Authenticity, A Challenge & Piss
A puddle of piss no less!
Today we have a piece on one of our four qualities - authenticity - by our colleague Paramita. But first, two things: this week’s practice session from Kaspa, with a Dharma talk about looking after each other and a tricky toilet situation. Also, a challenge for you.
🌞 Summer Dharma Challenge 🌞
One of the things I love about our approach at Bright Earth is that we are open to receiving the Dharma from everywhere and everyone - not just from the Buddha's formal teachings.
One of the sources of this inspiration is Dharma Glimpses - written by members of our sangha and read out during our practice sessions.
Here is my challenge to you: Write THREE Dharma Glimpses (or one if you want to start slow) by the end of August and send them to me at satya@satyarobyn.com.
What is a Dharma Glimpse? A DG is a short piece of writing in ordinary language by ordinary people, about ordinary events. They can be a paragraph long, or a page long. They can include a Buddhist teaching or not. The important thing is that you tell us what happened and also tell us what little piece of inspiration you received. Did what happened give you a different way to think about yourself or others? Did it remind you to be grateful? Did it show you something new? You can read more instructions here and example Glimpses here.
We don't have to read them out in practice - just let us know when you send them. I would love to read them. It will also be helpful for you to write them, as a way of consolidating whatever it is you learnt. Let me know if you’re in!
If you missed it, here’s a talk Kaspa & I gave at a recent retreat day: The Thread You Follow. Now, over to Paramita.
Authenticity
In practice the other week I spoke about the shadow side of human nature. In particular, my struggle to allow it in, as part of a moving towards wholeness practice that I have been engaged in recently. This seems relevant in light of the Four Values of the Bright Earth Order – Faith, Authenticity, Compassionate Action and Inclusivity.
I spent some extra time thinking about authenticity, what it means to me and how it feels like a bit of a slippery, maybe even intellectually elusive subject.
When I think about authenticity, I think about honesty - speaking and acting from the heart. Standing up for what I know to be right and speaking out against what I feel as being wrong. I do not always manage to do this, however. In the heat of the moment, for me, there are often many very real factors that stand in the way of my idea of how I should respond to trouble.
Here are two of the most potent ones: There is my social conditioning, which forbids me to upset the status quo, and to which I am often mindlessly obedient. And, there is the overwhelming freeze trauma response, that quite literally disables me altogether at certain times and under certain circumstances, as a result of a very painful and damaging history.
So, realistically, with this in mind, authenticity might be, recognising and moving towards acceptance that all these things about me are true and real, and that, it seems, that I can also be, brave, kind, conscientious and disarmingly diplomatic – whether those qualities actually originate from within me, or not!
Authentic response often comes for me in reflection after the fact. Those moments of shame and remorse, when the tide of endorphins recedes, and reality emerges in alarming contradistinction to how I thought it had been. When I realise that I was wrong and must allow my self-delusion to be cut down if I am to retain my dignity and learn anything useful from my mistakes.
I always imagine that, given the evidence that I have of my deep brokenness, foolish nature and the age-old karma that shapes my circumstances, my actions and even my, often quite crooked thinking and thought processes - in and of myself, I am probably completely incapable of real, true authenticity. At best, and if I am lucky enough to recognise the trouble that all this implies, I might be able to approach my practice authentically, with some degree of urgency, and therefore forge the kind of connection with Amida through which authenticity naturally arises in me, as a reflection of their spiritual power and unconditional love.
Maybe this represents the limit of my knowledge and understanding about this subject. It wouldn’t be the first time I have found myself surrendering my limits to the will of a higher power.
We are told that Nembutsu is the authentic desire of Amida to provide us with an accessible means of salvation from a mind-blowingly tricky predicament. It is my experience that the practice of Nembutsu brings great joy and love into the lives of those who follow its simple path. It finds its way into our hearts and works its authentic magic in our lives, even as we struggle to make sense of the moral and ethical dilemmas that we face on our colourful and challenging journeys towards true understanding and whole-hearted authenticity.
Namo Amida Bu!
~ Paramita
Here’s our menu of Bright Earth offerings. Ready to dip a toe in? How much time would you like to put aside every day? Are any of these practices calling to you?
🙏🏻 1 minute a day - Everyday Gassho (two bows a day) - read Rev. Kubose’s instructions
🙏🏻 5 - 10 minutes a day - start a daily chanting practice - take our free 30 day email course here
🙏🏻 30 minutes - write a Dharma Glimpse - write one and send it to us
🙏🏻 45 minutes - Bright Earth Buddhist practice - join us live or on Youtube