Week of

Working with the Karmic Situation of America

We have to work with the karmic situation of America, to start with. A certain reformation can take place by natural force, but change is not going to happen in an easy or luxurious way. The city could re-form. The whole world could re-form. Out duty is to help. You might try to get away from the city, to create your own alternative living place in the country. However, wherever you are, there will be conflicts of how to get your food supplied, how your mail is delivered, problems with your milkman, and all kinds of details like that.

You might find it necessary to have a certain separation from society at large at times, in order to gain perspective. Without a comparative point of view to see society from, there’s no working basis. When you step back for a little while, you gain perspective on your life. However, engaging with society is also necessary, so that you have the perspective from that side also. So the process of stepping back and then reengaging should alternate or be joined side by side–like the idea of wisdom and compassion being side by side. Meditation can provide that nondual perspective.

From Work, Sex, Money: Real Life on the Path of Mindfulness, page 9. Published by Shambhala Publications

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The CTR Quote of the Week is coming to you from the Chogyam Trungpa Institute at Naropa University. The compiler of the quotes and the moderator of the list is Carolyn Gimian.

All material is used by permission of Diana J. Mukpo.

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