The Love That Will Not Die

*I find this warrior approach to be the counterbalance to our western ways which can be one-sided in the self-empowering extroverted attitude toward life and spirituality. On the other hand, to quote Wayne Dyer "we cannot shame or impoverish ourselves enough to rescue others from their lot", and one must be in a strong position and condition to be most of service... to oneself, intimate others and society at large.
Jdz

"Spiritual awakening is frequently described as a journey to the top of a mountain. We leave our attachments and our worldliness behind an slowly make our way to the top. At the peak we have transcended all pain. The only problem with this metaphor is that we leave all others behind. Their suffering continues, unrelieved by our personal escape.

On the journey of the warrior-bodhisattva, the path goes down, not up, as if the mountain pointed toward the earth instead of the sky. Instead of transcending the suffering of all creatures, we move toward turbulence and doubt however we can. We explore the reality and unpredictability of insecurity and pain , and we try not to push it away. If it takes years, it takes lifetimes, we let it be as it is. At our own pace, without speed or aggression, we move down and down and down. With us move millions of others, our companions in awakening from fear. At the bottom we discover water, the healing water of bodhicitta. Bodhichitta is our heart -- our wounded, softened heart. Right down there in the thick of things, we discover the love that will not die. This love is bodhichitta. It is gentle and warm; it is clear and sharp; it is open and spacious. The awakened heart of bodhichitta is the basic goodness of all beings".

Pema Chodron ~ "Comfortable with Uncertainty" (chapter 1, pages 1-2)