Traumatic Experiences Community Daily Check-In Sunday December 3rd 2017
By popular request, it's time once again for my personal favourite Buddhist story...
A Truck Load of Dung (By Monk Ajahn Brahm)
You awaken on a Sunday morning feeling refreshed from a pleasant sleep. You peek out the window, the Sun is shining birds and song fill the aire. You smile as you get dressed, thinking about the gathering with your closest friends later in the day. In needing to bring something to the gathering as a snacky offering, you decide to head to the shop and get some needed ingrediants. Grabbing your keys you head for the door. As you open the door your senses are assaulted by the most repulsive and hideous of foul odors. A stench if you will. you look outside to try and make sense of this and you see it. There in your driveway is a giant pile of dung. Somehow, sometime in the night someone had droped off a truck load of dung in your driveway. You rub your eyes in disbelief, but your other senses won't let you deny this. You step outside and realize that this pile is blocking your garage and you can't get your car out. Feeling anger and confussion you start knocking on some doors, asking your neighbours if anyone saw whom had done this wretched act. No one saw anything, no buisness card was left, and no one saw any truck to get a name off of. There is no one you can call and say hey, come get this dung out of here I didn't order it. You didn't order it indeed, yet here it is for you to deal with. You sulk a bit feeling you have been wronged and that your plans are ruined. You think what can be done with alle this dung? Now many people try to avoid dealing with their dung. People carry it on their backs and fill their pocketts with it quite often. We find when we carry our dung, our friends distance themselves from the stench. Random strangers can sense us comming and move far away so as to avoid us. We recognize this and decide a different path. We put on some work cloths, grab a shovel and a wheel Barrow and get to work. Shovel by shovel, Barrow by barrow we move that entire pile of dung, and we do the best that can be done with it, we work it into our garden. As we stand back feeling satisfied with our work, we realize there was alot of dung, but it was just enough to work it in everywhere. Our driveway is clean again and the stench is gone, making the neighbourhood a happy place again. You clean up and get ready for the big gathering just in time. That fall when you look out into your garden you see the strongest most beautiful and fragerant flowers. The vegetables in your garden and apples in your tree are huge, juicy, and succulant. Whats more there is so much to harvest you are able to share your flowers, fruits, and vegetables with your neighbours and friends, making people happy.
So what do you do when a truck load of dung is dumped in your driveway?
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Good morning everyone,
I love working with a group of Tibetan Buddhist Monks that I have been privileged to know and grown to respect tremendously. Their rich history, the subtle wisdom, looking for answers within and the brilliant manner of inspiring others to find their path before they even realize they are journey.
Dont we all wish to decrease suffering, find inner peace through compassion and altruism, become less reactionary and settle our minds when we feel life is chaotic?
They are seemingly simple principles but require such discipline, unique critical thinking skills and the realization that meditation is not quite as easy as it seems. Trust me, I discovered this the first time I sat down on a meditation cushion almost 30 years ago!
When things become difficult or things take an unexpected turn (like yesterday).
Calming the mind and using inner analytical techniques prior to reacting proved to be a valuable experience. Plus one never knows when an unexpected turn may prove to be a valuable lesson as we truly dont know what the future holds. Raven, maintains such a positive outlook as do so many others that continue to inspire me. I am thankful for our family and the positive, supportive nature of this oasis.
I will be checking in on you today. If there is a slight delay, know that I am visiting with the Abbot of a monestary in India. I am thrilled to hear his personal journey. Somehow we all connected.
@Compassionatelistener108 In the mid 90's I was discharged from the Military just after I came home from the war. After living through such horror for two years I was just a devestated person. I was angry, hypervigilant, paranoid, and completly isolated from everyone. I even refused to hear or speak English. Instead of going to my family's home, I decided to go back to the Bronx. One day whilst walking around the city I met this really cool Tibettan man. He told me of his upbringing in a monestary in Southern India. He decided that monk life wasn't for him in his early 20's and disrobed. However as he still lived at the monestary they put him to work as their driver. After almost a decade of that he decided he wanted a modern life so he headed off to America. As fate would have it, he was again put to work by the monestary. Again he would be their driver, but this time he would take tours of visiting Monks alle up and down the East Coast to alle their destinations. One day one such tour came. I went with my friend to the airport to pick up a troup of touring monks. We went back to a house for the night aand we alle made dinner togeather and ate. That night I met a Geshe (Teacher Monk) whom really broke through my shell. They could tell I needed them and invited me to join them on their tour which I did for a good part of it. It was Buddhist monks that saved me from my war trauma, and gave me much insight into my other particulars. I am not a Buddhist, but I hold them in the highest regards. Enjoy your time with the Abbot. Ooh! If ye wanna really have a great time with monks, bring a hackey sack, theyre amazing at it.
@Raveninthelabrynth
I really believe that we run into the correct people at the correct time. I wonder if he was a Monk at Drepung Loseling. I do not ascribe to the Buddhist faith although I do like some of the basic tennets that are present in many faiths, like compassion, for example. I love people and hearing about their cultures, experiences and watching the strength present within all of us. Isnt it a small world? That is an absolutely amazing story of healing, compassion and a journey that allowed you to heal. I am so happy we met though anonymously as it always renews my outlook. Have a wonderful day, Raven ☀️
@Compassionatelistener108 Indeed it is wonderful how things fall together. The monks I know are from the Deprung Gomang Monastary in Southern India. I too stand by my own faith, but my people have been exchanging ideas with Buddhists for over a thousand years. Many Vikingr graves have been found with statues of The Buddha in them next to their spear.
I wanted to share with someone what I've found out recently about myself.I'm still very confused and a bit scared but I came to realize that because of trauma I experienced in the past, I've some weird thing I can't explain or put in the right words.I read about fragmented self and how a self can be shattered in multiple parts as a result of such experiences...First off-I wasn't even aware that I've been shattered, that I was forced to do so because of the circumstances I was into and others put me into...Also...I'm very confused that I'm not whole because I thought that I'm whole.After realizing that I'm not, I'm not also what exactly is wrong with me, what has happened and how to put it into any words.So it's very hard to have something but not know how it's called or what might it even be because, if I would know, I could help myself better and take the steps needed.So it's very crucial for me to understood how the trauma has actually influenced me.That will be my main thing for now I'll work on.Just wanted to let it all out and not be in my head, all alone with this.
@Morfo66 Thank you for sharing Morfo, you are way not alone in those thoughts and feelings. Recovery from trauma is a slow learning process. As we move past some things, often we discover there is more than we thought. This is normal and ok. With personal comittment and the help of a good Therapist we can truly heal and thrive again. We get what we give. Kudo's to you for facing your trauma and working to change. Nothing is easy in this realm, but remember the worst is over. We're alle here for you and with you.
@Morfo66
I am so happy that you shared your story. It is not at all weird and you are not broken. All of the pieces are within you so be very gentle with yourself while you begin to process everything. I can share that many people who experience trauma share this survival mechanism. I hear that you are afraid and confused. We are truly a family here and many of us will be happy to walk this path right beside you. I will be thinking of you today. Please let us know how you doing as you feel comfortable. This is a safe, nonjudgmental place.
@Compassionatelistener108
yeah, I don't think I'm broken, it's just that I wasn't aware that I've multiple ducks not only one duck.All this time I thought that I've only one main part of me and that all is alright.As I came to realize, I just wasn't aware of what I trully am, all the parts that I contain, I still try to udnerstand abotu what I'm not aware yet, what is missing and to try to see the big pciture of who I'm fully.And the biggest shock was when I became aware that I'm not what I thought I'm, that there is more to what I'm...that I'm kind of seperated from, for example, my inner child which is frozen in time back where I lived 6 years ago...So it's all very new and very confusing but I'm not as scared anymore.I just try to make sense of what has happened to me and how my body reacted, coped with all them stressing events cause this is how it responded to what was going on with me back then when was a child, teen.
@Morfo66
Please consider looking at the link provided above by Rainbow. There are people who were just diagnosed as well as some who completed therapy some time ago and are doing quite well. I am a co-host so please feel free to ask any questions of either Rainbow or myself.
@Compassionatelistener108
also thanks for the support and forth coming, makes me happy and wants to share it with others more when I see that it's safe and no one will judge me or reject me.
@Morfo66 We here alle have different issues, many much the same. This is the kindest and most supportive community I have known. No one here will judge or disrespect you, this is a safe place. It's awesome to see you open up and share, thank you for feeling comfortable to do so. We're alle here for each other, don't be afraid to reach out when you need to.
" As we move past some things, often we discover there is more than we thought. This is normal and ok."
Thanks for these words!It means a lot and helps me to feel like this storm I'm in right now is just for the better and that I'm on the right track.
@Morfo66 Like they said in the pirate movie, "Surely one must lose themself in order to be found."
@Raveninthelabrynth Love this <3 and very apt....me I would look to find a different fragrance and shovel it aside to make way for more fragrant flowers :)
@Raveninthelabrynth
Abundantly wise! A deep story of the material plane, the cycle of nature and of the deep layers of consciousness individually and even wholly of a social conscious over time!
@Consciousawakening Thank You, it is one of my favourite Buddhist stories. It was written (or possibly modified) by a Buddhist Monk Called Ajahn Brahm of the Western Austrailia Buddhist Society. Check them out on youtube, they post weekly talk, as well as many wonderful lessons.
@Raveninthelabrynth
Thank you for sharing, this is very enlightening! I am greatly appreciative and will be looking into this! :)
@Consciousawakening My Pleasure Dear.
@Raveninthelabrynth
Uhm thats a hard question.. but Hi!
@sensitiveShade5337 Hey Shade :)
@sensitiveShade5337
Hey, Shade! How've you been? 
@sensitiveShade5337
Hi Shade, it is nice to see you. 💛
So what do you do when a truck load of dung is dumped in your driveway?
Mentally, emotionally, I do a release book.
Like the story says friends will avoid you. It is an issue you need to do yourself.
@Rebekahwriter13 One never knows. In general yes our friends will avoid us, but some will come over and dig in with you too.
@Raveninthelabrynth my ex died in jan and I seems I have less friends after his death.
I am ok today. Taking self-care time
@scarletPear1945 Always a good idea totake time for one's self. Awesome when we know when to take the time off.
@scarletPear1945
That sounds like a perfect way to rejuvenate yourself. I hope you had a restful day.
@Compassionatelistener108
thank you, my day was pretty good. If I can stop coughing I'll feel better I think
Doing my best today. Last several nights/days have been spent shovelling dung, so to speak. Backbreaking work, which requires a lot of patience and time before you really start to see the fruits of your labour grow in a measurable fashion (much less ripen).
But it is what it is. Trying as always to remain present and grounded during the (at times harrowing) process. Which is labour intensive in and of itself.
@melliotm Hey Melli it's wonderful to see you today. Keep digging my friend, you will see those fruits.
@Raveninthelabrynth ❤️⛺❤️⛺❤️
@melliotm\
Melliotm I think you do a great job and I love the pictures and quotes
Thank you
@melliotm
I am sorry things have been tough lately. Remember, I moved at a snails pace many times. All anyone can ever ask of themselves is to do their best. I think that the back-breaking work you are doing now is going to blossom before you know it. Remaining present is always the very first step and such an important coping mechanism. If you need to give it your all, then you are focusing on the foundation of taking care of yourself. I am so proud of you, as always.
@melliotm
Even now fruits have surfaced, though I am sure even tastier fruits will thrive with you. But here you show such dedicated and good nature which reflects and is an inspiration for others to follow such diligence. Thank you!
Homework time for me folks. Much Love to Alle.
*Raven gets up and fly's away ...