With special thanks to Cindy F. for another perfect bunny pic, here is lovable Gus experiencing a moment of bunniness with a quote that is near and dear to my heart, especially during this chaotic time in my life. Thank you, Gus, for the reminder that we all have a perfectly calm inner bunny, even when it feels like the world is falling apart around us. All we need to do is keep trying to find it!
With special thanks to Del C. for the perfect photo to match how I’m feeling lately, here is a moment of bunniness featuring Apples the English Angora bun.
Please note: If you do not wish to read anything that may trigger negative emotions, please stop reading now.
From time to time, despite our beliefs and all the structures we have put in place to help us find our strength, life presents us with a challenge that tests us to our limits and even beyond them.
While the photo of Apples speaks to me, the truth is that the message is quite a bit more difficult. As you may have guessed from my previous post, I have been dealing with some big personal stuff. For a few weeks, I have been hiding in my metaphorical basket, trying to find the courage to emerge and face the world.
Sometimes the reserves of bunniness are low, and one must take care to recharge before trying to give more.
— Bunny Buddhism (@bunnybuddhism) March 8, 2011
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A few weeks ago, my husband and I took a lovely week-long vacation to Maine. Two days after our return, my husband texted me to say he was coming home from work. When he still wasn’t home two hours later, I started to panic. My sister and I called every authority we could imagine. Four hours after his text, the police called to tell me my husband was in an ambulance on his way to a nearby hospital.
He had intentionally taken a massive overdose of his prescription medications for depression and anxiety. He was unconscious when they found him, and despite the best efforts of doctors at a world-class hospital, he never regained consciousness. He lost all brain function and his organs began to fail one by one. I sat with him in the ICU for four days, and I was holding his hand when his heart stopped.
He was 33 years old. We were together for 14 of those years. Now, I am left to pick up the pieces of the life we built together. Somehow, I am supposed to move on.
I try to remind myself of all the teachings on attachment and letting go, but I am at a loss for what I am going to do without him. When I meditate, my breathing gets lost behind all the tears. Attempts at mindfulness turn immediately to memories of the best and the worst moments of our lives together.
I miss him so much. I loved him more than he knew. I want nothing more than to hold him just one more time. But I can’t. I am having more than a little trouble finding the bunniness within the pain right now. But I know that is what I have to do, and I will continue to try.
The more we try to hop away from pain, the more it clings to us. One must learn to find the bunniness within the pain.
— Bunny Buddhism (@bunnybuddhism) September 8, 2011
For those of you who may be wondering why Bunny Buddhism has been less active lately, I just wanted to let you know I’m dealing with a family crisis and need to focus my time and energy on that right now. I plan to respond to all bunny photo submissions and be back to full speed as soon as possible. Thanks in advance for your patience and understanding.
Bunniness is the energy of true presence.
— Bunny Buddhism (@bunnybuddhism) November 22, 2011
This sneaky moment of bunniness comes to us from Karen N. and her bun, Nibbler. Karen took this photo of Nibbler when she caught him listening to her while she was working from home. Here’s a quote about listening to help us all remember that every bunny has a message to share, if only we take the time to listen!
Snickers looks to me like a bunny who is ready for anything, so I thought this quote about readiness might suit her. Thank you to Heather W. for the wonderful photo!
For quite some time, I’ve been a fan of the quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear,” even though I know fastidious Buddhist scholars would tell me it has not been definitively linked to Buddhism (see http://www.fakebuddhaquotes.com/when-the-student-is-ready-the-teacher-will-appear/).
Nevertheless, I have found this somewhat controversial quote to be helpful for my own personal experience. I believe being present in the moment requires a certain amount of “readiness” for whatever comes. This is a lesson that has led me to many valuable opportunities for exploring my own deluded ways of thinking—and, in that way, I find it has some relevance to Buddhism.
Even if it doesn’t and my Western culture and Catholic upbringing are leading me astray (which is certainly possible), I can at least say with some degree of authority that this quote works perfectly well for those of us in pursuit of bunniness. Thank you, Snickers, for helping to show us the way!
This is Mister Pepper Bunzillafluff, one giant bunny who was lucky enough to be rescued by his human, Sarah-Michelle G. Sarah-Michelle tells me Mister Pepper Bunzillafluff loves napping so much that her friends have mistaken him for dead! It’s easy to see why, but I promise this is one live bunny just enjoying being a bunny.
I love this quote because I often feel like all of life is a struggle. It is only when I take time to slow down and breathe that I can let go of the struggle for a moment and just be. It would be nice if stopping the struggle came as easily to humans as it does to bunnies, but I guess we will just have to accept that bunnies naturally live in the moment and humans have to work at it.
Thanks to this inspiration from Mister Pepper Bunzillafluff, I am up to the challenge. Are you?
Today’s moment of bunniness comes from Kim C. and her angel bun, Nestor, who truly embodied the spirit of Bunny Buddhism by overcoming incredible adversity with a heart full of love.
When she first brought him home, Nestor was depressed, but his new environment gave him a chance to explore his inner bunniness. Soon, he was giving kisses and enjoying the company of humans and animals alike.
Sadly, he later developed leukemia, which he fought for a year before his body could no longer take the side effects from steroids at such an advanced age. His immune system deteriorated and he developed an inner ear infection before passing away.
In life, we encounter a seemingly endless parade of difficult experiences. It is easy to get frustrated and give up. If anyone knows this, I do.
But I also think we can learn from Nestor’s experience. Nestor had to face difficulties for many years. If he had given up, he never would have found the loving home that helped him become the bunny he always had the potential to be.
Rather than focusing on the difficult life Nestor had, I will remember how he found his way into a loving home. I will remember that Kim C. adopted a ten year old bunny with one eye when no one else would. I will remember that every obstacle creates opportunity and that we are more likely to find that opportunity when we open our hearts to love and kindness.
May we all hop in kindness, for kind hops benefit all beings.
— Bunny Buddhism (@bunnybuddhism) June 10, 2013
I’m afraid today’s moment of bunniness is another sad one because Comet has recently hopped across the bridge. However difficult losing a bunny may be, it is precisely these difficult moments that challenge us to find our inner strength so we may in time learn to appreciate and accept the transitory nature of life.
Comet’s human once told me she could always be in the moment whenever Comet was around, so I thought a quote about staying present would be apropros. Thank you to Comet and Dr. Dale of the Secret Handbook 4 Teens for this beautiful photo. May it serve as a reminder that each moment of life is precious and teaches us whatever it is we most need to learn.
Today’s moment of bunniness comes from a very relaxed BUN, who has learned to find bunniness despite the difficulties of bunny life before being adopted by a loving family. Be sure to visit BUN on Facebook and Twitter for more photos and fun from this fluffy little guy and his big bunny personality!
Once a bunny touches our heart, even if only for a short period of time, we come to rely on the comfort and companionship they offer. We are human, after all, and it’s human nature to become attached to whatever it is we find meaningful in our lives.
Eventually, though, we are confronted by the fact that change is inevitable. No relationship remains the same forever. At some point, we will change, or they will change, or circumstances will change and force us to face our deepest fears.
And so it is with a heavy heart that I share Rory’s moment of bunniness, shortly after his journey over the bridge.
Rory’s message is one that may challenge us more than it will comfort us. Change is hard. Loss is harder. But it is part of life and we must learn to accept it if we are to continue living in a conscious and meaningful way.
Rory was a happy bunny who had an enormous impact on the humans who knew him. His life was short and beautiful, much like the latest installment in Ramen Empire, the comic he helped inspire.
To Rory’s humans, I can only say my thoughts are with you. May you continue to be inspired by Rory’s memory for a long time to come.
