A Stronger Commitment

I had made up my mind to do Dharma work full-time early this year. This decision was supported by my family and I felt like I had just won the jackpot. A lot of my friends thought that my decision to do get fully involved in Dharma was a brave move. To me, it was a first step to committing more fully to Dharma practice.

When I approached a Dharma friend on what I needed to do to join the Dharma centre full time, she was very supportive. She immediately advised me to start looking for sponsors to support my monthly commitments and expenses, especially as I have a family to care for. To lower oneself in order to beg for sponsorship is not easy. I wondered at the time whether anybody would want to sponsor me. I was a nobody in the centre!

My Dharma friend then advised me to do Protector practice every night. Setting my motivation right, I humbly requested the Protector to help me find the sponsorship and to make everything go smoothly for me to join the Dharma centre as a full-time member of staff. I prayed to him, saying, “If the time is right for me to be able to contribute fully to Dharma to benefit more people, please grant my wish to get sponsors.”

It took me two weeks of determination, perseverance and effort to find more than half the sponsorship I required. It was quite difficult asking people for sponsorship in the beginning but things became better. Even though I was turned down a few times, I was not angry or disappointed; instead, it gave me the strength to keep on trying. I knew that the Protector was helping me to make things go smoothly.

I quickly began to feel the direct impact of the practice. I know now that if we have the right motivation, the Protector will be there for us. In my case, I needed the financial support to be able to do more Dharma work to benefit and help more people. Everything moved very fast; even I couldn’t believe it. With the help of the Protector, I finally managed to raise all the sponsorship I needed to join the centre and do Dharma work full-time. It was very meaningful for me and it increased my confidence to know that the Protector “agreed” that this was the right time for me to go further in my practice.

Now, with the kindness of my Guru who has given me this practice to pacify my obstacles, the kindness of the sponsors and the understanding and endless support from my wife, I have no reason not to go all the way in my Dharma practice. May I keep moving forward in bringing my Guru’s teachings to the world to benefit more people.

~ Neil ~