The power of.....
" I am "
I saw these words the other day and a light turned on in my head.
I thought about how strong our words are and how our words effect us.
"I am sick,
I am tired,
I didn't sleep a wink last night,
I hate you,
I hate my job,
I can't stand banks, government, weather, dogs, cats, relatives."
The list is endless.
The effect is instant and not only do we carry these thoughts with us,
we pass them on.
We can cause a ripple effect that can touch dozens of people effecting how they feel and all of those they mix with.
The effect can be disastrous.
Hundreds of people having a bad day because we decided to vent a negative....
"I am."
How about....
I am strong,
I am beautiful,
I am full of vigor.
Full of love,
I am perfect.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Tuesday 30 September 2014
Sunday 28 September 2014
Some are blessed...
Some are blessed...
Some of us are blessed that choose to listen.
Some never find or hear the voice that lives within.
Do all who manage to hear the voice listen?
I don't think so.
I know I am blessed as I listen.
My voice wears a Monks robe, worn loosely draped over both shoulders drawn together with a sweep of his arm.
He wears his robe covering his head like a cowl. This gives the impression of a most mysterious Monk.
I have written many stories about this Monk.
I call him
"The Silent One."
He seems to arrive when needed.
His arrival always welcome, even though the message is not always pleasant.
The delivery is always the same.
Total silence.
He stares.
I see love and my future in his eyes, and as I look at him, I hear the voice.
Sometimes soft, other times harsh, always with compassion and love. The message always pertinent to the situation. The amazing thing about the advise he gives, is that it's never wrong.
All I have to do is listen and then take action.
The last time, I was delivered a harsh but timely message
and I heard, about my bad manner, my temper,
my impatience,
and my arrogance.
Of course I took his advice and now twenty four hours later, I have not needed or chosen any of the above.
Once we are shown our suffering and bad behavior to ourselves and others, then we can fix everything.
So the question is
"Where do we find our voice, or how?"
I found my voice the first time whilst meditating on a beach some five and a half years ago.
"Anapanasati"
The breath,
only the breath.
Apparently my voice lives in the spaces between the thoughts. Once the mind chatter ceased, the spaces became longer and clarity pervades.
I then hear the voice...
"We meet again seeker...."
He appears and calls me "seeker"
Earlier this year he told me his message was the last one between us. He has spoken five more times since then. Maybe he needs to stick around, or maybe I need him to be there. Whatever it is, I am pleased when he appears.
I feel blessed by his presence and my advice is, should you find your voice within,
listen.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Some of us are blessed that choose to listen.
Some never find or hear the voice that lives within.
Do all who manage to hear the voice listen?
I don't think so.
I know I am blessed as I listen.
My voice wears a Monks robe, worn loosely draped over both shoulders drawn together with a sweep of his arm.
He wears his robe covering his head like a cowl. This gives the impression of a most mysterious Monk.
I have written many stories about this Monk.
I call him
"The Silent One."
He seems to arrive when needed.
His arrival always welcome, even though the message is not always pleasant.
The delivery is always the same.
Total silence.
He stares.
I see love and my future in his eyes, and as I look at him, I hear the voice.
Sometimes soft, other times harsh, always with compassion and love. The message always pertinent to the situation. The amazing thing about the advise he gives, is that it's never wrong.
All I have to do is listen and then take action.
The last time, I was delivered a harsh but timely message
and I heard, about my bad manner, my temper,
my impatience,
and my arrogance.
Of course I took his advice and now twenty four hours later, I have not needed or chosen any of the above.
Once we are shown our suffering and bad behavior to ourselves and others, then we can fix everything.
So the question is
"Where do we find our voice, or how?"
I found my voice the first time whilst meditating on a beach some five and a half years ago.
"Anapanasati"
The breath,
only the breath.
Apparently my voice lives in the spaces between the thoughts. Once the mind chatter ceased, the spaces became longer and clarity pervades.
I then hear the voice...
"We meet again seeker...."
He appears and calls me "seeker"
Earlier this year he told me his message was the last one between us. He has spoken five more times since then. Maybe he needs to stick around, or maybe I need him to be there. Whatever it is, I am pleased when he appears.
I feel blessed by his presence and my advice is, should you find your voice within,
listen.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Friday 26 September 2014
Let us share....
Let us share....
I want to share a dharma how we can help others
Most people want things for themselves and
it's human nature to desire things
The Buddha said the cause of suffering is desire
Even our prayers are full of me me me and the things we desire
Health wealth and happiness
A great man once said
If you want to be happy for an hour
Have a massage
If you want to be happy for a day
Go for a picnic
If you want to be happy for a week
Go to Bali
If you want to be happy for a month
Get married
If you want to be happy for a year
Win the lottery
But if you want to be happy for a lifetime
Help others
It is so much better to give than to receive
The Reverend Joel Osteen tells the following
A child from a poor family comes into Jacks grocer shop and looks at the fruit and veggies
Jack asks him what he wants but the child tells him he is only looking
Jack notices that the boy is holding some marbles
and tells the boy he will swap a bag of fruit for the marbles
The marbles are the boys pride and joy but his family was hungry so he offered them to Jack for the large bag of fruit
Jack told the boy that he only wanted red marbles and didn't like the blue ones the boy had
He told the boy to come back next week and bring red ones
The following week Jack handed the boy a large bag of vegetables and told the boy he wanted blue marbles not the red ones the boy had
This went on for months with Jack never accepting the boys marbles
Some fifteen years later Jack passed away and at his funeral there were three well dressed young men standing by the open casket
Each one in turn held Jacks hand
After the funeral the minister asked Jacks wife about the three red marbles he found in Jacks hand
She told him that jack had fed three families with fruit and vegetables for years in return for red marbles that he never took
It is so much better to give than to receive
A young man about fifteen years old was going door to door selling plastic containers that he had recycled
He explained that he did this after school to feed himself as he had no family
Some people felt sorry for him and gave him a dollar most just slammed the door in his face
At one house a girl answered the door and he stood speechless
She was so beautiful
The girl saw he was so thin and obviously starving and she offered him a glass of milk
He drank it down in one go so cold so delicious
It actually saved his life
Some twenty five years later the same girl had a life threatening growth in her brain
Unfortunately she could not afford the operation and there was only one doctor who specialized in the delicate area of her disease
The doctor stopped in to see her and the moment he saw her he said he would operate
The operation was successful and she was worried about the cost and how she could pay
On the bottom of the bill she received was a hand written note from the doctor
"paid in full with a glass of milk"
It is so much better to give than to receive
I heard about a poor family with five children
It was a struggle just for the food each week
The eldest boy wanted to go to the Amusement Park for his birthday and the father had saved fifty cents each week for a year just for this treat
They were so excited as they stood in line to get in
When it was the fathers time to pay he got such a shock at the price just to get in and he didn't have enough for the entrance fee
The man behind him tapped him on the shoulder and said in a quiet voice
"excuse me but $40 just dropped out of your pocket"
The father looked at him with tears in his eyes and said
"thank you so much
you are a saint
God will shine on you"
It is so much better to give than to receive
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
I want to share a dharma how we can help others
Most people want things for themselves and
it's human nature to desire things
The Buddha said the cause of suffering is desire
Even our prayers are full of me me me and the things we desire
Health wealth and happiness
A great man once said
If you want to be happy for an hour
Have a massage
If you want to be happy for a day
Go for a picnic
If you want to be happy for a week
Go to Bali
If you want to be happy for a month
Get married
If you want to be happy for a year
Win the lottery
But if you want to be happy for a lifetime
Help others
It is so much better to give than to receive
The Reverend Joel Osteen tells the following
A child from a poor family comes into Jacks grocer shop and looks at the fruit and veggies
Jack asks him what he wants but the child tells him he is only looking
Jack notices that the boy is holding some marbles
and tells the boy he will swap a bag of fruit for the marbles
The marbles are the boys pride and joy but his family was hungry so he offered them to Jack for the large bag of fruit
Jack told the boy that he only wanted red marbles and didn't like the blue ones the boy had
He told the boy to come back next week and bring red ones
The following week Jack handed the boy a large bag of vegetables and told the boy he wanted blue marbles not the red ones the boy had
This went on for months with Jack never accepting the boys marbles
Some fifteen years later Jack passed away and at his funeral there were three well dressed young men standing by the open casket
Each one in turn held Jacks hand
After the funeral the minister asked Jacks wife about the three red marbles he found in Jacks hand
She told him that jack had fed three families with fruit and vegetables for years in return for red marbles that he never took
It is so much better to give than to receive
A young man about fifteen years old was going door to door selling plastic containers that he had recycled
He explained that he did this after school to feed himself as he had no family
Some people felt sorry for him and gave him a dollar most just slammed the door in his face
At one house a girl answered the door and he stood speechless
She was so beautiful
The girl saw he was so thin and obviously starving and she offered him a glass of milk
He drank it down in one go so cold so delicious
It actually saved his life
Some twenty five years later the same girl had a life threatening growth in her brain
Unfortunately she could not afford the operation and there was only one doctor who specialized in the delicate area of her disease
The doctor stopped in to see her and the moment he saw her he said he would operate
The operation was successful and she was worried about the cost and how she could pay
On the bottom of the bill she received was a hand written note from the doctor
"paid in full with a glass of milk"
It is so much better to give than to receive
I heard about a poor family with five children
It was a struggle just for the food each week
The eldest boy wanted to go to the Amusement Park for his birthday and the father had saved fifty cents each week for a year just for this treat
They were so excited as they stood in line to get in
When it was the fathers time to pay he got such a shock at the price just to get in and he didn't have enough for the entrance fee
The man behind him tapped him on the shoulder and said in a quiet voice
"excuse me but $40 just dropped out of your pocket"
The father looked at him with tears in his eyes and said
"thank you so much
you are a saint
God will shine on you"
It is so much better to give than to receive
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Tuesday 23 September 2014
.Better than ....
.Better than a thousand pointless words is one saying to the point on hearing which one finds peace
Dhammapada 100
Dhammapada 100
Reflections....
The Silent One entered my dream
My sleep interrupted by his presence
He stared at me for what seemed minutes and then I thought he said.....
"Seeker I warned you about your bad manner, your temper, impatience, arrogance and above all, your intolerance of others beliefs and needs."
He continued....
"We have been down this path before.
You have let go of old beliefs and prejudices, but now you return to your old habits.
I ask why?
Fortunately, what is done can be undone.
The decision is yours.
The mantle one wears is of no importance and as you see my garb is just a rag taken from a cemetery.
I asked no ones permission, I took no advice, I was given this robe by my teacher and the only thing he told me was to respect the rules that the robe brought with it.
The Precepts that come with the robe are to be kept without exception. Breaking any one of them shows weak character and is an offense to the community.
There are also Monks rules to be kept that the Buddha created to keep one on the path of ones practice."
"You are not yet ready for this step, too many rules. You are not disciplined enough."
I woke thanking him and thinking that I really must start being serious about my practice.
The sun is shining in through the window.
What a glorious day.
Nathan
Friday 19 September 2014
Taking Precepts?
Dr pannaji told me I was experimenting with my Buddhism
Sent from my iPhone and
with my wishes to take precepts and to wear robes for the time I am here in MahaVihara.
NathanI told him I was experiencing what the Buddha offered freely, and what I have been following for many years and that I had already worn robes.
This Doctor has a novice program and one would think this supposed great thinker translator and teacher could be maybe a little more empathetic towards a fellow asking for his guidance.
But no he blithely without any consideration or deliberation dashed any aspirations on the spot by not allowing a fellow Buddhist the joy of taking vows that the Buddha himself gave freely to all who asked.
I understand he is old and one should respect ones elders but there is only a twelve years in our age difference and I feel that when I get to his age in twelve years time I will be a little more understanding.
Sent from my iPhone and
With love
Wednesday 17 September 2014
First day.....
First day.....
First day at the
Buddhist Maha Vihara KualaLumpur......
One of the best ways to clear the mind,
is to sweep, just sweep.
The leaves, the pebbles, the dirt that washes down the walkways and across the car park.
What a joy to sweep the water that gathers in little puddles that splash on the bottom of Monks robes.
Each stroke like a brush, painting a large canvas.
Not putting down pictures but taking away thoughts.
Early morning, first thing,
dappled light, shining on a few insects to be avoided.
Like the opening of awareness slowly unfolding its layers,
the broom starts to sweep, clearing the thoughts, relaxing and cleansing all in its path.
The teaching has started.
One feels contentment to be in the company of such wise advanced beings. The experience and knowledge of teachers from around the world imparting Buddha Dharma as though there is only one in the room.
Then there is the chanting that resonates from head to feet emptying all but the words of praise.
After personal meditation its off to bed and then it will start all over again.
Wonderful.......
Metta Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
First day at the
Buddhist Maha Vihara KualaLumpur......
One of the best ways to clear the mind,
is to sweep, just sweep.
The leaves, the pebbles, the dirt that washes down the walkways and across the car park.
What a joy to sweep the water that gathers in little puddles that splash on the bottom of Monks robes.
Each stroke like a brush, painting a large canvas.
Not putting down pictures but taking away thoughts.
Early morning, first thing,
dappled light, shining on a few insects to be avoided.
Like the opening of awareness slowly unfolding its layers,
the broom starts to sweep, clearing the thoughts, relaxing and cleansing all in its path.
The teaching has started.
One feels contentment to be in the company of such wise advanced beings. The experience and knowledge of teachers from around the world imparting Buddha Dharma as though there is only one in the room.
Then there is the chanting that resonates from head to feet emptying all but the words of praise.
After personal meditation its off to bed and then it will start all over again.
Wonderful.......
Metta Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Tuesday 2 September 2014
I love this story....
Zhuang Zhou went to see Duke Ai of Lu.
Ai said 'There are many learn'ed scholars in Lu but few of them study your works Master.'
Zhuang Zhou replied
'There are few learn'ed men in Lu'
Duke Ai said
'there are so many men wearing the dress of scholars how can you say there are few?'
Zhuang Zhou replied
'the ones who wear round hats know the seasons of Heaven and those who wear square shoes know the shape of the earth. Those who tie semi circular discs on their belts deal perfectly with what comes before them. But a nobleman can follow the Tao without having to dress the part. Indeed one may wear the dress and not understand the Tao at all.
Should my Lord not be sure of this point, why not issue an order of state;
"Any person wearing the dress, but not practicing the Tao, will be executed!"
This is what happened and within five days throughout the kingdom of Lu, not one wore the dress of a learn'ed man.
Only one old man wore the formal dress and stood at the Duke's gate.
The Duke called him in and discussed all manner of affairs of state and the old man never faulted in his answers.
Zhuang Xhou said
'My Lord you see only one old man who is learn'ed in the ways of life in your whole kingdom,
how can you say there are so many?'
..................
Isn't this a bit like our lives right now and how nothing changes.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)