I have written several posts in the past about the challenge to a Buddhist of planning for the future and still remaining present. Life goes forward and some type of planning for the future is inevitable, necessary.
In those posts, I wrote about how to stay present, not "thinking" about the future, not needing to know where you're headed. See my posts, "As a Buddhist . . . Revisited - Planning without Thinking," and "As a Buddhist . . . Revisited - Do We Need to Know Where We're Headed?"
Recently, I realized that I had failed to articulate (and truth be told, to consciously realize) a key element of this process. As you know from my writing, central to the way I walk the Buddhist path is turning my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature. And surrendering my ego to its care. (See my post, "Turning Your Will Over to Your True Buddha Nature. ")
What I failed to articulate was the intersect between turning your will over to the care of your true Buddha nature and planning for the future. When you place yourself in the hands of your true Buddha nature, of your divinity, of the universe, you are surrendering the mind's control over your life. You know that you are sustained by the love of Buddha nature inside you and you will thus experience abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength . . . regardless what life provides.
Turning your will and your life over to your true Buddha nature entails choosing your goals based on guidance you receive from your heart, not your mind. As the ancient Chinese poem says, "All's self-revealing, void, and clear without exerting power of mind."
Once you have chosen a goal, you then have to put some skin in the game, you have to do your research, get your facts. BUT, you do not engage your mind and thought in sifting through those facts to decide what to do. You depend on your intuition, which is your heart's guidance, as to what to do. And it is critical that you follow your intuition, not fight it or overrule it because it doesn't conform to what you "want."
It may seem strange that at this stage of things one would still be challenged by your mind, but that certainly will be the case, especially when you are putting effort into something. It is up to you to be aware of what your mind is doing and say, "no," and seek the guidance of your heart. Listen to your intuition. It will never fail you.
May you experience peace and happiness.
In those posts, I wrote about how to stay present, not "thinking" about the future, not needing to know where you're headed. See my posts, "As a Buddhist . . . Revisited - Planning without Thinking," and "As a Buddhist . . . Revisited - Do We Need to Know Where We're Headed?"
Recently, I realized that I had failed to articulate (and truth be told, to consciously realize) a key element of this process. As you know from my writing, central to the way I walk the Buddhist path is turning my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature. And surrendering my ego to its care. (See my post, "Turning Your Will Over to Your True Buddha Nature. ")
What I failed to articulate was the intersect between turning your will over to the care of your true Buddha nature and planning for the future. When you place yourself in the hands of your true Buddha nature, of your divinity, of the universe, you are surrendering the mind's control over your life. You know that you are sustained by the love of Buddha nature inside you and you will thus experience abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength . . . regardless what life provides.
Turning your will and your life over to your true Buddha nature entails choosing your goals based on guidance you receive from your heart, not your mind. As the ancient Chinese poem says, "All's self-revealing, void, and clear without exerting power of mind."
Once you have chosen a goal, you then have to put some skin in the game, you have to do your research, get your facts. BUT, you do not engage your mind and thought in sifting through those facts to decide what to do. You depend on your intuition, which is your heart's guidance, as to what to do. And it is critical that you follow your intuition, not fight it or overrule it because it doesn't conform to what you "want."
It may seem strange that at this stage of things one would still be challenged by your mind, but that certainly will be the case, especially when you are putting effort into something. It is up to you to be aware of what your mind is doing and say, "no," and seek the guidance of your heart. Listen to your intuition. It will never fail you.
May you experience peace and happiness.
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