stay in the canoe
I’ve been doing research into prevalent, commonplace views online, and that means spending time on social media. However I also find the internet addictive, and it’s not good for me to spend much time on a computer. It tends to lead me astray, and I get over-involved.
One time, Soryu was in the main hall and saw me on my computer. A bit later, he locked eyes with me and warned me about spending too much time online and not staying in the practice.
He warned me to stay in the canoe.
If I leap overboard to save someone who is drowning, it doesn’t really help the matter. It’s better to stay in the canoe.
(I will add, in the metaphor, I’m not very strong or good at swimming. He didn’t say that part, but it seemed implied. In actuality, I’m not physically strong enough to save an adult from drowning.)
Someone else brought up a story that they heard. A friend’s father jumped in to save a drowning man, but the drowning man was uncontrollably thrashing and clinging to the would-be rescuer, pulling them both under. They would both drown. So the rescuer punched the man in the head, knocking the man out, then saved him.
Saving a drowning person is very risky and can end in two people dying, rather than anyone getting saved. I knew I wasn’t ready.
Because I’m an addict, this was hard to hear. But I slowly put my things away and went to meditate for a couple hours.