Dear Friends in Two Sacred Worlds (Buddhism and Christianity),
A heartfelt thank you for your special prayers for me on Saturday, November 14 (now two weeks ago; how time flies!). This has been greatly appreciated!
Furthermore, I truly value the additional advice that you suggested which was as follows:
- Using diet as medicine to strengthen my liver and blood flow.
- Setting aside time for:
- Prayer
- Reflection and contemplation
- All-Embracing Compassion: The Heart-Practice of Tonglen
- Abandoning all fear by practicing staying in a state of presence without judgement.
- Using my present situation as an opportunity for spiritual growth.
This was the first time that I realized the possibility of invoking or reaching out to the Medicine Buddha for healing – and I believe that even my inclination to do so in faith was honoured and blessed.
As a Western Buddhist, my approach to Buddhism for a long time was an intellectual pursuit. Later I realized that Buddhism is not just “self-power”, but also has a dimension of “other power”. This has enabled me to see parallels between the Buddhist and Christian contemplative traditions, while respecting certain differences.
At the same time, Eva reached out to her Christian friends – and they too came alongside with their prayers of faith. Those, I believe have also made a huge difference.