The Leisure to Practice?

What does this really mean? It was described to me by Tibetan Lamas as a desirable state of being. Basically, I would say this means that you have enough money to not have to work 40 to 100 hours a week doing something you really don't want to do.

Instead it allows a person to spend their time praying and doing whatever might help them and all life in the universe. Some people might describe this as "being retired", others might describe this as being a monk or minister, and for others who aren't contemplative types of people this might just be hell for people who are workaholics who have to be busy and directed every single moment of their lives.

So, it isn't for everyone. However, I started to see this as a desirable state of being for someone who is contemplative, meditative and always searching for answers to the deeper questions of life.

After all, at 17 I decided to become enlightened so both I and all mankind might benefit from my research one day. So, "The Leisure to Practice" just might help me and mankind hopefully.

So, starting around 1980 I started praying for the Leisure to Practice while not entirely believing this state of being might actually come into my life one day. However, surprisingly it did.

On a purely practical level because of the way I tended to live my life relatively spontaneously, I fully expected in a pragmatic sort of way that I would have to work until I literally died. However, instead I moved into "The Leisure to Practice" full time when I almost died of a Heart Virus for about 7 months. During this time I was forced to retire at age 50 and to completely change my life in order to stay alive. My wife asked me to do this because otherwise my doctor expected me to die just like every other heart virus patient I heard of during this time. In fact, they couldn't even diagnose what was wrong with me until I was over it. (Which is why most heart virus patients in the 1990s died) because if doctors can only diagnose it after the fact most people are going to die of panic when they cannot oxygenate their blood and so they pass out over and over. All you have to do is panic one time and you will not survive it as you are passing out.

Anyway, because I had learned a disconnection meditation from Tibetan Lamas I knew how to not panic as I was passing out from non-oxygenation of my blood from normal or hyperventilating while breathing.

So, since May 1999 I have been given "The Leisure to Practice" by life as I prayed for since 1980.

If you think both your soul and all life might benefit greatly from your own "Leisure to Practice" please consider praying for this outcome in your lives too.