A Shadow That Never Leaves

A Shadow that Never Leaves. (2018) In The Dhammapada, Buddha shares wisdom in short, powerful verses that can act as a guide to achieving enlightenment through wholesome practice. He explains what will become of disciplined minds, and what selfish minds will lack. The verse, “Our life is shaped by our mind, we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought like the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind, we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves”, discusses the power of intention and encourages students to cleanse their mind of negative thoughts. Living and thinking in a moral and ethical way in the absolute sense rather than by the standards of any particular time or society. Embracing the natural pulse of mantras and the flow of Buddha’s verses opened my eyes to freer forms of structure. The duality of the verse, implications of both evil and pure thoughts, is reflected by the difference in sonorities surrounding the main theme when it reappears. Chords that were once dissonant and heavy become cheerful and empowering.