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Diseases of the mind require medicines for the mind - meditation, mindfulness, proper breathing. - Victor M. Parachin
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No one’s spiritual journey is shaped by a cookie cutter. - Deepak Chopra
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What you experience as “reality,” including your physical body and aging, is shaped by your habits of perception. While most people are conditioned to see the body as a static,
biological machine, you can begin to view it as a field of energy, transformation,
and intelligence that is constantly renewing itself.
Begin to notice both your internal dialogue and how you speak about your body
and aging. If you find yourself saying things like, “I’m hitting the age where I’ll need
reading glasses,” “I’m too old to try yoga (or some other activity),” “I inherited my
dad’s bad back,” or other such statements, make a conscious choice to shift your
perspective and change what you tell yourself about your body and age.
Keep in mind that your cells are eavesdropping on what you say, so unless you
want to have your father’s bad back or anything else that “runs in the family,” don’t
nurture that seed of intention in your awareness. - Seven Steps To Radical Wellbeing by Deepak Chopra
biological machine, you can begin to view it as a field of energy, transformation,
and intelligence that is constantly renewing itself.
Begin to notice both your internal dialogue and how you speak about your body
and aging. If you find yourself saying things like, “I’m hitting the age where I’ll need
reading glasses,” “I’m too old to try yoga (or some other activity),” “I inherited my
dad’s bad back,” or other such statements, make a conscious choice to shift your
perspective and change what you tell yourself about your body and age.
Keep in mind that your cells are eavesdropping on what you say, so unless you
want to have your father’s bad back or anything else that “runs in the family,” don’t
nurture that seed of intention in your awareness. - Seven Steps To Radical Wellbeing by Deepak Chopra
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To perceive the ultimate truth we must silence the mind through meditation. For meditation to be effective we must develop the power of attention. - David Frawley
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In the 1940s - just a few years after the founding of AA - Buddhism found its way into AA literature. It came in a pamphlet commissioned by AA founder Dr. Bob and it was titled Spiritual Milestones in Alcoholics Anonymous: “Consider the eight-part program laid down in Buddhism: Right view, right aim, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right mindedness, and right contemplation. The Buddhist philosophy, as exemplified by these eight points, could be literally adopted by AA as a substitute or an addition to the Twelve Steps. Generosity, universal love, and welfare of other rather than consideration of self are basic to Buddhism.”
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Man’s purpose is complete freedom from unhappiness. - Swami Sri Yukteswar
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I've been aware of the critique of AA which comes from Westerners who've adopted a Buddhist path. Their criticism is that AA is too "Christian" for non-theistic Buddhists. I tended to agree with that viewpoint until someone close to me entered a twelve step program. To support that person I've attended some of their public AA meetings and was truly impressed by the AA philosophy and the 12 step program. It's definitely not "Christian" and simply references a higher power of one's personal understanding. This can easily be the "higher self" or one's Buddha nature.
Recently I read an excellent article which links AA and Buddhism in a very compelling way. The piece is written by Bill K. He gained sobriety and has remained sober for 32 years because of AA. A decade later he embraced Zen Buddhism (he is especially informed by Zen Koan study) and has found the two traditions to be mutually supportive. Here are some insights from Bill K:
(feel free to re-post and / or link to your social media)
Recently I read an excellent article which links AA and Buddhism in a very compelling way. The piece is written by Bill K. He gained sobriety and has remained sober for 32 years because of AA. A decade later he embraced Zen Buddhism (he is especially informed by Zen Koan study) and has found the two traditions to be mutually supportive. Here are some insights from Bill K:
- Millions have gained their sobriety over that past 84 years because of AA so the model and program deserves respect;
- Case 87 in the collection of Zen koans known as the Blue Cliff Record teaches that “the whole world is medicine.” AA is a "medicine" which has been available for more than 8 decades.
- Sometimes Buddhism isn't enough to combat addiction. Bill K rightly notes that it "has been widely reported that two influential Buddhist teachers in North America, Taizan Maezumi Roshi (Zen) and Chogyam Trungpa (Vajrayana), both died as a result of alcoholism. Oh, if only it could be so easy—become a Buddhist and get sober. But it doesn’t work that way. Alcoholism is a cunning and baffling disease."
- If one's Buddhism isn't helping with the addiction, why not introduce a different "medicine"? There are many paths to recovery not just one. This is recognized in Alcoholics Anonymous (fondly called the Big Book) states: “Upon therapy for the alcoholic himself, we surely have no monopoly.”
- Refuge Recovery has positioned itself as the Buddhist alternative but has done so with an expensive advertising campaign purchasing full page ads in prominent Buddhist magazines. Bill K notes: "AA is at a disadvantage here—because of its Twelve Traditions, it can’t take out advertising." AA philosophy is growth by attraction, not promotion. There is something humble and compelling about this approach.
(feel free to re-post and / or link to your social media)
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We do not practice meditation to gain admiration from anyone. Rather, we practice to contribute to peace in the world. - Sayadaw U Pandita
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I think people are fairly simple: we want to be happy and will do lots of stupid things to make ourselves happy. Most of these things don't work, and leave us with messes to clean up. - Rabbi Rami Shapiro
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Since you are clouded with darkness, should you not seek the light? - Dhammapada