Page 14 - EH76

12 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

A sincere practice will reveal what ‘feels better’ and Sometimes pain, whether it be physical pain, emotional
what feels most aligned for you. What truly enlivens turmoil, or mental agitation, simply wants to be seen
you and ‘feels right’ continues to shift and evolve. and recognized. Sometimes it’s calling for compassion
and loving presence. Sometimes it wants me to
As your life changes and evolves, these changes can remember that other people feel this too and to send
feel disconcerting and disorienting. Maintaining your metta to all who are suffering.
practice and, in particular, having strong spiritual
friendships can be invaluable as you go through When I can remember that it’s not so much what is
transformative times in your life. happening, but rather how I am relating to it, I am
opening up to all kinds of new possibilities.
The parable of the two arrows is a Buddhist story
on how to deal with suffering. The first arrow If there is one single advice from the Buddha’s
represents physical pain which we cannot avoid teachings on how best to navigate the problems we
while the second arrow is our reaction to the first face in modern life as a lay person, would you like to
arrow, which we have a choice. How can we achieve share that with our readers?
a state of mind to always see things from the second
arrow perspective? “Nothing whatsoever is to be clung to as ‘I’ or ‘mine.’”

I use inquiry and questions a lot in my practice, both on When I remember this (which unfortunately is not that
and off the cushion. often!) a sense of freedom arises. I am less caught in my
mind and more open to the magic of Here and Now and
These two I find quite helpful: the mystery we all share.

The first: “What exactly is happening right now?” Jonathan has provided us the following offerings; so
please access them freely.
The second: “How does this want me to be with it ….
Right now?” Website: www.jonathanfoust.com

When I can name what is presenting, I am calling Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/
on wisdom. Not my story or preference, but what is UCHDVc7mqJEl3iIv901uKG-Q
actually true. Sometimes just naming what is there will
create an inner shift. Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/
jonathan-foust/id455422434
When I ask how this inner experience wants me to be
with it, I am opening up a very intimate relationship Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foustjonathan/
with what is arising. If I truly pause and listen through EH
the felt sense of the body, sometimes I find myself
responding with both wisdom and compassion.