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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Meditation is the way

When developed sufficiently,
     intuition brings immediate comprehension of truth.
You have this marvelouw realization.
    Meditation is a way.
                                         --- Paramahansa Yogananda

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Resolutions

Don't make resolutions for what you hope you WILL do. Rather, make resolutions for things you hope NOT to do.
Example:
I will not be bossy.
I will not be selfish.
I will not be lazy.
Etc.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Live in the moment

As for people and affairs of the contemporary world,
they hold no attraction for me...
So I close my gate, shut my door, hum poems
and sing songs to myself.
 ----Yoshishige No Yatsutane

There is something to be said for an ascetic life. For myself, being involved in this moment's world is a gift and a revelatory joy. What diversity, what availability of history and knowledge we have at our fingertips. Don't just shop for entertainment, plan for a learning adventure. Would that the entire world population have access to the technology which affords the few with such wondrous experiences. Radio, TV, Internet - RTI - the tools for immediate and expansive growth.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Freedom

Know who you are,
Understand your inner nature,
Become conscious of this infinite nature
     within yourself.
Then you will break free of burdens.
              --  --  Swami Vivekananda (paraphrased)

Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Dance of Life

If all beings are Buddha -
why all this striving?
     - Dogen

Ah, the drama of Life - yes, we are all "Buddha", we are all "God". So why all the drama? Ay, there's the rub! The interchange of life and death, of struggling, of the experiencing of joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, beauty and horror. love and hatred, faith and unfaith - this is what makes the world go 'round. And for what? The Dance of Life is God's raison d'etre.

Shine on!

 Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” -- Bruce Lee

Every individual exists as a unique creation to fill a specific space in a particular time. Not everyone is created to be a superstar, but all are created to be stars in themselves, to shine the light of God through their particular life. Be true to your Self, and your self will fulfill its purpose and will know bliss.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Everything has purpose.

However fickle I seem,
my heart is never unfaithful;
Out of the slime itself,
spotless the lotus grows.
                  - Japanese folk song

Friday, January 24, 2014

Integrity

Life and death are important.
Don't suffer them in vain. - Bodhidharma

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Liberation

When you are born,
        you cry,
and the world rejoices.

When you die,
     the world cries,
and you rejoice in your liberation.
       : Buddhist teaching.

We fight to stay in this dimension, but can't wait to leave it for a "better place", which we say the departed are in:  "He is at peace. He's in a better place."  Then why do we fight so hard to stay here? Why is THIS dimension so coveted? This is only one dimension within many. This is only one material, bodily experience among many.  Our hard-wired instincts keep us "here", living, working, creating, believing in the integrity of this world's reality. But deep within us is the yearning to return Home, back to the reality we live in, in between lives.

An infant cries, and we laugh, because we know that suffering is part of this life.
A holy man laughs, because he knows that life is temporary, and refuses to fear death.

So don't cry for me when I die. Rejoice with me - I am only returning Home - See you there!!