Today I heard a lecture, so called dharma talk, of one Buddhist monk in Sausalito. She talked about being present as an activity and emphasized the difference between activity and activism.

She said activism is a form of modern violence. To help everyone and everything is to succumb to violence. In these changing times and crisis, job hunting and financial hardships, it is especially important to remember that, because, otherwise, we become victims of our own violence, often, driven by good and noble intentions.

We fill our days with activities like working or working out, or getting things done. We do all that without being fully present. We are caught up in our thoughts, memories, worries, plans for the future, obsessions and so on.

She also talked about happy energy and how to get it back. She said if we just stop and sit down, relax without falling asleep and become aware of our bodies, feelings, tastes and smells, we can begin to let go and bring the happy energy back to us.

“Ask permission to get to know your partner,” she said, “Ask permission to get to know yourself” as a complete stranger every day of your life…

Photo: Oksana smelling apple blossoms at the Green Gulch Farm  Zen Center Sunday, March 29, 2009