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right way, the direct and simple way, there aren t problems
left, and somehow the right way of reacting is most of the time
not reacting at all.
I hope this makes some sense to you. I ll tell you a little
story to show you what an enormous success you are as a teacher.
I think her success was that she had suffered so deeply in some way
that she brought that strength and that genuineness that had gotten her
through that to her spiritual life. She said:
A few months ago the man who I love more than any in the world,
and who was for the past 17 years as close to me as any man and
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woman could be, died rather suddenly. If that had happened
before you started to teach me, I m sure it would have
completely destroyed me. I would have committed a quick suicide
and ended it all. But now of course I felt sorrow about losing
this man s close love for me and I missed his company, but for
the rest, a stone thrown in the water would have caused more
ripples than his death.
I accepted his death with an amazing serenity and detachment.
He s just finished this life trip of his and they have already
started another one. I don t know that, but apart from this
personal loss and his companionship, there isn t the kind of
upset and conflict in me about death. I am not afraid as I used
to be.
Apparently I ve always been able to see and understand other
people s problems and help them somehow, but in the old days
other people s miseries tore out my heart and gave me stomach
ulcers in my pity and concern for them. But now when people come
to see me with their miseries, I can listen to them, sometimes
help them, and have a much deeper compassion, but when they
leave, it s over and done with, and they haven t torn my guts
out in the process.
I ve been working with an alcoholic this past month or so, and
for some odd reason my willingness to listen seems to help him
in his struggle to stay away from alcohol and find his true
spirit again.
I think you can be proud of yourself as a teacher and content
with me as your pupil.
There is something really wonderful and joyful about working even
with the pains and difficulties in one s life and mind, for that moment
when you realize, For that little thing, I don t have to take it so seriously.
I really can be free to touch that. It makes practice wonderful.
Index
Anger, 10 Mindfulness, 8
Achaan Chaa, 13 Nisargadatta Maharaj, 17
Sila, 30 Mr. Natural, 18
Virtue, 41 Nobel Prize, 7
Compassion, 8, 43 George Wald, 7
Desire, 10 Openess, 21
Dhammapada, 16 Peace pilgrim, 69
Don Juan, 3 Precepts, 46
Effort, 71 intoxicants, 47
Don Genaro, 61 not to kill, 46
path with heart, 34 sexual misconduct, 46
qualities of a warrior, 54 not to steal, 46
Einstein, 12 Renunciation, 19
T.S.Eliot, 36 Rilke, 17
Four Quartets, 36 Sila, 30
Exercises, 24 Gary Snyder, 23
Impatience, 24 The Avocado, 23
Precepts, 48 Social responsibility, 6
Gandhi, 34 Spiritual practice, 16
heart of truth, 38 Attention, 65
Bhagavad Gita, 59 Effort, 64
George Gurdjieff, 10 Growth, 69
Effort, 69 Relinquishment, 69
Harm, 38
why do we harm?, 38
Impermanence, 3
James Joyce, 8
Karma, 2
Bhagavad Gita, 59
Krishnamurti, 70
Krushchev, 100
Meditation, 9
attainment, 13
observing breath, 82, 84, 85, 106
difficulties, 9
hinderance, 85
letting go, 83
guided meditation, 60
good ways of, 11
Thomas Merton, 9
Mental Elements, 93
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