{"id":51062,"date":"2022-07-29T05:28:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T12:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/?p=51062"},"modified":"2026-04-03T11:57:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T18:57:21","slug":"home-improvement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Improvement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I love to sit on the flat roof at the back of my house. I live in the city, and the trees on my block are a delight. For 20 years, I have squeezed through a tiny window on the third floor to read or meditate, perched on a beach towel or a couple of yoga blocks. The view as I look up is sky framed by tall trees. But as my husband and I get older, the window, strangely, seems to be smaller and higher.\u00a0<\/p>

Not wanting to lose my leafy perch, I asked a neighbor who\u2019s an architect to give us her take on making it easier to access the roof. \u201cI don\u2019t want to spend a lot of money, and don\u2019t need an actual roof deck,\u201d I told her. \u201cJust an easier way out.\u201d Her verdict was swift: roofs are really not<\/b> for sitting and walking on\u2014not what they\u2019re designed for, not what\u2019s recommended, not what\u2019s compliant with building codes. She gave me an estimate for doing it right\u2014a door to a small deck, a railing, proper supports so the roof isn\u2019t damaged. All more costly and complicated than I was hoping for. So I got creative: How about installing a bigger window that functions like a door? Would that meet the letter of the building code?\u00a0<\/p>

She tilted her head and looked at me for a few long seconds before saying, \u201cYou know, clients always think: \u2018I\u2019m gonna be in this house forever.\u2019 But someone\u2019s going to live here after you, some other family.\u201d Her words called up a succession of images: young kids learning the words for things\u2014what a window is, what a door is. And a few years later, exploring the old house, including the big, low window on the third floor that opens like a door, making it easy to step right out. The tragedy I pictured took my breath away.\u00a0<\/p>

The wise response of my architect neighbor brought the Buddhist teachings home to me in a flash. First, impermanence. It\u2019s not my<\/b> house in some once-and-for-all way. It\u2019s the house I\u2019m living in\u2014after and before other people. Then, interdependence. The choices I make affect others, have downstream consequences, whether I ever know them or not. My world and my heart expanded. I let go of the idea of shortcuts. I felt more connected and accountable, more in touch with the way things really are.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Contemplation Exercise <\/h2>

Think of a decision you\u2019re facing regarding something you want. As you consider your choices, reflect on whether there is room to widen your view:\u00a0<\/p>

  • Can you think of anyone else who might be impacted sooner or later by your decision?\u00a0Friends, family, co-workers? How about neighbors or others farther removed in space or time?<\/li>
  • Can you imagine impacts beyond your own lifetime?<\/li>
  • What is it like to consider your options with this broader view in mind?<\/li><\/ul>

    \u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\"Ellen\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEllen Balz\u00e9\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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    A student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche since 2015, clinical psychologist Ellen Balz\u00e9 began working with the core Path of Mindful Activity team in 2018. Collaborating with other Nalandabodhi members on various projects has created precious opportunities for her to pause, relax, and reflect. She enjoys baking bread and caring for succulents.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    While planning a \u201csmall change\u201d to the home, the author receives an unexpected jolt of insight.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":50998,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3009],"tags":[3418,3417,3405,3413],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHome Improvement - Nalandabodhi International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"While planning a \u201csmall change\u201d to the home, the author receives an unexpected jolt of insight.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"nl_NL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Home Improvement - Nalandabodhi International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"While planning a \u201csmall change\u201d to the home, the author receives an unexpected jolt of insight.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nalandabodhi International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-07-29T12:28:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-03T18:57:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/July-29.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1120\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"nirzhar\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Geschreven door\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"nirzhar\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Geschatte leestijd\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minuten\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"nirzhar\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/04fb4e02c44508b9cf0276b6cc3bf56d\"},\"headline\":\"Home Improvement\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-29T12:28:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-03T18:57:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/\"},\"wordCount\":504,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"impermanence\",\"meditation\",\"relationships\",\"wisdom\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Articles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"nl\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2022\/07\/29\/home-improvement\/\",\"name\":\"Home Improvement - 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