View 

View suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth.
A broad perspective which considers many factors in reality, not opinion.
The deep feeling or insight as to the proper direction for one’s life.

We need to ask ourselves, What is my view, what is important in my life, what is worth pursuing and what should I let go of? It is important to sit down and consider this. We may realize that my view is mostly what I want, or what I want to avoid. This is a narrow self-serving personal point of view. 

In early recovery, as my mind clears and I learn what does not work, I am willing to stop engaging in obvious destructive behaviors. At first I may feel empty, that I have lost my best friend, (my addiction), and what I have been relying on to make life bearable though painful, or to avoid life. I feel my foundation has been taken away, I am groundless.  

As I learn and grow, I begin to see that I do have choices, whereas before my addiction dictated my actions and kept me in darkness. I begin to have trust in my insights and my intelligence. I begin to  see that I and all others have an innate basic goodness, that we are spiritually connected and my view begins to open naturally so that I see more clearly and further now. I begin to explore what this connection is and how I can become more aware of it and integrate that view into my everyday life. This is a time of searching and growth that will probably last our lifetime, or lifetimes.

In buddhism Right View, is the first in the eight-fold path of understanding and liberation from suffering. From our views come our thoughts and actions. We need to become aware of what we think, and then to inquire more deeply into why we think what we do. Only then can we know if our thoughts are true, false, or confused. Often our views are unexamined opinions or assumptions that we have inherited from other people or from our culture. After we become aware of these views we can choose to hold them as true, modify, or reject them. If the views we cling to are confused or misguided, they will surely undermine us in all aspects of our life and cause us to suffer. Right view does not mean that there is only one right way to look at things. It translates to something like completed or fulfilled. We should deepen our understanding —through meditation and through experience—how exactly one thing leads to another. Or if we hold convictions about our own racial or ethnic superiority, or our feelings of unworthiness and doubt, how receptive will we truly be to teachings about lovingkindness or compassion to all sentient beings? We need to submit our most cherished assumptions to rigorous questioning.

We do not deny our emotions but we are able to work with them in a larger framework, instead of permitting them to rule us. Like putting a spoon of salt into a teacup, or putting it into a pond. The same amount of salt is there, but when in a larger context it is manageable, not overwhelming. When you feel an emotion “taking over,” accept it, breathe deeply, relax a little, and then place it in a larger context of life, not just a narrow focus of one disturbing emotion. Let your spaciousness be the dominating factor, not negativity. 

No wonder we could not get along with others, we either want to avoid them or dominate them. When we begin to look honestly at ourselves and effect a change, which is difficult to do but not as difficult as continuing our destructive behavior, we  begin feeling worthwhile, living with a sense of dignity and purpose in our lives.

We are hampered by fewer things for shorter periods of time. We need to continuously reinforce the newer view so as not to slip back into old harmful behaviors. Life continues to unfold, and we need to continually unfold and reinforce our view through our practice in our everyday life.
Do we make the effort? Do we use kind speech, take the right action, have a practice, work with contemplation and meditation on an ongoing basis so it becomes a welcome part of our lives?

The spiritual life is not a theory, you must LIVE it, and practice your view in all of your affairs. If you only “feel” the sunlight of the spirit in a recovery room or in your personal practice, and in  your daily life practice selfishness, aggression or remain ruled by fear, you have only picked up your foot but have not taken a step. You feel unbalanced standing on one leg.

Living your view is not easy. It takes a lot of trying, succeeding and failing. But always with the dedication to continue. This is your life, it is important. You have so much to grow into, and all your discipline in understanding yourself more deeply, is naturally rewarded ten-fold.

Our happiness and the happiness of those around us depend on our degree of Right View. Right View is not an ideology, a system, or even a path. It is the insight we have into the reality of life, a living insight that fills us with understanding, peace, and love. (The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching.)

It cannot be stressed strongly enough that the practice of mindfulness, or any approach to meditation and contemplation, only becomes an effective instrument of liberation to the extent that it is founded upon and guided by right view. And that you actually do practice, not just think it is a good idea, that you will soon get to.

However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? ~Buddha

An open, clear view has no sense of fear, no poverty, no grasping or running away. By seeing reality from a higher view, we are not attached to our difficulties nor to our accomplishments or happiness. From a vaster view we can avoid attachment and more fully see and engage in all  aspects of life. 

Let us hold firmly to a view of rejoicing. Of celebrating and delighting in our lives.
Let us rejoice in the difficulties we have, that offer the opportunity to grow and understand more deeply.                                                                                                                                              Let us rejoice in the joys of life that were previously unavailable to us.                                      Let us rejoice that we have the opportunity and the desire to help others, which enriches our lives. Let us rejoice in the many small blessings that we have, and easily overlook.

Let us feel worthy of all our blessings, and pass them all on to those who still suffer.
Let us nurture kindness and openness. That is a good and right view.

How do you fill your bucket? One drop at a time
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
The great arises out of small things that are honored and cared for
Heart Of Recovery web site  —  fcheartofrecovery.com