Thank you for sharing this piece Helen! I feel like with Buddhist teachings, I have to come back again and again to revisit the truths with different life experiences and conditions over the years, and your piece was a moment for me to pause and reflect on these teachings. I think love and attachment can be different things, but I do agree, as laypeople, one cannot be completely unattached to our loved ones, but perhaps just be mindful that this is one aspect of the many aspects of love :)
Claire, thank you for reading and for this lovely comment. I am moved to explore what it means to love and what it means to be attached to something, I find relief in what you wrote (that they can be different things with different aspects). I am glad you have revisited Buddhist teachings with different life experiences and you inspire me to dive a little deep again.
the same goes for reading your words! :) happy to “meet” you over here Helen~ You sharing your journey with spirituality encourages me to reflect on mine too
Dear Helen, I’ve come back a few times to this beautiful piece you’ve written, and on each reading, I feel that deeper and deeper layers unfold in my experience and response to it. While at yoga teacher training towards the end of 2022, I devoted more time than I ever had in my life until that point, contemplating the significance of impermanence, attachment and detachment. In particular, what it means to release attachment to those whom we love beyond words, and to life itself.
I feel that where I arrived at rhymed with these moving words you wrote –
“be as present as you can before those moments inevitably pass as all other moments do”
“Love is the stuff that transcends impermanence. The energy that keeps the universe expanding. Without it, there is no existence.”
For me to begin to comprehend how I might release attachment to life itself, I needed to know that I had lived each present moment as fully, fiercely and lovingly as I possibly could. Which also includes loving things, people, experiences we encounter in each present moment as fully and fiercely as I possibly can. Perhaps a different way of understanding how we might set out to live a life with as few regrets as possible?
Thank you for this invitation to pull from my own deep well, to think and remind myself about what truly matters, in the end.
Dear Suyin, you are always so generous with your attention to my writing, thank you deeply for reading and re-reading =) Thank you for re-quoting the parts that moved you the most. I loved that you spent all the time you needed to, on contemplating the deeper waves of life, as part of your training to become a yoga teacher, which is so cool by the way (one of my best friends became a yoga teacher in the last few years as well!) I really wish to sit with one important thing you mentioned: staying in the moment fully and loving fiercely. It seems like a simple thing to do, I would think so, but sometimes it is difficult for me as my mind dances to the non-present. I am starting to believe that being that present requires a mastery of something I cannot put my finger on...or maybe just a gigantic release of ego and thoughts. More mediation on this is needed on my part. Thank you for your thoughts <3
Dear Helen, it’s absolutely my pleasure to be able to come back to your words and contemplate them. How cool to hear one of your best friends is a yoga teacher ☺️ I feel that what comes up for me from my experience of learning and trying many different ways to live in the moment is the idea that we all have our unique doorways to entering and being in that present moment, and it can look so different for everyone. I have absolutely failed at silent meditation or looking at a rock to meditate for example 😂 but my doorway to living fully in the present has been through things and experiences I find beautiful and almost effortlessly call in my attention, such as arranging flowers and being in tea ceremonies. I look forward to hearing where your further reflections on this take you 🩵☁️🍃
I feel your struggle about silent meditation! I laughed with you when I saw your tear-laughing emoji. I actually started meditating by doing it that way, in a silent manner, this was a long time ago. It was VERY difficult and at first I could only do it for one minute, but I was so desperate for that calm that I stood by it every day. By a year I was up to 5-6 minutes, the most I did was 8-10 minutes and it took a while. I completely agree with you that everyone must find their unique flow to their inner spirit. Nowadays, I don't have a set meditation practice but when I do it, I do a candle meditation or play music, although when my mind is at its stormiest I have to do the silent meditation, I really surrender to it when I have the most anxiety. I think the term "silent meditation" is a misconception, my mind is certainly not very silent when I do it. It gets confrontational but somehow by the end of it I am calmer. The tea ceremonies and the flowers sound so lovely. I would love to learn about the tea ceremony, if you haven't already written about it.
It's so beautiful to hear that when there is a storm unfurling in your mind, is when the silent meditation helps you most. It made me think that the silent meditation is there to be like a mirror for us to look into, and learn to calm the waves and ride out the storm.
I've written about the very special experience I had of being in a tea ceremony in one of my pieces here, which also talks about being in a lovely tea house :)
It makes me so happy that you're interested in it! I've been studying the art of tea ceremony as I would love to host tea ceremonies one day, and I would love to write and share more about that in the future too! <3
Thank you, Suyin. I agree that it is a mirror, and many times I don't want to look or I am afraid to look. I started reading the piece you linked and I am really enjoying reading it, I can relate to so much of it, having left my country behind. Can't wait to finish it and learn more about tea ceremonies. Knowing little about it, I have a feeling you would be a great host because of your kind attention to others (even in virtual spaces). By the way I was listening to a random lo-fi music channel on YouTube (that I've listened to before and use for evening wind down time) and I glanced up to see the title of the song that came up, it was titled "Mitsuha's theme- Your Name", surely a sign I must see the movie soon!
Hi Helen! It's so special to hear how you relate to the piece, and to know how many of our experiences resonate with each other's too. Thank you for reading! And thank you so much for your very kind words about me! :') It means so much as I continue to feel into learning how to trust my instincts and curiosities, and to follow them. Wow, I just love the sound of the lo-fi music channel you described, it sounds very nostalgic somehow, and how amazing that the theme from Your Name came up - looking forward to hearing what you think after you've watched it, I always love reading your film reviews :)
Whenever I think of these thoughts, I begin to panic, because what does it even mean to do what I do when it will all be forgotten so soon? I'm glad to have found someone with the same thoughts, and an approach to the ever hunting question that offers true sustenance. Thank you for sharing, looking forward to next time.
Helen, I enjoyed reading this. I have only recently started learning about Buddhism but your words resonated with some of the things I have felt recently. It is important to be kind with ourselves I think. Life is hard enough at times without adding additional pressure from within. I hope to see more of your writing. All the best.
Thank you, Matthew. It is lovely to hear positive feedback and I hope you find some gems within Buddhism. I agree that self-kindness is key and try to practice it more consistently =)
Thank you so much for reading and I am happy you related to the post😊. Spoiler alert - I left that job I mentioned (it was too stressful) and will be writing about that soon !
Thank you for sharing this piece Helen! I feel like with Buddhist teachings, I have to come back again and again to revisit the truths with different life experiences and conditions over the years, and your piece was a moment for me to pause and reflect on these teachings. I think love and attachment can be different things, but I do agree, as laypeople, one cannot be completely unattached to our loved ones, but perhaps just be mindful that this is one aspect of the many aspects of love :)
Claire, thank you for reading and for this lovely comment. I am moved to explore what it means to love and what it means to be attached to something, I find relief in what you wrote (that they can be different things with different aspects). I am glad you have revisited Buddhist teachings with different life experiences and you inspire me to dive a little deep again.
the same goes for reading your words! :) happy to “meet” you over here Helen~ You sharing your journey with spirituality encourages me to reflect on mine too
Dear Helen, I’ve come back a few times to this beautiful piece you’ve written, and on each reading, I feel that deeper and deeper layers unfold in my experience and response to it. While at yoga teacher training towards the end of 2022, I devoted more time than I ever had in my life until that point, contemplating the significance of impermanence, attachment and detachment. In particular, what it means to release attachment to those whom we love beyond words, and to life itself.
I feel that where I arrived at rhymed with these moving words you wrote –
“be as present as you can before those moments inevitably pass as all other moments do”
“Love is the stuff that transcends impermanence. The energy that keeps the universe expanding. Without it, there is no existence.”
For me to begin to comprehend how I might release attachment to life itself, I needed to know that I had lived each present moment as fully, fiercely and lovingly as I possibly could. Which also includes loving things, people, experiences we encounter in each present moment as fully and fiercely as I possibly can. Perhaps a different way of understanding how we might set out to live a life with as few regrets as possible?
Thank you for this invitation to pull from my own deep well, to think and remind myself about what truly matters, in the end.
Dear Suyin, you are always so generous with your attention to my writing, thank you deeply for reading and re-reading =) Thank you for re-quoting the parts that moved you the most. I loved that you spent all the time you needed to, on contemplating the deeper waves of life, as part of your training to become a yoga teacher, which is so cool by the way (one of my best friends became a yoga teacher in the last few years as well!) I really wish to sit with one important thing you mentioned: staying in the moment fully and loving fiercely. It seems like a simple thing to do, I would think so, but sometimes it is difficult for me as my mind dances to the non-present. I am starting to believe that being that present requires a mastery of something I cannot put my finger on...or maybe just a gigantic release of ego and thoughts. More mediation on this is needed on my part. Thank you for your thoughts <3
Dear Helen, it’s absolutely my pleasure to be able to come back to your words and contemplate them. How cool to hear one of your best friends is a yoga teacher ☺️ I feel that what comes up for me from my experience of learning and trying many different ways to live in the moment is the idea that we all have our unique doorways to entering and being in that present moment, and it can look so different for everyone. I have absolutely failed at silent meditation or looking at a rock to meditate for example 😂 but my doorway to living fully in the present has been through things and experiences I find beautiful and almost effortlessly call in my attention, such as arranging flowers and being in tea ceremonies. I look forward to hearing where your further reflections on this take you 🩵☁️🍃
I feel your struggle about silent meditation! I laughed with you when I saw your tear-laughing emoji. I actually started meditating by doing it that way, in a silent manner, this was a long time ago. It was VERY difficult and at first I could only do it for one minute, but I was so desperate for that calm that I stood by it every day. By a year I was up to 5-6 minutes, the most I did was 8-10 minutes and it took a while. I completely agree with you that everyone must find their unique flow to their inner spirit. Nowadays, I don't have a set meditation practice but when I do it, I do a candle meditation or play music, although when my mind is at its stormiest I have to do the silent meditation, I really surrender to it when I have the most anxiety. I think the term "silent meditation" is a misconception, my mind is certainly not very silent when I do it. It gets confrontational but somehow by the end of it I am calmer. The tea ceremonies and the flowers sound so lovely. I would love to learn about the tea ceremony, if you haven't already written about it.
It's so beautiful to hear that when there is a storm unfurling in your mind, is when the silent meditation helps you most. It made me think that the silent meditation is there to be like a mirror for us to look into, and learn to calm the waves and ride out the storm.
I've written about the very special experience I had of being in a tea ceremony in one of my pieces here, which also talks about being in a lovely tea house :)
https://suyintan.substack.com/p/the-return
It makes me so happy that you're interested in it! I've been studying the art of tea ceremony as I would love to host tea ceremonies one day, and I would love to write and share more about that in the future too! <3
Thank you, Suyin. I agree that it is a mirror, and many times I don't want to look or I am afraid to look. I started reading the piece you linked and I am really enjoying reading it, I can relate to so much of it, having left my country behind. Can't wait to finish it and learn more about tea ceremonies. Knowing little about it, I have a feeling you would be a great host because of your kind attention to others (even in virtual spaces). By the way I was listening to a random lo-fi music channel on YouTube (that I've listened to before and use for evening wind down time) and I glanced up to see the title of the song that came up, it was titled "Mitsuha's theme- Your Name", surely a sign I must see the movie soon!
Hi Helen! It's so special to hear how you relate to the piece, and to know how many of our experiences resonate with each other's too. Thank you for reading! And thank you so much for your very kind words about me! :') It means so much as I continue to feel into learning how to trust my instincts and curiosities, and to follow them. Wow, I just love the sound of the lo-fi music channel you described, it sounds very nostalgic somehow, and how amazing that the theme from Your Name came up - looking forward to hearing what you think after you've watched it, I always love reading your film reviews :)
Whenever I think of these thoughts, I begin to panic, because what does it even mean to do what I do when it will all be forgotten so soon? I'm glad to have found someone with the same thoughts, and an approach to the ever hunting question that offers true sustenance. Thank you for sharing, looking forward to next time.
Thank you for reading. I am always searching for more on this earth. I am glad you resonate.
Helen, I enjoyed reading this. I have only recently started learning about Buddhism but your words resonated with some of the things I have felt recently. It is important to be kind with ourselves I think. Life is hard enough at times without adding additional pressure from within. I hope to see more of your writing. All the best.
Thank you, Matthew. It is lovely to hear positive feedback and I hope you find some gems within Buddhism. I agree that self-kindness is key and try to practice it more consistently =)
I resonate with this deeply. Impermanence is one of my current philosophies of life. Thank you for sharing this piece.
Thank you so much for reading and I am happy you related to the post😊. Spoiler alert - I left that job I mentioned (it was too stressful) and will be writing about that soon !