The Right View

Right View is traditionally held to be the first principle of the eightfold path. What is Right View? Its all about the way we see the world.

By attaching expectations to outcomes/things/people we court disappointment and unhappiness. There is an easy test you can do to see if you have been attaching expectations to situations and people in your life. If you take a moment to reflect on the last time you were angry or annoyed I'll wager it had to do with something - or someone - not turning out the way it "should" or "is supposed to". This is an indication that you've attached an expectation - that the View-According-to-Me was not fulfilled by everyone else. This is also known as Wrong View.

So what's Right View then? Right View is about seeing things as they really are, rather than how we would like them to be. This may not be as easy as it first appears. Often we overlay our lives, relationships, and our behaviour with narratives that support our View-According-to-Me. It takes careful self reflection to detect these narratives and remove them. Sometimes Right View shows us things that we really dont want to see. By surrendering to the truth of the situation we release ourselves from disappointment, anger and frustration. Things are as they are.

My task this month is to surrender to the truth of things, to the Right View. My focus will be on the process instead of the outcome. Can I disengage attachment to an outcome of a situation? Can I pay attention only to the journey and let the final destination take care of itself? Good question. I've got some pretty big challenges this month. I cant wait to see how I go!

If you would like to explore the principle of Right View further here are some websites to explore:


http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html

http://www.tibetanlama.com/buddhism/The_Eight_Fold_Path.asp

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/eightfold.html

There are many books and articles written on the Eightfold Path and Right View. There are some very intense analysis of Right View and what it means spiritually, psychologically and emotionally. I have dealt with Right View with the interpretation that is appropriate for my understanding and where I am in my life right now. You have to start where you are, and I am here.