I'm aware that with today's technology,
Artificial intelligence can summarize any topic of the Buddha's teachings in a matter of seconds,
And you would get a much better article than anything I could ever write.
The only things I can share that ChatGPT cannot offer are personal experiences from my own life where applying the ancient teachings has been tremendously helpful.
After all,
Our challenges today with attachment,
Judgment,
Desire,
Aversion,
Greed,
Ego,
Hatred,
And ignorance are not modern problems.
And despite what many people would like to think,
There's nothing personal or unique about any of our issues.
We are all subject to what Taoism calls ten thousand sorrows and ten thousand joys.
A friend recently told me,
Of all the things I've lost,
I miss my health the most.
This deeply resonated with me because health is the highest luxury we can experience in life.
Think about it,
The moment any of us lose our health,
We would willingly trade anything to get it back,
But that's not always an option.
Sure,
We may sacrifice certain things to improve or maintain our health,
But it's rarely an immediate exchange with instant results.
I recently had to trade a once-in-a-lifetime experience in order to recover from yet another medical setback.
And let me tell you,
I didn't even hesitate for a second to cancel my plans so I can focus on getting better.
A wonderful couple in Cape Town,
South Africa,
Flew me down to officiate their wedding at Mount Rochelle Nature Reserve.
Unfortunately,
I apparently caught some sort of bacterial infection on the flight over,
And although the ceremony portion of the trip shortly after my arrival went smoothly,
I remained painfully ill for the rest of my stay despite multiple doctor appointments,
A surgical consult,
And various medications.
I was so looking forward to that trip for months,
And we even pre-scheduled additional adventures for my visit,
But you know what they say,
If you want to make God laugh,
Make plans.
The Buddha's very first teaching is a realistic reminder that aging,
Sickness,
Pain,
Discomfort,
Sorrow,
And death are inevitable.
Any attempt to resist them creates even more frustration,
Irritation,
And anguish.
The only real power we have over the unavoidable is how we choose to respond to it.
I mentioned the story in the opposite of Namaste,
But it bears repeating here,
The Buddha compared physical pain to being shot with an arrow.
Adding mental pain to it,
Such as aversion,
Displeasure,
Or self-pity,
Is like being struck by a second arrow.
We may not be able to avoid the first arrow,
But with enough practice,
We don't need to suffer the second.
So when people asked me for specific details about the medical issues I was having in South Africa,
I chose not to wallow in my sorrow or listen to myself complain,
But to focus on healing instead.
This message is an invitation and reminder for all of us to safeguard our health by avoiding the second arrow in all situations,
Especially if things don't go according to your plans,
Your hopes,
Or your wishes.
When we focus on health,
All the opinions we tend to fret and argue about become trivial in comparison.
So please,
Don't wait until you are sick to realize this.
Our time here is short,
Our energy is limited,
And our highest calling is to be kind to ourselves and others.
In sickness and in health,
I vow to continue to be of service.
Thank you for being on this journey with me.
I appreciate you.
