“You are the One treasure, so you need to come to know who you really are.”
-Sr. Rosario Battung, RGS, Zen Teacher and Social Activist
In a few days, we will be pausing in observance of the culmination of the Lenten season. Although a Catholic tradition, the Holy Week holiday can provide everyone, even those not religiously affiliated, a much-needed opportunity to take a step back and gain a grounding perspective in life.
Spirituality is one of the key dimensions to holistic wellbeing, and one’s spiritual experience does not have to be tied up with organized religion.
In a broader sense, as defined in the Wheel of Wellbeing (Sadigh & Sadigh, 2008), spirituality can be understood as “a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and a source greater than the material world. It means discovering the essence of our being and our deepest values by which we live by. It is the quest for finding the meaning of life and our life purpose.” Living with a deeper why is vital to our resilience. It gives us the courage, clarity, and determination to withstand the turbulent forces of change and adversity which will always be part of human life.
As we enter this period of sacred pause and reflection, allow me to share a deeply inspiring teaching from my Zen teacher, Sr. Rosario Battung. Sr. Rosario (Chayong as she was fondly called) lived an extraordinary life as a Catholic nun, a Zen practitioner for over four decades, and a social activist whose life became the inspiration for the critically-acclaimed Filipino film Sister Stella L. We had a private interview a few months before she passed away as is customary for teacher and student in Zen practice. At that moment, I knew that I was receiving an exquisite and very profound teaching, which I immediately transcribed in my journal. Little did I know that these were to be her “final instructions.” Her message has become more and more special each time I came home to it– alive and constantly reaching into my soul. It is my honor and joy to share with you the words of Sr. Rosario. I am sure you will find that it speaks to each and every human heart.
It is essential to know the art of paying full attention to yourself because it is this Self that reaches out to others. No one benefits when you put yourself aside. Instead, you need to be your full Self. The one responding needs to be full. We’re always on-the-go helping others, but we’re not doing justice to others and to ourselves unless we’re paying full attention to ourselves.
The bell of the present moment calls your name. Hold the horses and ask yourself, what is the main thing? Who is holding the reins of this present moment? What is at the heart of now? Face yourself and know what it is you need to be attending to.
Make space in your life to experience your True Self. It will tell you who you really are. You are distracted by helping others and set aside your innate Self. You think something else is more important other than your True Self.
There is one treasure hidden in one body. You are the One Treasure, so you need to come to know who you really are. Give your full attention to that One Treasure. Celebrate it with joy, your True Self is present.
One Treasure: An Invitation to Pause and Reflect
- When have I experienced myself as the One Treasure? What did these moments feel like? What conditions made it possible for me to experience myself in this way?
- In my everyday life, what gets in the way of experiencing the One Treasure, my full Self? What “horses” are preventing me from coming home to the present moment with my full Self?
- What is one commitment that I could make to honor and discover this One Treasure?