Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Today was perfect in the sense of providing me with every opportunity to practice. The wife and kids were gone visiting family and I didn’t need to work all day long but, despite the fact that I met my practice commitments, I didn’t take advantage the way I felt I should. Instead I spent a lot of my time watching shows that I never normally watch (Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares if you must know). But why? I feel that I do this at least once every month or two and although I haven’t even come close to sullying my precepts I still can’t help but feel as if I have squandered my time.

Is there a balance there or should I be striving to leave these foolish things behind? Are they conducive to letting go, to peace? If I am to take the Lord Buddha’s teaching as my sole criterion for judgement then I have to answer in the negative and yet…I seem to fall for this kind of indulgent indolence time and again. I suppose I’m being a bit dramatic here but I do get the feeling that there needs to be an inclination to let these things go as well as a compassion for the dull ache that I hide from by indulging in distraction.