Space

When a great Lama was pressed to teach a patron how to meditate he said, "Do you know the space which exist between one thought and the next?"
"Why yes. Of course." replied the patron.
The Lama looked him in the eyes and said simply "Prolong it".

I find that since I have been back I struggle not to fill the space with the radio, the TV, the next battle or thoughts of the last. It was expected. It is what we do in the west. It seems that we in this country have a great fear of being alone with ourselves, with our thoughts. What is it that we are afraid we will see? What is it that lies within the silence that we are afraid to hear?

An image comes to mind of a Tibetan nomad. Alone he stands upon a high plain. The strong wind blowing in waves across the grass. In the distance, rising up from the plain giant snow mountains surround him. The sky is a deep blue and the sun shines brilliantly in the clear thin air. His company is his thoughts. He needs no radio or TV. Where do those thoughts take him? What does he fill the space with?

Perhaps if we persevere and prolong the moment, expand the space between those two thoughts the causes of our suffering will be revealed. Our attachments, our arrogance and our ignorance exposed for what they are.

Bilbo