Let Go of Doubt and Confusion.

enemies of a peaceful mind…..

It’s been a while. Thank you for staying or arriving and for waiting patiently.

When we determine to increase our focus on walking along one path we have to let go of others but, realisation eventually comes that, maybe we can walk two or more paths simultaneously without attachment, simply allowing them to complement each other whilst serving to strengthen our resolve and endeavour.

We remember and develop two of the ten Parami — viriya, constant effort and adhittana, determination — when we want to move forward, putting one foot in front of the other, not necessarily knowing our destination but intent on making the journey nonetheless.

When we are able to overcome doubt and confusion, just two of the foot soldiers of avijja (ignorance), we strengthen our practice. By determining precisely what it is that we want to work on we can proceed with renewed focus and clarity. The mind becomes peaceful and even taking small steps in the right direction will work just fine.

There is never any need to beat ourselves up over aspects of the practice where we feel we are lacking. We let go and practice metta (loving kindness) and karuna (compassion) with ourselves as well as others. We all have our strengths and areas which require more development. Using reflection we identify where we feel more work needs to be done and we make this the primary focus of our ongoing practice.

During and since the time of Lord Buddha, his followers have struggled with the concept of ‘letting go’ and I have felt and fully understand the often expressed concern that: ‘If I let go of everything, then what will I have?’ Therein lies the root of many of our problems, our overwhelming need ‘to have, do and be’.

I would like to leave you with this seemingly simple yet deeply profound teaching from one of the great masters, Venerable Ajahn Lee Dhammadaro, which really resonates with me. I hope it will also help you to begin a practice of ‘letting go’ in order to realise the peace which can be found within the heart…

“The third level of letting go is relinquishing what’s in the heart. Whether or not we give things away, we let go of them in the heart every day. We let go of the things we have. We let go of the things we don’t have. What this means is that we’re not willing to let anything act as an enemy to the heart by making us stingy or grasping.

You do everything in the best way possible, but you’re not attached to it, because you know that all things fabricated are inconstant. This way your heart can be clear and bright like a jewel.”

by Venerable Ajahn Lee — extract taken from ‘Letting Go: Notes from a Talk’ given on April 21st 1953

May this teaching lead you to happiness; may it help you grow in truth. May we all be freed from the suffering of birth and death.

With much metta 🙏

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