03/03/2026
Thereโs a life affirming teaching in Buddhism, which is that Buddha, which means โawakeโ, is not someone you worship, Buddha is not someone you aspire to; Buddha is not somebody that was born more than two thousand years ago and was smarter than youโll ever be.
Buddha is our inherent nature โ our buddha nature โ and what that means is that if youโre going to grow up fully, the way that it happens is that you begin to connect with the intelligence that you already have.
Itโs not like there's some intelligence thatโs going to be transplanted into you. If youโre going to be fully mature, you will no longer be imprisoned in the childhood feeling that you always need to protect yourself or shield yourself because things are too harsh.
If youโre going to be a grown up โ which I would define as being completely at home in your world no matter how difficult the situation โ itโs because you will allow something thatโs already in you to be nurtured. You allow it to grow, you call it to come out, instead of all the time shielding it and protecting it and keeping it buried.
~ Pema Chodron: Start Where You Are
[Art: Stephanie Law]