Cold Beautiful Practice

When I got to the Amitabha Stupa for the 5pm Amitabha and Chenrezig practice there were 8 or 10 people enjoying the Stupa. It was a cold and windy afternoon, but because we are in Sedona it was a beautiful cold and windy afternoon, and this did not seem to deter anyone's enthusiasm.

We settled into the Amitabha practice with four people and towards the end of the Chenrezig practice, a bit late, came Mary and Wiggleworm. I guess Wiggleowrm was up for some chanting, dog-style, which he accomplished with great aplomb as we closed the practice. He was the loudest voice other than mine for the dedication at the end.

What is it about our habits? The Lama’s tell us that the habits of the mind are the only thing that transits the intermediate state between this life and the next. Not our soul, just our habits (not good news for those who have a “good soul” but bad habits!) show up in a form determined by our karma (the accumulation of actions). There is a lot of this that I don’t understand and wouldn’t be able to convey with any more depth than a parrot, however when Wiggleworm gets going, I do wonder about the pervasive control that habits have over oneself and whether this is what is behind his dog-style chanting (otherwise known as howling).

I will never be able to figure it out. But it is a good habit, I think, to chant along anyway. He seems to enjoy it.