Karma

Finally, a little breath of fresh air. His Holiness The Dalai Lama on a windy September afternoon delivered inspiration at UB's north campus. A few days later, I was off with the pink suitcase to New York City for his teaching weekend on The Blade Wheel of Mind Transformation at The Beacon Theater.

Then...broken branches and broken glass...an October lake effect storm and a random home invasion.

The thief made off with a couple precious rings and a spare car key. I resorted to using The Club for security. I taped a note to it...THE LAW OF KARMA IS YOUR SHADOW. The law of karma is my shadow.

I began this blogging a few months ago with an intention to reflect on and explore living with multiple myeloma. The writing veered into various directions and I rarely mention the word cancer. I tend to re-frame whenever possible....for good reason. My American Heritage dictionary defines it as any various malignant neoplasms that manifest invasiveness and a tendency to mestastisize to new sites...a pernicious spreading evil...creeping ulcer.

No Thank you.

Thus far, I remain in the best kind of remission. I am well. I am better. Memory of treatment drifts further into the background of my mind like a passing cloud. Buddhist teachings maintain that the physical body is a vehicle that carries us and our karmic inheritance through the world. I especially appreciate Dr. Andrew Weil's belief that intense feeling gives power to the body...passion heals. Many buddhist teachers have received cancer as their final life challenge. The cancer wants to live too, proclaimed Shunryo Suzuki Roshi before he died of the disease. He also instructed You are perfect as you are AND you could use a little work!

I am working.