Buddha's Schedule

Something I learned in a philosophy class in college has forever stuck with me, and it’s not necessarily philosophy. It’s about Buddha’s schedule. Our professor explained that for 9 months out of the year Buddha lived among people. He was available 24/7 for people to reach out to, sit in mediation with, learn from, ask questions to, he was just there, super-duper present. How freaking exhausting.

I was learning about this while managing a house with 7 other roommates, trying to hold down a job, go to school, and be a part of my own life somewhat “presently” and felt each day was a failure.

But here’s the catch. For the other 3 months out of the year Buddha went into retreat mode. Isolation. Mediation. RECHARGE. In that philosophy class upon learning this, I daydreamed about taking 3 months off to live in a cave, away from the abusive relationship I felt was my future, and the roommates I was financially dependent on.  BUT I found that the most practical application was sitting in precious solitude for at least an hour every night, or a ten-minute meditation. It was just enough not to want to kill someone, but more importantly to grow into my new future. To have the capacity to see beyond the pain of what I thought was imminent. I could dream better.

So, flash forward to today. We have all been given the gift of “time away from”. Whether that is our job, people, a schedule, our friends. And now, the payback is – BIG DREAMING.

 In the retreat there is recharge. As things open up here in Brazil even though we now have the highest number of Covid cases on the planet and counting, energy is building. In the US energy has burst out into revolutionary dreams. BIG FREAKING DREAMS coming true.  

Will we seize this moment in isolation to power our battery to full? Will we be ready for our time in the revolution? Will we be ready for the new era in earth stewardship after watching the air clear without us? Will we be better humans and neighbors as we seek out resources to help us be antiracists?

In the retreat there is opportunity. So that in the moment we can BE. Fully present in our lives.  

Like Buddha after his retreat. We are emerging from our corona meditation. How will we show up? How will I show up?