Sunday, February 27, 2011
From 1/23/11 - gratitude
Whatever life holds for me is enough to satisfy me. All that I have right now is enough to satisfy me. I can appreciate every moment, moment by moment. I understand that everything is a gift. It does not exist for my gratification. Life is not about waiting for things to happen that will make me happy. Life is about being grateful for the gifts being given right now: a wonderful house, housemate, income, education, health, friends, loved ones. Each moment holds the possibility of satisfying my deepest needs. There will always be enough.
From 12/29/10 - At My Sister's in Bar Harbor
I'm at my sister's apartment in Bar Harbor with 3 feet of snow outside and the heater on high on the inside. I am at peace with not knowing, not planning. My mind is quiet. Its okay that everything is impermanent and none of this will last. This happy time of being here right now. I'm incredibly grateful for where I am right now. None of this is really me. This is all there is.
I'm just starting to read about the enneagram. "The enneagram teaches us to develop and 'inner wittness' - creating this in the first 5-6 years of contemplative practice. Find a compassionate position from which you can say: 'I'm doing it again...here's my seveness again. It can make you a different person to live with. As soon as you lose the inner wittness due to tiredness, stress, etc. your ego is back.
1) must be able to stand back from me
2) compassionately calmly observe me
3) observe the situation you and I are upset about
4) see me and my dramas almost as a if they were not me (be that detached)
5) if you're unable to detach from me, you're over-identified as me
6) the beginning of seeing the false self, ego loses its addictive power
7) when you can learn to live here regularly, you'll be in a good position to start seeing pure self.
8) the stable buddhist
9) surrender and trust in divine union given. You don't get/achieve spirit.
10) this spirit will teach you all things, re-minded of your initial mind and identity
When we're acting out, we've forgotten the connection. Feeling that disconnect from source is what makes us want to reconnect again. Over and over. Its about you seeing our reactivity.
Let your mind be as curious, open and receptive as it can. A question is much more interesting than an opinion. "I don't know, but I'm willing to be informed"
I'm just starting to read about the enneagram. "The enneagram teaches us to develop and 'inner wittness' - creating this in the first 5-6 years of contemplative practice. Find a compassionate position from which you can say: 'I'm doing it again...here's my seveness again. It can make you a different person to live with. As soon as you lose the inner wittness due to tiredness, stress, etc. your ego is back.
1) must be able to stand back from me
2) compassionately calmly observe me
3) observe the situation you and I are upset about
4) see me and my dramas almost as a if they were not me (be that detached)
5) if you're unable to detach from me, you're over-identified as me
6) the beginning of seeing the false self, ego loses its addictive power
7) when you can learn to live here regularly, you'll be in a good position to start seeing pure self.
8) the stable buddhist
9) surrender and trust in divine union given. You don't get/achieve spirit.
10) this spirit will teach you all things, re-minded of your initial mind and identity
When we're acting out, we've forgotten the connection. Feeling that disconnect from source is what makes us want to reconnect again. Over and over. Its about you seeing our reactivity.
Let your mind be as curious, open and receptive as it can. A question is much more interesting than an opinion. "I don't know, but I'm willing to be informed"
From 12/5/10 - dharma talk - Suffering
What is the future that needs me in order to emerge? Not just me, but every little piece good and bad. I am the universe, which is looking at me, experiencing ourselves as ourselves..
Johanna Massey - helping people feel the suffering of the world. Often we close our hearts because it is overwhelming. But if we actually allow ourselves, our hearts will open out and we will embody that compassionate impulse.
"The Universe is a Green Dragon"
"The Age of Empathy"
"The Empathic Civilization"
Books
The trajectory of human empathy and compassion, of a widening heart, of realizing how profoundly we are interconnected.
A yearning in the ancient galaxies for life and a promise for life. What is emerging from us? We are now the promise of an evolved, aware life.
Right relationship with reality.
Future emerging out of our collective capacity for choice. Being the presence of the universe in human form. Living in alignment with reality.
Doing this work of rehabilitation.
The universe becoming aware of itself.
Going from thinking the world is made for me to thinking we are here for the world.
There is no physical place that can relieve suffering. Flexibility is key.
A teacher knows how to push you through transformation. We can actually meet suffering with mindfulness and compassion not with arrogance, anger, jealousy, depression. Go in with curiosity, play, childlike attitude to life. Go in with Why not? not why?
When you are in disagreement, can you stop and send the other positive thoughts?
Allow ease to be equally a part of effort. Remember that Buddha nature is always there in every moment.
Book recommended by Leigh: The Daily Meditation Book - Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie
Book recommended by Margaret: The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, a Book that Changes Lives by Dan Millman
Johanna Massey - helping people feel the suffering of the world. Often we close our hearts because it is overwhelming. But if we actually allow ourselves, our hearts will open out and we will embody that compassionate impulse.
"The Universe is a Green Dragon"
"The Age of Empathy"
"The Empathic Civilization"
Books
The trajectory of human empathy and compassion, of a widening heart, of realizing how profoundly we are interconnected.
A yearning in the ancient galaxies for life and a promise for life. What is emerging from us? We are now the promise of an evolved, aware life.
Right relationship with reality.
Future emerging out of our collective capacity for choice. Being the presence of the universe in human form. Living in alignment with reality.
Doing this work of rehabilitation.
The universe becoming aware of itself.
Going from thinking the world is made for me to thinking we are here for the world.
There is no physical place that can relieve suffering. Flexibility is key.
A teacher knows how to push you through transformation. We can actually meet suffering with mindfulness and compassion not with arrogance, anger, jealousy, depression. Go in with curiosity, play, childlike attitude to life. Go in with Why not? not why?
When you are in disagreement, can you stop and send the other positive thoughts?
Allow ease to be equally a part of effort. Remember that Buddha nature is always there in every moment.
Book recommended by Leigh: The Daily Meditation Book - Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie
Book recommended by Margaret: The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, a Book that Changes Lives by Dan Millman
From 12/5/10 - Wisdom - webstream
dharma talk, Eric Kolvic:
The development of Wisdom:
Wisdom - Knowing what is true and knowing what is not true. Having that perspective. Helps reduce greed, anger, hatred, grief.
Buddah gave 84,000 talks in his lifetime.
Right understanding - wisdom
Right Mindfulness
...effort, concentration, speech, action, livlihood
Cultivating ethical conduct. Developing concentration through meditation. Ethical conduct is necessary for concentration. Once concentration is established, wisdom can arise. The mind infused with wisdom is liberated. Everything arises because of a cause. Everything is impermanent. Everything is unsatisfactory because it is impermanent. Everything is not self. You are nothing. But being nothing, you are everything. We often live an illusion. There is no separate self here. There is a lot of happiness that comes from wisdom. The happiness of a concentrated mind, of equanimity.
The experience of a-ha, an insight of understanding something in a deep and intuitive way. Deepening sense of a-ha - insight meditation.
Nirvana - experiencing unconditional reality, profound, peaceful, free from all trouble, bliss, uncreated. Permanent, stable, ageless, deathless, shelter, unassailable safety.
To get there, we have to pass through some insecurity, suffering. Its a passage. In every spiritual journey, there is a descent.
Dante died at age 56. Inferno.
Go through darkness before you go up. Destroys our world. Practice is insult after insult. The search for reality is the most dangerous undertaking. Its not an easy process. It destroys the world you know.
I don't want to keep living an illusion.
Swallowing the River Ganges - book
Progress of insight takes us to high ranges of happiness. We come to experience equanimity, being at one. We also open to suffering and also to universal suffering. And it can be hard. Classic stages, progress of wisdom.
Denial
Disorganization
Acceptance, coming to terms with reality
Takes a certain amount of courage.
Build great strength of mind.
We come to experience impermanence. We see the momentary arising and passing of things. All of the security begins to fall apart. The world is out of control. Where do we turn to get the usual comfort? Creation and destruction continuously, everything vanishing.
There isn't enough continuity for there to be a self.
The stage of terror. Even the ground doesn't seem to be holding me up.
The stage of surrender. Deep acceptance. No longer resisting what is unpleasant. You'll come through the hard stages. Its not depression at all. Its opening to world conditions.
Starting every morning by looking in the mirror and vigilantly saying, "Don't be fooled today."
Let's not be fooled into believing we can avoid unpleasant experiences. Allow the unpleasant to be there and to pass when it passes.
Let's not be fooled into believing that our actions don't count. (even when people aren't looking, they do). Because actions affect conscience and condition us to repeat those actions, to "steal" again or not. No one is exempt from Karma. Every action, word...maintaining integrity and self-respect.
Let's not be fooled into believing our suffering comes from outside ourselves. It doesn't come from money, houses, jobs, our happiness comes from how we relate.
What is the thing you fear the most? Do you have a heart that is ready for it?
Let's not be fooled into believing our thoughts are real. Is it possible not to believe the judging, shaming thoughts (toward ourselves and others)? Then the thoughts can dissolve, lose their power when we choose not to believe them. The future does not exist. Obsessing with the future takes us out of the present moment. The past doesn't exist - it is a construct of the past. Period.
Not to be fooled into believing that things are permanent. We have a sense of stability and permanence that simply doesn't exist.
Opening to impermanence and change. Eric Kolvic marries people... "here's a wish for you in your marriage, may you take refuge in your sanga of two. I hope you will never take for granted what can never be taken for granted. One day you will lose eachother. Perhaps this knowing will help you live together more fully in the present. Separation is only an illusion. No loss is possible."
The development of Wisdom:
Wisdom - Knowing what is true and knowing what is not true. Having that perspective. Helps reduce greed, anger, hatred, grief.
Buddah gave 84,000 talks in his lifetime.
Right understanding - wisdom
Right Mindfulness
...effort, concentration, speech, action, livlihood
Cultivating ethical conduct. Developing concentration through meditation. Ethical conduct is necessary for concentration. Once concentration is established, wisdom can arise. The mind infused with wisdom is liberated. Everything arises because of a cause. Everything is impermanent. Everything is unsatisfactory because it is impermanent. Everything is not self. You are nothing. But being nothing, you are everything. We often live an illusion. There is no separate self here. There is a lot of happiness that comes from wisdom. The happiness of a concentrated mind, of equanimity.
The experience of a-ha, an insight of understanding something in a deep and intuitive way. Deepening sense of a-ha - insight meditation.
Nirvana - experiencing unconditional reality, profound, peaceful, free from all trouble, bliss, uncreated. Permanent, stable, ageless, deathless, shelter, unassailable safety.
To get there, we have to pass through some insecurity, suffering. Its a passage. In every spiritual journey, there is a descent.
Dante died at age 56. Inferno.
Go through darkness before you go up. Destroys our world. Practice is insult after insult. The search for reality is the most dangerous undertaking. Its not an easy process. It destroys the world you know.
I don't want to keep living an illusion.
Swallowing the River Ganges - book
Progress of insight takes us to high ranges of happiness. We come to experience equanimity, being at one. We also open to suffering and also to universal suffering. And it can be hard. Classic stages, progress of wisdom.
Denial
Disorganization
Acceptance, coming to terms with reality
Takes a certain amount of courage.
Build great strength of mind.
We come to experience impermanence. We see the momentary arising and passing of things. All of the security begins to fall apart. The world is out of control. Where do we turn to get the usual comfort? Creation and destruction continuously, everything vanishing.
There isn't enough continuity for there to be a self.
The stage of terror. Even the ground doesn't seem to be holding me up.
The stage of surrender. Deep acceptance. No longer resisting what is unpleasant. You'll come through the hard stages. Its not depression at all. Its opening to world conditions.
Starting every morning by looking in the mirror and vigilantly saying, "Don't be fooled today."
Let's not be fooled into believing we can avoid unpleasant experiences. Allow the unpleasant to be there and to pass when it passes.
Let's not be fooled into believing that our actions don't count. (even when people aren't looking, they do). Because actions affect conscience and condition us to repeat those actions, to "steal" again or not. No one is exempt from Karma. Every action, word...maintaining integrity and self-respect.
Let's not be fooled into believing our suffering comes from outside ourselves. It doesn't come from money, houses, jobs, our happiness comes from how we relate.
What is the thing you fear the most? Do you have a heart that is ready for it?
Let's not be fooled into believing our thoughts are real. Is it possible not to believe the judging, shaming thoughts (toward ourselves and others)? Then the thoughts can dissolve, lose their power when we choose not to believe them. The future does not exist. Obsessing with the future takes us out of the present moment. The past doesn't exist - it is a construct of the past. Period.
Not to be fooled into believing that things are permanent. We have a sense of stability and permanence that simply doesn't exist.
Opening to impermanence and change. Eric Kolvic marries people... "here's a wish for you in your marriage, may you take refuge in your sanga of two. I hope you will never take for granted what can never be taken for granted. One day you will lose eachother. Perhaps this knowing will help you live together more fully in the present. Separation is only an illusion. No loss is possible."
From 12/3/10 - Applying Dharma to World Tragedy - web stream
Resources and tools for tragedy
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Tools for Coping:
How much info and images to take in. Finding the middle path between denial and being overwhelmed. Post-traumatic stress can happen.
Joanna Massey speaks beautifully on the taking in.
The practice of loving kindness (meta)
2 kinds of therapy:
1) stabilizing
2) uncovering
There are times when we feel off-balance and overwhelmed. Loving kindness practice is an anecdote to all forms of aversion: anger, hatred, fear and grief.
If one person develops a high form of love, it can neutralize millions of haters - Mahatma Ghandi
Another way of coping is Vipassana practice. Once the mind is stabilized, vipassana awareness practice helps one stay aware of public stories that are told and whether they are wholesome and happy-inducing or not. Is this useful? Does it lead to happiness? Decide for yourself. Do we want to indulge in diversion? Do we want to indulge in war?
Its not what happens to us that brings our freedom, it is how we relate or respond to those conditions. We do have a choice about how to respond.
What are some of the causes of global tragedies? One of the fundamental causes of crime is poverty. Most governments try to control crime with punishment and that never works. If people have enough on the material side, they will be content. Much of terrorism comes from poverty and desperation. A commitment to reduce poverty. If we reduce poverty, we much also reduce affluence.
Buddhism + the possibility of a planetary culture.
"The mercy of the east is individual insight into the self void. The mercy of the west is social justice. We need both." - Gary Snyder
San Francisco Zen Center
Maryann Pergaman in Jeruselum.
When the anger of someone takes on a presence bigger than their issue: Israel vs. Paelestine
Rather than arguing with overwhelming hatred, feel immense compassion. Be sorry for the tragedy on both sides. It is not an issue of right or wrong. Let the other express themselves. Tell them they have no need to raise their voice because you are listening with all your attention.
The training of Vipassana:
of keeping one's heart open in tragedy, of being totally aware and present, of being compassionate
We create our world, our reality, with our mind. If our mind is filled with love & compassion, wisdom and generosity, then that is our world, our reality.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Tools for Coping:
How much info and images to take in. Finding the middle path between denial and being overwhelmed. Post-traumatic stress can happen.
Joanna Massey speaks beautifully on the taking in.
The practice of loving kindness (meta)
2 kinds of therapy:
1) stabilizing
2) uncovering
There are times when we feel off-balance and overwhelmed. Loving kindness practice is an anecdote to all forms of aversion: anger, hatred, fear and grief.
If one person develops a high form of love, it can neutralize millions of haters - Mahatma Ghandi
Another way of coping is Vipassana practice. Once the mind is stabilized, vipassana awareness practice helps one stay aware of public stories that are told and whether they are wholesome and happy-inducing or not. Is this useful? Does it lead to happiness? Decide for yourself. Do we want to indulge in diversion? Do we want to indulge in war?
Its not what happens to us that brings our freedom, it is how we relate or respond to those conditions. We do have a choice about how to respond.
What are some of the causes of global tragedies? One of the fundamental causes of crime is poverty. Most governments try to control crime with punishment and that never works. If people have enough on the material side, they will be content. Much of terrorism comes from poverty and desperation. A commitment to reduce poverty. If we reduce poverty, we much also reduce affluence.
Buddhism + the possibility of a planetary culture.
"The mercy of the east is individual insight into the self void. The mercy of the west is social justice. We need both." - Gary Snyder
San Francisco Zen Center
Maryann Pergaman in Jeruselum.
When the anger of someone takes on a presence bigger than their issue: Israel vs. Paelestine
Rather than arguing with overwhelming hatred, feel immense compassion. Be sorry for the tragedy on both sides. It is not an issue of right or wrong. Let the other express themselves. Tell them they have no need to raise their voice because you are listening with all your attention.
The training of Vipassana:
of keeping one's heart open in tragedy, of being totally aware and present, of being compassionate
We create our world, our reality, with our mind. If our mind is filled with love & compassion, wisdom and generosity, then that is our world, our reality.
From 12/2/10 - Living with Ease
Dharma Talk with Erick Kolvic:
May I be happy
May I be safe from inner and outer harm
May I live with ease
Its hard to enjoy overactivity in our lives. The importance of slowing down. The inner reality is reflected in the outer.
I would like to come to the end of this life and feel I made the right choices.
Its easy to be distracted. There is a fear of what might come up in the silence and stillness.
Its now average for people to work 52 hours a week! Massive amounts of info come in. Tremendous stimulation. Without time for the reflection of knowledge, there isn't much time for wisdom.
Our external reality makes living with ease more difficult. Making clear choices around this subject of overactivity is difficult. To say about ever single activity, "Is this really imporant?" "Is this really liberating?" "Is this useful to me to simplify?"
This is all extremely important for me to remember because I do tend to do too much!
To make the choices of letting things go in a way that feels like a gift rather than a depreciation. Then there is more space for the more wholesome. To enjoy the quality rather than the quantity of things.
Space for:
Exercise
Emotional and mental health
yoga
meditation
learning another language
cooking
sleeping
writing
May I live with Ease:
I will do what is necessary to bring myself happiness.
I will protect myself in wholesome ways
I will do all that I can to support my mental and physical health
I will do what is necessary to come to an ease in my life. I will be easy on myself.
Mary Oliver's "The Summer Day"
I do know how to pay attention. To gradually let go of all the activity that causes stress. and you will know if its working because you will feel more balanced. Maintaining mindfulness in the activity you do keep!
If we are not identified with what is happening, it has a very different and limited impact.
Learning to say, "at this moment, I can't help you." Learning to be more balanced with saying no and giving time to yourself.
We as individuals can't be there for all people all the time. Stop, just breath for 15 seconds and let go of the tension.
The degree to which you're responding to someone out of compassion rather than out of anxiety to please.
Insight Meditation Society in Barry, MA; town motto is - tranquil and alert
Holding tranquility and alertness in balance.
To be compassionate with yourself as you work on making choices to cut down and simplify.
May I be happy
May I be safe from inner and outer harm
May I live with ease
Its hard to enjoy overactivity in our lives. The importance of slowing down. The inner reality is reflected in the outer.
I would like to come to the end of this life and feel I made the right choices.
Its easy to be distracted. There is a fear of what might come up in the silence and stillness.
Its now average for people to work 52 hours a week! Massive amounts of info come in. Tremendous stimulation. Without time for the reflection of knowledge, there isn't much time for wisdom.
Our external reality makes living with ease more difficult. Making clear choices around this subject of overactivity is difficult. To say about ever single activity, "Is this really imporant?" "Is this really liberating?" "Is this useful to me to simplify?"
This is all extremely important for me to remember because I do tend to do too much!
To make the choices of letting things go in a way that feels like a gift rather than a depreciation. Then there is more space for the more wholesome. To enjoy the quality rather than the quantity of things.
Space for:
Exercise
Emotional and mental health
yoga
meditation
learning another language
cooking
sleeping
writing
May I live with Ease:
I will do what is necessary to bring myself happiness.
I will protect myself in wholesome ways
I will do all that I can to support my mental and physical health
I will do what is necessary to come to an ease in my life. I will be easy on myself.
Mary Oliver's "The Summer Day"
I do know how to pay attention. To gradually let go of all the activity that causes stress. and you will know if its working because you will feel more balanced. Maintaining mindfulness in the activity you do keep!
If we are not identified with what is happening, it has a very different and limited impact.
Learning to say, "at this moment, I can't help you." Learning to be more balanced with saying no and giving time to yourself.
We as individuals can't be there for all people all the time. Stop, just breath for 15 seconds and let go of the tension.
The degree to which you're responding to someone out of compassion rather than out of anxiety to please.
Insight Meditation Society in Barry, MA; town motto is - tranquil and alert
Holding tranquility and alertness in balance.
To be compassionate with yourself as you work on making choices to cut down and simplify.
From 12/3/10 - Notions of Time Talk
Notions of Time talk notes:
Eric Kolvig:
Are you in a hurry?
In our practice, we don't acquire, we uncover what is already there. Something perfect underneath. Michelangelo carving sculptures from stone. That's why its possible for us all to awaken. To understand suffering and to uproot it. Practice mastering our response. Whole worldview has to be deconstructed and destroyed.
"The eyes through which I see God are the eyes through which God sees me." - mystic
After enlightenment, turn back to the world and perceive profound suffering in our world and the impulse to stop suffering. To celebrated goodness wherever you see it and to approach everyone as a friend.
Allowing reality to be reality. That doesn't mean being passive. We don't have to intervene out of pain or anger. Acknowledge the village that allows you to be where you are today. "It takes a village to make a PhD..." Starting an acceptance speech in this way of acknowledging what got you to this place, humanizes the whole event.
Express gratitude.
What a wholesome state of consciousness can do - learning about community and supporting each other. It was actually your own pain more than the pain of someone else. We become more and more able to help as we become more skilled at dealing with our own pain.
The long descent - a user's gude to the end of the Industrial age - Book.
The Vanishing Face of Gaia - a Final Warning - Book
EAARTH - Making Life on a Tough New Planet - Book
If there is just one calm person on the boat, they can influence all the rest - Tich Nat Tan
If you have any urge to do this spiritual practice, DO SO NOW!!!
Eric Kolvig:
Are you in a hurry?
In our practice, we don't acquire, we uncover what is already there. Something perfect underneath. Michelangelo carving sculptures from stone. That's why its possible for us all to awaken. To understand suffering and to uproot it. Practice mastering our response. Whole worldview has to be deconstructed and destroyed.
"The eyes through which I see God are the eyes through which God sees me." - mystic
After enlightenment, turn back to the world and perceive profound suffering in our world and the impulse to stop suffering. To celebrated goodness wherever you see it and to approach everyone as a friend.
Allowing reality to be reality. That doesn't mean being passive. We don't have to intervene out of pain or anger. Acknowledge the village that allows you to be where you are today. "It takes a village to make a PhD..." Starting an acceptance speech in this way of acknowledging what got you to this place, humanizes the whole event.
Express gratitude.
What a wholesome state of consciousness can do - learning about community and supporting each other. It was actually your own pain more than the pain of someone else. We become more and more able to help as we become more skilled at dealing with our own pain.
The long descent - a user's gude to the end of the Industrial age - Book.
The Vanishing Face of Gaia - a Final Warning - Book
EAARTH - Making Life on a Tough New Planet - Book
If there is just one calm person on the boat, they can influence all the rest - Tich Nat Tan
If you have any urge to do this spiritual practice, DO SO NOW!!!
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