First, train in the preliminaries.

Photo from Bird Watchers' Digest

          I was reading last night about the reason some folks put out eggshells for the birds, particularly during the late winter and spring months. The calcium carbonate found in the shell is particularly important as a nutrient for female birds. Their own eggshells are made up of about 95% of this supplement; when they don't get enough, it can negatively affect the survival rate of their chicks. Likewise, the Four Reflections could be considered the necessary vitamins required for a beginning practice. If I don't grasp these basic ideas - the preciousness and impermanence of life, that thoughts and actions produce effects, and that suffering is created by a search for security - it is doubtful my training will be very beneficial or lasting. I'll fail to see the part I play in the painful patterns of my life, and my habits will become like a washing machine forever stuck in a wash, rinse, and repeat cycle. Adopting such ideas may not be as tasty as a slice of illusion, but these principles can become my keys to clarity, allowing me to see the truth of reality.

For more information on the first slogan, go here.

Slogan One

First, train in the preliminaries.

From the Lojong for the Layperson booklet:

                The preliminaries remind us of the human condition and inspire us to begin and sustain our practice. The first slogan is a foundation for all the rest, and is built on the Four Reflections:

·         The preciousness of human life.

·         The truth of impermanence (change) and the inevitability of death.

·         Thoughts, words and actions have consequences (cause and effect).

·         A repetitive cycle of suffering caused by a constant search for security.

The only adequate response is a practice that will allow us to develop wisdom, compassion and resilience –training to strengthen the mind and heart.

Photo: Nest among a tangle of Confederate jasmine in bloom.

       I recently put together a baby swing for our new grandson. When I pulled all the many pieces and screws out of the box, I had no desire to sort all the parts and read the directions. I just wanted to put the swing together as quickly as possible. That's my natural response - just get it done. But without understanding the directions, I doubt the swing would have worked the way it was designed. I couldn't jump from the first step to the last successfully. In the same way, I need to ground myself in the Four Reflections before I dive into the rest of the slogans. Once I begin to comprehend them and apply them, I can "hatch out" and move on the the next slogan.