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You are a divine being in an eternal Universe of which you are an inseparable part, and that Universe is an inexhaustible wellspring of cosmic information from which you may freely draw. - Wu Wei
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Sometimes people complain that Buddhism is negative because it teaches that pain is inevitable. What I have seen is that knowing pain is part of being alive can be a big relief. It means that being in pain is not a sign that we have done something wrong. Many of us are quite well-practiced at self-judgment. Blaming ourselves for being ill or experiencing pain is fertile ground for more unnecessary suffering.- Karen Kissel Wegela
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Hsing Yun is a Chinese Buddhist master who is in his late 90s. He is very progressive in his thinking and teaching. Writing about women and abortion, he does understand that "the Buddhist position on abortion is that the unborn child is also a sentient life and therefore, having an abortion is a form of killing."
However, he also understands the complexities which evade simple moral teachings. As an example he notes "if a woman is pregnant with a fetus that will surely be severely handicapped, can a third party tell her that she must not have an abortion? After she bears the child, she will spend decades raising it, and will any of those people be around to help or even care about her then?"
Master Yun also cites the case of a woman who pregnant from the result of rape. Can any third party demand she give birth under such circumstances? "Some questions cannot be easily answered from the standpoint of laws or morality alone" he says realizing there can be many complex factors present in nearly every case.
His conclusion is that having an abortion should be the woman's choice: "It is best to allow the person who is most affected by the abortion to have the right to decide what she wants to do, which means the pregnant woman should have the right to make the decision for herself.
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Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an author, contributor to Spiritualiy and Health Magazine and humorist. He was asked for advice from a vegetarian who wrote him:
“I have a problem. I believe eating animals is immoral. When invited to dine with friends who eat meat, even though I’m not obligated to do so, should I accept their choice, or am I morally bound to chastise them.”
Rabbi Rami responded:
“I suggest you chastise them, and do so loudly, self-righteously, and unceasingly. Make your friends so uncomfortable that they will never invite you to dine with them again, which, thankfully will solve your problem. And theirs.”
“I have a problem. I believe eating animals is immoral. When invited to dine with friends who eat meat, even though I’m not obligated to do so, should I accept their choice, or am I morally bound to chastise them.”
Rabbi Rami responded:
“I suggest you chastise them, and do so loudly, self-righteously, and unceasingly. Make your friends so uncomfortable that they will never invite you to dine with them again, which, thankfully will solve your problem. And theirs.”
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On your path to enlightenment, it is advisable to look to others you admire for guidance. Although the path they have followed is their path, not yours, they may have useful information you can use for your own benefit. - Wu Wei
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No one else can walk your path for you. No one else can achieve enlightenment for you. All anyone can do is to point you I the right direction and allow you to do the rest. - Wu Wei
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We should pursue enlightenment, not education. - Shmuley Boteach
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More than 250,000 Americans fall every year and suffer a hip fracture. Within a year 1 in 5 dies from the fall. Among those who survive, nearly half never fully recover and require long term nursing care. This statistic can easily be changed. How? By improving your balance via yoga.
Many yoga poses commonly done in a regular class involve balance: tree pose, balancing half moon, hand to foot, dancer, and more.
Our sense of balance is much like a muscle - use it or lose it. As we age, balance doesn't have to become a victim. Simply practicing balance poses will allow you to retain or regain a strong sense of balance.
Here's a simple exercise to try in the comfort and privacy of your home. Stand on one leg and move the other, bent at the knee. Do this several times a day and several times a week. Once your balance is better, then do the same practice but with your eyes closed.
Many yoga poses commonly done in a regular class involve balance: tree pose, balancing half moon, hand to foot, dancer, and more.
Our sense of balance is much like a muscle - use it or lose it. As we age, balance doesn't have to become a victim. Simply practicing balance poses will allow you to retain or regain a strong sense of balance.
Here's a simple exercise to try in the comfort and privacy of your home. Stand on one leg and move the other, bent at the knee. Do this several times a day and several times a week. Once your balance is better, then do the same practice but with your eyes closed.
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When I teach yoga I often observe people yawing during the class. Some yoga teachers, upon seeing a yawn, panic internally mistakenly believing their class is dull or that the yogi is bored.
However, it's just the opposite. The No. #1 sign that yoga is really helping a yogi/yogini is reflected in a yawn. That's because a yawn is the sign that the person is relaxing, releasing and resetting. If you have a cat or a dog, you may have noticed that they yawn when they are very, very relaxed. The same is true for humans.
Yawning also results in the body breathing more deeply, more slowly and exhaling more fully. This counteracts the fast shallow breathing experienced as a symptom of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, a yawn stretches the face, neck and even shoulder muscles creating the opposite effect of short, tense muscles.
A Y A W N I S A G O O D S I G N I N YO G A
However, it's just the opposite. The No. #1 sign that yoga is really helping a yogi/yogini is reflected in a yawn. That's because a yawn is the sign that the person is relaxing, releasing and resetting. If you have a cat or a dog, you may have noticed that they yawn when they are very, very relaxed. The same is true for humans.
Yawning also results in the body breathing more deeply, more slowly and exhaling more fully. This counteracts the fast shallow breathing experienced as a symptom of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, a yawn stretches the face, neck and even shoulder muscles creating the opposite effect of short, tense muscles.
A Y A W N I S A G O O D S I G N I N YO G A
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Less well known and less familiar in yoga studios is the fact that there are yoga postures for specialized parts of the body: yoga for the eyes, yoga for the toes, and yoga for the face. Yoga tradition teaches that all yoga, including ones which focus on one area of the body, are highly beneficial.
In an experiment conducted at Northwestern University in Chicago, researchers found that by embarking on a regular 30-minute yoga facial exercise program for 20 weeks, participants lowered their average estimated age by roughly three years.
Study participants, a group of 27 women aged between 40 and 65 years old, learned 32 different exercises and conducted each for about a minute for the duration of the experiment.
Movements included opening the mouth to form an O, smiling to raise the cheek muscles and massaging the cheeks with the tips of your fingers. Another exercise involved smiling without showing teeth.
In addition to looking younger, some benefits of face yoga include:
In an experiment conducted at Northwestern University in Chicago, researchers found that by embarking on a regular 30-minute yoga facial exercise program for 20 weeks, participants lowered their average estimated age by roughly three years.
Study participants, a group of 27 women aged between 40 and 65 years old, learned 32 different exercises and conducted each for about a minute for the duration of the experiment.
Movements included opening the mouth to form an O, smiling to raise the cheek muscles and massaging the cheeks with the tips of your fingers. Another exercise involved smiling without showing teeth.
In addition to looking younger, some benefits of face yoga include:
- It's less expensive than plastic surgery and expensive creams
- It's a natural way to improve facial features and therefore better, safer
- It releases tension stored in facial muscles
- It slows down the aging process
- It helps eliminate double chin or 'turkey neck'