It's The Light
by Joseph Emet
Mindfulness Practice Song that is part of Buddha's Book of Meditation (published by Tarcher/Penguin). It appears here by permission of the Publisher. It’s the light that I long for, not the clouds that I care for Here and now, or tomorrow, in the sky, in your eye, See the light, not the clouds, Here and now, or tomorrow, in the sky, in every eye. This mantra is looking for the spark that redeems the whole. It is looking for that bright moment that “makes” the day, the spark in the eye and the little words of appreciation that “make” the relationship. Is there no place for talking about your feelings if those feelings are not positive? People often come to me in private sessions to talk about problem areas in their lives, the “clouds.” And often I point them toward the light, either the light that is shining through the clouds or the light that is coming from other directions. It is there, but they do not look in the right place. And sometimes, in their preoccupation with problems, they neglect the importance of moving toward the light. Our heart’s desire, what we want to do with our lives, our goals and values, can all be sources of light. As we move toward them, their light becomes stronger and clearer and shows us the way forward. We can be mesmerized with darkness—the darkness that may be there in the past, or the darkness we anticipate in the future with anxious thoughts. But we may never be able to solve all the problems of the past! The way out of past problems is like a closed door—time has closed the door, and we bump into that closed door over and over again as we explore the dark areas of our past. Go to the past for a visit, go to enjoy the light if there is light there, but if all you encounter is darkness, don’t stay there too long. Come back toward the light of the present. The door of the future is not open yet. Is there light or darkness behind that closed door? That depends on you, to a large extent. You can bring light to the future, and then it will be bright. The future is waiting for the light. Don’t waste too much time gazing into a crystal ball. If you look closely, you will notice that every crystal ball is also a mirror—there is a subtle reflection of your face on its surface.
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