22 Jun
2012
Posted in: Books, Groups, Sangha at Large
By    2 Comments

Cha, cha, cha!

The Monday night “Dancing with Life” KM group has decided to start over because we felt that we haven’t been focusing enough on the book (“Dancing with Life,” by Phillip Moffitt). So we’re going back to the beginning–starting with the preface–and each of us will bring a passage we’ve underlined…..something we’ve found helpful, or inspiring, or confusing…and we’ll read it aloud and the group will discuss.

The first thing I underlined was: “…teaching the dharma is the most satisfying activity I have ever done in my life.”

The next was: “Why do you suffer? Is there a purpose to your pain? What about the amount of suffering you experience–is it fair, based on some understandable system of cause and effect, or is it simply arbitrary? Can you affect how much you suffer? If so, how?”

But the one I want to bring to the group is: “….life will move you with the rhythm and in the direction of its own unfolding, irregardless of your best intentions. Life dances and you must dance with it. This is the necessary price and mysterious gift of being incarnate–alive in a body.”

(image from Q-cards by Zolo, inc.)

2 Comments

  • “….life will move you with the rhythm and in the direction of its own unfolding, irregardless of your best intentions. Life dances and you must dance with it. This is the necessary price and mysterious gift of being incarnate–alive in a body.”

    Jan,
    I’ve been coming back to this since you posted it a few days ago, “in the direction of it’s own unfolding”
    brings me face to face with the futility of trying to control. But also face to face with a very deep not knowing. with no control possible, life WILL move you, What does responding look like? what is being a good dance partner? Are we always following? What is our creative part of it? No answers just questions. thanks. Janet

    • I’m glad this passage resonated with you. Life dancing in response to the natural rhythm of cause-and-effect is such a beautiful image. Thanks for commenting.