I had the distinct pleasure of recently interviewing Bodhipaksa who recently published a new book through Sounds True publishing entitled “Living as a River“. In our interview together we discuss the constant change we are living in as well as our impermanence as human beings on this planet.
Something that Bodhipaksa points out is that sometimes the things we think will make us miserable actually make us happier. He points out a study done at Kent State University where they studied a group of people who imagined the death of their partner, and they reported feeling more positive about their relationship and less troubled and annoyed by the quirks or odd behaviors that may have troubled them prior to this exercise.
The point Bodhipaksa is making by referencing this study is that we are all going to die at some point and our life here on this earth is impermanent and the sooner we realize this the sooner our perspective about how we live our life will shift for the better.
He speaks at length in his book “Living as a River” about letting go of our self-definitions to become more liberated and free. In the Six-Element practice that Bodhipaksa teaches he challenges our assumptions about the body and the mind, the two things we take to be the locus of our core self. We observe how everything that we identify with as being ourselves is in fact what comes from outside ourselves. We note that everything we identify with as being ourselves will eventually no longer be part of ourselves. Because everything that constitutes us is in fact a process, rather that a thing or object, we realize that there is in fact nothing to grasp onto, any more than we could hold onto water flowing through our fingers-thus “Living as a River”
Bodhipaksa’s book is very well written, and for anyone who is interested in learning how to let go of what we perceive as self, and be liberated to live a life with more joy, bliss, love and happiness. Then you will want to read this book. Bodhipaksa has a website that is full of resources. I would recommend that you click here to gain access to this wonderfully rich resource.
Enjoy this interview with a great author and Buddhist teacher. If you would like to know more about Bodhipaksa, then go here.
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