“Perhaps the deepest reason why we are afraid of death is because we do not know who we are. We believe in a personal, unique, and separate identity — but if we dare to examine it, we find that this identity depends entirely on an endless collection of things to prop it up: our name, our “biography,” our partners, family, home, job, friends, credit cards… It is on their fragile and transient support that we rely for our security. So when they are all taken away, will we have any idea of who we really are? Continue reading
mindfulness
if you cling too strongly, then even when truth comes in person and knocks on your door, you will not open it
The Buddha once told a story about a young man who was a trader and had a beautiful wife and baby son. Sadly, his wife fell ill and died, and the man poured all his love into his little child, who became the sole source of his happiness and joy.
Once while he went away on business, bandits raided his village, burned it to the ground and captured his five-year-old son. When he returned and saw the devastation, he was beside himself with grief. He found the charred corpse of a small child, and in his desperation, he took it for the body of his son. He tore at his hair and beat his chest, and wept uncontrollably. Continue reading
Focus on what is holding you together
I often refer to tearing thoughts. These are thoughts that attack us, like “I am weak. I am worthless. I am no good. That-other person is better than I am”. Tearing thoughts are an extraordinary psychological phenomenon. When cells take the wrong path and start to attack the organ they live in, we call it cancer. Tearing thoughts are a kind of autoimmune failure of the mental body. Continue reading
What Prevents us from Understanding a Problem?
J Krishnamurthi
Be clear and quiet — alert and detached, all else will happen by itself
Questioner: We have a long history of drug-taking behind us, mostly drugs of the consciousness expanding variety. They gave us the experience of other states of consciousness, high and low, and also the conviction, that drugs are unreliable and, at best, transitory and, at worst, destructive of organism and personality. We are in search of better means for developing consciousness and transcendence. We want the fruits of our search to stay with us and enrich our lives, instead of turning to pale memories and helpless regrets. If by the spiritual we mean self-investigation and development, our purpose in coming to India is definitely spiritual. The happy hippy stage is behind us; we are serious now and on the move. We know there is reality to be found, but we do not know how to find and hold on to it. We need no convincing, only guidance. Can you help us?
our real enemies are not outside but within
Reading the Gita, we come to better understand life as an inner battle, a struggle for the mind, heart, body, and spirit. And, make no mistake, it is a fight to the death. We learn that our real enemies are not outside but within: our own desire, anger, and greed. This is what makes it so hard. These archenemies have linked forces so powerfully that they are all but unbeatable. We’re losing. The Gita boldly declares that spirituality is the only winning solution. Turn inward, it directs us, and upward. Look no further than the True Self Within.
The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners
Jack Hawley
Meditation
It was monsoon period and there was incessant rain and tumultuous winds. A crow was asleep at the top of a big tree beside a large river. During the night the wind was so strong that the tree was uprooted. It fell into the fast flowing river and was swept away. The crow, however, remained fast asleep and had no idea that the tree was being swept out to sea. The wind subsided and the sun shone brightly. The crow awoke and was startled to find that he was surrounded by water. In all directions all he could see was water. He wanted to find land but didn’t know in which direction to fly. Finally the crow decided to fly east. He didn’t find any land in this direction so he decided to fly west for an hour or so. Not finding any land to the west, he decided to fly south. He flew south, then north, but still couldn’t find any signs of land. He felt very tired and then he realized that there was no place where he could rest. All he could see was water. The crow immediately thought of the tree. But where was it? Instead of looking for land the crow now desperately sought the tree from which he had started his search. After some time and effort he found the tree and rested. The crow was an intelligent bird, it learned from previous mistakes and experiences. Continue reading
Live Life ……don’t just keep observing
(Contributed by Mr Balasunder)
Concentration
One day a girl was going to meet her boyfriend. She was deeply engrossed in remembering him. In the lane through which she was passing a Muslim had spread his mat and was repeating his prayers. Muslims pray five times a day, anywhere and everywhere, even in the middle of the road. They are very strict about their prayer time. So he had spread his mat and was saying his prayers. The girl was so much engrossed in thoughts of her lover that she walked right over the mat and kept going. 
Continue reading
Book Recommendation: Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition by Henepola Gunaratana
Mindfulness in Plain English Quotes
“The irony of it is that real peace comes only when you stop chasing it—another Catch-22.”
“Patience is the key. Patience. If you learn nothing else from meditation, you will learn patience. Patience is essential for any profound change.”
“Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you are miserable; that is the reality, that is what is happening, so confront that. Look it square in the eye without flinching. When you are having a bad time, examine that experience, observe it mindfully, study the phenomenon and learn its mechanics. The way out of a trap is to study the trap itself, learn how it is built. You do this by taking the thing apart piece by piece. The trap can’t trap you if it has been taken to pieces. The result is freedom.”
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is not.”
Reviews
“A masterpiece.” (Jon Kabat-Zinn)
“A classic–one of the very best English sources for authoritative explanations of mindfulness.” (Daniel Goleman)
“Of great value to newcomers… especially people without access to a teacher.” (Larry Rosenberg, author of Breath by Breath)
“This book is the bible of mindfulness.” (Barry Boyce, editor of Mindful magazine and The Mindfulness Revolution)
“Wonderfully clear and straightforward.” (Joseph Goldstein, author of A Heart Full of Peace)
“Pithy and practical.” (Shambhala Sun)
“Jargon-free.” (USA Today)
An excellent book, clearly written, well-organized, and comprehensive. It describes a method by which you achieve meaningful meditation, including many helpful suggestions and descriptions of variations like walking meditation. It lists the many things that may occur as one meditates and suggests methods for dealing with each of these hindrances, treating most of them as useful objects for unattached observation. The reader is warned not to expect quick returns from meditation, but extols the benefits one can achieve from patience and practice. This is Vipassana meditation, which stresses concentration and mindfulness, living in the moment. If fully successful, it amounts to auto-psychoanalysis, discovering the deepest parts of oneself, good and bad, without judgment, allowing one to develop relationships of “loving friendliness” with others and enjoying a life lived in the moment.
– David N.Orth
ONE TUSK 