Lately
while meditating I've been imagining I'm an ascetic monk sitting on top of a
mountain in Tibet, at "the roof of the world", where it is windy but
calm. In this life I'm an eremite- one who lives as a recluse under a
religious vow. That religion best describes Buddhism, although my state
of transcendence means that I value all religions equally, and incorporate
their techniques while meditating. Christian contemplation, Jewish
Kabbalah, Sufi muraqaba, chakras, jhana and Zen; no technique is
excluded. As a student of meditation, I've mastered all the variations.
This isn't the only function
of my life. In this mountain temple I practice daily martial arts, yoga,
running, and other physical activities, to balance the mind with the
body. As an active sage, I am devoted to mental progress and a defender
of my realm.
It gets lonely sometimes, but
occasionally I will venture down the thousands of steps on my mountain to visit
friends in the valley. I also provide training services for those who
seek peace and self defense, who may spend a whole week under my instruction in
the temple.
It calls to
attention the point of ascetic life. As celibates who renounce family
life, what's the point of monastic living if it doesn't help prolong the human
race? Wouldn't the people who are breeding, who logically must be living
a more sinful life, have more influence on its direction? It also calls
into question the worth of God's creation. If we are not living life to
our fullest (while respecting the rights of others), are we really serving God?
I believe my visions are
reflecting a former life as an ascetic monk who thought there must be a better
way. I believe that I decided to come back as a family man, who picked an
emotionally difficult circumstance so someone else wouldn't have to, who came
back to reach lay people and not those seeking enlightenment. For if we
are only touching religious people, we aren't really extending the arm of God,
or reaching the full potential of His instruction.
