The way of the worlds

Given that I am on the cusp of moving home, to as of yet uncertain location, whilst also staging a scary large business event and negotiating my first complex commercial banking arrangement, I have been feeling stressed. Well probably a mixture of the six "lower states" actually. And quite understandably I'd suggest.

I'd hoped to stay in the calm, happy space my chanting has created. To a Buddhist, this might be recognisable as a state of tranquility. It's not a bad place to be in the scheme of things - about a C for effort in overall Buddha School marks. I do have fleeting moments in the zone, but they pass all too soon. Those big bad nasties creep right back up behind me.

All of which brings me to the spectrum of states you can be in as a Buddhist. Consciously or otherwise, and probably through the bottom of any empty glass, in my weak-willed experience. Looked at like this, I could just about say I have been to hell and back, and be able to justify the expression.

In Buddhism, there are ten inner ways of being. They are always with us, and we just shift from one to another. We're blindly getting on with reacting to what is happening to us. It's all about how we are in the moment.

There is also a hierachy in all of this. It starts with our lowest, darkest state of life coloured by pain. Ths is "hell". It's the hard rock of our genuine suffering and despair, and gives us that flight and fight urge. Moving up, we can feel "hunger" - the everyday desire for money, power and status. I'd put this as the spiritual triumphate of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Not surprisingly, these can feel wonderfully glamourously and inordinately attractive. Austin Power's Yeah Baby attractive.

Up another step and we can be animal-like and ruled by our instincts. Reason and morals can go out of the window in the jungle. Up one step again and we can hit anger - the egotistic sort of selfish-centred, one-up type of hair flicking superiority. Miss Piggy barging through and demanding things.

Ah but then we can reach the welcoming flat plains of tranquillity. It's a sort of base camp on the assult to higher things. We might shift temporarily from this onto moments of bliss - well if you've got a good love life,won a lottery ticket, or just got lucky in the sales that is. You know the deal.

Put together as a package, we have the "six paths" or "six lower worlds" of Buddhism, all callously shoving us around. No wonder we rattle between them like a demented commuter on a wild rush hour. We're just trying to get somewhere, like everyone else, and having a rough ride on the way.

Which is pretty much where I've been at today. I've been pushed and pulled by my demanding little one, on the go since dawn. This is tiring enough, as all us moaning and middle-aged mummies will testify. But I've also had to squeeze in all the other practial bits as well - the moving out packing and planning, and the urgent business problem solving by email, text and phone. I've got a three-lane motorway running through my tranquility. It's tough not ending up in the state of lower world-ville, believe me! I need to chant and connect.

Nam myoho renge kyo