Why do we make such a big fuss when we suffer? - Tenzin Palmo
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If the Buddha were here, all he could encourage you to do would be to practice. Nobody else can do our work for us—it’s up to us to do it or not. Swimming upstream toward the source takes effort and determination. Sorry, there is no quick fix. But in the end it is the only thing that’s worthwhile. The key is practice. But don’t put it on the shrine: take the key, open the door, and walk out of the prison. There are no obstacles. - Tenzin Palmo
We must be conscious of not using the spiritual path as another conduit for the ego—a bigger, better, more spiritual me. - Tenzin Palmo
 (public domain image from www.pixabay.com) Bees have been struggling over the last decade with an alarming decline in bee population recorded. Now, it appears that a major reason for this is that we're cutting our lawns too often. Our green lawns contain a surprising variety of pollen and nectar sources for bees but when they cut down regularly (once a week or more) the bees are deprived of their food and nutrient sources. US Forest Service ecologists are urging homeowners to cut their lawns less far less often - once every two weeks or even less frequently. Lawns mowed every two weeks had a much larger number of pollen and nectar sources (clover and dandelions) and attracted a greater diversity of bee species than lawns cut weekly. Grass cut very three weeks was even better for bees. With lawns blanketing some 40 million acres of land in the US, scientists say that this change in lawn care will have a significant positive impact on US bee populations. Attachment is the very opposite of love. Love says, “I want you to be happy.” Attachment says, “I want you to make me happy." - Tenzin Palmo
The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets and other celestial bodies seem to function in a regulated way for the good of the world. - Vatsayana
The Harvard Men’s Health Watch newsletter recently carried an article explaining how a regular meditation practice can help your brain better manage stress and anxiety that can trigger depression. The writers cited this fact: depression continues to be a major health issue for older adults. It affects about 20% of adults ages 65 and older, and regular depression can lead to higher risks for heart disease and death from illnesses. It also affects people's daily lives by making them more socially isolated and affecting cognitive function, especially memory.
Stress and anxiety are major triggers of depression. It is meditation which can alter your reaction to those feelings. "Meditation trains the brain to achieve sustained focus, and to return to that focus when negative thinking, emotions, and physical sensations intrude — which happens a lot when you feel stressed and anxious," says Dr. John W. Denninger, director of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. One way meditation helps the brain is by protecting the hippocampus (a brain area involved in memory). One study discovered that people who meditated for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks increased the volume of gray matter in their hippocampus, and other research has shown that people who suffer from recurrent depression tend to have a smaller hippocampus. The aim of meditation is not to push aside stress or block out negative thinking, but rather to notice those thoughts and feelings, all the while understanding that you don't have to act on them. This could be as simple as closing your eyes and repeating a single phrase or word, or counting breaths. "This helps provide some distance from those negative thoughts or stressful feelings, allowing you to recognize that, although they affect you, they are not you," says Dr. Denninger. Spiritual awakening begins when you realize a simple fact that most people spend their lives avoiding: Death is stalking us at every moment. - Deepak Chopra
The good you do comes back to you!
What goes around comes around! “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson The three above observations refer to the universal law of giving and receiving. The more we give, the more we receive. Here's an inspiring true story which verifies that wisdom. Several years ago, a man felt compelled to pull over and help an unfortunate woman stuck in the rain. At the time, Tun De Hector had $5 to her name when her car broke down in the pouring rain. As she trudged down the road towards a gas station, Chris Wright was driving his family to church when he saw Hector and wanted to help her. After dropping his family off at the church, he turned around, picked Hector up in his car, drove her to a convenience station, paid for her gas, and gave her all the money in his wallet. Though Hector was overwhelmingly grateful for the stranger’s kindness, they parted ways expecting to never see each other again. Three year's later, Wright's mother Judy fell ill with Parkinson’s disease. As her health started to decline, her family hired a team of nursing aides to take care of her. One nurse aid in particular was especially attentive of Judy, and the Wrights began to call her the family “guardian angel”. One day when the nursing aid was chatting with the Wrights about her past, she told a story about how she once got stuck in the rain with only $5 in her pocket when a compassionate stranger pulled over and helped her out. Wright then realized that the nursing aid was Tun De Hector – the woman he had helped three years earlier. The day this became clear to both Wright and Tun De Hector, both began to weep with joy over help given and now, help being returned. When Judy Wright passed away, on Hector’s birthday, the nursing aide rushed over, still clothed in her birthday attire so she could be there for the Wrights. Then, as a means of repaying Hector for her many kindnesses, the Wrights set up an online fund raising page to help pay off the aide’s nursing school tuition. Their initial goal of $1,000 was quickly shattered as word of the inspiring story spread. The Wrights raised $35,000 for Tun De Hector. Karma: what goes around, comes around! PROVINCE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND APPROVES THE BUILDING OF A BUDDHIST MONASTERY FOR 1,400 NUNS7/21/2018
The provincial government of Prince Edward Island (PEI) in Canada has approved plans for the construction of a 120-hectare monastery in PEI municapilty of Brudenell. The monastery complex, which will be able to house up to 1,400 nuns, is a project of the Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute (GWBI), led by Master Zhen-Ru and focused on nurturing the study and practice of Buddhist nuns.
The nuns are excited about the project and grateful for the support and the positive feedback from the local community. “This is our lifetime dream of living in a traditional monastery that we can study and practice about peace and about harmony, and we really feel grateful that the community gave us the chance,” said Venerable Yvonne. The monastery complex will cover 120 hectares of land, with 200,000 square feet of buildings and multiple green spaces, including gardens, a green house, and walking trails—some of which will be open to the public. The campus will include a few clusters of buildings that will comprise residences, lectures halls, spaces of worship, and recreational facilities. According to the project masterplan, the monastery also aims to contribute to local businesses, both during and after construction. GWBI stated that during construction, it will use island services and products as much as possible to help boost the local economy. After construction, GWBI intends to engage in many charitable initiatives involving the local community, including island clean-up days, working with seniors, and making bread for the underprivileged. (source:www.buddhistdoor.net) |
Victor M. Parachin ... aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Sadly, Victor passed away in August 2025, but his blog continues. Janet Parachin, his partner of 45 years, shares quotes from his books and articles each week. Archives
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