Cattāri Brahmavihārā

315. Just as a border city is closely guarded both within and without, even so, guard yourself. Do not let slip this opportunity (for spiritual growth). For those who let slip this opportunity grieve indeed when consigned to hell.

Self-care isn’t sleeping in. It’s wishing yourself well enough to get up early and do your pujas and meditate.

Self-care isn’t allowing your mind to pursue sense pleasures with the tenacity of a hungry dog. It is restraining the mind, tying it to the post of kamatthana and sending it to bed when all else fails.

Self-care isn’t cultivating freedom of desire. It is cultivating freedom from it.

I didn’t care for myself enough this morning to wake early enough to meet my practice commitments and I broke my other aditthana as well. Laxity isn’t self-care when when the world is aflame. Who knows if I will meet the Dhamma again in my next thousand births. Why then am I willing to squander this opportunity and trade diamonds for offal and excrement?

Unfortunately, I don’t even have time for guilt. I have to pick myself up, dust myself off and redouble my efforts. I’m standing on a precipice overlooking an endless abyss: of utter fear and a desire to save myself don’t arise then what a fool am I.