Smells Like Something Gone Rotten

The fetid adder's tongue is delicate and beautiful, but it smells like something gone rotten with a bit of mushroom mixed in. It is the first harbinger of the spring wildflowers to come and if I am not careful, it is easy to walk right past it. Change is in the air and all around us too, but if we are moving quickly and filled with stress and hurry, we walk right past what is clearly underfoot. 

Recently, I have been teaching and practicing the quality of deep friendliness. On the surface, friendliness, or unconditional benevolence, may sound simplistic. However, like all wisdom practices, it unfolds and deepens. 

Friendliness turns into a profound strength that protects as we move through this fragile, fraught world. Traditional Buddhist teachings say that the immediate cause of friendliness is seeing the lovable qualities in oneself and others. Of course, people (and flowers!) sometimes stink. The fetid adder's tongue reeks (fetid is right in the name!) yet it is still beautiful. In this same way, people, even people that are difficult, have lovable qualities. 

A mind that is stuck like velcro onto a story of the shortcomings of someone or something is tormented. Instead, set your heart free. Be courageous and take a moment to see for yourself the lovable qualities of those you dislike. Adder’s tongue (or the difficult person) may still smell bad and never be your favorite, but you don’t have burden yourself with irritation and dislike.