The Buddha taught
there were eight
worldly concerns
that serve as the engine
that drives our neurosis.
Let us consider
the second half;
the fifth and sixth concerns
(or the duality of being subjected
to scorn or praise)
as well as
the seventh and eighth concerns
(or the duality of enduring
the subjective experiences
of shame and fame).
A quick rule of thumb
is that scorn and praise
describe our dreads and desires
focused outwards
where our shame and fame
denote our fears and longings
focused inwards.
Or, to put a finer point on it,
how we feel about the people
populating the world around us
versus how we feel about
our sense of self.
The Buddha’s path
offers NO:
affirmations,
or rituals,
or secret handshakes
to help us escape
the torture chambers
within our own heart.
All he offered us
are the tools of:
mindfulness,
and contemplation,
and love,
and letting-go.
Let us conclude
with a simple
call to action
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