Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Looking in the mirror
when we look in the mirror, the one thing we don't want to see is an ordinary human being. We would like to see someone special. Whether we are conscious of this or not, we are simply not content to see an ordinary human being with neuroses, obstacles and problems.
We want to see a happy person, but instead we see someone who is struggling. We want to think of ourselves as compassionate, but instead we see someone who is selfish. We long to be elegant, but our arrogance makes us crass. And instead of a strong or immortal person, we see someone who is vulnerable to the four streams of birth, old age, sickness and death. The conflict between what we see and what we want to see causes tremendous pain.
The perfect love we seek, the imperfect love we live
love is what we most long to give and to receive, yet our intimate relationships are often conflicted and painful. psychologist john welwood says that one of our problems is failing to distinguish between absolute and relative love. seeking perfect, unconditional love, we are wounded by the imperfect and variable love we receive, beginning with our parents. But what we are looking for is not found through others, but in our own capacity to love.
-parts from the book, The Best Buddhist Writing 2006
-lydiia
when we look in the mirror, the one thing we don't want to see is an ordinary human being. We would like to see someone special. Whether we are conscious of this or not, we are simply not content to see an ordinary human being with neuroses, obstacles and problems.
We want to see a happy person, but instead we see someone who is struggling. We want to think of ourselves as compassionate, but instead we see someone who is selfish. We long to be elegant, but our arrogance makes us crass. And instead of a strong or immortal person, we see someone who is vulnerable to the four streams of birth, old age, sickness and death. The conflict between what we see and what we want to see causes tremendous pain.
The perfect love we seek, the imperfect love we live
love is what we most long to give and to receive, yet our intimate relationships are often conflicted and painful. psychologist john welwood says that one of our problems is failing to distinguish between absolute and relative love. seeking perfect, unconditional love, we are wounded by the imperfect and variable love we receive, beginning with our parents. But what we are looking for is not found through others, but in our own capacity to love.
-parts from the book, The Best Buddhist Writing 2006
-lydiia
Lydia will treasure and cherish., 9:12 PM.
