Friday, May 30, 2014

Letting Go


I just finished my morning round of QiGong and I was a little upset with myself because it took me one complete round (about 15 minutes) for my monkey mind to settle down.  Once that happened I forgave myself and started over.  But now as I sit here I wonder how often we are human beings and how much of the time we forget to just be and thus are human doings.  So, stop right now and ask yourself, “Self, am I am human being or a human doing right now?”
Well, what are you?
There are a number of stories about Pavlov’s last words.  By some accounts he said, “Help me, I must get dressed.”  I guess that being appropriately dressed for death could be important to some.  My favorite story however is that Pavlov was confined to his bed in February, 1936 in Leningrad.  A cold place by all accounts.  One of his students is reported to have gone outside and brought in a plate of snow.  Pavlov watched the snow as it slowed melted, said, “Now I understand how it is.” and died.  To me he watched the snow as it effortlessly let go of its form and went trough a state change to water, and then he did the same.
There are times when we need to let go, to quit being humans doing things and just be humans being humans.  Sometimes we need to be like the melting snow.
Peace,
Dr. Dave / Keisho Ananda, Bikkhu