Cultivating The Ability To Rejoice

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Cultivating The Ability To Rejoice

Posted by Ken Lauher on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 @ 05:15 AM

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rejoice As we cultivate our garden, the conditions become more

conducive to the growth of bodhichitta (view definition of

bodhichitta). We begin to feel joy. It comes from not giving up on

ourselves, from mindfully sticking with ourselves and beginning to

experience our great warrior spirit.

We also provide the conditions for joy to expand by training in the

bodhichitta practices and in particular by training in rejoicing and

appreciation. As with the other limitless qualities, we can do this as

a three-step aspiration practice: " May I not be separated from the

great happiness devoid of suffering. May you not be separated from the

great happiness devoid of suffering. "

The appreciation and joy in these words refer to always abiding in the

wide-open, unbiased nature of our minds, to connecting with the inner

strength of basic goodness. To do this, however, we start with

conditioned examples of good fortune such as health, basic

intelligence, a supportive environment - the fortunate conditions that

constitute a precious human birth.

For the awakening warrior, the greatest advantage is to find ourselves

in a time when it is possible to hear and practice the bodhichitta

teachings.

We can practice the first step of the aspiration by learning to

rejoice in our own good fortune. The key is to be here, fully

connected with the details of our lives, paying attention. We are

expressing appreciation: friendship toward ourselves and toward the

living quality that is found in everything.

This combination of mindfulness and appreciation connects us fully

with reality and brings us joy. When we extend attention and

appreciation toward our environment and other people, our experience

of joy expands even further.

- Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating

Fearlessness and Compassion by Pema Chodron