There are literally hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of articles, posts and material available which provide guidance for practising Buddhism when you are in a bad place. Whether you are going through a divorce, the grieving process or even just a bit of depression, someone somewhere has written/said/done something that will give great advice for overcoming these issues. But what about when things are going well for you, and you’ve got no reason to be worried or angry or upset? It is easy to practice the Buddha’s teachings when you feel these painful emotions, but it’s not so easy when the good times roll.
I’m not for one minute saying this guidance and advice is invalid or not useful, it has helped me so many times when I have been experiencing negative emotions. I have an app on my phone which has a great number of sayings, from the Buddha himself but also from prominent Buddhist teachers which I look at when I am struggling with Buddhism or experiencing any negative emotions.
But recently I finished sitting all my A levels, and now have about 12 weeks of doing whatever I want until I go to Uni in September. I thought ‘great, I’ll be able to spend more time every day meditating, I’ll be able to get involved in some volunteering schemes in my local area and on top of that, I’ll have every day free without the pressure of exams, coursework or college in general’. While I have begun to get involved in some volunteering, and do spend longer meditating each day, this new-found freedom has been a little strange.
Firstly, I would say this period right now is definitely one of the best times in my life. There’s no pressure on me, and I can do exactly what I please all day. However while I have been genuinely happier, it has been more difficult for me to practice mindfulness and compassion for some reason. I have no idea why, but in the 6 days since I finished my last exam I just haven’t felt as connected with Buddhism as I did when I was going to college etc and living this ‘normal’ everyday life. It was easy to free myself from negative feelings and thoughts by simply calling to mind some bit of Buddhist wisdom, but now due to external circumstances I have no negative feelings of thoughts it is more difficult to be connected with Buddhism.
The only solution I can think of is to remind myself that although right now I am experiencing only positive things, it will come to an end relatively soon. Although this sounds a bit depressing and you might be thinking ‘lighten up, come on it’s your holiday’. You can be sure that I will spend time enjoying my freedom, but I think it is only right to remember this truth as it is the realistic and best view of the world. And when I do inevitably experience some negative emotions in these 12 weeks, I must call to mind my beloved Buddhist wisdom, which had not been at the front of my mind when I was free from negative emotions because I was on holiday.
What I can do from here is to remember to always be mindful in my activities, and to follow the Eight-fold path as best I can, follow the Five precepts and above all, show compassion for others in everything I do.
Thank you for reading and may compassion and wisdom guide you through suffering.
Picture credit – http://circusmash.co.uk/blog/a-celebration-of-circus-in-birmingham/
Tiny Buddhist - Views of a Young Budhist in the UK 