Undercover Mystic
By
Arizona Sunrise by Niamh Savani
John O’Donohue the well known Irish author called his friend an “undercover mystic”. What a beautiful, poetic way to describe an ordinary person who at the very least is serene, wise, and compassionate, and perhaps is enlightened.
Which brings us to the question “what is enlightenment?” (or susbtitute “awakening” etc.) I’m not even attempting to define such a loaded word, so I’ll just quote from others who can express this better than me. Eckhart Tolle says “It is finding your true nature beyond name and form”. Shunryu Suzuki, author of “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” states “Enlightenment experience is to figure out, to understand, to realize this mind which is always with us and which we cannot see”. He continues “Everyone has buddha nature. We each must find some way to realize our true nature”. The only real way to understand is to experience it for yourself. And your best teacher is yourself!
“As one particle of dust contains thousands of sutras, so the wisdom of all Buddhas is complete in the bodies of ordinary people who do not realize it.” ~ Chinul
When we think of someone who is enlightened probably the first image that comes to mind is a solitary monk, nun, saint, or some type of spiritual guru. It always seems like it’s out of grasp for us ordinary mortals. A friend recently shared a great website “Buddha at the Gas Pump“. The name kind of says it all! It highlights ordinary, everyday people going about their everyday lives, and they are awakened. Pretty cool stuff! So next time you’re at the gas pump, in line at the supermarket, stuck in traffic on the freeway, just think -you could be in the presence of an undercover mystic. Better yet – don’t forget that you too are a Buddha and “The secret is within yourself” ~ Hui-Heng.
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