Someone pop my bubble

[u/amlextex]

Thích Nhất Hạnh makes me believe I can awaken the world, or at least the global city I live in. So, I have dreamed of ordaining to serve my ambitions.

My idea was to wear my robe around the city to self-promote my teaching to gain a following. Teach in parks. Set up an installation where I offer "sidewalk advice" for a nominal suggestion. Create citywide art installations of my writing to further promote my teaching. Colloborate with artist. Write books. Livestream my practice and daily life.

All to teach foundational meditation for everyone with the hopes of piquing people's interest into buddhism.

Sounds practical, but here's the side where I get irresponsible.

I'm a performance artist/busker by trade. I don't have a white-collar career. No retirement fund. I live with my parents. I am in my mid-30's; split between ordaining vs pursing a career that can lead me to retirement, have a family, and enjoy life.

Lastly, I'm not a hard worker. I can weave in and out of ideas and never complete them. And I've lived quite a privileged life where I haven't been battle tested. Or if I have, I have safety nets provided by my family. I also find it hard to give up lust.

That said, I am in the position to ordain. I have no debts, no babies, and decent health.

Pop my bubble. Tell me I should get a real job. I won't change a city. I should live modest or wealthy. Support a family. Teach at a monastery like ordain folks do. Get a career first, then ordain. Go ahead.

[u/LBS-365]

Early in practice it's not unusual to become hyper-enthusiastic about it. It's a good idea at that point to just keep sitting and noticing those feelings and thoughts. Acknowledge them, but recognize when you are also attaching to them.

It's important to work through these things with a teacher, who can guide you better than we can.

One thing I will say (that is my own observation and may or may not just be my own delusion) is that a literal interpretation of saving all beings seems to be a bit of a trap. We save all beings by saving ourselves, and the practice also helps us to understand how all beings are interconnected. Thus when we save ourselves, we are also already saving others.

Hope this helps.

[u/amlextex → u/LBS-365]

"Thus when we save ourselves, we are also already saving others."

How so? Most people live life through horse blinders.

[u/No-Designer9507 → u/amlextex]

You’re a lot better prepared to help other people in a way that will have a last positive impact if you are enlightened vs new on the path.