Our habit energy, invested in trying to control the world, leads to our suffering. The Buddha instructs us to lay down the burdens of life and experience freedom. Following the Buddha’s path insulates us from external conditions. This week Jeff shared a talk given by Mark Nunberg entitled, “Mountains are only heavy if you try to lift them”. Mark uses this simile to encourage us to develop a shift in perspective when we think about our “to do” list and other responsibilities. Among other guidance in the talk, Mark summarizes five principles of mindful awareness outlined in Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, “Transformation and Healing”.
You can listen to Mark’s talk here:
https://dharmaseed.org/talks/70551/
Mentioned in the discussion was a poem by the Chinese poet Shiwu Qinggong, also known as “Stonehouse”:
the leaves in the stream move without a plan
the clouds in the valley drift without design
I closed my eyes and everything was fine
I opened them again because I love mountains
– Stonehouse
Burlington Buddhist Sangha 