No 285 of Living Life Series 1
We are never satisfied with the status quo. This is good so long as it serves as a push for us to improve.
But we must not suffer or be worse off as a result. We must not scorn at what we have and regret that we did not have more.
Let us be mindful of the unrest in our mind and address the lack of peace and tranquility. Is there the need to strive and have less life? Can't we be peaceful and go placidly along the path of life and make life a garden filled with beauty even in the very mundane of things.
Let us cherish each moment so long as such moment brings us ease and peace even when the twists and turns do abound and come our way.
Let us enjoy the clouds as they blow by and the warmth of the sun that gives life. Let us be filled with wonder when the rain descends bringing us the water of life and adding to the splendour of nature.
Let us not take life for granted for the peace and ease may soon be punctuated by twists of fate when storms and tsunami may befall us.
We may not be as well off as our neighbours. Our grass may not be as green or at least don't seem to be as green as on the other side.
That is only a perception for what lies beyond looks green from afar and what greenery we have seems to have flaws.
This is the nature of life and men tend to not value the here and now and look with envy at what others have and wish we could have.
But the here and now too harbor their own beauty which may not be there in the past and in the future as well.
True, there will be better moments in the past and the future but do remember that the present if not valued will be gone forever and what little we can have in the present will not be the same with what we can have in the future.
Yes, the future can be better but that which is better may not be the same goodness that we have for now. We need to cultivate and value the here and now. We too need to value the future by preparing for the future, even if this be a precious little bit of effort for some who need to tend to the present, let alone worry for tomorrow.
We do need to do things within our resources. We need to take stock of our pluses and minuses, and work within our means, not beyond our means. We can only have this or that.
The same applies to our fellow men. One man's meat is another man's poison. So the saying goes. Of what use is beef to a person who is allergic to beef? Better to be ordinary and yet special in our own way for what we have may be the best for now.
Lust not after the garden on the other side. Dear friends, do be at peace with life and value what you have, make do with what you can have and make good with life.
Issues in life are many and plentiful. This is just being human. But do take stock of what you can have. Like in a buffet, you cannot have all and too many will make you puke and finish you off in a way.
Out of say ten issues, if half or slightly more you can have, count yourself lucky and blessed. Be contented.
Remember what Lord Buddha said, "Health is the highest gain, contentment the greatest wealth, self confidence the greatest friend ..."
Remember too the universal prayer. "To all heavenly saints I greatly adore. I belive in your existence and thy glory is in the thought of men. I seek for thy protection and guidance so as to live better for the time to come."
The saints are our blessings. Lord Bo Tien said that He is like the vast ocean and no amount of mud and debris of human problems can overwhelm His reach and compassion for beings.
He is always there for us whether we know him or far from him. The far may be near and the near may be far. Far and near are dear to Him and all heavenly saints. This He did say.
The one who understands life understands Him. He who does not know life and truth does not know Him.
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| Lord Bo Tien |
He said that life is our gospel and for the gospel to be complete, there must be the yin and the yang, the complementary polarities in our own individual life. We must be at peace with life and its polarities
What is good for one may not be good for another. Each man has his own life to lead and has his own assets, strengths, handicaps, limitations and weaknesses.
Know thyself and then you will know the saint. To know God and Heaven, you must know yourself. This is simple but not perceived by many when they fail to see the nature of life is simple. Only when we see the simple truth of life can we have insight on the very nature and truth of life. Life need to be simple and only by realising this can we have insight.
What your neighbour can have is what he can have based on his efforts and resources. This may not be what you can have for you are of different world so to speak. We ned to know this as a simple truth of life.
Know the truth of your life and you will know truth in life which has to do with GOD and saints.
Bro Philip said, "Only the wise seek the fulfilment of ancient wisdom. Yet the profound truth is so simple but difficult to perceive." Thus have we heard and thus must we know.
Resentment follows envy and saps away our resources and focus in life.
Though poor you may be rich and though others may be rich, they may be poor and worse off. "The humbled may be exalted and the exalted may be humbled." This Biblical saying in a way is the same as what the lord saint Lord Bo Tien's advice to us. "The far may be near and the near may be far"
Even Posat Ji Gong would say the same. His advice to every individual he guides is ever simple and has to do with life but such advice though simple is often insightful. This is in keeping with the truth which has to do with grasp and insight of the grass of our own life and not the grass on the other side.
Resentment follows envy and saps away our resources and focus in life.
Though poor you may be rich and though others may be rich, they may be poor and worse off. "The humbled may be exalted and the exalted may be humbled." This Biblical saying in a way is the same as what the lord saint Lord Bo Tien's advice to us. "The far may be near and the near may be far"
Even Posat Ji Gong would say the same. His advice to every individual he guides is ever simple and has to do with life but such advice though simple is often insightful. This is in keeping with the truth which has to do with grasp and insight of the grass of our own life and not the grass on the other side.
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| Simple but often insightful is Posat Ji Gong's advice |
Ji Kong helps by pointing out to you that you can try to have what others have but which you may not be in position to have now or even in immediate future due to health or other limitations.
To tell you in the face would be unkind and unwise. So like most saints, he blesses you with what you wish to undertake. But when you meet obstacles and could not cope, he gives you peace and let you have wisdom and insight that what you already have is already your Shangrila of sorts. You should treasure them though you could improve on them by working to reduce your limitations say health issue, age etc.
This way you do not bite off more than you can chew. You will be able to better your resources and able to harness joy even here and now by reducing your handicaps, by working with what you have and steering clear of what you should not have or may have difficulty procuring due to your handicaps or limitations.
He lets you know yourself and then you will have peace not only in the mundane world but in spiritual aspects as well. Knowing yourself is to know life and to know how to be at peace and have Heaven on earth even before kingdom come. That is life, isn't it?
By knowing self we know life and the the world beyond self. By knowing the truth of life, we know the divinity and lord saints like Lord Bo Tien. Only then can we be near the saints even if we are not next to them or their temples. This did Lord Bo Tien say.
Also, do remember what Lord Bo Tien told us that there will always be issues or obstacles in life. This is only human but we must be on top of issues. How to do so? There are three ways. We can handle issues on our own as individuals. We can seek the help of the divine so that big issues will become small issues even if they cannot be no issue. We can get the fellowship and assistance from others, that is, our fellow brethren. Then, it will be easier for us to be at peace in spirit and in body. We will be less inclined to think that the grass seems greener on the other side.
Cheers. Do go for the green green grass of home however incomplete and lacking it may be but if you tend to it at least it will still be there and there is prospect of it growing as well.
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