Putting Into Practice

I've been thinking about how many books on Buddhism, general spirituality, motivational, personal growth and development that I've read. I feel very happy that I've read all these book, but a question that popped up in my mind is, "how much of what you have read are you putting into practice?" Yikes! I hate that when it happens. Those needling little questions that end up being sonic booms, within the mind.

When I used to counsel, train and do lectures, I would regularly ask patients, family members, significant others, health care professional and staff, "Is knowledge power?" They would always answer , "Yes." To this I always respond, "No it's not.” They would then look at me a little blank and I would go on to say, “Knowledge is only a potential. It only means something if you find a way to skillfully apply it to everyday situations. Application and Putting into practice is power."

As human beings we can and do know some very important things. But our deluded mind and lack of concentrated focus causes us to be inconsistent and erratic. As Genjo Marinello Osho once said, "we can sit on the Zafu (meditation cushion) and the world can appear so clear. We get up and it's gone." We need to make a very strong effort to take our centered, attentive mind everywhere with us.

As we move though and within our lives today, write down one positive thing that you have learned and know. Look at it throughout the day and see if you can put it into practice. If you think that you can't or to be more honest, decided that you won't - go back to the meditiation cushion and work on building motivation, so that you can and will put what you know in to practice. That is what I am going to do today.

Namaste'

Jaye Morris, Curator
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