Sunday lunch reservations email Reservations@HUMUH.org or call 1-800-336-6015.
– Contributed by the HUMUH Skycliffe Monastery