Sanjida
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I felt pain in your words, and it touched my heart. The idea of devotion to a guru is tricky for me too. Like you, I feel like to devotion needs to be to something higher/ beyond an individual, fallible human.
I felt the same way about the idea of “devotion” to a guru/lama. Something about that felt like idealizing another human being, which I find problematic. I have tremendous respect and appreciation for my teachers, but something about devotion seems like it requires a surrender of some judgement… eg. the beginnings of cultish attitudes.
I like what you said in your last lines, where a guru or teacher can help you focus your devotion (to the teachings) and reflect it out into the world.
When I read this article, I was in alignment with everything I read until the last paragraph about “devotion to a Lama” as “the best method to eliminating obstacles during meditation.” I suspect something is lost in translation. On the surface it seems like the devotion he’s talking about is his devotion to his teacher – aka human teacher, and the “devotion” he’s talking about feels like it can easily slip into a attitude that this person/lama is an embodiment of some ideal. Many people above have already noted how problematic this can be to elevate or idealize another human.
However, I expect that’s not what he meant by that one sentence because he goes on to make clear that the Lama is not better or different than ourselves. So, is it like we need to be devoted to the path/teachings? It makes more sense if I think about devotion to the path/ teachings because that transcends any individual. I can get behind devotion to the purpose of stepping on the path – my aspiration to be of benefit and to not create harm. Devotion has a sense of love imbued in it. When I think about discipline to the meditation technique as an act of devotion to the path, it somehow makes it a more uplifted acivity than a finger-wagging kind of feeling I usually feel about the word discipline.
The teachings or lineage for me don’t come from one place. They come from the values my parents/anscestors instilled in me, Muslim, humanist, and budhhist philosophy.
“We do not and cannot know what will happen. As the future unfolds, we can act from the best parts of ourselves.” Thank you for sharing this quote! Such a simple, straightforward reminder (along with the reminder to breath).
I’ve written it down for myself as a reminder, and put “The Quaking of America” on my reading list!
Hello! I’m Sanjida, also here in Rockville, MD! Susan’s book “The Wisdom of a Broken Heart” sparked my explorations of meditation and Buddhist philosophy over 10 years ago, and I’ve been following her since. I recently completed 5 years of Karuna Training, a program in contemplative psychology, and now serve on the faculty. I’m looking forward to fortifying my meditation practice and improving my facilitation skills.
I manage clinical trials, working fully remotely with my two cats. I spend much time deleting their “contributions” to my work after they lie on or walk across my keyboard. I also have part-time custody of my family’s Wheaton Terrier.