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There is much written about the task of "finding my teacher" when it comes to enlightenment and spiritual evolution. While a good teacher can be a powerful force and influence, the Buddha taught that "walking alone" can bring a woman or man to enlightenment. Actually, it was the way the Buddha experienced his own awakening. Inwardly, he said "no" repeatedly to teacher after teacher and kept looking before finally giving up.
The question - do I need a teacher or guru? - was answered by the Buddha in one of the earliest texts to record his teachings. It''s called the "Rhinoceros Sutra" because it offers this advice: "Wander alone, like a rhinoceros". Those words refer to the many individuals who evolve and become enlightened without the aid of a mentor.
Today, with so much access to information via books and the internet, enlightenment is even more accessible without being in the physical presence of a teacher. So, continue you path with sincerity along with an open mind and an open heart.
(feel free to re-post and/or share on social media)
The question - do I need a teacher or guru? - was answered by the Buddha in one of the earliest texts to record his teachings. It''s called the "Rhinoceros Sutra" because it offers this advice: "Wander alone, like a rhinoceros". Those words refer to the many individuals who evolve and become enlightened without the aid of a mentor.
Today, with so much access to information via books and the internet, enlightenment is even more accessible without being in the physical presence of a teacher. So, continue you path with sincerity along with an open mind and an open heart.
(feel free to re-post and/or share on social media)
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If your heart is pure and your motivations are those of the superior person, your words will be direct and powerful, and your actions will produce far-reaching, beneficial effects. - Wu Wei
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As I've evolved and matured I've become profoundly aware that we all carry with us and, at times, exhibit both light and shadow, good and not-so-good. This is certainly true of Bill Cosby who has been in news headlines over his shadow/dark side.
However, like each one of us, Cosby is not all darkness. When Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, Coretta Scott King recalls that of the many who came to comfort, it was Bill Cosby's visit which was "the most touching".
Cosby arrived uninvited at Mrs. King's home. He brought with him his actor colleague, Robert Culp. At the time, both men were famous for being an integrated team in the hit TV program "I Spy". Mrs. King says neither Cosby nor Culp asked to see her but, seeing her frightened, lonely sons, "spent most of the afternoon playing with my boys, because they felt that this was the best contribution they could make."
However, like each one of us, Cosby is not all darkness. When Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, Coretta Scott King recalls that of the many who came to comfort, it was Bill Cosby's visit which was "the most touching".
Cosby arrived uninvited at Mrs. King's home. He brought with him his actor colleague, Robert Culp. At the time, both men were famous for being an integrated team in the hit TV program "I Spy". Mrs. King says neither Cosby nor Culp asked to see her but, seeing her frightened, lonely sons, "spent most of the afternoon playing with my boys, because they felt that this was the best contribution they could make."
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I'm not on Facebook so someone sent me this short, hilarious, video titled "If Gandhi Took A Yoga Class Today." Check it out - copy and past this address in your search bar:
https://www.facebook.com/CollegeHumor/videos/10155902428442807/
https://www.facebook.com/CollegeHumor/videos/10155902428442807/
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The ancient Chinese I Ching is a manual for life. It often cites the difference between a superior person and an inferior one. Wi Wei, author of a fine commentary on sections of the I Ching, writes this in his book I Ching Life: Becoming Your Authentic Self:
"Just as water washes everything clean, the superior person pardons mistakes and forgives even intentional violations. In that way, he insures the upward spiral of his prosperity. The inferior person cannot resist the opportunity to chastise another and, in so doing, incurs resentment, destroys unanimity and crushes enthusiasm, thereby destroying his own chances for success. . . . Simplicity is the hallmark of the superior person, while ostentation is the hallmark of the inferior person. If you are following the path of the superior person, you understand that you are the equal of any person on earth. There is not need, therefore, to present false appearances."
"Just as water washes everything clean, the superior person pardons mistakes and forgives even intentional violations. In that way, he insures the upward spiral of his prosperity. The inferior person cannot resist the opportunity to chastise another and, in so doing, incurs resentment, destroys unanimity and crushes enthusiasm, thereby destroying his own chances for success. . . . Simplicity is the hallmark of the superior person, while ostentation is the hallmark of the inferior person. If you are following the path of the superior person, you understand that you are the equal of any person on earth. There is not need, therefore, to present false appearances."
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You can do anything
you want to do.
It’s only your thought that
you can’t do it that
holds you back.
- Dipa Ma
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Trying to obtain by force that which can only be obtained by relaxation and calmness will produce results opposite from the ones you hope to achieve. - Wu Wei
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According to Yoga, a soul reincarnates again and again on earth until it fully recognizes it’s inner Divinity and completely reunites with it’s Source. The concept of reincarnation is summarized in the Bhagavad Gita this way: “"Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones." (2.22) Sivya Subramuniyaswami, author and founder of The Himalayan Academy in Hawaii, offers this explanation of reincarnation: “The soul, in its intelligence, searches for its Self, slowly ascending the path that leads to enlightenment and liberation. It is an arduous, delightful journey through the cycles of birth, death and rebirth culminating in Self Realization, the direct and personal spiritual experience of God, of the Self, of Truth.”
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Through effort, vigilance, restraint, and self-control, the wise person can become an island. No flood will overwhelm. - Dhammapada
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This word is closely linked to Buddhism via two key teachings of the Buddha: the Four “Noble” Truths and the “Noble” Eightfold Path. It is the translation of the Sanskrit term arya and was popularized by inhabitants of North India who self-designated themselves as aryans – noble or superior ones - to distinguish themselves from other inhabitants of the area. Centuries later, Adolph Hitler and the Nazis would appropriate the word for political purposes. The Buddha, who was born in Northern India, knew the term incorporated it as a spiritual description of those with insights into reality superior to that or ordinary people. Those who had spiritual insight were called “noble” ones.