Sakyong Mipham
Editor’s Note: Sakyong Mipham, the head of the Shambhala lineage, offers a bold vision for humanity based on the principle of innate human goodness. Sharing simple and poignant stories of his upbringing with his father, Chögyam Trungpa, who brought the Shambhala teachings to the West, Sakyong Mipham carries forward the notion of enlightened society in this profound and inspiring book.
True relaxation suggests a deep underlying confidence in our enlightened nature. We do not have to manipulate, because we trust who we are. In an argument with a co-worker, instead of trying to outwit him or her, we use our energy to connect to a bigger view—such as generosity, kindness, and other principles that we are engendering. This allows us to maintain confidence in the inherent goodness in the situation.
When we practice like this, we see that sadness and joy are two sides of the same coin. In any situation, we can doubt our enlightenment, which makes our mind smaller and more fixed. Anger, impatience, and anxiety—all are telltale signs that we’re slipping from the view of big mind. We feel the need to convince, complain, and cajole. Must we always get the last word in? This brings tears. Or we can have confidence in our enlightenment, which expands our mind and keeps it flexible. This brings joy.
