From the Stone Tarot, the Ten of Wands; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 7:94:
This painting illustrates the suffocating darkness and hopelessness experienced when life's burdens become unbearably heavy. It's not the little things, but the ones that we must bear daily that can overwhelm us: struggling to pay bills with a too small paycheck, caring for a severely autistic or physically disabled child, being responsible for a fragile, elderly parent. Life is not fair; it's a crap shoot. How do we keep on keeping on (as my MIL used to say)? The Dhammapada verse reads: "Even the gods cherish those who are without craving, who have abandoned conceit, and whose senses are calm, like horses well tamed by a charioteer." Craving, in this case, is akin to demanding things be different, and conceit is thinking we're entitled to a better lot in life. Neither of these reactions will help. But what can aid us in turning our anger and depression into compassion is to connect with others who are in similar straits. Not the folks who want to have a pity party, but those with whom we can trade ideas with about handling situations that arise.
No comments:
Post a Comment