There are two more workshops on Saturday (see flyer above). Please join us to celebrate Yoga.
President Trump is visiting our city this weekend for a rally. If you're not attending please join me at Tulsa Yoga Meditation Center for Intentional Day of Yoga. I will be making a presentation on Swami Vivekananda (Friday evening, 6 - 8 pm). Swami V brought Yoga to the West in 1893. My presentation will be followed by a one hour gentle yoga practice.
There are two more workshops on Saturday (see flyer above). Please join us to celebrate Yoga. I think everybody knows that above us is the sky and not heaven.
We have heaven and hell within us and can experience this quite easily. - Ayya Khema The Buddha always considered himself as a human religious teacher whose message was meant to promote freedom, happiness and well being of others. - K. Dhammananda
The Buddha did not obtain supreme Enlightenment by simply praying, worshipping, or making offerings to some supernatural beings. He attained Buddhahood by the purification of his mind and heart. - K. Sri. Dhammananda
In his book, One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism, Joseph Goldstein relates a time of great challenge in his life saying that "weeks, great pain and anguish permeated my experience." His suffering was so intense that he found himself gripped by "hopeless despair." Just when all effort seemed impossible and ineffective to change his situation, the word "courage" came into his mind. It was a word which he began to repeat over and over as a mantra. Here's what transpired for him:
"Each time the word sounded in my mind I could literally feel my heart grow stronger. With some magic of its own, it unhooked that last deep place of aversion and fear about what was happening that was keeping me separate from the experience. It brought forth the courage of simply being. What had been intolerable a moment before became completely acceptable." Looking back at that difficult time in his life, Goldstein says he discovered that"courage is not about changing anything or grasping for some better state. It’s the valor of truly being present." Even though we don’t have to believe that there’s someone out there actively tempting us, there are things all around us that do, that tempt us to give in to our desires. - Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Grief is an expression of love. Grief is how love feels when the object of our love has been taken away. Without love, there would be no grief. - Bodhipaska
I recently heard a Buddhist teacher state that "people are basically idiots." I agree totally and my experience with people bears witness to the truth of that insight. The Buddha knew people were idiots. However, he taught people do not need remain that way. His teaching on cultivating the "four supreme efforts" is an antidote to being an idiot. Take on the challenge of practicing these four this week:
(1) not to let an unwholesome thought arise which has not yet arisen, (2) not to let an unwholesome thought continue which has already arisen, (3) to make a wholesome thought arise which has not yet arisen, (4) to make a wholesome thought continue which has already arisen. (Feel free to re-post and/or link to your social media. Credit not necessary) Zen teachings are often concerned with human limitation. Students are told to cultivate a don’t-know mind which challenges us to bring to face paradoxes with openness and humility. - Matthew Abrahams
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Victor M. Parachin ...is aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Archives
April 2024
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