I’m in a group where we’re studying Satipatthana meditation. This module has been on death, so inhaling as though this is our last breath and exhaling into rest. It’s very useful when the temperature of anger arises, to consider what if this is my last breath, and feel a cooling down. It’s a practice, so of course, not always an immediate response. Some of us struggle with attachment to self-righteousness.
Yesterday’s discussion led to dying with dignity and the importance of an advance medical directive. We have our medical directives, but learning about Five Wishes, I see there is more that might be conveyed as to our wishes, my husband and mine.
I just read Kara Swisher’s book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story. I recommend it because I think it’s important to know the history of what most of us use every day, and many times a day. It’s shocking to realize how quickly we’ve gone from typewriters to word processing to such a full and compelling integration of the internet. It’s not a dry read as she gives an intimate, and often cynical look at the players. Nero may have gone down in history as watching Rome burn, but some like Zuckerberg and the devolving Musk may be aiming for a three-way tie. There are good guys too, like Steve Jobs and Apple.
With all of this, I’m with the last lines of Thich Nhat Hanh’s translation of the Five Remembrances.
My actions are my only true belongings.
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
My actions are the ground on which I stand.
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