Practice vs. Play

I went to the Q & A about practice with Venerable Pannavati. One thing that struck out to me was that she does not always like the word practice. Sometimes, she is playing in the real game. At her lecture, she spoke of how practice is bringing the meditation off the cushion in those times that the ego wants to cling to old habits. Yet, when those situations are not arising at the moment, one can really enjoy the deep contentment of actually playing in the big leagues of enlightenment.

She said you are not lost if the dharma finds you and the only other things better than seeing nothing, is seeing something because that is the next thing to practice in the present moment. My goal of being in the present is about this. I can be attentive to whatever is in front of me at any given time and that is where the focus can be with a mind of practice and discipline to stay here.

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