Often patients come to me worried about the turmoil of the world. It seems like there is less illusion of security. So how do we find a way to bear that reality and still engage wholeheartedly in life? This is the zillion dollar question.
Recently I witnessed the creation of a sand mandala by the Tibetan Monks of the Gaden Shartse Monastery. I observed their precise intention as they blew colored sands from thin fluted silver tubes onto a board to create an intricate mandala of Chenrizig, The White Bodhisattva, with all the accompanying deities and symbols.
To see such refined beauty deliberately manifested was gratifying. But then the monks began the dissolution process of the mandala. First they drew a line through the sand imagery from north to south and then from east to west.altering the perfect design.
Then the monks began to carefully sweep the sand imagery into nothingness, until no evidence remained of that perfection.
Then the monks began to carefully sweep the sand imagery into nothingness, until no evidence remained of that perfection.
This was disturbing at first, this destruction of perfect beauty. But then a calm settled on me. The sort of calm that comes when you confess a lie or admit an unkindness. This was it before me, the horrible,crazy, perfect reality of human life undisguised and unapologetic. Something about that uncompromising truth brought me ease.
