Care

Fire is a symbol for vitality. Without fire there is no heat and without heat you cannot live. The fire place is regarded as sacred, and so too could you view your body as the sacred temple of your own vitality. Your temple requires care. The fire place is kept clean of trash and is treated with respect. Do you keep your body free from trash? Do you treat your body with respect? Care requires awareness, a constant awareness of what you are doing with your body. Only when you have this can you listen to what your body asks of you. To bring yourself into a constant state of awareness, choose one thing that you will take care of relentlessly. For example, you may take care to wash the dishes every night, or ensure your altar is always dust free, or that your paper-basket is never filled to the brim with trash, or that your garden walkway is always swept clean. Choose something small and simple. Taking care of one small task constantly gives you an anchor that will prevent your fall into carelessness. If it is the day of Peta Hochokan in twenty days, ask yourself if you’ve taken full care of the thing you have chosen.