February 27, 2025
Attention: In Practice as in Life
Most
of the time it’s easier to look away from our troubles, personal or
global, than straight at them, and sometimes that self-protection is
necessary. Turning away may offer the Buddhist values of refuge,
stability, and tranquility.
However, Buddhist wisdom also maintains the importance of paying
attention, or focusing on, suffering to understand and alleviate it. We
need both calm and equanimity—the sublime state that means poise or
steadiness—to withstand the vicissitudes and pain of life. With this
resilience, we can look closely for enough time to cultivate wisdom.
This is the goal of mindfulness meditation and a goal we can also hold
for real-world applications. Sometimes the world is too much to take,
and withdrawing from information overload helps us find solid footing,
or refuge. Sometimes looking directly at the storm can help us find
solid ground, too.
This week’s Three Teachings recognizes the power of attention, not just in practice, but also in life.
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