Last night, clad in down I traveled with my Foothill Photography Class to Moffett Field in Mountain View for a night shoot. Here we were, students of light, learning how to find it in the darkness that comes earlier each day at this time of year. A technical aspect is this: put your camera’s shudder speed on “B,” press your finger on the button and count to 30. How my patience was tried, as I was used to the 1/100th of a second to gratification. It takes time for the light to reach into the lens, a reminder of my stalled spiritual growth … a reminder to practice patience in the search for light, as the darkness deepens into winter.
Check out the “Daily Dharma,” sent each day to your mailbox from Tricyle Magazine
Example of today’s Daily Dharma Consumer Culture and Spiritual Practice
Consumer culture is modeled on instant gratification. We say we want a close relationship with a spiritual mentor, but when that mentor’s guidance challenges our desires or pushes our ego’s buttons too much, we stop seeking it. At the beginning of our practice, we profess to be earnest spiritual seekers, aiming for enlightenment. But after the practice has remedied our immediate problem—the emotional fallout of a divorce, grief at the loss of a loved one, or life’s myriad setbacks—our spiritual interest fades, and we once again seek happiness in possessions, romantic relationships, technology, and career.
