July 14, 2024 – A

As a Non-Buddhist,
I am free to pick and choose, 
imagine and invent,
the precise kind of Buddhist
I care to be. 

I sit in a recliner, for example, 
without counting my breaths,
assuming my body knows how many it takes
in what period of time,
and by now has enough experience
to take care of itself in that matter.

And as far as my mind goes,
I trust it explicitly to do what it needs to do
without any interference
or direction from me.

I also trust my intuition,
and look to it to guide my boat 
on its path through the sea.

I sit like the Buddha,
rising to do what needs to be done,
when, where and how it needs to be done,
then dropping back into sitting like the Buddha,
waiting on what needs to be done to come along.

No Teacher.
No Dharma.
Nobody to please.
Nobody to tell me what to do
and how to do it.
Nobody's word to take for everything...

I like Yoda-wisdom in this matter,
"Do or do-not! There is no try!"

And there are certainly no levels of attainment.

Only me and the moment,
getting along just swell together.
Like two old pals enjoying each other's company.

And as far as aligning myself
with someone else's idea
of who and how I ought to be,
I ask, "Who says so?"
And, "What makes them think
they know what they are talking about?"
And "How can I be sure that they know
what they are talking about?"

It it comes down to "taking it on faith,"
I'll take on faith that my intuition and I
can figure things out on our own just fine.
We have up to this point,
and can be depended upon to keep it up through
all future points.

And I'll bet you can develop the same relationship
with your intuition.