American poet Emily Dickinson reveled in the bliss of summer when she wrote,
Inebriate of air am I,
And debauchee of dew
Reeling through endless summer days
From inns of molten blue.
Drunk on the “Taste of a Liquor Never Brewed,” Miss Dickinson teaches us Buddhist wisdom. Enjoy the moment. Set aside conceptual thinking. Breathe. Focus on the here and now.
Fresh air. Dewy grass. Idyllic summer skies, bright blue, cloudless, hinting at the infinite nature of heaven above.
Oh, would it always be like this — always summer, always fruitful, always restful. No time of year offers greater richness, warmth and love of living.
Lounging poolside, reading a good book, licking an ice cream cone, summer activities can hardly be called a waste of time.
American philosopher Sam Keen characterized this time of year best when he said, “Summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
Summer is a seasonal license to relax, enjoy and live.
Yet, alas, summer is fleeting.
It’s here today and gone tomorrow.
We don’t want to let it go.
Our greedy souls cry out, “Can’t we bottle up Miss Dickinson’s jugful of joy? Can’t we perpetuate summer? Can’t we continue our loafing life of leisure forever?”
The good news is … we can!
We can cheat Father Time and live in world where it is always July. We can enjoy the perfection of seasonal bliss every day of the year.
How so? Meditate.
Summer is external bliss. Mediation is internal bliss.
Focus on the breath. Let go of thoughts. Return to the breath. Soon, all mental activity will come to rest. Relax in tranquility.
Let worries go. Let troubles go. Let your “self” go.
If you are wondering why you haven’t attained enlightenment yet, it’s because it’s the No Self that attains enlightenment. You already are a Buddha. But your “self” keeps hankering for it.
Let it go. Be present to the moment. Be. Here. Now.
The purpose of all the Buddhas is to emancipate “you” from the bondage of your thinking.
Meditation brings “you” back to your true origin: the No Self, Buddha-nature, the Inns of Molten Blue.
Celebrate summertime everyday through the bliss of meditation.
Summer is fleeting. The moment is eternal.
The Buddha Times 