Returning Home to Self

Returning home taking refuge

In the Buddha in myself,

May I, together with all beings,

Realize my true self

Returning home, taking refuge

In the dharma in my self,

May I, together with all beings,

Practice the wisdom of mindfulness,

Understanding and love, in all my daily affairs

Returning home, taking refuge,

In the sangha in my self,

May I, together with all beings

Create harmony with others

I am awake that these three Gems

Are within my heart,

I vow to realize them.

My first summer that I’m not working and I have time on my hands to do the things I really want do. The things in my heart that I know I am; that I know I can achieve; that I know I can realize if I just had the time to work on them. So, this is my time, my opportunity to really become all the things I want.

As I realized that now I had the time to do the things i wanted to on a spiritual and emotional and metaphysical basis I had an awakening. I became ”woke” to my self. I realized that I do have the time to practice these inner yearnings. I always have the time. Despite work, family, friends and myriad other interests I always had this time. It is up to me to prioritize and drop the things that are unimportant to me.

My goal is to work on mindfulness! It seems like the latest trendy word or thing to do. But mindfulness to me is taking the time to be present in all the things I do. Yeah, I’m mindful during my yoga practice and meditation—that’s the easy part. But I want to step up my game and try to be mindful cutting the lawn, making the family dinner or talking with my wife. Really practice being there and being present.

The prose above by Thich Nha’t Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist inspires me to realize who I am, and what I have—and alway have had within me. When I return home to my inner Buddha, I practice love and compassion. When I return home to my Dharma, I become my true self, who i am, and who and what I was meant to be. And finally, I return to my Sangha. This term has evolved from its original meaning of a community of monks, nuns and buddhas to what I believe to be the community where I live and express myself. The community of like-minded souls who I chose to share my life with.

So my goal this summer is to realize my inner Buddha, to endeavor to live and discover my Dharma and live mindfully within my chosen community—my Sangha. But, and more importantly,

to realize that I always have had the time to do this. I need to take the time to do the important things in my life. The things I believe are important to me: to live mindfully, to practice mindfulness is to make the hard choices and get out of lazy habits and ‘do the work” necessary to achieve what I want. It is within me and always has been. Have a great summer!