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Women and Practice
-- by Catherine Jetsun Yeshe The following was written in a personal letter composed in response to questions from a student who lives in New Zealand. It refers to the challenges women with families face as meditators, and the principles behind developing an appropriate response to those challenges. Your feeling of being swamped by the "small work" while having aspiration for the "Great Work" is one that we householders all share. It is why, to a large extent, the province of Path has been relegated to single people and/or to men. Around the latter, within the patriarchal structure, the myth grew that women were a) incapable of succeeding at Path; b) not interested because their focus was sex; c) not interested because their focus was having babies. It is also a fact that all texts on what is required for enlightenment have been historically written by men, for men, about the male experience. That is not to denigrate men. It is simply the way history has been running until this century. So what now... give up? When we have deep meditative experiences we know that this is the true and only work. The challenge we are being offered, then, is one that has been considered impossible up to this time, and still is considered by many to be impossible: to live a full life within this culture that demands so much of our time/energy and money, and still awaken. According to Sufi tradition (also patriarchal), the true test of Awakening is not whether or not you can be a great meditator in the forest but whether you can bring the energy and wisdom mind of enlightenment into the ordinary world. Into that equation comes the importance and necessity of kaliyana mitta (suitable and supportive friends), daily disciplined practice as well as periodic retreats. In addition, if we have a good relationship with a partner who is a peer, then we have altogether an excellent platform for the work. Our friends will help to keep us practicing, our discipline, though small, will help to keep us focussed and continue to remind us of the need for bhavana (mind cultivation), our retreats will deepen and inspire us and our partners and children will keep us humble. That we may not have the time to swan into the sacred realm of the Metaphysic except during retreat is not because we are unwholesomely attached to the world but because, through the dictum of Compassion, we have chosen to remain in the world. This is the path of Green Tara. Early in Path studies, we should not think about preaching but only about practicing to perfect our understanding and to let go of our hindrance patterns. This is some of the path of White Tara. Do not be disheartened! Establish a discipline that is realistic, no matter how small, and keep it going faithfully. Meet with other meditators and encourage each other. If I can bring this work to fruition in this lifetime with three children and all that my life has entailed, then you can too. Do not wish to be a man but glory in your womanhood; that we can be the first in this culture to learn how to ripen consciousness in the midst of conditions and in female form is a sacred trust. SARVA MANGALAM - ALL BLESSINGS
Catherine Jetsun Yeshe
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