Michelle Brandone
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I’ve absolutely done this myself Tricia. I totally understand wanting to push away a dear one’s anxiety — more wordless hugs are a good answer!!
Still dealing with this wrist injury on my dominant hand — still struggling to keep up with the regular pace of my daily life, and now with the added bonus of physical therapy exercises that for my well being I should do 2-3 times a day. It can feel like the whole day is an endless series of tasks — all work, no play in sight. Also feeling a bit in the doldrums returning from a beach trip with 4 good friends who have know me for over 30 years, I feel their absence and the absence of the one true goal of vacation which is pure enjoyment and relaxation… I guess “after the ecstasy the laundry” and how can I try to cultivate happiness, and hit my marks, and do all the things I need to do?
When I mix all this with the 4 reminders a few things can happen, I’ll talk at 2 here:
1. I can take the long view about this situation and feel a little better — this wrist injury is temporary, it is getting better day by day — all of humanity is in this suffering with me, I am not alone — I am fortunate in many ways. This attitude feels better, more workable.
2. I sometimes feel like refusing these larger contemplations and instead want to dig in my heels and wish all of this just wasn’t happening — ultimate non-acceptance! absolute refusal! much hiding underneath blankets! And so if I’m not in a mood to contemplate, trying to make myself do so results in a much worse attitude.
It’s a good reminder to take each day as it comes. It is all life, all a part of it — even when I can’t have the workable, “better” attitude.
Sue Ellen, I like how cozy your shrine sounds! Reading your response made me want to add some more objects representing my family on my shrine. I also love that a lot of your shrine is made up of objects that have been made/created/gifted to you. The quiet power of that is very moving.
Rachel, I’m really feeling what you’re saying here about integrity and letting the shrine unfold over time. I too feel the potential of future shrines that I am happy with and that inspire me!
As others have said, I consider my shrines to be works in progress — I am still deciding where I would like them all to be and what I would like to include. I fell on the ice two weeks ago, and I’ve been dealing with a wrist injury and surgery on my dominant hand so I’ve been a little distracted from this class and slow to do the homework! I realized when I thought about it that I actually do have plenty of objects around my house that could be collected in one place to make a shrine, and I like the idea of having “incognito” shrines that only I know are there.
I cannot help but associate making offerings and requesting blessings with my Catholic heritage — “smells and bells” as they say! I think that Catholicism uses the same methods that we are talking about in this class to connect to the sacred and it feels pretty natural for me — an easy, well trodden pathway for my mind to go down. Although I no longer actively participate in the Catholic tradition (the reasons as you can imagine are infinite), I was raised in it, and I continue to feel connected to some of the mass, sacred music and the writings of particular theologians. I’ve always felt an affinity to some of the Catholic saints and mystics. Requesting blessings for me sounds like a cousin to Julian of Norwich’s prayer, “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” I find it quite moving to think about all of my ancestors going back generations praying to the same saints and holy women — and I claim it as a part of my lineage. I definitely don’t want my house shrines to resemble Catholic altars, but I think some token or nod to that lineage will be involved (I’m searching for what it will be!) I already have tea lights, incense, and a woodblock print of the Buddha set up in the place where I meditate. I am going to include some books of poetry (Emily Dickinson will be there) that I connect with and maybe some fresh flowers as well. Being intentional about requesting blessings and making offerings makes my practice feel much more expansive and personal.
Hinayana: For me, I think of the Hinayana as just doing the task. Putting in the work. Simple, concrete follow through. For example, sometimes it is hard for me to just get to the practice of meditation. I tend to wander and putter around in the morning, Hinayana for me means just getting to it and knowing the sit doesn’t have to be perfect, but I do have to actually do it!
Mahayana: This is the place where I see the greater aspirations of my work, my intentions in taking this class (through a more focused study to see more clearly) and the way I show up for the people I love in my life.
Vajrayana: I think I only see this vehicle in flashes and very rarely in my practice. I remember when I first started practicing how alive my senses felt, I particularly remember eating a delicious summer peach and really paying attention to that experience in a very profound way. For me, I think the Vajrayana flashes come up more in my life experiences — or more like I can sense the edge of the Vajrayana sometimes. I remember during the pandemic when I lived in New York City, taking walks around my neighborhood and really looking at the plant life, esp the Spring flowers on the trees, I could *see* their magic — and they looked very different on those walks even though I had walked by them for years. I often get a sense of this vehicle (I think?) when something cataclysmic is happening in my life or the world — the outer serious circumstance wakes me up to the ordinary sacred in daily life. I think the idea is to bring the Vajrayana into your life even when the cataclysm is not present. I am not there yet!
Hi everyone! I’m Michelle in Binghamton, NY. I joined this class to begin again — I’ve done some Buddhist study in the past with Susan and others and I’m ready for another spin of the wheel. I’ve very recently left Brooklyn, NY after living there for 12 years and even though the move was intentional and chosen — I’m feeling a bit unmoored. I joined this class as one of my efforts to ground myself. I’m glad to be here with all of you!