My Island of Ziji

July 27, 2009

“In Buddhism, it is noble to face the facts of life. Life hurts (at times a lot), nothing lasts, anything can happen, and we will die. It is noble to face these facts not because we enjoy the pain of it all. It is noble because in facing such facts we express a confidence that has no conditions; a confidence that does not rely on emotional scorecards, retirement funds, or paychecks; a confidence that stands utterly on its own- resourceful, dignified, and free. In Tibetan Buddhism such confidence is called ziji-the indestructible confidence of primordial mind.”

As I read this paragraph in the summer 2009 edition of Buddhadharma Magazine, I realized the innate connection between the concept of ziji and those who have or have had cancer. When you get your diagnosis of cancer, life is forever altered from then on. You reach a spiritual fork-in-the-road and often times you don’t even get to choose which fork you take. Things happen so quickly and the shock of it all blurs the lines between your previous reality and your new one.

But if we reflect upon the wisdom of ziji, we can begin to realize, in our hearts, that we are all going to die at some point. Life is a learning experience from beginning to end. No one is guaranteed any amount of time in this life. Tangible things are simply “nice-to-haves.” If your heart can soak these concepts in and embrace them, the process of cancer is but a brief mention on your timeline of life’s experiences.

I now live mentally on, what I refer to as, “The Island of Ziji.” It has become a state of mind that continuously lightens my mood and brings me joy. It is an island that welcomes every single person in this world. I’m a proud resident of The Island of Ziji!

Too many people who are diagnosed with cancer, my previous self included, long for the day “when life will just get back to normal.” And friends/family of cancer patients never really understand the underlying reality of this either. The truth is, you can never go back. Life will never be as it was. And if you’re like me, you’d never want it to be anyhow!

I welcome your comments below. My readers have told me how much they appreciate reading other reader’s experiences, so if you have a couple of minutes, please sound off on what you think about this topic.