Thursday, May 24, 2007

NoLIta, May 2007


Before I began practicing Buddhism, I had an idea that being enlightened was a permanent state. Once enlightened, always enlightened.

But since then, it's been explained to me that enlightenment - whatever it is - isn't permanent at all. (Just as all other states are also transient, from happiness to anger.) Enlightenment comes in flashes - for a brief second, maybe while meditating, a door opens and the light comes on. Then, though that feeling may leave you with a lasting impression, the door usually closes again.

The trick, I suppose, is not clinging to that feeling of "I get it!" After all, if you're thinking "I get it," then your mind is occupied with thinking and you've already broken the spell of merely being.

On another note, today is my blog's birthday! A whole year of blogging. And how the blog has changed - it began merely as a place to show off photos, and now here I am, blabbing away. I told Pod yesterday that had I found Flickr before Blogger, I might never have started a blog. Funny how things work out!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your blog anniversary Steve. I love your photos and your "blabbing".

M

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary! I'm SO GLAD you found blogger first!

About enlightenment, until this very moment I thought it was about rising to the next level and then staying there, but of course it's transient. Of course!! Thank you so much for explaining what was right in front of my face!

Anonymous said...

great post, weird--we were just discussing this very thing late last night!

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary to Shadows and Light! I, for one, am glad you added your "blabbing" - I think it's so much more personal and interesting this way (though I also enjoy your photos).

As for enlightenment, for me, the problem comes when we see it as some state to be "attained", we box it off -- when, I believe, we are already as "enlightened" as we ever need to be. It's allowing ourselves to SEE that truth that is the challenge.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday !.