As we get into the Dharma, the thing is to choose our friends wisely. For me, I guess it was a very natural thing because meeting the Dharma meant I went halfway around the world to India. There was no internet then, so I could not stay in touch with my old friends. Very naturally things started to change. Even with the internet and so on, I cannot spend all day just doing Facebook and texting my old friends. My life shrinks into something that is the size of a smartphone with no real living human beings in it.

As we get into the Dharma, it is very natural that sometimes our friends change. Some of our old friends may remain the same. For some people, they have to find a whole new circle of friends. For others, it is an individual process.

What our parents used to tell us about birds of the same feathers flocking together is true. We want to put ourselves together with people who are going to really encourage our virtuous attributes and people who will comment when we are sloughing off, or when we are getting lazy, when we are getting negligent, or when we are stuck in our anger, or about to do something non-virtuous. These people will tap us on the shoulder and say, “Hey, as a Dharma friend can I remind you of this, that, or the other thing?” In that way, we help each other.

“365 Gems of Wisdom” e-book is out now!