There are some words and phrases that we read or hear that stay with us for forever. When I read the term ‘Fundamental Richness’ from Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron, those two words said a lot. At a very stressful time in my life, I did not feel at all ready when she suggested, “The key is to relax…” But being the perceptive teacher she is, she offers this way: “… relax to a cloud in the sky, relax to a tiny bird with grey wings, relax to the sound of the telephone ringing…” Reluctantly I tried the suggestion. And it worked. For me
If we teach ourselves to see that fundamental richness is available in each moment, we develop a habit of mind and heart that can serve us well in tough times. When we are filled to the brim with self-pity, feelings of being victimised, anger or sadness, it is hard to get out of one’s own way and notice much else. But if we have been doing this as a joyful practice on a regular basis, we can pause and understand that seeing things as they are is something that becomes easier.
We see people around us – or sadly we are those people – who look at others enjoying what life has to offer and wonder why they can’t be like them. It all starts with intention. Then intention leads to practice, and practice can bring about a better emotional climate. We are reminded that fundamental richness is everywhere and available always to everyone. “In raindrops, in blood drops, in heartache and delight, this wealth is the nature of everything. It is like the sun in that it shines on everyone without discrimination,” says Chodron.
As we learn to dwell in the space of fundamental richness, paying attention through our sense of sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing, this sparks curiosity, and wonder, things many of us discard as we ‘grow up’. So now we notice little joys around us, and these in turn encourage moments of thoughtful contemplation, meaningful connections and conversations. As Qiguang Zhou writes in his Do Nothing and Do Everything, “To earn bread is important; to taste its sweetness is more important.”
It is true that there are some whose overall life experiences have led them to conclude that they can never feel secure. So, instead of forcing themselves to ‘stay positive’ — often a futile effort — they can more easily convince themselves to at least pause and pay more attention to simple and nourishing moments.
I asked several friends to let me into their nourishing moments where they can pause enough to feel good. I’d like to list a few.
Remember that nourishing moments come from really simple joys: When I wake up feeling perfectly rested; the anticipation of writing in a new notebook with a fresh, new page; when I can ignore cooking and eat just an apple for dinner so I can keep reading the book I’m immersed in; finding my old jeans now fit me perfectly; buying a still warm loaf of bread, breaking a piece and inhaling the aroma before the first bite; when I draw a line through the last task on my To-Do list; waking up before anyone else is up and sitting silently by my window as the sun rises; catching up with dear friends that I haven’t seen in a while; the sound of children’s uninhibited laughter; my dog greeting me with a crazily wagging tail when I get home after a tiring day; the joy I feel when I give someone a small gift ‘just because’; the happiness of receiving a letter or card that someone took the trouble to post.
-Marguerite Theophil
