The Begging Bowl
Surrender and accepting everything that comes into your life as a gift
The life of a Buddhist monk is a simple one. They have a set morning routine that teaches them and prepares them for the day. Waking at 4:30 am to recite mantras, the monks then wash themselves, and finally head out barefoot into nearby villages with their begging bowls. The bowls range in colors and size, but each monk holds one. Traditionally, they do not accept money, but food only in their bowl. The villagers come out of their houses and fill the bowls with their handmade goodies and leftovers. When the monks return to the monastery an hour later, they sit down and eat one of their only meals of the day. The breakfast menu consists of whatever food they have managed to collect in their bowls. One who gets more than another, shares.
This simple practice teaches many fundamental lessons to the monks including: our dependence on each other, surrender, and acceptance. Those are powerful lessons to be reminded of each morning.
I first heard the story about the monks begging bowl during my yoga teacher training years ago. It was during that time I was learning (again) that I did not control what came into my bowl each morning and that trying to manipulate and fight what came into my life each day was leading to frustration and anger. It was a continual resistance. I have noticed that everything goes so much more smoothly when I give up trying to control everything that is happening and instead accept and be grateful for what is. When I do this, I can slow down and actually learn what the experience is trying to teach me. It has taken me years to really embrace the practice.
This is all tied to my faith. As I am continually learning the lesson of surrender, I give everything over to God’s hand. Surrender literally means to stop fighting. Control is resistance. With acceptance we stop fighting with what is happening and instead completely accept what is there. it helps open our eyes to what is happening and learn from it. It is a deep faith that everything is as it should be, even without my “helping hand.” I have learned that control comes from a place of fear, and acceptance comes from a place of gratitude. When we can open ourselves to trust that everything is going to be okay no matter what comes into our bowl, then we release the feeling of needing to micromanage every experience.
Surrender what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.
-Sonia Ricotti
On www.gratefulness.org, they suggest that there are 7 ways to practice surrender:
Practice patience with whatever is occurring—ask yourself if you need to back off from putting pressure on yourself or a situation you are handling, right now.
Seek moment of solitude and silence-practice mindful breathing (meditation) throughout the day by stopping and taking three deep breaths at your desk, in between phone calls or meetings, or before you get out of the car to go to work, the gym, or the grocery store. Have faith that small moments add up.
Suspend judgment of yourself and others—be kind to yourself and those around you. A simple practice is to smile more, and to allow a soft and sincere smile to change your entire energy. Throughout the day, smile at yourself and others with gentleness.
Relax your body when possible—notice if your jaw is tight, and release it; notice if your shoulders are hunched up towards your ears, and drop them; and notice when you’re leaning forward in your chair, and sit back.
Be grateful for all the little things—a cup of tea, comfortable shoes, a poem or a prayer, or helpful words from a friend.
Stay in the present moment—ground yourself by focusing on your feet and asking: Where am I, and What am I doing?
Meet your resistance with an open heart—Oh, there’s my resistance. And then ask yourself: What’s the invitation here for surrendering?
See their post here: https://gratefulness.org/blog/seven-ways-to-practice-surrender-today/
I keep a small empty bowl on my nightstand. It’s my begging bowl. My oldest daughter made it for me in one of her college art classes. The empty bowl reminds me each morning that I do not control everything that comes into my life. It reminds me to try again to be grateful for the experiences and people that come my way. As a recovering control freak (are there meetings and sponsors?) the bowl reminds me to practice acceptance, faith, gratitude, and surrender.
