The Practice IS Life

“One of the subtle problems that has crept into our meditation culture, is that we have the idea that our meditation is there in order to solve our problems.

We think : Meditation is there because we are stressed, so then we will do some meditation so we don’t get stressed. Meditation is there because we are feeling depressed, so we are going to do some meditation so we are not depressed, etc.

So its like everything else you do in your life is the thing that is dragging your meditation down, thats what is messing your mind up, and your meditation is there to fix your mind up. That is exactly the opposite of what the Buddha was teaching.

What the Buddha was teaching was to manage your life, so that all of those things you do in your life are creating positive, helpful, mindful states of mind, which will then be a support for your meditation.

So if you are seeing your life as being opposed to your meditation, if you feel your life is dragging your meditation down, you’re doing life wrong. Make your life into a life that is going to support your meditation.

All of those things the Buddha was talking about, the practice of generosity, the practice of kindness, of helping others and serving, the practice of keeping your precept, the practice of restraint. All of these things are things that are empowering your meditation.
Use your life to support your meditation, don’t use your meditation, to try to cure your life.”

– Ajahn Sujato