Podcast First Words
So if you’re working with a teacher, you have teachings, you’re in a community, and you go along for your whole life practicing, then things will begin to change in an ordinary way. And that’s good.
But as far as I can tell, there are very few people in any community who are actually going deeper into the practice. Who are realizing more than just feeling a bit better, a bit more free, a bit smoother, or a bit more able to surf life’s ups and downs with a bit more equanimity. All these things are great. Karmas are unwinding, but very, very, very, very slowly.
You know I hesitated before even giving this talk because, really, what can I do? But still, I have this streak in me that has always wanted to live in the magical world. And also wants all of you to live there, too. So I just can’t seem to give up. But anyway, we do what we do.
So this is kind of a recipe.
First of all, you can’t be too complacent. You can’t be too satisfied with things. Sometimes people want to move into a new house, they want to have a new relationship, they want to change jobs, or make some kind of change like that. And really, even if they talk about it in urgent, radical terms, they really only want something that’s a little bit different. They’re really only looking for a tweak. There’s a feeling of complacency, in general. So if that’s your situation, then your spiritual practice will of course be like moving into a better house, but it will still just be a regular old house. Which is fine.
At the same time you can’t be too complacent. You can’t be too satisfied. You have to have this itch that keeps telling you there’s more.
