Human relationships are sometimes painful, but there is no such pain from which we cannot recover. - Daisaku Ikeda
People who evolve feel deeply that there is more to life that merely existing. Therefore, they engage in inquiry asking themselves:
Who am I? What do I want out of life? How can I be of benefit to others? What can I do to experience myself more authentically? Where does my happiness come from? Am I listening to my soul? What and who inspire me? These kinds of questions can lead to specific answers but largely serve as ways of guiding life in the direction of greater meaning and fulfillment. Buddhist monk Ajahn Summano explains: "Sincere inquiry always sparks our movement toward truth and compassion. Deep questions that arise naturally in the process of life's unfolding signal the manifestation of the very energy through which we grow further. We would be arrogant to believe that we can proceed far without pondering the important questions life asks of us." Attaining enlightenment is not about embarking on some inconceivable long journey to become a resplendent, godlike Buddha, it is about accomplishing a transformation in the depths of one’s being. - Daisaku Ikeda
A true gift to the planet, the Dalai Lama celebrated his 86th birthday (July 6). Here are two of my favorite quotes from this remarkable human:
1. Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. 2. Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them. Just as a diamond can only be polished by another diamond, it is only through intense human interaction engaging the entire personality that people can forge themselves raising themselves up to ever greater heights. - Daisaku Ikeda
From their inception, automobiles came equipped with braking systems in order to prevent accidents and injuries. A vial life skill is knowing when to put the brakes on in daily living. For example, when a conversation descends into gossip about others, it’s time to brake. Or when we’re angry with a person, that’s the moment to brake before saying something which can never be taken back. Or, when we’re tired and exhausted, it’s time to brake on making important decisions. Without the ability to brake in life, we can cause ourselves serious problems as well as generate injuries on others fracturing relationships.
These two are fools. Which two? The one who takes up a burden that has not fallen to him, and the one who does not take up a burden that has. These two are fools. —Buddha
Deriving from two Sanskrit words man meaning ‘thought’ or ‘mind’ and tra meaning ‘instrument’ mantra literally means instrument of mind or, in the Vedic view an instrument of consciousness. The Vedas state that mantras were revealed and received by ancient sages as tools to improve the quality of life and to achieve spiritual progress.
Thus, mantras can generally be divided into two categories: 1) those to develop spiritual an inner progress; 2) those to bring more favorable outer and material needs. A partial list of mantra uses could include:
Life is constantly throwing new, unprecedented situations in our way. We keep finding ourselves in situations where the old solutions don’t seem to work anymore. The way to deal with these situations is to employ the imagination and transform the resources that are already close at hand. - Stephen Batchelor
In his book, Everyday Dao, Deng Ming Dao asks “can we see illness as an opportunity?” and adds: “Is it the medicine and the treatment that cure us or do we cure ourselves.” The author also relates this old joke about the cure for a cold. If you take medicine, you’ll recover in a week, but if you simply rest, you’ll get better in seven days. “Whenever we’re sick, our bodies have to find the means to destroy the illness and recover health...Therefore, minor illness are not occasions of malaise, but the necessary time to create our own cure. It is not a moribund sing, but a wonderful sign of health.”
|
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
May 2024
Categories |