Remember to Receive Life

Remember to receive life as it is.

This is the first step towards living in reality rather than in dreams which can easily turn into nightmares when we identify with them. If we don’t identify with the dreams, we can feel freedom in our hearts. Then we can go through both nightmares and pleasant dreams but not need to depend on any of them to be happy. Then we experience life as it is and let go of life – we don’t push it away; we just let it go. This is not ‘me’ doing something; it is a clear seeing.

Awareness itself is what enables the mind to let go.

We use this teaching as an entry into learning, with an approach that is tolerant and accepting, benevolent and compassionate. It is not an approach that continues to divide, dissect, make judgements and criticize. It is an approach that is whole, wholesome, all-encompassing; an approach of non-contention, as Ajahn Sumedho would describe it.

We are not contending with the reality of ‘now’; we are just able to see it as it is.

This reflection by Ajahn Sundara is from the book, Paccuppanna, (pdf) pp. 45-46.