“This time, practice the main points” says lojong slogan 51. And because these 3 points are so important, we’re going to take the next 3 weeks to go over them. But first, let’s talk about what it means that this slogan begins with “this time.”

In Buddhist understanding, we live many lives. So the emphasis here is on this time, this life we are living right now, this time around. Whether or not you believe in reincarnation, we can all agree on showing up in our lives right now. Don’t wait for some other magical time. Stop wasting your days. This time, show up and practice the three main points! There’s almost something humorous about it. I don’t know what you were doing all those other lifetimes, but this time, get your focus right!

The first point teaches us to consider how our practice affects others. This is far more important than how it’s affecting us. Pema Chodron says, “Seeking to help others is more important than only looking out for yourself.” This comes up a lot in the slogans, but it’s always worth another check-in.

The goal here isn’t only to feel better inside ourselves. If that positive change doesn’t affect your relationships, actions, and words in a compassionate way, it doesn’t much matter how you feel about it. The practice needs to evolve until it shows up in the outside world.

Of course, we know that mind training is a package deal. When we train our minds, we feel both the benefit of inner peace and strength AND the benefit of more compassion toward others. Treating others well always benefits us. But if our training only benefits us, it’s not lojong. Traleg Kyabgon says, “Perform all actions with other people’s welfare in mind.” This far exceeds our own desires for personal growth.

So the first point reminds us to check in on how other people see the work we’re putting in. Does it make a difference to them?

How do your spiritual practices benefit others? Give that some thought this week.