When we are generous we learn how to be unattached to our possessions or our beliefs, and we provide others with an example of human behavior that is not founded on greed. - Hsing Yun
public domain image from www.pixabay.com)
Here are ten simple (but effective) contemporary in meditation. These will reduce stress and lower anxiety while simultaneously strengthening inner peace: 1. Slowing down 2. Peace 3. Let it be 4. Let it go 5. I'm OK 6. Love 7. Joyful 8. Thankful 9. Happy 10. Content Here's how to use these: find a quiet place to sit; take a few deep inhalations and exhalations; then begin to silently and slowly repeat one of the mantras. Do this for five minutes and you will feel a calming effect. A clean mirror calmly reflects, doesn’t hold anything; a liberated mind calmly reflects, doesn’t cling to anything. - Nguyen Giac
Many people aren't aware that a meditation practice can be more effective if there is a sequence of mental movements to focus upon. Here's a four part sequence. Do each one for 5 minutes and you will find you have had a "sit" of 20 minutes:
1. Begin with gratitude expression (whatever comes to mind) 2. Move on to recalling why we practice - for our benefit and for the benefit of others. That's why Buddhist sessions include this dedication of merit: I dedicate this practice for the benefit of all beings without exception. 3. Next, focus on the five Buddhist subjects for frequent recollection: ** I am subject to aging - aging is unavoidable. ** I am subject to illness - illness is unavoidable. ** I will be separated from all that I know and love - this is unavoidable. ** I am subject to death - death is unavoidable. 4. Conclude whatever meditation technique you use: silence, chanting, mantra, etc. (feel free to repost and/or link to your social media) We do not recognize sin and punishment in the way the Western religions do. No God or gods will punish us for our wrongdoings. We believe in the law of cause and effect. Whatever we sow, we have to reap by ourselves. The ethical aspect of Buddhism is based on clear understanding, not on make-believe. - Nyogen Senzaki
"I believe there are very few good spiritual teachers in general — male or female. One should approach the spiritual path with the desire to be a seeker, not a teacher. Motivation is a singularly important cultivation on the path and one should tread it carefully and with humility. We should also be careful about the institutionalization of traditions — is it driven by patriarchy? Is it fundamentally biased towards a sub-group of people? Is its sole investment in society to maintain the status quo by controlling power and narrative? These are the sicknesses which we must heal and emerge from." - Tenzin Priyadarshi
Tenzin Priyadarshi ran away from boarding school in Asansol, West Bengal, at the age of 10 to find the place that kept appearing in his dreams — a mountain peak with men in sunset-coloured robes. When he found the place of his dreams at last, it turned out to be a Buddhist monastery in Rajgir, Bihar, Northern India.
Now a Tibetan Buddhist monk, the Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi heads the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S. His recently released memoir, Running Toward Mystery, is an account of his journey as a spiritual seeker. Interviewed by The Hindu, he offered some fascinating insights such as "Mainstream at times is overrated. During his own lifetime Buddha challenged the mainstream and its assertions on caste divisions, wealth disparity and violence. Human nature is a difficult pattern to work with and so are the institutions it creates. Buddhism emphasizes a journey of inquiry, reflection and transformation for each individual. It is not one size fits all." Asked about the "blind faith" required by other religions, Priyadarshi said the Buddha did not endorse this: "Faith can be of several types. Most often we think of it in terms of blind faith. However, Buddha encouraged students not to take his teachings at face value or believe in them simply out of reverence. He suggested that we critically analyze the teachings as a goldsmith analyses the purity of gold. I believe this was the spirit with which Buddhism was studied and practiced in our ancient institutions." Stand up for what you know is right. The principles of fairness and justice are always worth fighting for. - Diane Lu
. . . Don't give up! Don't let a problem meditating become an excuse to stop. That's advice from Erik K. Van Horn who explains: "Everyone encounters problems and difficult patches in the course of meditating, so don't let them get you upset. Don't view them as signs that you're making no progress or that you're a hopeless meditator. Problems are an excellent opportunity for figuring out where you have unskillful habits and learning how to do something about them."
Living morally is very simple for some people and very, very difficult for others. It all depends on the assets of goodness and kindness stored within a person's karma. - Ajahn Summano
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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
May 2024
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