We don’t say, “Hell is bad and heaven is good” or
“Get rid of hell and just seek heaven,”
but we encourage ourselves to develop an open heart
and an open mind to heaven, to hell, to everything.
Why?
Because only then can we realize that no matter what comes along,
we’re always standing at the center of the world in the middle of sacred
space, and everything that comes into that circle and exists with us there
has come to teach us what we need to know.
Pema Chodron Wisdom of No Escape
What Pema Chodron describes as the wisdom of no escape is what I call living a routine of no routine. It is what Zen has taught me, and although I find the practice remarkably difficult at times, I know it to be sound.
Living a routine of no routine is being acutely aware of the energy available to one’s self rather than being tied to an arbitrary schedule.
A daily dose of equanimity is the pulse of my practice.
Appointments, deadlines, and all requirements are the energy boundaries for the day. Within those parameters exist creativity and curiosity, defining the necessary as well as the possible.
At day’s end, the unique structure dissipates, a wiping clean of the daily slate.
A routine of no routine keeps me “standing at the center of the world, no matter what.”
Aim for Even posts offer equanimity in daily doses. No day or dose is ever the same, even if the aim is. You may read about the origins of Aim for Even here or on this site’s About page.
Aim For Even: The Daily Dose 
Ah, so insightful and timely! I’ve been dealing with many unexpected ups and downs lately, and the notion of welcoming them all is so very helpful.
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After much trial and error, I have found welcoming an instructive way through the muddle.
Karen
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After yesterday this was a dose of healing. Nothing traumatic occured, just a day of unanswered phones, time eating computer glitches, that sort ofdeath of a thusand cuts day.
Iread this several times over and it was restorative. By the way, is the white wader a neighbor?
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The egret is a frequent visitor to Waverly; I’ve spent hours watching. And yes, I think of them as neighbors.
Glad the post helped. In this past year, I’ve “employed” a routine of no routine as a way through my day. For me, it clears a path, including those days that are more glitch than anything else. I have a lot of those, too. 🙂
Karen
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You do make me wonder about existence, life and things I take for granted. Thank you Karen 💛
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:). Right back at ya, Val!
Karen
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