The True Nature of Wealth, and Kindness
(And How Karma Gets Started)
By Sara Dechen Lhamo
Recently, on a deep meditation retreat, I was doing Tara practice, and meditating on the nature of Love. During this retreat some profound insights came to me that I thought I would share. Through Tara practice it was revealed to me that Gratitude, is the same energy as Love. Love is the outward, yang energy and gratitude is the receptive, yin. To feel love (from others, all beings, and the Universe itself), you have to feel the mind of gratitude. This is also why Buddhists bow. Bowing, is a physical expression of gratitude. By practicing bowing physically, (as well as inwardly with our minds) we are opening ourselves back up to that Love of the Eternal.
It was also revealed how beings get cut off from that Love of the Eternal. When beings are hurt, they curl up instinctively, like a leaf that is injured. They do that on the inside, to protect themselves. This means they can’t feel that gratitude however, and so they feel cut off from that Love of the Universe. This is due to a fight or flight response. This is how karma gets started: beings feel they are cut off, and that gets passed on. That sadness, and grief, and feeling of being alone.
The true purpose of “wealth” is to remove obstacles from our path, and to help remove obstacles from the path of others. “Wealth” is: "that which removes obstacles”, and that is it’s true purpose. So, for instance, medicine is a wealth that removes the obstacle of sickness, or illness. When we try and share wealth with others, we are inviting more wealth for ourselves. Why is this so? Because the Universe wants to help people and beings clear their obstacles. When you share your wealth with others, with that intention (of helping them clear their obstacles), you are inviting more wealth for yourself, because it creates a conduit, that opens up, and is like saying: “Here! I would like to help in this process!” (of clearing obstacles) and the Universe brings you more wealth too, (which you can then used to help more others, compounding the process). So by giving wealth away, you gain more for yourself. –But not just for “you”; you gain more ability to help others. –Wealth can include things like “kindness”. When we are kind to others it helps loosen things up within them, and uncurl that “wounded leaf” within them, that’s also an obstacle to their path. So even if we have no money, we can be kind. –There’s always wealth that we can give away. –And remember, the gift of the Dharma excels all other gifts. Health, is the greatest wealth, because a healthy body enables us to train with our other gifts.
May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness that knows no suffering.
May all sentient beings dwell in equanimity, free from clinging and aversion.
–This was written with an altruistic mind by myself, the one called Sara Dechen Lhamo, or Ileådryn, through a vision in which the Noble Lady Tara appeared, and shared this teaching with me. I share it here for others, for the sake of clearing obstacles from their paths, and reuniting all beings with the Pure Love of the Eternal.
© 2019, Sara Isayama
