Man Proposes and God Disposes

As a full-time Buddhist Monk I set aside four mediation sessions every day at seven and eleven every morning, three in the afternoon and seven every evening. My maternal grandfather used to say, “Man proposes and God disposes;” or in other words the best laid plans of mice and men are often torn asunder.

There times when this body just doesn’t cooperate. When I find that this body is just to tired to sit up, no less engage in formal contemplations I perform a highly visual version of the “Essential Meditation” that I teach in the second lesson of the Beginning series. While laying down, I gaze an either a lithograph or a statue of the Buddha of Compassion. During the IN-breath I mentally recite “Om Ma-ni Pad-me Hum.” During the OUT-breath I silently, mentally recite “Re-la-xing.”

During the IN-breath I simply notice whatever I am experiencing as I silently recite the six-syllable mantra. During the OUT-breath I choose to let go of it as I silently recite. “Re-la-xing.”
When mentally reciting “Relaxing” I really get into it. I invite my body, mind and emotions to relax a bit more with every syllable of “Re-lax-ing.”

It is great to make plans and even better to act upon them. But when life throws you a curve ball, and your body just isn’t up to it; there is still something you can do. This spiritual exercise is as easy as it is effective. Whatever you see, whatever you feel, relax into it’s ultimately, NON-graspable nature and spiritual growth is assured.

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