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12 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

We will need to keep trying to remind ourselves to An example would be to tell yourself that you are not
accept and not to keep obsessing on our thoughts of angry and upset since nothing really happened when
anger or harsh judgments. We will often be needing to you are actually still deeply hurt and angry. This is a
work at letting go of our hurt feelings and the angry misuse of the Dharma teaching in that we are creating
thoughts for many years before we realize the peace of problems by closing our hearts to what we are feeling.
truly felt acceptance. The Buddhist path is the embracing of all our feelings.
The defiled feelings, our greed, our fears, our worries,
Acceptance includes accepting the fact that we are our anger, can only be resolved by accepting them
not accepting something. The following teaching may into an open heart. To do the spiritual work of letting
sound contradictory but it is not. We have to have them go, we need to see them better, understand
acceptance for our difficulty in that we are not accepting better what they want and then we can work at seeing
something. In everyone’s life, there are numerous what is needed in order to let them go. But we do not
things that have gone astray and hurt us that we have control when we be able to let them go. If I have a fear
been unable to fully accept. The practice of acceptance of something, I can work on accepting that I will be
must also include practice of accepting our own lack alright if whatever if the worst happens. Yet when this
of acceptance. Just like when we are angry, we need to conversion of the fear to fearlessness will happen is
accept we are angry but still try not to let anger control not up to me. People are frequently asking me when
our words and actions. We need to accept our greed some problem they are having will be resolved and
whenever it arises but we still try not to blindly act my answer is almost always, it will take as long as it
upon the greed. And we need to keep letting go of the takes. We have to just be willing to let something go but
greedy or angry thoughts and bringing ourselves back it will go whenever it goes.
to trying to find the peace and wholeness of acceptance.
To convert our lack of acceptance, we need to just be An enlightened being is at one with their karma.
willing to sit still with whatever we are having difficulty
in accepting, hopefully gain a better understanding of Enlightenment means we must have all-acceptance.
where this lack of acceptance is coming from and see Buddhist training is converting our heart and mind from
better what we need to let go of. Then we can do the the mind that keeps making problems out of the difficult
difficult work of trying to let go of what is causing us not conditions we face. We need to trust in the unfolding of
to be at peace. our karma and the unfolding of the world’s karma, that
nothing is fundamentally being lost or damaged even
Spiritual bypassing is a useful way to describe how when things go astray. The following verse is recited
people can misuse a spiritual teaching. at many Buddhist ceremonies and expresses this basic
Buddhist teaching.
“Spiritual bypassing is the tendency to use ideas
and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved We live in the world as if in the sky,
emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished Just as the lotus blossom is not wetted by
developmental tasks” the water that surrounds it.
The mind is immaculate and beyond the dust.
Let us bow to the highest Lord.

Published with permission from the author. EH