On New Year's Resolutions

It's the time of year when so many people will be making resolutions -- lists of things they want to accomplish or behaviours they wish to change. It is, in my appraisal, a time of remarkable demonstrations of grasping. Our intention ought not be spoiled by the eight worldly preoccupations: gain or loss, pleasure or pain, praise or criticism, and fame or infamy.

There's nothing magical about the arbitrary day chosen as the first of the year. We don't need a special holiday to choose to improve our behaviours, improve our health, or choose to better use our time. And what of the broken resolutions?

I believe that there is much to be gained from resolving (right here, right now) to stay in the moment. By letting go of our grappling for the phenomenal world... instead of grappling with thoughts of tomorrow, we can turn our awareness to this moment. It's more useful to ask ourselves what we can do right now, than it is to plan what we're going to get around to tomorrow.

Goals are fine, when they serve as roadmaps -- points of reference, toward which we work in the present, without obsessing over some arbitrary future date.

In the past three weeks, several folks promised that they were going to help out with some of the unmet financial obligations that arose this month. We've had three major vehicle expenses, and some unforeseen medical expenses. These three individuals were all well aware of the hardship that came from my inability to work, because of my condition. And they were the ones, in fact, who offered their assistance.

One of them "fell in love" and spent "all his money" on the new love interest. The other two, from what I am told, decided to go on a winter cruise. I've heard nothing back from either of them in weeks, until this morning. And this morning, I was told, "Oh yeah, we forgot about that... sorry, we're tapped out."

Now I could panic. I could obsess over the fact that the Internet service will be shut off in a few days, unless I come up with the $175 we owe them, or the fact that unless we come up with another $200 for rent and $100 for electric, we'll be up a creek. But what good would it do? I could make resolutions about not letting ourselves get stuck without money, but such plans would serve no point. For my part, I have done what I could. I advertised our webdesign business, and cut the prices to an affordable $250 for a five page website, including a year's free hosting... maybe we'll get two web design clients. I launched our new company, USADebtElimination.com -- the first debt arbitration and settlement firm in the U.S. founded on Dharma principles.

I still don't have the use of my dominant arm... still live most of every day in extreme pain. And Craig is working in temperatures in the teens and single-digits, cleaning yards, trimming back trees, anything he can to earn a few extra dollars, despite his own struggle with Parkinson's Disease. So there is no cause for either of us to feel as though we've failed.

The point is that nothing changes. We might be served with eviction papers in a few weeks. We might lose power and Internet in a few days. And then we'll figure out what we can do from there.

I've taken a lot of flack from one somewhat ill-informed fellow, living in an underprivileged country, where Buddhism is one of the most prevalent spiritual paths. This otherwise amiable fellow finds it "repulsive" that I sell my books, workshops and retreats, because "the Dharma is not for sale". And he's right. I would never sell the Dharma, and have always given freely of all that I have learned. However, where it's acceptable in his country for a monk to beg daily, taking in his food bowl all that he needs to sustain himself, and living in a little hut; that is not as easily accomplished here. So in addition to my vows of non-attachment, I vowed to be self-sufficient, and wherever possible, to provide for those less fortunate than ourselves.

So I ask you, if you know of anyone with a small business, who might need to have a new website, please send them my way. If you know of anyone struggling with credit card debt or any other unsecured loans, who might benefit from having their debt amount reduced by 50-65% or more, please send them my way.

As for me, there is only one resolution I make tonight, and every night...

"For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, may I, too, abide, to dispel misery and suffering in the world. And may I return, lifetime-after-lifetime, to continue to work toward that end, until suffering exists no more."

Namasté!

 

Copyright ©2008, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato). All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.