A SHORT PREFACE to this new monthly column
I was invited to write for PlanetLightworker: My current work
surrounds my passionate connection to The Bodhisattva Way -
The Path of the Compassionate Spiritual Activist/Warrior. 
My
new multi-media project under development, The Bodhisattva Challenge,
is a call to positive action within and without as a form of
service for the benefit of humanity. This column will be one
stream of communicating about inner work that I feel is so appropriate
for the needs of our time, and I am grateful to have such a
wonderful opportunity to share it with the PLW community.
I wrote a column for the July issue of PLW titled "The
Bodhisattva Challenge," based upon the work I feel called
to do, and it was after that I was asked if I wanted to write
a new column that was a next step up from the series I wrote
called "Guerilla Spirituality for the Fearless." I
chose the name, "The Contemporary Bodhisattva," as
a platform to marry ancient teachings with modern ones and offer
strategies for inner transformation that include both, while
living in current times and the challenges unique to this point
in human history on Earth. Without wishing to be redundant (although
I know repetition is very important in the learning process),
let me offer an overview, which includes some of the text I
have on my website, spiritualetiquette.com.
Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit term which translates as: Bodhi (awakened)
and sattva (pure being). A Bodhisattva is driven only by authentic,
heart-cracked open compassion, empathy and deep love. Their
focus is to actualize the highest level of human consciousness
possible for one reason alone: to selflessly help collective
humanity. Anyone who chooses to fearlessly embrace the Bodhisattva
Path will courageously endure any type of suffering and struggle
- both inwardly and outwardly - to help another sentient being.
A Bodhisattva is not focused on attaining the fulfillment of
their personal desires, and does not ask for their material
wishes and dreams to be simply given to them; they are drawn
first and foremost to spiritual abundance. They see that being
of selfless service with dignity and strength (and often "tough
love") is the fast track
to higher states of consciousness - but they aren't competitive
in the least or motivated by ego gratification in any way. They
see no one as more or less important than they, and treat everyone
the same way.
Although attributed by name to Buddhist philosophies, and specifically
to the Bodhicaryavatara, an ancient text written by the eight-century
sage Shantideva, a Bodhisattva in contemporary times is sort
of a "spiritual free agent" who draws from universal
truths found in diverse ancient religions - as well as from
within modern popular culture, and therefore is not vulnerable
to the traps inherent in claiming one path to be superior over
another. Each daily situation becomes a means of potentially
actualizing a state of awakened consciousness, and existence
loses any sense of compartmentalization; no longer do they separate
who they are according to circumstance. Work, school, relationships,
family dynamics, recreation, etc. all find them acting the same
way: transparent, integrated and impeccable. Bodhisattvas come
from all backgrounds and interests, and tend to blend in and
get along with practically everyone. They never force their
beliefs on anyone; instead they work to find common ground to
help promote inclusiveness and acceptance.
When someone enters the way of the Bodhisattva, they begin to
shift away from their old mental patterns toward the discipline
and freedom
of newer, more spiritually productive grooves called Bodhichitta,
or, the awakened mind. Doing the deep work of radical self-inquiry
to unveil the shadow qualities and bugs in our operating system
that hold us back from growing spiritually, and committing ourselves
with gratitude and humility to actualize transparency between
what we profess to believe, the ideals we feel aligned with
and how we act in every moment of every day, as a form of egoless
service to humanity IS the Bodhisattva Way.
For those on the Bodhisattva Path, no volatile emotions or actions
are extended toward anyone others may perceive as "the
enemy," nor is there any jealousy, competition, possessiveness,
elitism, exclusion, dishonesty, betrayal or a drive or be noticed
or gain approval. Love, compassion, empathy and wise, fearless
discernment frame every thought, choice, action and behavior
of a Bodhisattva.
Living the life of a Contemporary Bodhisattva is a path open
to anyone who simply feels called to serve humanity and the
planet we all share, particularly during these difficult times
when your help is so deeply needed, and is inclusive to all
faiths and beliefs.
The Bodhisattva Challenge, as I humbly try to present it to
anyone who is drawn to the work it embodies, is intended to
be taken on with a spirit of joy and adventure, always being
mindful it is chosen as a path of service to humanity. This
keeps us from indulging ego resistance and defensiveness and
"good excuses" during the excavation of even our deepest,
oldest, most spiritually self-destructive patterns. Because
it is a genuine Path With Heart, the wider our own hearts are
broken open with compassion, empathy and love for all of humanity,
the easier it becomes to be that change we wish to see in ourselves
to be of most profound impact in the realm of positive possibility.
I want to spend the rest of the time in this month's column
talking about a practice our Tibetan Buddhist friends call "tonglen."
Tonglen is about experiencing wholeness, and not focusing on
partialities or dualities. In incorporates the Taoist perspective
of yin/yang: male and female, birth and death, light and shadow,
giving and taking, in the inner and outer planes of existence.
Tonglen is about the fluid embodiment of fullness and balance,
and the cessation of divisive perceptions, choices, actions
and behaviors. Tonglen helps us move out of self-orientation
and the endless seeking of fulfillment of our shifting desires
as a futile attempt to gain lasting happiness, as well as the
tendency to avoid and run away from anything we feel is unpleasant,
including looking deeply within.
Tonglen as a formal, tangible aspect of our spiritual practice,
originated in India and came to Tibet in the eleventh century,
and is a key element in the Bodhisattva Path of learning and
living. It is an extension of mindfulness, and is a discipline
that creates new mental grooves of response to any time we find
ourselves feeling either separate from others, or overwhelmed
by our own process of shadow behavior transcendence - either
situation that can drive us into shutting down, withdrawing
or resisting, and instead going toward isolation, defensiveness
and "justifiable" (in our minds, that is) conflict.
What
is so helpful for anyone who makes a conscious choice to embrace
the path of the Compassionate Spiritual Activist/Warrior as
service to humanity is knowing that all human beings struggle
with common challenges all the time. Everyone else also experiences
those times we are stuck in our own internal maze of confusion
and pain at any given time. This can give us a sense of immediate
compassion and empathy for not only everyone else, but for ourselves
as well, and inspire us to carry on no matter what comes our
way. By incorporating the practice of tonglen regularly, we
find ourselves losing focus of the large picture of collective
oneness less often, and when we do, we can draw the arrow of
tonglen from our quiver and send it out like a boomerang, so
that it touches all of us: including the giver and the receivers.
Tonglen, in physical practice, uses meditative breathwork to
re-mind us of the interwoven cycles of existence and universal
human experience. It can be used anywhere at any time, whether
you are in the middle of a situation of personal pain and suffering,
or witnessing that of others. With so much pain occurring around
us in the world at the present time, tonglen is a great comfort
and can be used concurrently as a prayer for goodwill, hope
and strength. We breathe in deeply and completely feel whatever
emotions and thoughts are bombarding our consciousness without
judgment, only acceptance and acknowledgement. Then we breathe
out and release those thoughts and emotions that are causing
us to experience pain, and embrace the high, healing energies
of compassion, empathy, kindness, possibility and hope, as well
as whatever else can cause us to experience comfort and release
from the tight grip suffering of any sort can take upon our
hearts and minds. The Dalai Lama who practices tonglen every
day, said, "Whether this meditation really helps others
or not, it gives me peace of mind. Then I can be more effective,
and the benefit is immense."
More specifically, the application of tonglen is undertaken
as follows:
Take
a few moments to relax your mind and feel a sense of stillness.
(which includes their own unresolved shadow behavioral tendencies,
as well as indoctrinated ignorance and divisiveness). Know
that love, compassion and forgiveness, and not clinging to
"justifiable" hate and anger are what will shift
reality inside and outside of us. This does not mean you need
to back down whenever you observe any crimes being committed
against humanity; it simply means shifting how you deal with
it. Unconditional love does not mean standing by passively
when abuse of any kind is taking place; rather it means not
enabling darkness by inaction or meeting it with additional
violence in thoughts or deeds.
not as immovable as you once thought it to be. As you continue
practicing tonglen with no sense of pressure of having to "get
somewhere" with it, you'll find yourself increasingly able
to authentically be there for others, and hold compassion for
all sentient beings, even with those whom you never thought
possible. That is but one of the gifts a Bodhisattva brings
in service to all humanity.
