Dharma perspective

I can’t tell you how nice it was to show up at class last night and see my Dharma friends

One in particular came and gave me a big hug and said that she was worried about me. As I hugged her, I said, call me…if you don’t hear from me via email (which is how we normally communicate, other than class), please do call me
 
I told her I was fine, that the summer is always a bad time for me for various reasons and that I would love to come and hang out with her and her husband some time soon
 
Another one of my long time Dharma friends, who is now retired, said that she is finally online and as I am typing this I realized that I didn’t get her email address!
 
It was so nice to catch up with everyone and especially be surrounded by all the things that make me feel at peace; the statues and the incense, offering bowls, even the saffron robes of the nun that runs the class
 
I smiled as I settled in and closed my eyes as we were led in guided meditation and a general setting of intention for the class
 
This particular class is on Choosing a Spiritual Teacher and what surprised me about it was that not only are we as the spiritual seekers looking for something particular in a teacher, but we have to be ready to receive the teachings. Being prepared or a proper vessel is just as important as the kind of teacher you choose
 
Definitely an interesting perspective and I really got a lot out of the first class
 
After class, myself and two of my Dharma friends stood in the parking lot and chatted a bit. One of them, her husband has some back issues and we discussed that for a bit. It then changed to my attitude problem and we all laughed as we talked about how hard it is to be a Buddhist 100% of the time.
 
Tammy, a long time friend and Reiki practitioner, laughed and said, hey, we’re all human, we’re allowed to be ourselves and don’t feel guilty at all about thinking negative thoughts.
 
We truly can’t be happy if we’re thinking negative things…so I figured, work out the negative stuff, and then perhaps I will truly be in a happy place
 
They suggested that we all sit down and just have a good old fashioned bitch session, foregoing all the Buddhist stuff for a minute and just get it all out there, and THEN go from that to understand what is the cause of all the suffering
 
I went home and was greeted by 2 dogs and a very wild kitten and a daughter that was in the throes of packing for her trip. Gotta love an adult child having a hissy fit about grandparents arriving for no reason, right in the middle of my packing mom!
 
I don’t think much could change my mood, not even her, as I walked around the house, getting things picked up and thrown away.
 
Why is it that we always feel like we have to clean the house before our parents come over?
 
Lekso was in rare form, feeling ever so much better and I laughed as he chased Mar up and down the hall. He’s in love with that girl, I tell ya, and for once she’s the momma and not me!
 
Watched some Olympics, Mar loves watching swimming (she’s a natural water person and loves being around the water…plus she thinks swimmers are hot) and finally went to sleep
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I slept really well for the first time in a long time as I remembered to do some simple breathing techniques from meditation class
 
Why I stayed away for so long is beyond me…I really need to make sure I go to as many teachings and classes as possible and surround myself with like minded people…it really is amazing how much of a difference it makes in how you view things and react to things
 
And I think a weekend retreat may be in my future…I am ready for that full immersion and I think that will be the best thing for me