Goodness.

Life is difficult. We need to work, we need to eat, and all the while we’re navigating the stress of relationships, injustice, and the like. In such a world, a refuge is required. I don’t mean going into a bubble, taking on an illusive way of seeing the world, and getting wrapped up in the false assurance of a philosophical understanding of reality. Rather, an adequate refuge for the trepidations of being human is a guidance toward an approach to life that would reap good, meaningful results. Taking refuge in such a way means having reverence for one’s own life and the way they live it.

This lifetime is precious. There’s immense potential to do good and feel good. All the better if as little harm as possible is done. In such an opportune state as we have the good fortune to be in, it’s best to take advantage of that state and fine the most enriching way to live.

This is, in part, why I practice meditation. Not only does it entail putting a stop to the relentless Flow of consumption; but it’s a completely harmless way of finding pleasure and training the mind. Here, training shouldn’t be seen as a regimented adherence to a strict code of conduct set forth with a dogma in mind, but rather seeing things as they are for the sake of abandoning cycles of thought that cause oneself and others harm.

I complimentary practice to meditation is contained with the Buddhist concept of merit (puñna). Think of it moreso as good energy, the good vibes produced from wholesome, enriching deeds. The three kinds of merit are generosity, virtue, and meditation.

As this blog continues, I’ll definitely be writing more on this topic. I’d like the takeaway of this most to establish the fact that life is hard, life is stressful. It’s not difficult to assert this truth. We grow old, wrinkles on our faces, creaking, aching bones, and a ever-changing world. There’s sickness. We all know sickness, a rash, a cold, cancer, and the debilitating pain of diseases like arthritis or sickle cells.

Then there’s death. Everyone knows death, and if we don’t, then we know for sure that we will.

So in the course of living, we need an amount of assurance that these aren’t the only things in store for us. Theres a possibility of transcending the oppressive nature of our reaction to the hardships of life. I hope to grow in my practice of these protections, and, in due course, see the goodness spread around.