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6. Mindful silence. . . can involve spending time alone in meditation, prayer, reflection, contemplation.
7. Mindful eating. . . . Be sure to mindfully eat fresh, healthy foods to keep your body strong during your grief journey.
8. Mindful exercise. . . . Think carefully about an activity that appeals to you--hiking, biking, swimming, yoga, group fitness classes, dancing, kayaking--and do it.
9. Mindful determination. Grief doesn't allow you to rewind your life so it's important to find ways of motivating yourself to keep moving forward.
10. Mindful possibilities. As grief eases and days become lighter and brighter, be mindful about your future, about your ability to move forward and reinvent yourself.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
7. Mindful eating. . . . Be sure to mindfully eat fresh, healthy foods to keep your body strong during your grief journey.
8. Mindful exercise. . . . Think carefully about an activity that appeals to you--hiking, biking, swimming, yoga, group fitness classes, dancing, kayaking--and do it.
9. Mindful determination. Grief doesn't allow you to rewind your life so it's important to find ways of motivating yourself to keep moving forward.
10. Mindful possibilities. As grief eases and days become lighter and brighter, be mindful about your future, about your ability to move forward and reinvent yourself.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
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The Buddha never wrote anything himself, but many wisdom sayings are attributed to him. . . . Here is an excerpt from Sutra on Lovingkindness:
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
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If you've recently had the unwelcome experience of a loss . . . the ensuing emotion is grief. Even this bitter taste of life can be the occasion to deepen our practice of mindfulness. . . .
1. Mindful breathing. . . . When you breathe deeply it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax.
2. Mindful thoughts. . . . Whenever negative thoughts emerge replace them with positive ones. Move from "I can't" and "I'm not able" toward "I can" and "I am able."
3. Mindful words. . . . Use words, phrases and sentences which build up, encourage, inspire and applaud yourself and all those you come in contact with.
4. Mindful support. There are individuals around you who want to be as helpful as possible. . . . Don't hesitate to lean on them from time to time.
5. Mindful action. Take steps necessary to learn about and adapt new coping skills to help you through the hardest days.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
1. Mindful breathing. . . . When you breathe deeply it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax.
2. Mindful thoughts. . . . Whenever negative thoughts emerge replace them with positive ones. Move from "I can't" and "I'm not able" toward "I can" and "I am able."
3. Mindful words. . . . Use words, phrases and sentences which build up, encourage, inspire and applaud yourself and all those you come in contact with.
4. Mindful support. There are individuals around you who want to be as helpful as possible. . . . Don't hesitate to lean on them from time to time.
5. Mindful action. Take steps necessary to learn about and adapt new coping skills to help you through the hardest days.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
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Buddhism teaches that we can and should stand up for ourselves, but that we should do so while taking care to cause the least possible trauma and trouble. For example, in any place of employment, there will always be someone who dislikes you, who refuses to help, who would prefer to see you fail than succeed. Rather than allow that person to turn you into a bitter cynic, or into someone who secretly harbors fantasies of revenge, the lesson is this: Try practicing generosity to your workplace adversary. You can offer your adversary the gift of making yourself as small a target as possible by:
- not making matters worse;
- respectfully listening to any complaints or criticisms your colleague may have about you;
- responding in a gentle, quiet tone;
- explaining yourself, your words and actions without being defensive or angry; and
- maintaining ongoing integrity with your workplace adversary.
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
- not making matters worse;
- respectfully listening to any complaints or criticisms your colleague may have about you;
- responding in a gentle, quiet tone;
- explaining yourself, your words and actions without being defensive or angry; and
- maintaining ongoing integrity with your workplace adversary.
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
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Don't just give everyone an "A", but three! Acknowledge, Affirm and Appreciate others every day. . . .
- Making strong eye contact. This tells the person you acknowledge them. . .
- Smiling at them. This tells them you are affirming them. . . .
- Thanking them. This tells them you appreciate them, their time, their service.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
- Making strong eye contact. This tells the person you acknowledge them. . .
- Smiling at them. This tells them you are affirming them. . . .
- Thanking them. This tells them you appreciate them, their time, their service.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
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Buddhism recognizes four important types of generosity:
- The first is material generosity, giving material things to those who don't have enough. . . .
- The second is emotional generosity when we share our time and emotions. . . .
- The third is generosity of good counsel when we encounter people who are captive to negative emotions such as anger, hopelessness, despair, anxiety, depression, bitterness. . . . It has to be conveyed as friendship, as we try to help guide their minds and emotions to a more noble path. . . .
- The fourth one is offering the generosity of protection from danger. . . . Defending a Muslim American woman who is being verbally attacked; rescuing an animal; driving a homeless person to a shelter. . . .
Reflection: 1) How and when have you benefited from any of these?
2) How and when have you offered these generosities to others?
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
- The first is material generosity, giving material things to those who don't have enough. . . .
- The second is emotional generosity when we share our time and emotions. . . .
- The third is generosity of good counsel when we encounter people who are captive to negative emotions such as anger, hopelessness, despair, anxiety, depression, bitterness. . . . It has to be conveyed as friendship, as we try to help guide their minds and emotions to a more noble path. . . .
- The fourth one is offering the generosity of protection from danger. . . . Defending a Muslim American woman who is being verbally attacked; rescuing an animal; driving a homeless person to a shelter. . . .
Reflection: 1) How and when have you benefited from any of these?
2) How and when have you offered these generosities to others?
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
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Sometime today, close your eyes and take a few moments to consider how your actions impact your life and the lives of those around you. Ask yourself: How would my life and the lives of those around me be different if I worked to be thoughtful, gentle, generous, kind and compassionate at all times?
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
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10. Meditation improves physical health.
9. Meditation improves mental health.
8. Meditation improves spiritual health.
7. Meditation deepens intuition.
6. Meditation generates feelings of peace.
5. Meditation increases self-awareness.
4. Meditation increases creativity.
3. Meditation increases spontaneity.
2. Meditation makes it easier to get along with others.
1. Meditation makes you easier to get along with.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
9. Meditation improves mental health.
8. Meditation improves spiritual health.
7. Meditation deepens intuition.
6. Meditation generates feelings of peace.
5. Meditation increases self-awareness.
4. Meditation increases creativity.
3. Meditation increases spontaneity.
2. Meditation makes it easier to get along with others.
1. Meditation makes you easier to get along with.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
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Having good friends is like being equipped with a powerful auxiliary engine. When we encounter a steep hill or an obstacle, we can encourage each other and find the strength to keep pressing forward." -Daisaku Ikeda
Buddhist teachers are universal in stressing that the company we keep, that the people we choose as friends, is vitally important. The technical term for good companions is "sattva" or "sattvic" people. This is an individual whose thoughts, words and actions are guided and infused with light, compassion, insight, wisdom, and emotional-spiritual intelligence.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
Buddhist teachers are universal in stressing that the company we keep, that the people we choose as friends, is vitally important. The technical term for good companions is "sattva" or "sattvic" people. This is an individual whose thoughts, words and actions are guided and infused with light, compassion, insight, wisdom, and emotional-spiritual intelligence.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
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Consider developing your own gathas for your own specific needs. Let your creativity flow as you do this. You can also write gathas for a friend who is hurting or sick. For example, should you have a friend who is facing a life-threatening illness, you might offer your friend a gatha that could be used at the beginning of each day: "This new day is a precious gift. I have the opportunity to live this day in a way that will bring, peace, joy and contentment to myself and to everyone I encounter."
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds