| On a completely different topic, What does openness mean to you?
A while ago, auntie was talking about keeping prayers "open," rather than praying for a specific outcome. That's one sense of the word "open."
What does openness look like -- or feel like? I have a friend who is very laid-back, easygoing, receptive and gentle. I said, "You're so open." He replied that he didn't feel open at all. Instead, he felt listless and isolated.
To him, openness means being in an up mood, connecting with lots of people in a high-energy way, feeling like he's having an influence on people and events.
"Engaged" was the word he used. He said he was feeling very detached -- thus, not "open" -- and he said it was a depressing feeling.
I bring this up because we have so many debates in Nichiren Buddhism about various dharma words and their Japanese meanings, etc. But even basic English words and concepts can have radically different meanings for people. Words like "openness" or "compassion" or even "happiness."
So this is an "open thread," whatever that means to you.... |
