Beheaded and Equanimous
Sometime at the end of the last winter, a friend of ours in the mountains placed a small statue of Buddha in an opening among the willow trees on our beloved path in the woods. The statue was about 6-inches tall or so, and Buddha looked perfect sitting in this little “cave” tucked in the willow bush. I was delighted that Buddha was now part of my nature walks as a reminder to be present while I’m amongst the trees (because sometimes I may be talking to someone on the phone or listening to some podcasts. 😍)
Only a couple months later, the same friend who placed him found the beheaded Buddha on the trail. Someone apparently yanked the head off the statue and tossed the body in the woods. While we never found his head, the Buddha was returned to where he was before. Since then the statue is collecting some coins and even some bills around him, hopefully left by well-wishing neighbors as a sign of respect. Someone even put a painted rock to replace Buddha’s head. Then in the spring, the forest service came and cleared a lot of dead trees and bushes. The willow trees that surrounded our Buddha were also cut and cleared. Now he sits in an open field under the harsh sun.
While it was initially rather disturbing to see the headless Buddha on our trail, I have grown to like it as it is. It seems like Buddha really doesn’t mind that his head is gone and now is in an open space without a shelter. He sits there still and quietly without his head observing what’s around unperturbed: the birds, the trees, the animals including us two-legged beings in this woods. I’m only a part of the scene. Equanimity…
In contrast, I’ve been feeling quite perturbed since I came back from my retreat. It feels like the world is falling apart between the grim report by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) with a visceral knowing that some big fires are burning not too far from me, Afghanistan, Haiti, new surge of COVID, not to mention some of the personal challenges with losses and illnesses among my family and friends. I could find equanimity in some moments if I remember to be mindful of my thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. The truth is it’s not easy. Equanimity is not indifference. It is an ability observe the world calmly without getting caught up and with compassion. The headless Buddha’s teaching me something…
#YouCanSitWithUs