Live the Dharma

One of the problems that occurs when you learn to live your dharma is that at some point, things start to become OK, and your suffering starts to diminish. And while a lack of suffering seems like a great problem to have, or even problem-less, for a novice like me, it can lead you to a place of contentment where you don’t feel you need dharma anymore.

Suddenly, things are alright, and you drift back into a state of worldly seeking. It’s almost automatic, and such a gradual change that it is very difficult to discern.

At some point, you’ve closed your senses to the dharma and your connection to the spiritual closes off. That’s when the universe has no choice but to disrupt your life – often times in a dramatic fashion.

Very recently, this happened to me. Things were going OK, and I stopped reading, meditating, and learning. It wasn’t that I didn’t care, but I just couldn’t find the time.

I started craving, desiring, and seeking. I was seeing red, where before I was seeing blue.

At first, the universe tried to tap me on the shoulder. Little things started to break. Clothes started to stain. I couldn’t find my watch.

No big deal. Those things are inexpensive, and I can easily fix or replace them.

The message went unnoticed.

Next, the universe tried a bit harder. It spoke in my ear and put a little pressure on my arm.

I woke up and someone sprayed silly string on my 10 year old car. No big deal – it’s old, and it’s paid off. It already had a few scratches anyway.

The universe didn’t give up.

It started following me everywhere, cutting me off as I tried to walk away.

My precious iPhone, which was in perfect condition, suddenly fell out of my pocket and got scratched and dented to hell. For a few days I fumed over it, and then I stopped caring. The new iPhone was coming out in June, I’ll just buy a new one then.

The universe kept going.

It gathered full speed and tackled me to the turf, holding me down while it spoke.

My brand new car, which happened to be the most expensive car I’d ever purchased, got hit by a rock and got its first dent. A few days later, a scratch showed up. Later, my Macbook Air, another new shiny device I was proud of, fell off the couch and got its first ding.

Suddenly, things were falling apart all around me, beginning with my most beloved and expensive possessions.

And that’s when it hit me.

Nothing Lasts Forever, Even if You Try to Force it to

Of course I knew this already, but I tried to hide in ignorance. As you can see, it didn’t work.

The interesting thing about dharma is that when you stop practicing, it starts practicing for you. I had shut the universe out of my life, leaving it no choice but to interrupt to get my attention once more.

It now has my attention.

This was my lesson on impermanence, and it hurt. I learned that you can’t outrun it, no matter how hard you try. I learned that even the sturdiest and most valuable possessions will fall apart before you are ready for them to. Most importantly, I learned that it’s coming for me next.

Acknowledging impermanence is suffering, but it’s less than what comes with ignorance. The universe has endless energy, and it never gives up. We are the rock the waves beat against in order to create perfection.