Sravasti Abbey Monastics

This reminds me of a session I sat in on that spoke of “the ultimate teacher.” This concept that maybe, loud noises during a concentration meditation to having to pull out 10 rows of a crochet project to correct a mistake you made/missed earlier, to abusive personalities in your life, being useful tools is both true and challenging. “She never thought a struggle was more than a bet. And you never learn nothing from the good times that you get,” is a lyric from a song that, despite the grammatical error, embraces this notion. It’s not difficult to remember but, for me, the pain and noise in my head from a “strong trigger” can be so loud and impactful that it won’t “let the Dharma in” so to speak. I’m optimistic this will change in time as, habitually, I shut down after these events. After close to two years of practice my recovery time is shortening and I am rebounding easier. Thank You hard times. Thank you school yard bully, thank you neglectful care-takers, and much gratitude for my “rock bottom” moment as I am here, taking refuge in the tripple gem, and, “… I’ve only just begun to see the man I’ve always meant to be…”