Contemplation in my Bangkok

Yes, I did find a centre of learning and prayerfulness at a temple near Pattaya.  Yes, it was an enlightening and enriching experience.  We all need these spaces and as much of them as we can get.  The secret is to create our special, prayerful spaces where we are.  It strikes me that is the great learning from Buddhism as Buddhists create where they are as their sacred space - the same space where they live, do business, do whatever. 

Now I am back at my office where we have moved the desks so as to create more space and this resulted unwittingly in my now having my own contemplative space where I am at work.  You see my desk has been placed at a glass front from which I look out and peruse the surrounds.  It is all buildings, streets and construction sites and some green but it all looks so quiet.  I look out and find it refreshing, inviting me to contemplation.  The Spirit is where we are or where we allow the contemplative to descend around us.  It is a pleasant change wihin the daily routine to be able to just look out and take in my Bangkok.   

I am My Change

This last week saw major holiday time in Thailand as it was the annual Songkran or New Year Festival which is the time for water fun.  Well, instead of indulging in the obligatory water sports, I went with good friends to a resort for a day or two and got to visit this marvelous Buddhist temple with them - Wat Yansangvararam.  It was a most welcome and unexpected surprise. 


You alone can change yourself.

I never knew that I was going to enter a centre where I would gain for the first time such real insights into Buddhism.  On leaving the temple, I had the feeling that I had just been somewhere powerful.  The visit had made its impact upon me.  What was it that had such an effect on me?

It was the exhibition presenting the Buddha's teaching in such a succinct and meaningful way.  It presented the Buddha's belief in "a human being's potential to be able to find the path to enable one to be freed from endlessly floating in an ocean of sensual desires, and to reach the shore and end the suffering".
A spiritual path - a path offered by all religions due to the very nature of religion.
So the lessons continued.
"A multitude of emotions circulate in your mind each day.  The soul determines which way to look at the universe."  So "when a viewpoint is changed, your life will be changed".  

The Buddha discovered that to escape from an ocean of sensuous desire, life has to be led not along the path of the extreme but along the path of perfect balance.  This is the life lived by following the way of the Middle Path.

There was much offered to ponder and reflect but here I just offer a part of what so spoke to me, a taste.

For the first time, I felt an inner understanding and appreciation for Buddhism and its message for humanity.  I also started to reflect how it was so lacking in its malpractice by many of its followers today around me in the wider community.  But then isn't that what Ghandi said about Christianity?  The problem was not with Jesus but with his followers.  We can change.  We are our change.

In the Christian context, the word is transformation.  Humanity - all of us and each individual - is transformed into the new humanity through and with the power of the Risen Christ.  This is not magic.  It takes belief and action together.  It is not an easy way to go but the way to go.  I have to remind myself of the way.  This is my preaching to no one but  myself, my sharing an experience that made its imprint on me so that I may not forget.  Happy Easter!  Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

 

Happy Thai New Year!

Yes, it is New Year in Thailand, as in Myamar, Laos and Cambodia, this week. They follow a Buddhist tradition using a lunar calendar.  So the local and real New Year for the locals falls on 13, 14 and 15 April each year.  It is full on holiday time and full on celebration.  I think you can see what the dominant symbol is for the festivities.  It is used freely and just watch out as no one escapes a dousing. 

All get into the spirit - young and old, police and firemen.  It is all quite something to behold.  What you see is the unfreeing of the Thai spirit and let her rip for three days and then it is back to Thai demureness. 

So for now, all one can do is join in and enjoy. 

I am a big man?

As I was told at the office last Friday, by a senior Thai staff - You think you are a big man.  He was not referring to my size but my sense of self-importance. And he was not giving me a compliment but speaking out of anger.  How did it get to this? 

I am not sure actually as I just go along, doing my work and fulfilling my responsibilities as best I can.   In last Friday's conversation, the level of angst escalated after I used the word "big" to refer to my having a big picture of needs in the workplace.  From there, my colleague used "big" to refer to level of seniority and importance which was never my intent. 

In part, I would identify this as being yet another experience of Thailand that tells you that no matter how long you are here, you will never really understand what you are in the midst of.  Even after over 11 years here, I am still taken aback by what I experience and lack a real understanding of what is going on around me.  Like the Trinity, Thais are a mystery.  But is it rocket science?

Maybe it is the experience of this part of the world or maybe it is just humanity at play.  We are all a mystery for my Thai counterpart did say that he just did not understand westerners and that all westerners are arrogant.  From my experience here, I (and other westerners) could make the same reflection in return on Thais.  So maybe it is that as humanity we so fail to understand others who are perceived to be different or maybe worse - a threat.  Then what comes to mind are the words of a mentor - Don't try to understand or explain here. Just accept.   Good advice but here I am being so me, trying to put together what happened and understand so that I can deal with what I face.

I will not go into a blow by blow description as this is not a verbatim for some clinical course.  However, I will share the logic the Thai guy used to present his side of his experience of me in the office.  It is such Thai logic which so ever intrigues me.  Here is a bland, logical summary as I heard the case being presented against me.
A)  There is Thailand and then the rest of the world.
B)  The rest of the world is to blame for the woes experienced here.  
A + B = C.
C)  I am to blame for what is upsetting the Thai person.
Welcome to Thailand! 

This may be enough to digest for now.