Wood Chips
From the shores of Lake Superior (The Third Coast)
I’ve always regarded the real heart of religion as not about adhering to a set of beliefs but about the practice of “seeing,” pondering the depth of experience. Here’s a take-away from a fascinating book by Toni Bernard called “How to be Sick: A Buddhist-inspired Guide to living with Chronic Illness.” (2010) If one were to regard the current pandemic sweeping our country a kind of “chronic illness” that will be with us for the seeable future, her suggestions are both insightful and helpful.
Both the Judeo-Christian and Buddhist traditions make references to the transitional quality of life. Things of this world will pass away. The practice of “Broken Glass” builds on this assumption. Bernard, a former Dean of UC Davis Law School, has lived with a serious chronic illness since 2001. For much of that time she has been house-confined.
Expectations and hopes have been dashed, over and over for her, again and again. She has learned to appropriate this particular practice with grace and dignity. It’s allowed her to ride the ups and downs of her difficult journey with grace and dignity.
Essentially, the Broken Glass practice is a simple recognition that everything will one day return to dust. Nothing physical will survive. Everything will, one day, be broken. Life is evolving, shifting, changing, constantly. Repeating to yourself “Broken Glass” with a gentle smile, you are surrendering to that truth, letting go, allowing whatever moment you are given to be blessed. Then moving on.
Sounds simple. Not so. I’ve found it a quite difficult one. But it’s also surprisingly liberating. Try it. You’ll travel lighter through this world.
Jon Magnuson
The Cedar Tree Institute
“Wood Chips” is a series of brief reflections written by Jon Magnuson, Director of the Cedar Tree Institute.
