Never Be Deceived By Others

Every day Master Zuigan Shigen used to call out to himself, “Oh Master!” and would answer himself, “Yes?”  “Are you awake?”  he would ask, and would answer, “Yes, I am. Never be deceived by others, any day, any time.”
“No, I will not.”
 
I just taught a workshop on relationship. When I began,  I said that the first issue and last would be that it is up to us – to “I”. Not to the other.
We say:
“I take refuge in the Dharma (The teaching). “I” take it .
“I take refuge in the Buddha (In my true nature). “I” take it
“I take refuge in the Sangha (The community)  “I” do it.
Being a “master” means the work of  mastering oneself.  We do not need that word “master” The word “I” works very well.
Who is responsible for our life? Who creates the causes that manifest as effects. “I do.”
Who will create our relationships?  Who creates the causes that manifest there?  “I do.”
As in a marriage, “I do”
We have the opportunity to take our power back every day, all our life as Zuigan suggests.
Not power over others, power over the self.
Do not be deceived by others.
Do not blame others.
This is the Way.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
 
This post is dedicated to the memory of George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff who was born and certainly was alive after his birth date of January 13th, probably in 1877.
 
 photo credit: David Spender