Dairyu Michael Wenger Sensei says today’s a good day to come out of hiding and break the cycle of karmic suffering (thanks to Chapel Hill Zen Center for the post).
Photo by Chris Piascik.
The film Groundhog Day demonstrates the wonder of living each moment as a totally new event. It follows a day in the life of weatherman Phil Connors, a sarcastic curmudgeon. He wakes up on the same day, Groundhog Day, again, and again, and again. His namesake, Phil the groundhog (himself a weatherman), sees his shadow, is frightened and goes back into his burrow, thus predicating six more weeks of Winter. Phil Connors is frustrated by living the same day over and over again.
He wants to get somewhere else, find new circumstances, he tries to escape each day with the scenarios of his life. He pursues sex, but after a while it is a dead end. Crime is exciting but becomes tiresome. Drinking, therapy, suicide, finding a love relationship, all are explored. The habits and shadows of his life are found wanting.
Each action has consequences. This is the law of karma: he has a choice, but each choice leads to a new reality. Perhaps the turning point of the movie is when Phil tries to save a homeless man day after day after day, and, no matter what he does, the man dies. He really wants something and is powerless to ensure its happening.
We have freedom, but within limits. This is “samsara” in Buddhism, the cycle of becoming driven by our karmic intentional activity. We have desires and wants but we may never reach them. Eventually, through many days [lifetimes] he chooses a life of service, works through his demons, and breaks the cycle of Groundhog Day.
Read Michael’s entire essay here. And I note that Perry Garfinkel has also just given Groundhog Day a Buddhist spin, over at Huffington Post. Happy Feb. 2, folks!
