.webp){kind=small}
‘The decisive question for man is: Is he related to something infinite or not? That is the telling question of his life. Only if we know that the thing which truly matters is the infinite can we avoid fixing our interest upon futilities, and upon all kinds of goals which are not of real importance. Thus we demand that the world grant us recognition for qualities which we regard as personal possessions: our talent or our beauty. The more a man lays stress on false possessions, and the less sensitivity he has for what is essential, the less satisfying is his life. He feels limited because he has limited aims, and the result is envy and jealousy. If we understand and feel that here in this life we already have a link with the infinite, desires and attitudes change. In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted.
In our relationships to other men, too, the crucial question is whether an element of boundlessness is expressed in the relationship. The feeling for the infinite, however, can be attained only if we are bounded to the utmost. The greatest limitation for man is the "self"; it is manifested in the experience: “I am only that!” Only consciousness of our narrow confinement in the self forms the link to the limitlessness of the unconscious. In such awareness we experience ourselves concurrently as limited and eternal, as both the one and the other. In knowing ourselves to be unique in our personal combination – that is, ultimately limited – we possess also the capacity for becoming conscious of the infinite. But only then!’
To achieve awakening, we must be guided by our heart and the unique path it leads us towards. By utilising one of the methods of meditation, we bring awareness into our life and uncover our true self, heart and path.
‘Is he for real?’ The words struck Jack Kornfield like a bolt of lightning. Returning from his five-year venture studying in Theravada Buddhist monasteries, the monk was soon greeted by a healthy dose of Western scepticism. While waiting to visit his sister-in-law at her work, he overheard the laughs and jeers of her colleagues as he meditated in full monk attire in their waiting room.
Within weeks, the disheartened Kornfield would disrobe, enrol in a graduate programme, and take up a job as a taxi driver. While he would eventually succeed in gaining his PhD in clinical psychology, the spiritual high he had experienced while traversing through Asia crumbled in his new surroundings. Fortunately, Kornfield’s extensive training enabled him to discover the roots of his unhappiness. Although he had allowed the training to reshape his mind, his heart remained untouched. He had compartmentalised his spirituality, preventing it from spilling into and cleansing his emotions, desires and past traumas. By integrating his heart into his spiritual walk, Kornfield soon experienced true healing, and his discoveries, collected in A Path with Heart, helped to bring the essence of Buddhist teachings to Western audiences.
The goal of the spiritual path is to discover our heart and unique journey in this world. While most of us are tempted by material gain and external recognition, the heart’s deepest craving is love and a life well lived. To achieve this, however, we must undergo an awakening by bravely confronting the traumas and pains that impact us. The more we suppress negative emotions and feelings, the more they will manifest in undesirable ways. The key is letting go. ‘When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present moment.’ By letting go, we can accept and embrace all that is, even the inevitable sufferings of life (and death).
There are many meditative paths we can take towards awakening, and we must each discover for ourselves which path awaits us. Whatever you choose, however, ensure you remain in it through the trials of boredom and discouragement. This will train you to work through these emotions rather than merely avoiding them. Slowly, you will develop your attention and ability to live in the present. The help of a teacher in this regard can be invaluable. However, no teacher is perfect, and students are warned against having idealised visions of teachers. Enlightenment can only be found within. Teachers may lead us to the path but cannot walk it for us.
Kornfield lists many helpful methods for developing attention through meditation. We must avoid compartmentalising our spiritual lives. Quite often, for example, a student can display spiritual maturity in one aspect of their life while remaining immature in other places. This is the result of hiding away aspects so that we never unearth or deal with certain traumas and fears. By being willing to face our failures, we find true wholeness.
As we gain spiritual maturity, we discover our connectedness to all things. Suffering becomes a place where compassion begins, for others’ suffering is our own. We learn kindness for all things, including ourselves. We are patient with life’s seasons and cycles, allowing ourselves to rest in the present. We let go of perfectionistic ideals and replace them with universal love, knowing the Divine shines through even our failures. Finally, we learn to see the heavenly in all things. Every moment becomes a place in which to not only see the divine spark that embodies all things, but to spread delight to all creatures we encounter. As Kornfield concludes, ‘It is in the intimacy of each moment that all of spiritual life is fulfilled.’
The hustle and bustle of the modern world could be said to be fuelled by one ingredient: desire. The longing for one more dollar, acre of land or piece of recognition powers the economic engine of nations and the hearts of CEOs, yet often lost in this endless drive for more is the one thing we truly yearn for: love and a life worth living. As a man of two worlds, Kornfield attempts to bring the best of Eastern wisdom into our Western hysteria, challenging us to reconsider what our goals of life are and whether the objects of our fleeting desires are what we truly want. For those seeking a way to deal with past traumas and open a course for a more meaningful future, A Path with Heart might be the key for discovering the divine in the mundane.
Copyright © Jack Kornfield 1994, 2002.
