Being A Decent Person

Before we start our spiritual journey, we have to learn to be decent people, able to communicate kindly without having a personal agenda arising from being stuck in partial understanding. We need to be open people, willing to take in and digest information. This takes time. The world has lost the charm of a convivial meeting of minds, which is rare.

We might think (I may have thought) that if we try to put forward the view of ultimate reality, it might strike a chord and be helpful to others, but it is clear that blogs like this are just a passing interest. Unless one has some practical experience of quiet, internal reflection, this ultimate reality will appear like pie in the sky, and a mystery for us to play with.

People nowadays are easily wound-up
and ready to lash out at any suggestion.

This could be why most people have to start with the five perfections of generosity (of heart), patience (willingness to listen without making assumptions), morality (refining what is beneficial and harmful), discipline (controlling ourselves) and concentration (the ability to focus precisely); through these, we create the foundation to realise transcendent wisdom.

This is a Dzogchen blog so it starts with transcendent wisdom, so it’s not for everyone. The esoteric approach is to totally let go of our illusory existence.

It’s understandable that people don’t want to communicate for fear of the internet spying on them, but we have to use whatever is available. Actually, without the internet, this information would take years to reach us, and would cost a lot of money.

A little push and pull – a bit of conflict – is necessary in order to proceed, as this creates movement with a shift in the ground of our fixated rooting system. Without this, we are talking into a vacuum. We have a right to be upset and rant a little, but the psychology of spirituality is investigating why this is happening, and why we are the way we are.

Being a decent person doesn’t mean being proper and sycophantic. It simply means being willing to listen and offer something helpful to others who may also be reading this blog.

I hope this makes sense.