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22 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Meditation in session

When we ask ourselves what is important in our life, institutions. When I saw that a research university
it is often not so straightforward. We need to really position would require me to spend most of my waking
know ourselves in an honest way so that we know hours working on my research and trying to get
clearly what will make us feel miserable based on our published in addition to teaching, I knew that was not
personality and temperament, what an ideal situation for me even though I really loved doing research and
would be, and since ideal situations seldom occur what these positions are often seen as more prestigious. I
is acceptable if we don’t get what we are shooting for. like more balance between research and teaching
All these questions can only be answered when we have which is afforded to me at an undergraduate institution.
a clear sense of our own values and priorities as well as Being able to devote time to the Dharma was also very
our habits, strengths and limitations. important for me and I knew that my physical condition
could not handle trying to fit everything into my waking
For example, we might say that we are not materialistic hours if I worked at a research university. Engaging
and don’t need to make a lot of money. Well, maybe in meditative and contemplative practices that allow
we meant we don’t need to live in a mansion and be us to gain more insights into our priorities, habits and
chauffeured around, but even an ordinary middle-class tendencies can help us take a more honest look at
life-style, with a nice home, good health care for the ourselves.
family, and annual vacations, is a materially rich life by
many people’s standards. And we may have to put a lot Such practices also help us cultivate clarity, to see
of time and effort into education and training in order clearly the consequences of our choices, and that there
to obtain that. are trade-offs however much we would like to have it
all. We can have both career and family, but decisions
Years ago, when I was getting ready for the job market, we make every day to devote our time to achieve
I looked into various kinds of higher education more in our career will mean foregoing opportunities