Creating Wholesomeness in Our Lives
In life, we search for peace and harmony. But, most often we have the opposite of that. We feel unsettled, unhappy and don't understand why it is happening to us. Sometimes, we blame fate. Other times, the people around us - our families, friends, work colleagues. Our mental and physical health suffers. At times, we are not sure what is wrong. We feel 'out of sorts'. One word to describe this feeling is 'unwholesome'. Is it possible to create an atmosphere of 'wholesomeness' in our lives? And, what is wholesomeness? The Venerable Tenzin Palmo, the Buddhist Bikkhuni, writes: Wholesomeness is a state of mind - such as understanding, love, generosity and openness of heart - which creates within and around us a state of harmony and peace. To achieve Wholesomeness, Palmo suggests the Four Right Efforts. These are: 1. Effort to prevent the unwholesome from arising. 2. Effort to discard that unwholesomeness which has already arisen. 3. Eff...