Awakening to the (Eightfold) Path

Let me start by saying I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday, whichever one you celebrate (or are currently still celebrating).  I had a wonderful holiday with my family.  Santa was very good to us this year, even though everyone was pretty broke this year.  Every time we gather we tend to find something more to be thankful for and to appreciate in one another.  But I digress from the purpose here.  Let's get to the topic at hand . . .

So here we are again, discussing the means of ending writer's suffering.  Yeah, like that will ever really happen.  Well, we can make our lives as ick-free as possible.  But to understand the means to the end, we have to discuss a few generalities about Buddhist philosophy.

The Buddhist eightfold path is a way of perceiving, thinking, acting and being in the world.  It is not a successive path, as in one step follows another, but all or most steps on the path can be developed simultaneously.  Movement in one area leads to advancement in another.

The path is divided into three sections:  Wisdom, Ethical Conduct and Mental Development.  Wisdom is comprised of Right View and Right Intention.  Ethical Conduct is comprised of Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood.  Mental Development is comprised of Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.

In many ways, Right View is the alpha and omega of comprehending the Path.  The Path begins with the understanding of the true nature of suffering and ends with true understanding of how to transcend such suffering.  Right view is not a matter of intelligence or intellect. It is a perspective on viewing the world. It is developed through experience, study, meditation and prayer.

I don't think any writer would argue that viewpoint are one of the most important considerations when composing a story.  Who your character is will frame how a character interprets whatever situation he or she is in and the people around them.  This is how you can have a protagonist and antagonist at cross purposes, even though neither is really a "bad guy"--each has their own view of what's going on, what's needed and what is the right way to proceed.

In the same way, we create the tenor of our lives by the framework we put around it.  When you think of yourself as the hero(ine) of your own story, who are you?  Are you the plucky heroine intent on living her dream?  Are you the ne'er-do-well finally trying to make good?  Are you the plodder who steadily aims toward success? Or are you the flash in the pan who burns out halfway there?  Or maybe someone else entirely?

What is your story about?  Failure?  Faith? Honor? Nihilism? Hope?  The futility of life? Redemption?  

Your answer to these questions doesn't really matter, except in one regard:  are you content to continue this view of yourself and the story you are currently living?  If you are, more power to you.  If not, nothing but our epitaph is carved in stone.  You can always change the story of your life and how you view yourself in the world. 

As we head into the new year, it is important to ask yourself what you would like to change, adapt modify or eliminate from the life you are living right now.  What are you focusing your attention, your energy, your intention on in 2012? That's what the new year will bring for you. 

Are you ready for it?  Or are you ready to try something new?  What are you hoping the new year brings for you?