That there is a path to the end of suffering, to freedom, is the Fourth Noble Truth.  We walk the Path as our life practice—to cultivate and develop WISDOM, live in INTEGRITY with Wise Speech, Wise Action (harmlessness) and Wise Livelihood and in MEDITATION (cultivating continuous wise presence in all activity, feeling directly the body and breath, knowing intimately our emotions and thought process).  The Noble  Eightfold Path is a Middle Path, a path of balance.

“If it were not possible,” said the Buddha, “I wouldn’t ask you to do it.” It is possible. It’s possible for each and all of us to follow these clear guidelines to practice, live, and awaken into freedom.

From the Dhammapada:

“As the bee takes the essence of a flower,
and flies without destroying its beauty and perfume,
So you too can wander in this life as free, carrying only blessings.”

Like the bee, we live in a kind of simplicity, with what is. This path to freedom is letting go, opening, understanding and being with what is, in meditative wisdom and integrity.   It is a very courageous thing we do as practitioners. On the Path we endeavor to face our fear and confusion, our longing and loss. We witness with tenderness, kindness and compassion, the joys and sorrows of this world. This is the journey we undertake.  This is the Fourth Noble Truth—that there is a Path to the end of suffering and we can journey on it; we can let go, awaken, be free.

With metta,
Gina Sharpe
Guiding Teacher