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The practice of Dharma has to relate strongly with our mind, it has to become one with our life.
Many new practitioners think they have to bring the Dharma into their lives, but I think it can be difficult, especially for those of us who are beginners. In our lives we have many difficulties and many problems, we also have certain empty spaces in our life, so that is where the Dharma needs to be applied. We need to use the Dharma to work on those problems and difficulties. Your life is an important thing. You apply the Dharma in the way you live. There is a way to bring Dharma into your life.
I have seen many examples, that people have good harmony with their family, then they entered the Dharma, but did not understand a lot of things very clearly. So they brought a lot of changes to their lives, for instance, vajras and bells and things like that. Things that made the other members of the family feel uneasy. Sometimes you can create disharmony within the family because you do strange things in trying to bring the Dharma into your life. I don ‘t think that is the right way to do it.
In our life we find we have problems to solve, empty spaces to fill up. Dharma helps us to bring these onto the path. Your relationships with family and friends do not need to change much. You become a better person when you live with the intention of being helpful and useful to other people. Then you live the life of the Dharma. Your practice of Dharma, your life, becomes stronger and stronger. Slowly, your life becomes Dharma. This way you can bring more balance into your life.
You do not need to disturb the harmony. You don’t have to make your life imbalanced. You can use the Dharma in a beneficial way.