Weeks like this make me very glad that I have a spiritual community to gather with, a community that reminds me that there are many other like-minded individuals in the world so I don’t feel alone and that we have a safe place when we are in need. After all, they say there’s safety in numbers and the events of this week have certainly made many of us, especially in my community, afraid. As part of the Sunday Service someone reads the Daily Word, which not uncommonly, is uniquely fitting to that particular day despite the fact that the word is chosen far in advance. Today was one such day. Today’s word was Comfort.

Whether or not you believe in a Divine Source, or Spirit, or God, or any of the other words used to describe the same thing, we can all take comfort from our surroundings. Whether that’s a family member, a partner, a friend, a pet, or a spectacular sunrise. When we allow ourselves to be open to love, compassion and beauty we will find it anywhere we look.

When I need to feel comforted I have grown to taking refuge. Only now, looking up the origin of that word, do I fully, consciously, understand why this feels good to me.
Refuge: a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger,             or trouble.
From the Latin refugium “place to flee back to”
Taking refuge helps bring me back to the calm center even when it feels like a storm is raging around me. It reminds me not to believe every thought that I have and to be mindful of what I think, what I say and what I do.

Taking refuge can be done by anyone, at any time, you don’t have to be Buddhist, and can be quite comforting when you are in need. I often use it as a way of making sure my head is in the right frame of mind, right being the frame of mind I consciously want to cultivate, before leaving the house for the day. If you are not Buddhist, or have not heard of the Three Jewels before, let me explain them in common terms that may help you begin to familiarize yourself with the practice. Should you choose to try this practice for yourself, feel free to substitute the words Buddha, Dharma and Sangha with words that have similar meaning to you; taking refuge should be personal and meaningful.

I take Refuge in the Buddha

Buddha is not actually a God as some believe, but a human being who has gained enlightenment. A Buddha, the Awakened One, is a teacher, a spiritual guide and role model. Most commonly when someone refers to the Buddha these days, they are referring to Siddharta Gautama, who was known as Shakyamuni Buddha after his enlightenment. It is said that his compassion knew no bounds. He encouraged students to get to know themselves, to look at the causes of suffering honestly and work, through non-harming, service to others and kindness, to not only ease or erase their own suffering but to ease that of others as well. There have been many Buddhas and there will be many more because every one of us has a Buddha nature within us that we are free to nurture and grow into our own awakening.

If this word, Buddha, however is not comfortable to you, feel free to substitute any word or name of the figure or person whom you feel a strong connection to, who you feel is your primary role model. Thinking of the compassion that the Buddha demonstrated to all beings is a reminder to me of who I want to be as a human.

I take Refuge in the Dharma

Dharma generally refers to the teachings of the Buddha. These teachings can take the form of oral teachings such as talks and lectures, or in written form. One of the commonly referenced written teachings on Buddhism is called the Dhammapada, made up of 423 verses that it is said, were told by the Buddha to his students.  I have a copy of this at home and sometimes I’ll open it up to a random page, read what is says, and contemplate how that applies to whatever situation that is monopolizing my thoughts at that moment. Here is a sample that I found leafing through my copy:

He is not righteous
Who judges a situation impulsively.
But whoever distinguishes between right and wrong,
That one is righteous.

Whoever leads others
Evenhandedly, but not by force,
Is a guardian of justice
And is called righteous.

A man is not considered wise
Because he talks a lot.
But he is secure and called wise
Who is free of hate and does no harm.

Taking refuge in the Dharma though, is about more than just listing to talks and/or reading books. To truly take refuge in these teachings is to truly study them and us them as a catalyst for good in your own life. What can you learn from these teachings, and perhaps more importantly, how can you apply those lessons into your own life in order to ease suffering and increase compassion? Shakyamuni Buddha made a point of sharing his knowledge freely with everyone – the rich, the poor, the young, the old, the sick, the outcast, the average Joe – with the intent of providing the tools with which anyone can pursue a more compassionate existence and ultimately, enlightenment.

I take Refuge in the Sangha

Sangha is a spiritual community, traditionally involving both monastics and laypeople. This can be a formal community like I find at my spiritual center, or at a church, temple, or mosque. Or it could be less formal. Perhaps you get together with a group of your friends every week and have in-depth conversations about the things that are important to you and provide comfort, support and celebration to each other. It’s a community of individuals who are all committed to becoming the best versions of themselves and provide support and encouragement to each other for the benefit of all.

To put it in the simplest terms possible, The Buddha is the guide, the Dharma is the path and the Sangha is the companions along the way. Take a few minutes and reflect on who is your spiritual role model. Is it Buddha or is there another name you’d rather replace it with? Where do you find your spiritual teachings and how can you apply them to your life? Is there a particular text that speaks to you? One that you hold sacred? How about your spiritual community, who makes up your Sangha? (and yes, if you need it to, your spiritual community can be online. I recommend having a physical group to gather with, but I know that’s not always possible, so find your community, where ever you can)

Now that you’ve taken some time to contemplate these three things, how do you feel? How does focusing your attention on these things that you hold sacred make you feel? If it brings you any amount of peace and comfort I invite you to make this a part of your daily practice. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but I think you’ll find that it helps you to keep your thoughts, words and deeds in alignment with the kind of person you want to be in the world.

Namaste my friends,

Jane