Supporting Everyday Life Experiences

We might ask ourselves: How much energy, time and attention do I want to give to the practice? What place does the spiritual practice have in my life?

Here, spiritual practice does not only mean formal meditation practice. It also means giving attention to our spiritual friends, spending quality time with people who are on the same path. Giving time and attention to a friend who might need some help, some support, someone to listen. Am I willing to give this? What is your understanding of practice in regard to this?

Instead of spending time with your friend, do you say, ‘Sorry, I haven’t got time for you right now because I need to do some more sitting practice’? Ask yourself this. What is important? Are you still flexible in the way you relate to these situations?”

In a situation like this, your answer might sometimes be ‘yes’. Other times, you may need to spend some time on your own, and your answer might be ‘no’. There might be something that you really need to pay attention to and being with your friend right now would mean not dealing with this. It might be just another distraction.

Or you might feel that what you need to do first is allow yourself some nourishment. You may feel that you do not have the resources to give support right now, are not able to give the right kind of attention to your friend’s needs. This is a possibility.

But most often, your answer will be just to say ‘yes’. I can spare some time; I can be with you. What I can offer is to receive you and hold you in this. ‘Holding you here’ means giving attention to what is needed right now. That also has its place in our practice.

Our everyday life experiences are just as much a part of the practice as sitting down to meditate.

This reflection by Ajahn Metta is from the book The Body, (pdf) pp. 155-156.