So many things this morning are reminding me of the quote, "We see things not as they are, but as we are." As I was sitting in meditation this morning the words "the bubble of me" popped into my head (bubble popping pun intended).The me fits the bubble analogy, I think, because it's closed and protective and comfortable, all qualities of a good bubble. Bubbles are transparent so we hardly notice them, in fact they might give us the illusion that they are hardly there. Some bubbles are delicate and short lived and others are strong an durable and bendy. Remember those lovely brightly coloured bottles of suds with wands we puffed away at as children?? But I digress.
We had a lovely day with friends on Saturday with a visit to the Saturday market, a walk in the woods accompanied by 2 lovely well behaved canines. The sun shone and spring greenness lit our world. It all culminated in a delicious potluck dinner which of course gave rise to conversation. At one juncture there was some difference of opinion on something (pleasant and polite). But it reminded me that no fixed truth existed and that each of the varying opinions possessed a quality similar to it's owner. No one was particularly swayed by the reasoning of others, each coming and leaving with the same opinion. And in this group were some serious students of the Dharma. Our bubbles briefly colliding.
So this morning it became very clear to me how strong this bubble of self is and generally how unaware of it we are. It's like we're encased in these little bubbles and our communication consists of bumping into each others bubbles. So easy to see the ground for misunderstanding and miscommunication in this world, the ground for anger and hatred and war and violence. Depending on the strength of the bubble, the attachment to the bubble, the karmic inclinations to protect the bubble. So many bubbles; the bubble of self, the bubble of family, of country, of ethnicity, of religion. It is just interesting to watch our own little bubble making and with awareness and diligence to work at thinning the walls of that bubble. How's your bubble?
