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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 27

Exercise #1: For a Day, Say Only What It True and The higher rewards of skillful speech
Helpful. With practice, skillful speech and ethical living become
This exercise has multiple benefits. First, it requires a way of life. Then they are no longer a struggle or even
being sensitive to your experience to see what is really a practice. Rather they become a natural, effortless, and
true for you. For actually, the only thing you can tell the enjoyable expression of our true nature. Jack Kornfield
truth about is your own experience. Second, it helps us summarized the growth of ethics as follows:
notice all the temptations to lie or fudge. Suddenly we
become sensitized to the fears and phobias, dubious At first, precepts [ethics] are a practice. Then they
motives, and hidden agendas that can color our words. become a necessity, and finally they become a joy. When
To enhance the benefit, it’s worth taking some time at our heart is awakened they spontaneously illuminate
the end of the day to reflect on your experience. Were our way in the world. This is called Shining Virtue.
you tempted to fudge, and if so why? What did you The light around someone who speaks truth, who
gain from truth telling? Less guilt? Perhaps a sense consistently acts with compassion for all, even in great
of strength and integrity? This truth telling exercise difficulty, is visible to all around them.
requires only a few minutes during the day but can offer
insights that endure for years. The long-term goal is Effortless skillful speech and spontaneous ethical
to eventually make truthful, helpful speech a natural living are expressions of the higher reaches of spiritual
spontaneous way of communicating. practice in general, and of Dzogchen practice in
particular. Dzogchen is rare among spiritual traditions
Exercise #2: Give Up Gossip. in emphasizing spontaneity as both a powerful practice
Curb your tongue and senses, and a culminating way of being.
and you are beyond trouble.
Let them loose and you are beyond help. Skillful speech and ethical living allow us to recognize
—Lao Tzu that we are not who we thought we were, and that who
we are is naturally ethical and trustworthy. As such
For this exercise choose a time period of perhaps a day we can relax and simply be ourselves, trusting that the
or a week. Then commit to not saying anything about natural expression of our true nature will tend towards
other people unless you have already said, or would appropriate, compassionate action guided by the desire
be willing to say this to them directly. Whenever you to ensure the well-being of all.
find yourself tempted to gossip, try to recognize the
underlying motive. Acknowledgments
This article is based on the section on ethics from Roger
Take some time at the end of the day to reflect on your Walsh’s Essential Spirituality: The Seven Central Practices
experience. Notice the sense of integrity and strength to Awaken Heart and Mind, (Wiley Press: 1999).
that comes from holding to the truth, treating people
with respect, and refusing to succumb to hurtful talk. This article was originally published in the Dzochen
“Better than a thousand hollow words,” said the Buddha, Center newsletter, and is published in Eastern Horizon
“is one word that brings peace.” with the kind permission of the author. EH