With forgiveness, events and people are re-contextualized as simply “limited”—not “bad” or “unlovable.” With humility, we are willing to relinquish our perception of a past event. We pray for a miracle to see the truth about the situation or person, and we surrender all of our opinions about the matter. We look at the payoffs we’re getting from keeping our perception of what occurred, and we let go of each little payoff: the pleasure of self-pity, of “being right,” of being “wronged,” and of our resentments. Continue reading
Transformation
Enjoy the Present
(Contributed by Mr. Balasunder)
To understand is to transform what is
“To ask the right question demands a great deal of intelligence and sensitivity. Here is a question, a fundamental question: is life a torture? It is, as it is; and man has lived in this torture centuries upon centuries, from ancient history to the present day, in agony, in despair, in sorrow; and he doesn’t find a way out of it. Therefore he invents gods, churches, all the rituals, and all that nonsense, or he escapes in different ways.
When the mind is free from all conditioning, then you will find that there comes the creativity of reality
Our problem is how to free the mind from all conditioning, not how to condition it better. Do you understand? Most of us are seeking a better conditioning. Continue reading
How to Die ? – Kill your Ego
One man told Gorakh he was thinking of committing suicide. Gorakh said: ”Go and commit it, but I tell you, afterwards you will be very surprised.”
That man said: ”What do you mean? I came to you so that you would tell me ’Don’t do it!’ I went to other sadhus. They all cautioned me: ’Brother, don’t do it, suicide is a great sin.’”
Power of Practice
(contributed by Mr. Balasunder)
Does understanding come only when one is not comparing but is really paying attention?
If we can watch ourselves daily without justifying or condemning anything, just be aware of how we never think without judging, comparing, evaluating, then that very awareness is enough. Continue reading
Disease-Prone Beliefs
To ascertain our own disease proneness, we can look at the following questions:
Do I worry about my health, holding fear thoughts in mind about what might happen to me?
Do I get a secret feeling of fear, excitement, and danger when I hear about a new disease that is currently being reported and in vogue?
Do I spend time on constant checkups, reading about diseases, getting frightened by TV stories about them?
Am I interested in hearing about the diseases of famous people? Continue reading
20 Ways Sitting in Silence Can Completely Transform Your Life
“Silence is a source of great strength.” ~Lao Tzu
For over two years I spent one out of every four weeks in silence. At the time I was living at a Zen Monastery and every month we would have a week-long silent retreat.
During this retreat we sat meditation in silence, ate in silence, worked in silence, and only communicated through hand gestures and written notes.
At first living like this was hard, but over time I learned to grow to appreciate silence. By the time I left I learned that silence was my friend and teacher.
What did silence teach me?
1. Satisfaction
I used to think I needed to watch TV every night. But at monastery I went without and discovered I didn’t need it.
Silence taught me to be happy with less. Pick something that’s weighing you down and let it go. Your life will thank you.
2. Expression
When you can only talk by writing a note, you only say what’s important. Before the monastery I talked a lot but said little.
Silence taught me that a few simple words well spoken have more power than hours of chatter. Think of one simple thing you can say that would help someone feel better and say it.
3. Appreciation
Being able to speak makes life easy, but when I couldn’t talk I learned how much I relied on others.
Silence taught me to appreciate the value of relating to others. The next time you see your friends or family, try to really listen. Deep listening expresses deep appreciation.
4. Attention
Several times at my first retreat I thought my phone was vibrating. But then I would remember I didn’t have my phone. It showed me how my phone divided my attention.
Silence taught me how important it is to let go of distractions. The next time you are with someone you care about, try turning off your phone and putting it away. It will make paying attention easier.
5. Thoughts
I once sat a retreat next door to a construction project. What amazed me was how easily my thoughts drowned out the noise. I realized if my thoughts were this loud, I’d better make them as wise as possible.
Silence taught me the importance of shaping my thinking. Take time each day to notice your thoughts and let go of thoughts that don’t serve you.
(Contributed by Mr. Balasunder)
http://tinybuddha.com/blog/20-ways-sitting-silence-can-completely-transform-your-life
Book Recommendation – The Eye of the I from which Nothing is Hidden by David R Hawkins
“Highlights:
1. The way out of conflict is not to try to eliminate the negative but instead to choose and adopt the positive. To view that one’s mission in life is to understand rather than to judge automatically resolves moral dilemmas.
Meaning is defined by context which determines motive. It is the motive that establishes spiritual value.
2. Opinions are dangerous to their owners because they are emotionally charged triggers for the dissent, strife, argument, and positionality.
3. Attitude: The primary quality is one of attitude in that one looks at life not as a place to acquire gain, but as an opportunity for learning, which abounds even the smallest of life’s details. Continue reading
ONE TUSK 