This is the Bardo of Living.
This one was the only Bardo I didn’t have a clear download image of.
And even though the Bardo of Living is one that we’re all familiar with, it was my biggest struggle.
“How am I going to represent this?”
Well, it actually ended up being one of the first things I see when I wake up every morning.
I have a door in my bedroom that opens to the backyard.
It’s a glass door that faces the rising sun in the East.
It has a white curtain with red diamonds hanging in the middle.
Depending on the time of day, the warm sunlight coming through the door shines differently & projects different shapes.
A stunningly beautiful play of light & shadow.
The curtain represents the veil of our own thoughts & perceptions – or obscurations.
This dance of light, shadow, color & transparency is a representation of life.
When I wake up in the morning, it’s a playful reminder to be curious & open to the fact that we so often do not see the true nature of things. We don’t see things as they truly are – we see them through the lens of our own perception.
And when we experience true awakening, and really wake up the potential of the mind, there is no veil or obscuration.
It’s just everything as it is.
True nature.
Pure perception.
Clarity.
But this veil is beautiful, right?
That’s the beauty of living.
The red diamond on my door became the center of the painting. The heart.
It’s the one thing in the painting that is clear. Because the heart is always clear.
My teacher once told me:
“Every part of your human body is affected by your thoughts & your ideas.
But not the Heart – the Heart never gets affected.
The Heart dispels everything.
The Heart doesn't believe in anything.
That’s how pure the Heart is.
If you sit down and you focus on your Heart, nothing can interfere.
The Heart will just kill all thoughts.
All emotional feelings.
Everything you can imagine!
So always remember: go back to your heart.
Whatever goes wrong, go back to your heart.
The heart has no thinking involved. It’s just beautiful!”
~!~
What do you feel in your heart when you rest your awareness & breath on the Bardo of Living?
May it remind you to always go back to your heart.
Over & out,
Alison
P.S. I am exploring featuring this painting on the bag of Courage. My tagline for this tea blend has always been: Growing older is not for sissies; take courage! So I thought it was a perfect match. Courage is a sweet, comforting & earthy blend for all ages. Contains herbs traditionally believed to support clear eyesight, healthy liver & glowing skin.
