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A four-mile walk takes around 60-70 minutes. It not only refreshes and strengthens the body but does the same for the mind when walking is used as meditation. There are many approaches to transforming walking into walking-meditation:
1. Just walk and observe. Be truly mindful, noticing the path, the grasses, the trees and shrubs, insects, birds. On such a meditation walk one day, I encountered one of the largest turtles I'd seen making his way to a water refuge. On the way back I came across a mother raccoon gently guiding her three young ones across the path into a forested area.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
1. Just walk and observe. Be truly mindful, noticing the path, the grasses, the trees and shrubs, insects, birds. On such a meditation walk one day, I encountered one of the largest turtles I'd seen making his way to a water refuge. On the way back I came across a mother raccoon gently guiding her three young ones across the path into a forested area.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
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Though guilt is most often presented as a negative and destructive emotion, there is this neglected or hidden aspect about guilt: it's a vital component of a healthy conscience and the sign of spiritual sensitivity. This positive and constructive side of guilt which nudges us to offer an apology, make an amend, seek forgiveness, restore a relationship and clear our conscience. . . .
When guilt emerges in your life, look at it closely. Pay attention because it's a signal to take a second look at what is going on. Recognizing and responding to the source of guilt with wisdom, maturity and compassion liberates us to live in a healthy relationship with others and with ourselves.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
When guilt emerges in your life, look at it closely. Pay attention because it's a signal to take a second look at what is going on. Recognizing and responding to the source of guilt with wisdom, maturity and compassion liberates us to live in a healthy relationship with others and with ourselves.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
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The tradition of simply chanting OM is an important and powerful part of meditation because it's a way of creating vibration and synchronizing with the energy of the universe.
- Note that OM is actually three sounds made up of A-U-M.
- Begin with your mouth open, saying "Ah" then slowly make a smaller circle with your lips to form the "au" sound and conclude by gently bringing the lips lightly together for the "M" sound.
- At that point feel the vibration on your lips, in your nose and nasal passages, your throat and your chest.
- Chant OM seven times. Then pause and breathe naturally for the same length of time that it took you to chant OM seven times.
- Then return to chanting OM seven more times, followed by the same amount of time for silent meditation.
- Go back and forth this way for five minutes.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
- Note that OM is actually three sounds made up of A-U-M.
- Begin with your mouth open, saying "Ah" then slowly make a smaller circle with your lips to form the "au" sound and conclude by gently bringing the lips lightly together for the "M" sound.
- At that point feel the vibration on your lips, in your nose and nasal passages, your throat and your chest.
- Chant OM seven times. Then pause and breathe naturally for the same length of time that it took you to chant OM seven times.
- Then return to chanting OM seven more times, followed by the same amount of time for silent meditation.
- Go back and forth this way for five minutes.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
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Here are some reasons why humility is so vital for spiritual growth:
- With humility comes sincerity and genuineness. When we are sincere and genuine, others are able to be equally open, sincere and genuine.
- With humility comes the openness to new truth, new insights and new ideas. Without humility, learning cannot take place.
- With humility one realizes one's weaknesses, one's limits in knowledge and wisdom. Those who are humble are aware of their shortcomings and seek to remedy them.
- With humility comes a receptive spirit, a willingness to hear and learn. . . . Lack of humility produces the narcissistic, self-absorbed individual.
- With humility people are quick to listen and slow to speak.
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
- With humility comes sincerity and genuineness. When we are sincere and genuine, others are able to be equally open, sincere and genuine.
- With humility comes the openness to new truth, new insights and new ideas. Without humility, learning cannot take place.
- With humility one realizes one's weaknesses, one's limits in knowledge and wisdom. Those who are humble are aware of their shortcomings and seek to remedy them.
- With humility comes a receptive spirit, a willingness to hear and learn. . . . Lack of humility produces the narcissistic, self-absorbed individual.
- With humility people are quick to listen and slow to speak.
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
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Many elementary schools post "Rules for Kindness" to guide the children. . . placed on a wall that students walk by several times a day.
- Be kind and gentle in all things
- Respect others
- Everyone gets to play
- No violence in word or deed
- No put downs, only pull ups
- No exclusive behavior ("you can't play with us")
- Treat people the way you want to treated
- Don't hurt others on the inside or the outside
- Help others when they need help
- Treat everybody with kindness
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
- Be kind and gentle in all things
- Respect others
- Everyone gets to play
- No violence in word or deed
- No put downs, only pull ups
- No exclusive behavior ("you can't play with us")
- Treat people the way you want to treated
- Don't hurt others on the inside or the outside
- Help others when they need help
- Treat everybody with kindness
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
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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
- Published on
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