- What is standing in your way right now?
- There are so many obstacles right now for all of us to move forward. Globally, we are, um, in the middle of a months long pandemic that will definitely last for at least another 6 months or more. So, I would say, without anything else in the way, this is truly an obstacle for all of us to move forward in a way that meets our conventional thought. While I am sure many people are using this time to be creative and potentially moving forward in bigger ways than they can imagine, I know that I am here, developing a growth ring in the tree of my life as it stands right now. Now is not the time to change jobs, take a big, life changing trip, take person to person classes, etc. This is the time to hunker down with what I have, appreciate it, develop it, again, grow with it, make that ring.
- For me personally, I have faced one of the biggest, deadliest, most significant obstacles of my life: Stage 3 breast cancer. Riding along with the pandemic was weekly trips to Kaiser in February through June for chemo, then, surgery in July, then daily radiation until October. What can I say about that? There are so many emotions and fears and hopes and revelations surrounding that.... suffice it to say, I've finished treatment, I am still alive, the future is potentially good, people supported me, my medical are was quite impressive and I didn't suffer too badly. Also, suffice it to say that it was curious timing. I was able to be treated in the cleanest, most careful medical environment: definitely better than pre-pandemic for sure. I had my own room for chemo, everything was wiped down, same with surgery and radiation. So clean, so careful. And the town were I live had low occurrences of the virus. Also, it put me on a level playing field with everyone: I had to work from home, but so did everyone else, so I didn't stand out. I barely lost a day of work through this whole ordeal thanks to COVID 19 and some very supportive co-workers.
- I am also challenging many emotions surfacing due to my increased involvement with my family. My mom and sister called me everyday through treatment and I got a more intimate glimpse into their difficult relationship with my mother trying to make me take sides. We endured my mom changing her will to suit our liking and then changing it back to get back at my sister for moving out of Brooklyn to upstate NY and setting more boundaries. Mom, now 90, but still vigorous, demands total co-dependency from my sister. My good hearted baby sister has tried and tried and now needs to set the limits like I did when I moved 3,000 miles away from home 40 years ago. I'm trying to fill in a bit to support her and am facing many of the difficult feelings I haven't had to really deal with due to lack of proximity.
- Thankfully, a daily Buddhist practice of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo 2 hours each day has helped me move energy, generate realizations and protection and made dealing with these major life obstacles possible.
- I am thankful for financial stability, job stability and marriage stability. I am thankful for my beautiful home surroundings, my beautiful and loving cat. I am thankful that I can sleep well and that I feel safe.
- What would happen if you overcame the obstacle? More importantly, what would happen if you didn't (think broadly: emotionally, physically, financially, etc.)?
- How can I even think of not overcoming these health and societal obstacles? I want to stay alive. I want to bet cancer, so actually I have no choice but to overcome. This question is obviously not for someone battling a life or death illness.
- This is the most serious situation I have ever faced. I mean, I can think about the time I split up with my first husband and those long, heavy, lonely and frightening days and hours living so far away from friends and family. I settled into a funky little cottage on Hwy 12 in Sonoma. But it was there that I met Miss Kitty, who seemed to be waiting for me. A beautiful tuxedo kitty who became my love from the first night. And it was there that I embarked on my first 1 mm daimoku campaign to change my relationship karma. I chanted and chanted on my Sado Island until.my Buddha nature broke free. It was then that my true love could appear.
- So that time felt very heavy and comparable to this. But this time, it is my very life at stake. I did resort to the same solution: lots of chanting; elevating my condition of life and strengthening my determination. It actually doesn't feel as heavy as 36 years ago, even though it is.
- Can you reframe the most pressing current obstacle as simply a to-do list? In other words, in order to overcome this, what do you need to learn? What tasks do you need to perform? Who do you need to convince?
- Again, this question doesn't address the severity of my situation. But my to do list is to make sure I chant 2 hours a day. Then the rest is gravy.
- Have you ever used an "obstacle" as an excuse not to get started? Did you regret it?
- Are obstacles really just fears holding you back?
- What is the longest-running obstacle in your life?
- What steps have you used to make progress toward overcoming it? How far have you come with it? What do you wish would happen? How would that be possible?
- What is the biggest obstacle you faced in your past? Did you overcome it? If so, how? If not, why?
- I'm done with this prompt.
