My teacher said,
“Simply allow experiences to take place very freely,
so that your open heart is suffused with the
tenderness of true compassion.
Tsoknyi Rinpoche 111
On first hearing this, it doesn’t sound like important advice. But on reflection, experiences are going to take place anyway, so accept them with a good heart!
In general, if we try to change the experience, we find that we are merely adding to it, and there lies the foundation for further complexity. However, we can change this – and ourselves – by letting be. If we want to understand something, thinking about it or just reacting will only create a continually revolving event.
Letting be permits the mind to settle, and opens up the picture. This allows wisdom to take place and the dots to join up. Maybe the universal muses will inspire us!
An example:
You want to reply to someone. You know what you want to say, but pause a while. A better answer may occur – after all, we can make friends with a situation, or an enemy. Pausing gives us time to see the elements of the situation, to break them down…to simplify. We may then see it in a new light.
Of course, there is a great danger here, as we get taken out of the picture because of compassion….we get smacked in the face with the responsibility of compassion. All those things we wanted to say now are pointless, because we have to consider the other person. This is where we come into conflict with our own mind (ego). The moment ego sees wisdom, it may complain from a residue of habit, but upon recognising, says, “OK I give up.”
The point of compassion;
it leaves no after taste.
No karma.
“Simply allow experiences to take place.”
BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog - a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. We are all Buddhas in the mud of concepts. 
Hello Tony – I have learned from bitter experience how important it is to pause…and I love your idea of making a friend or an enemy from a situation. That gives me a very memorable image so thank you!
The perennial question of whether to take action or not is something that some of my non-Buddhist friends sometimes throw at me – they still have the idea that Buddhists are all passive and gentle, and can be walked all over because they just “let things be”. They almost see Buddhists as fatalists, or nihilists.
I know that is NOT what you are saying here – could you possibly elaborate a bit so that maybe I can explain to them in a better way?
Thank you!
Daisy
Hello Daisy,
Compassion is a very powerful instrument, it can pacify,attract, enlighten or destroy ego’s games.
Buddhism mainly deals with the mind, the troubled mind. “Letting things be” is do with our own reactions, habitual reaction. The more inner space we create, the more we can include others.
Most of the time people want us to listen, and not do anything. This helps them see for themselves their next step. This doesn’t mean we just agree with everything they say!
We may find a fresh way of rephrasing their question…This is what I do!
Clarity cuts through confusion and this may be a shock. This may take time to assimilate, so there are no expectations.
It’s difficult for non Buddhist to understand our approach, as we seem in meditation to be still and serene. But in daily life we may be quite dynamic…simple inside complex out side.
Tony