The shock method part 5

That is why I find it essential to LIVE Buddhism fully, not partially as 'one piece' of a life, which seems to be the way many Westerners 'use' Buddhism. If I had not put absolutely everything into my faith, I would have come through this as a crazy screaming mess or a suicide statistic, rather than having developed an even closer knowledge of the Dharma.

I put EVERYTHING into my faith in the Dharma - and not just 'something'.

If you stick only your toe into the ocean of Dharma, only your toe will benefit and you will never learn to swim - but if you put everything into the Dharma and remember the teachings as you move through, you will surface the other side having experienced what you learned.

* read or listen to the Dharma
* figure it out in your head as being right
* fully believe what you learn and have complete faith in it
* then, when you are tested, you will grow in experience

Each step I believed in had to be proved by the actual living of it. I had to be 'tested' on putting my focus on my aspiration and my faith in the Dharma in contrast to my 'self' and my life. I had to prove my adherence to Buddhist principles as real rather than words. I had to show that my faith in my teachers was sincere and real.