Ajahn Sumedho Teachings

Life is Like This

These are the things we can contemplate. We can’t control what arises in the mind, but we can reflect on what we are feeling and learn from it rather than simply being caught helplessly in our impulses and habits. Even though there is a lot in life that we can’t change, we can change our attitude towards it. That’s what so much of meditation is really about—changing our attitude from a self-centered, “get rid of this or get more of that” to one of welcoming life as it is. Welcoming the opportunity to eat food that we don’t like. Welcoming wearing three robes on a hot morning. Welcoming discomfort, feeling fed up, wanting to run away. This way of welcoming life reflects a deeper understanding. Life is like this. Sometimes it’s very nice, sometimes it’s horrible, and much of the time it’s neither one way nor the other. Life is like this.
~~ Ajahn Sumedho


Reflecting on different situation has helped me a lot in calming myself and taking the proper steps...not rushing away with emotions. I like Ajahn Sumedho's teaching as he makes it so easy for any one to understand life and living. Hard lessons made easy to understand with simple stories , jokes and his amazing child like laughter.