If we are accustomed to eating out three times a week, and for financial reasons can only eat out twice, we feel deprived. Additionally, if we only eat at exclusive restaurants (wouldn’t be caught dead in a chain!), then we will feel disadvantaged if we have to eat at an Olive Garden, or, dare I say it, . . . a Wendy’s!
Before we deprive ourselves in this manner, we will probably hit our credit cards in order to keep our life bright and cheerful. And if our credit cards become overheated, we will just refi the house and make everything good again . . . again . . .and again. This is the current thinking in private America .
Corporate America is no different. Leverage is the byword and everybody is doing it. Not many years ago, borrowing was an exception, but borrowing has become the rule and is factored into almost every equation of our lives. Without credit, our house of cards would quickly tumble; personally, and nationally, because nothing backs up our credit.
The Buddha said that life is a series of conflicts, and that these conflicts are caused by our “wanting." Our grasping at things fuels an incessant discomfort, and when the things that we grasp at and then acquire threaten to disappear; fear results. To overcome this fear, we dig ourselves in deeper every day to maintain our level of satisfaction, and the deeper we dig, the more difficult it is to climb back out.
As our conflicts compound, there is a tendency to pull out all the stops when it comes to acquiring things, and this usually involves being dishonest in some manner. If we very badly want something to go our way, we can temporarily make it happen by misleading others. Check out our politicians, corporations, and our government!
In time, however, dishonesty is usually uncovered, the simple reason being that the desire that caused the lying or whatever in the first place, can never be satisfied, causing the lying to only increase down the road. The problem is; we have accepted lying, just as we have accepted credit as a way of life in order to quench our unquenchable thirsts.
Turn on the TV for a few minutes and 20 commercials later, really look at each commercial to see how smooth lying can be -- and how increasingly accepting we are of being lied to. We know that the car advertised for $12,000 doesn’t exist, and that it really costs $18,000, but what the heck, with a wink and a nod we accept the fact that car dealers are crooks!
Soon, however, we trust no one, and when this happens, all compassion and love is lost. . . . So what? This is where desire and grasping always end up; increasingly separating people from each other, as we compete and fight over dwindling resources.
But the Buddha didn’t stop at only saying that life is conflict, or stop at saying that grasping and desire are the cause of that conflict. If he had stopped there, he would certainly have been labeled a dissident, and a negative thinker. But he was neither; the Buddha, aka the great physician, said that if a person doesn’t even know that they are sick, or recognize any symptoms, how could they ever be convinced to take some medicine that could be bitter? They would simply continue with what they are doing until the symptoms become quite apparent, which may be too late.
Individually and as a society, we operate like a patient that doesn’t know that he or she is ill. Therefore, a crisis must occur before any meaningful action can be taken. We see this happening in congress all the time. Why is this? It is because we are so driven by pleasure that any slowing down of this pursuit becomes depressing. It’s as if we are on a treadmill that speeds up as each day goes by, and cannot afford to fall off.
This is a recipe for stress related illnesses (which comprise about 90% of illnesses) and a sure sign that our values have degraded to a point of no return — to go back to our old values would be unexciting, yet to strive for ever-increasingly exciting experiences is becoming impossible. So where do we go from here?
I suggest we consider taking some preventative medicine, even though our symptoms might not be as obvious as they should be — before we have to swallow a really bitter pill.
This medicine that I recommend is only slightly bitter to begin with, never hatefully bitter, and is never advertised on TV as many drugs are these days by pharmaceutical companies attempting to create addicts out of decent people with their questionable concoctions. These firms are merely interested in increasing their bottom lines with cunning magic bullets that many times kill instead of cure. No, this medicine of which I speak is free.
This medicine is so good in fact that anyone who has taken it for awhile will attest to its healing powers, actually causing our desires to diminish, which takes a lot of pressure off and builds compassion to boot! (Perhaps not the greatest thing for corporate America and the TV advertisers to hear, but a great thing personally).
Once the stress begins to reduce, we breathe easier, and life is rediscovered at new, wonderful levels; spiritual levels, different from the levels of acquisition that provokes so much fear and apprehension.
If you’ve ever read any of my articles, you will know by now that the medicine of which I speak is meditation. It involves no beliefs or dogma, no indoctrinations or programs, no costs whatsoever, just a simple reflection once a day. I strongly suggest that you try it — before serious symptoms occur.
Then it might be too late!
E. Raymond Rock of Fort Myers, Florida is cofounder and principal teacher at the Southwest Florida Insight Center, http://www.SouthwestFloridaInsightCenter.com His twenty-eight years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents, including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Theravada Buddhist monk. His book, A Year to Enlightenment (Career Press/New Page Books) is now available at major bookstores and online retailers. Visit http://www.AYearToEnlightenment.com
anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary (www.dhammarocksprings.org), and author of A Year to Enlightenment. His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.
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» left by Robert Melaccio, Sr.(5,083) Robert Melaccio, Sr. (2 years 172 days ago.)
Excellent article and the sad fact is that many of us are depressed by our financial situation and that of our loved ones. Now many say we bring it upon ourselves but that is not necessarily fair. to say of all. Sure poor judgement, coveteousness, greed, materialism all play a role as does society which judges success by possessions. However, many of us are supporting our children. We maintain two and three households. Therefore our limited funds are used totally for that endeavor. Finace and refinace the name of the beast that devours. Yet, we do what we do for those we love until we can't do it anymore. The farce of public, church or government assistance is for those naive types who know knothing of the current stae of our society. They ignore the problems at home in search of their world agenda. I am sure the great Budda in all his wisdom understood the greed and wickedness of mankind creates much of the sorrow and depression in this world. Yes, while we are to seek a higher plane spiritually and perhaps have a few moments of spiritual peace the fact is as my Lord Jesus stated, trials will always be with believers. The fact being non beleievrs could care less. They onlt worry about themselves. Once again not directed at you. Some venting but all in all a good article. Respectfully, Respond to this comment
Yes, I agree, we have to be very aware of exactly what's happening right around us. In Thailand, a monk's training consists on observing his (or her in the case of a Buddhist nun) own greed, hatred, and delusion (the kilesas). Where else does society begin other than with each of us?
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