Standing Buddha and responsibility/leadership.

In Batan, Myanmar, you find hundreds of tempels, old and new.
In all these tempels you find Buddha's, most of the time sitting,
a few have reclining and some standing Buddha's.
In a temple, most of the time
there are 4 Buddha's looking at the 4 directions.
The biggest one is facing to the East:
they believe that the saviour will come from the East.

The Ananda temple, has 4 standing Buddha's.
They are huge.
We went there with our bikes at the end of the day and all of a sudden
a sand storm started....
We felt there was more to tell about that temple
and decided to ask about it the next day.
- a guide is very helpful :-) -

She told us that Kings and Queens were standing close to the statue
and 'the rest of the people' further away,
labourers all the way back.
When we stood close she asked us to look up

When we looked up, we saw a stern look, not a smiling one.
It was a message for the Kings and Queens:
'make sure you do your job right......
remember you have responsibility and have to show leadership!'

When we walked back and looked again, we saw this

It looked like another statue, an other Buddha.....
from a far, this Buddha looked friendly,
was even smiling.......

Amazing that the artist could make this, in the 11th century.

What does this tell us?

For me it tells us about responsibility:

if you know better, you do better,
you have to take responsibility
and take leadership.

If you don't know yet,
the 'higher power' will be mild to you, forgiving:

you are still learning,
you are at the beginning of your road.
It will encourage you to step into your power,
one step at the time.

If you are in a new relationship,
there will be challenges and....

'the Buddha' wil be mild....you just started,

you will be challenged,
you will make 'mistakes' and you learn from them.
You grow together and
will find out
if the relation is worth going to the next step,
or you let go of the relationship......

it is a path......

If you are in a commited relationship,
then there is more responsibility.
You are asked to have patience with yourself and the other,
and, by doing this, you will gain wisdom.

If you decided to have children and want to stop the relationship,
then you are very close to the Buddha,

he is looking stern:
'are you taking your responsibility and leadership......?'
Then it is not only for your self,
also for others....

When you just started your first job,

there are learning moments, not mistakes.

Your manager/boss will be mild to you.

If you have more responsibility and make a mistake

-did something you should know already-

then your manager/boss will not be so mild....
And if you are the manager/boss, then you
are very close to the Buddha:
You are not only responsible for your life,
but also responsible for others...
it needs leadership.

I saw a documentary about second generation Moroccons.
There parents went to Holland
to look for a better life for them and their children.
Now some of them go back,
because for them Morroco can give them a better life.

Question:
'Is it because the energy is not so friendly anymore in Holland?
Answer:
'No, it is not. I used that as an excuse but I realise now,
that I didn't develop myself,
I didn't prepare for job interviews,
I didn't take responsibility.
Now I help others to find a good life here in Morocca
and it is going great, because I took the step.
I went to Moroccao with only 100 euro's
but my attitude was different and that is why it worked.
No excuses anymore.
I earn less money then in Holland,
but every thing is cheaper here,
it is easier to get a house loan,
so the quality of life is so much better.'

-He lived in a beautiful, big house, was happy in his relationship
and with his children. He had helped people who where very happy
with there live and some started there own business.
He worked hard, and had time to relax.
I am sure he has some challenges as well, however,
he has a new attitude: 'no excuses anymore'.-

Where do you need to step up
and take responsibility/leadership?
Where should you have a bit more compassion with yourself,
let go of comparison and be mild,
realise you are on a path.....

I looked in myself, to look how it was for me,
and....... I was a bit strict on myself....
there was an old pattern,
starting when I was very young,
it had to do with self worth.
By realizing this,
I could be mild to myself
I was only a child......
and.....could let go :-)

Let's enjoy the path and help each other where we can
because we have enough energy to give.
Also be open to accept other peoples help,
if you need it.
Realise you can be a leader on one pillar,
and a student on an other.....

-the 5 pillars: Mind, body, relations, society, finances-

Enjoy your path
and....
be nice to yourself,
give yourself time...