Relationships: making them last

Indra's Net

One important realization that comes with meditation is the interconnectedness of all beings and things. One metaphor Buddhist's use to explain this connectedness is called Indra's Net. The universe is like a net with a jewel at each vertex, the place where the ropes intersect.

Each jewel is reflected in every other jewel, and each jewel in turn reflects all other jewels. This is similar to the concept of a hologram, where every part contains the whole.

We all truly are interconnected. If I yell at Frank, then Frank feels bad and has an argument with Sally, and she takes it out on Bill, and so on. It spreads out like the ripples on a pond. Likewise, if! show compassion to Frank, this will spread out in positive waves. Every action has a reaction. Every cause has an effect. Put simply, what comes around goes around.

When you see a woman from afar, it's easy to delude yourself into thinking that you are two separate and distinct beings. But through continued meditation you can slowly strip away this conditioned way of thinking and misinterpreting the world. You can see the true interconnectedness of all beings. You and she are already connected, but you must help each other peel away the layers of delusion to reach that place of being connected, now, in this one and only moment. I hope that this book has shown you a path to realizing that connectedness, and that you can share that realization with others in your own way. We are each of us a jewel on Indra's net, reflecting each other, infinitely connected and interconnected. We are each waves on a vast ocean. Dive into that ocean and see what you find.

Final words

I wish you luck with all your romantic endeavors, and with all of your life. I hope you practice the ideas in this book and make permanent positive changes in your life.

In particular, I hope you meet lots of women and learn how to relate to them on a deeper level, so that when you meet the one with that extra something special, you know what to do to make things work with her. You deserve to be happy, and so does she. Live your life, and let it all happen, together.

Good luck on your journey.