"Just as water washes everything clean, the superior person pardons mistakes and forgives even intentional violations. In that way, he insures the upward spiral of his prosperity. The inferior person cannot resist the opportunity to chastise another and, in so doing, incurs resentment, destroys unanimity and crushes enthusiasm, thereby destroying his own chances for success. . . . Simplicity is the hallmark of the superior person, while ostentation is the hallmark of the inferior person. If you are following the path of the superior person, you understand that you are the equal of any person on earth. There is not need, therefore, to present false appearances."
The ancient Chinese I Ching is a manual for life. It often cites the difference between a superior person and an inferior one. Wi Wei, author of a fine commentary on sections of the I Ching, writes this in his book I Ching Life: Becoming Your Authentic Self:
"Just as water washes everything clean, the superior person pardons mistakes and forgives even intentional violations. In that way, he insures the upward spiral of his prosperity. The inferior person cannot resist the opportunity to chastise another and, in so doing, incurs resentment, destroys unanimity and crushes enthusiasm, thereby destroying his own chances for success. . . . Simplicity is the hallmark of the superior person, while ostentation is the hallmark of the inferior person. If you are following the path of the superior person, you understand that you are the equal of any person on earth. There is not need, therefore, to present false appearances." You can do anything you want to do. It’s only your thought that you can’t do it that holds you back. - Dipa Ma Trying to obtain by force that which can only be obtained by relaxation and calmness will produce results opposite from the ones you hope to achieve. - Wu Wei
According to Yoga, a soul reincarnates again and again on earth until it fully recognizes it’s inner Divinity and completely reunites with it’s Source. The concept of reincarnation is summarized in the Bhagavad Gita this way: “"Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones." (2.22) Sivya Subramuniyaswami, author and founder of The Himalayan Academy in Hawaii, offers this explanation of reincarnation: “The soul, in its intelligence, searches for its Self, slowly ascending the path that leads to enlightenment and liberation. It is an arduous, delightful journey through the cycles of birth, death and rebirth culminating in Self Realization, the direct and personal spiritual experience of God, of the Self, of Truth.”
Through effort, vigilance, restraint, and self-control, the wise person can become an island. No flood will overwhelm. - Dhammapada
This word is closely linked to Buddhism via two key teachings of the Buddha: the Four “Noble” Truths and the “Noble” Eightfold Path. It is the translation of the Sanskrit term arya and was popularized by inhabitants of North India who self-designated themselves as aryans – noble or superior ones - to distinguish themselves from other inhabitants of the area. Centuries later, Adolph Hitler and the Nazis would appropriate the word for political purposes. The Buddha, who was born in Northern India, knew the term incorporated it as a spiritual description of those with insights into reality superior to that or ordinary people. Those who had spiritual insight were called “noble” ones.
The first thing is to love yourself. You cannot progress by self doubt and self hatred. You can only progress by self love.- Dipa Ma
Coping with the loss of a close friend or family member may be one of the hardest challenges that many of us face, write the editors at the American Psychological Association health web site. Though “loss is understood as a natural part of life, but we can still be overcome by shock and confusion, leading to prolonged periods of sadness or depression” they add and offer these insights for responding to the death of a loved one.
1. Take comfort in understanding that everyone deals differently with grief. There is not one right or wrong way. “Everyone reacts differently to death and employs personal coping mechanisms for grief. Research shows that most people can recover from loss on their own through the passage of time if they have social support and healthy habits. It may take months or a year to come to terms with a loss. There is no “normal” time period for someone to grieve.” 2. There are no phases or stages of grief. “Don’t expect to pass through phases of grief either, as new research suggests that most people do not go through stages as progressive steps.” So free yourself from any pressure to “get through” the “stages” of grief. 3. You will get through this difficult time. “Human beings are naturally resilient, considering most of us can endure loss and then continue on with our own lives.” 4. Use these strategies for managing the loss from day to day - *Talk about the death of your loved one with friends and colleagues in order to understand what happened and remember your friend or family member. Denying the death is an easy way to isolate yourself, and will frustrate your support system in the process. *Accept your feelings. People experience all kinds of emotions after the death of someone close. Sadness, anger, frustration and even exhaustion are all normal. *Take care of yourself and your family. Eating well, exercising and getting plenty of rest help us get through each day and move forward. *Reach out and help others dealing with the loss. Helping others has the added benefit of making you feel better as well. Sharing stories of the deceased can help everyone cope. (Please feel free to re-post and/or share on your social media) Adversity lends swift feet to your soul by hastening your steps towards Self-realization. Do not try to escape the problems of life. Face them with a strong will and firm determination. - Swami Jyotirmayananda
Xu Xiangdong is a world-renowned master of Chinese martial arts, at the Bamboo Grove Buddhist Monastery in the suburbs of Beijing. More than a martial artist, Xu is a Chinese philosopher who studies the relationship between mind and body. I find his insights powerfully expansive for understanding and appreciating meditation. For example:
Additionally, this Buddhist koan style sentence presented to him by his teacher, continues to reverberate in his mind: “In which way do you see farther—with your eyes open or closed?” This koan reminds us that we all tend to believe that the eyes are the only way to see, but many times our mind is restricted by our body. |
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
March 2024
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