Humble Gratitude Rather Than…

Humble appreciation arises by being fully present to moments of comfort, pleasure, and joy. We can be humbled by our happiness: “The equanimity and joy that I’ve achieved is due to the kindness of those who came before me and the kindness of so many people.” We appreciate that we do not live in a vacuum and that our own successes come about because of the contribution of many, many factors and many people. We are in a state of humble gratitude rather than a state of “Well, of course, I should be happy.”

Carrying a strong hope for finding happiness and an unconscious fear that it will fade does not help us achieve the goal that we want. Clinging to joy and shying away from pain are simply feeling states. In this fickle manner, our efforts to be happy may often leave us in pain. Blindly compelled by the force of habit, we may draw in more suffering and push away happiness. But if we can cultivate an inner state of equanimity, whatever comes our way will be met with a stable and open mind. The more we cultivate this stability, the less our minds are servants of the changing tides of our environment. It is crucial to develop equanimity in regard to the eight worldly concerns.

Excerpt From
Loving Life As It Is
Chakung Jigme Wangdrak
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Image: Gerd Altmann