Two problems;
There are two problems getting to my age
First is forgetting things
I can never remember the second thing....
Buddha's help;
A man seeking help,
went to see the Buddha.
He told the Buddha he was a farmer.
"I like farming but sometimes it rains too much and then not enough and one year we nearly starved."
"I like my wife,
but sometimes she nags too much and my children are good, but they don't show enough respect..."
the man went on and on.......
The Buddha sat through all the farmers problems and finally, when he finished,
the Buddha said;
"I am sorry I can't help you."
"Everyone has problems,
in fact we all have eighty three problems"
The Buddha then told them all to the farmer from birth to death.
The Buddha finally said that he may be able to help the man with the eighty fourth problem.
"What's the eighty fourth problem?" asked the farmer.
"The problem of not wanting to have problems."
replied the Buddha.
..................
I still have my problem of forgetting things.
I don't have the other eighty two problems as I probably have forgotten them.
Anyway, with practice we can let go all our problems.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Wednesday, 12 November 2014
Six areas....
Six areas....
Here are the most important six areas of our lives, where we can lack, and cause ourselves and those around us to suffer.
My six week plan may help.
Please join me....
Week one:
Today,
a great day to start to let go!
Today, I have decided to do something about this.
So now I am sitting in my most comfortable lounge chair.
I have made notes in preparation for my letting go session.
There are six headings on the paper in front of me regarding the major areas of my life.
I have worked out over all these years of
"soul searching"
that should I lack in any one or more of these areas, then I must want to lack in these areas.
I believe that I am in charge of my life,
so I must be in charge of these six areas of my life.
So what are these areas?
Over the next five weeks I will look at each area in my life in greater detail.
The first area to look at is;
Physical:
My question to myself is am I happy, satisfied and fulfilled with myself in this area,
or am I lacking physically?
Could I be doing something to extend my life by dropping a habit I don't really need?
When I feel ok with myself, the amazing thing is that the whole world feels great.
Nothing bothers me.
I sleep well and when I wake up in the morning,
I feel as though my whole life is starting again.
There is a yesterday and a tomorrow, but I am not living in them.
I am living physically right here and now.
Of course, this is well and good, but as I try to get up from my comfortable chair, I notice that I am a little overweight.
Alright,
a lot overweight.
My doctor has put me on the PDTF diet.
She said it should only take a few months and I will be fine.
I asked her what is PDTF
She said;
"Put Down The Fork"
The actual doing is made easier when we know we lack in this area and it is holding us back.
Like a magician who takes a rabbit from his hat, we must become a magician who takes a habit out of rat.
Comparing myself to a rat is not such a bad example as I scurry off to write the next area of my life.
As for my own physical wellbeing,
I love who I am
and have decided to drop the need to substitute food for emotional happiness and boredom.
I now have a week to initiate change in this,
the first area of my life.
Care to join me?
................
Week two....
Financial:
What an area to discuss as we all feel we lack in this most important part of our lives.
The funny part,
is should we think we lack, then it must be true, and we act accordingly.
We want, we need,
we must have,
it never stops.
The more we have,
the more we want.
Apparently, desire leads to suffering and suffering is the biggest cause of high blood pressure, which in turn can cause disease and death.
The Buddha said:
"When we give up desire,
we get what we desire."
That's ok for the Buddha,
he lived the life of an ascetic, never staying in the same place for too long,
not accumulating,
not desiring to be better, or to succeed in any way.
The Buddha did not suffer with high blood pressure.
The Buddha did say that desire is the root cause of all suffering.
Where does this place us in this success orientated world?
Do we strive to succeed and prove how clever we are by accumulation,
or do we live the life of a devout monk?
Some of us choose the latter, but only the fewest.
For the rest, the daily struggles go on, striving to pay bills and lead a "normal" life.
Some even succeed beyond all expectation.
For the rest, financial hardship and struggle is a daily fact.
The question is how does one cope with this area of our life,
so that it does not cause us to suffer?
The answer is as the Buddha suggested;
by giving up the craving,
by giving up desire.
When we let go of these defilements,
the Universe provides.
We get what we want.
We attract all that we need.
We now have a week to let go of something that is holding us back financially.
Please don't say that a lack of money is holding us back, cause that's not funny.
I am asking to let go of the craving, the desire,
the cause of suffering.
Please join me.
.................
Week three:
Home and family.....
Here's the thing,
do we act differently at home, than at work,
or with our friends?
Are we all smiles and a show of happiness outside the home and once at the front door,
our demeanor changes?
It's an effort to be nice for one reason or another.
The excuses don't really matter, its all in our heads and totally within our control.
Does our family have expectations about us that we are not fulfilling?
What is it about our home life that we feel we lack?
Do we lack love, respect,
admiration, or is it just boredom and a feeling of being locked in that stops us from performing as a role model should.
All the above and more are only in our head.
These feelings of loss will only go away when we decide to let go of them.
Again,
how to let go is simple.
When we recognize and understand our behavior, realize the consequences of our behavior,
we can then embrace the behavior,
forgive ourselves,
and let go.
This process does not take two to be involved,
it takes one and one only.
Ourself......
The most important person in our life.
................
Halfway:
We are now half way through my version of the six most important areas of our lives....
Should we be bothered to have a hard look at these areas and see we lack,
then we are halfway to discovering a new us.
It is only the recognition that something could be better that determines our attitude to ourselves and the consequences that effect others..
Our behavior is the only standard by which others judge us.
When our behavior does not fit with others values then we are looked at as different, or looked at in a poor light.
In each of the first three areas, it is our behavior and the way perform financially, look physically and react with our home and family,
that determines all our interactions.
Should we not be fulfilled or satisfied, then an effort to let go may be in order.
Behavior does not involve two,
it normally starts with one.
Ourself.
The most important person in our world.
..................
Week four:
Spiritual.....
Do we believe we do the right thing, because its the right thing to do?
Or, do we think we do things, because it is what is expected of us, with no thoughts of consequence?
Our spiritual beliefs differ from our religious faith.
Spirituality is our deepest commitment to the way we behave and how that behavior effects those around us, now and into the future.
Our spirituality denotes realms of our inner life.
The purity of our motives,
our affections,
our intention,
and the analysis of our feelings.
That is how we feel,
what we think,
what we say,
and what we do.
The Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh said;
"We must not be attached to a view,
ours or others,
a doctrine,
even a Buddhist one
and call it the truth."
"The Buddha said that when we adopt something as the absolute truth and we attach to it, then we no longer have the chance to reach the truth.
Even when truth knocks at our door,
we won't recognize it.
So we must not be attached to dogma,
or to what we think,
we believe, or perceive"
Only the truth can set us free from the prison that we set for ourselves and spend most of our lives trying to escape.
Lets escape now
and be free.
It only takes
a spiritual thought.
................
Week five:
Emotional....
(Social)
Oh!
I don't want to talk about this
I am so sick of your inane comments
You make me sick
It's all your fault
The government is against me
I hate you
Recognize any of the above?
Do you want to add at least another seventy,
or so, emotional outbursts, some positive, most negative.
Here is a small list?
Affection Anger Angst Anguish Annoyance Anxiety Apathy Arousal Awe Boredom
Confidence Contempt Contentment Courage Curiosity Depression Desire
Despair Disappointment Disgust Distrust Dread Ecstasy Embarrassment Envy
Euphoria Excitement Fear Frustration Gratitude Grief Guilt Happiness
Hatred Hope Horror Hostility Hurt Hysteria Indifference Interest Jealousy
Joy Loathing Loneliness Love Lust Outrage Panic Passion Pity Pleasure
Pride Rage Regret Relief Remorse Sadness Satisfaction
Self-confidence
Shame Shock Shyness Sorrow Suffering Surprise Terror Trust Wonder Worry
Zeal Zest
The range is enormous and as varied as our behavior allows.
Emotion is what motivates our behavior in a negative,
or positive manner, depending on how we feel at the time.
So the list above can be both positive,
or negative.
In most cases of behavioral lack, we hide behind the use of emotional blackmail that we call communication.
It's the juggling between our own personality,
character and our perception of how we believe others see us,
that determines which emotion we use and whether it will have a positive,
or negative outcome.
The consequence of excessive emotional outbursts can cause damage to qi (life energy) which in turn damages vital organs for both ourselves and those we communicate with.
When we lack in this most important area,
we effect directly all those we contact every day,
in every way,
family and friends,
in fact all we contact.
Please take care with everything
we say,
think,
and do.
The more mindful we are, the more able to let go of useless,
emotional,
rubbish.
...................
Week six:
Mental....
I have started this,
the last area of our life with a plea.
We take a shower everyday to wash our body clean,
then why are we so careless about our mind?
Why should we not cleanse the defilements from our mind,
by meditation every day.
Lets give our mind the shower of meditation everyday, for our mind is the ultimate source of all our happiness.
I ask that once in awhile please sit,
just sit
and cleanse the mind.
Please don't forget;
"As a broom sweeps the streets clean,
the breath sweeps the mind clean."
Sogyal Rinpoche wrote from his Tibetan book of living and dying;
"Sometimes when I meditate, I don't use any particular method.
I just bring my mind home and relax.
There is no question if this is "correct",
there is no effort,
only a rich understanding.
When I am in the nature of mind, the ordinary mind is not there.
I simply am."
It really is so simple.
We have one life,
one period of time that is so fragile,
so impermanent.
It is guaranteed to end.
The only thing in our life that is certain, is our end.
Why then do we hasten this certainty by choosing stupidity.
The stupidity of our desire to constantly keep a state of lack, in one or more areas of our most precious gift.
The gift of being.
There are,
as we have seen,
six main areas in our life that incur consequence.
This insuring result can bring about Karma with devastating calamity.
The prison that most of us live in is self made.
The bars and locks self imposed.
To break free is easy.
Sit
Relax
Let go
Break free
Thank you all for allowing me to come into your life and share.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Here are the most important six areas of our lives, where we can lack, and cause ourselves and those around us to suffer.
My six week plan may help.
Please join me....
Week one:
Today,
a great day to start to let go!
Today, I have decided to do something about this.
So now I am sitting in my most comfortable lounge chair.
I have made notes in preparation for my letting go session.
There are six headings on the paper in front of me regarding the major areas of my life.
I have worked out over all these years of
"soul searching"
that should I lack in any one or more of these areas, then I must want to lack in these areas.
I believe that I am in charge of my life,
so I must be in charge of these six areas of my life.
So what are these areas?
Over the next five weeks I will look at each area in my life in greater detail.
The first area to look at is;
Physical:
My question to myself is am I happy, satisfied and fulfilled with myself in this area,
or am I lacking physically?
Could I be doing something to extend my life by dropping a habit I don't really need?
When I feel ok with myself, the amazing thing is that the whole world feels great.
Nothing bothers me.
I sleep well and when I wake up in the morning,
I feel as though my whole life is starting again.
There is a yesterday and a tomorrow, but I am not living in them.
I am living physically right here and now.
Of course, this is well and good, but as I try to get up from my comfortable chair, I notice that I am a little overweight.
Alright,
a lot overweight.
My doctor has put me on the PDTF diet.
She said it should only take a few months and I will be fine.
I asked her what is PDTF
She said;
"Put Down The Fork"
The actual doing is made easier when we know we lack in this area and it is holding us back.
Like a magician who takes a rabbit from his hat, we must become a magician who takes a habit out of rat.
Comparing myself to a rat is not such a bad example as I scurry off to write the next area of my life.
As for my own physical wellbeing,
I love who I am
and have decided to drop the need to substitute food for emotional happiness and boredom.
I now have a week to initiate change in this,
the first area of my life.
Care to join me?
................
Week two....
Financial:
What an area to discuss as we all feel we lack in this most important part of our lives.
The funny part,
is should we think we lack, then it must be true, and we act accordingly.
We want, we need,
we must have,
it never stops.
The more we have,
the more we want.
Apparently, desire leads to suffering and suffering is the biggest cause of high blood pressure, which in turn can cause disease and death.
The Buddha said:
"When we give up desire,
we get what we desire."
That's ok for the Buddha,
he lived the life of an ascetic, never staying in the same place for too long,
not accumulating,
not desiring to be better, or to succeed in any way.
The Buddha did not suffer with high blood pressure.
The Buddha did say that desire is the root cause of all suffering.
Where does this place us in this success orientated world?
Do we strive to succeed and prove how clever we are by accumulation,
or do we live the life of a devout monk?
Some of us choose the latter, but only the fewest.
For the rest, the daily struggles go on, striving to pay bills and lead a "normal" life.
Some even succeed beyond all expectation.
For the rest, financial hardship and struggle is a daily fact.
The question is how does one cope with this area of our life,
so that it does not cause us to suffer?
The answer is as the Buddha suggested;
by giving up the craving,
by giving up desire.
When we let go of these defilements,
the Universe provides.
We get what we want.
We attract all that we need.
We now have a week to let go of something that is holding us back financially.
Please don't say that a lack of money is holding us back, cause that's not funny.
I am asking to let go of the craving, the desire,
the cause of suffering.
Please join me.
.................
Week three:
Home and family.....
Here's the thing,
do we act differently at home, than at work,
or with our friends?
Are we all smiles and a show of happiness outside the home and once at the front door,
our demeanor changes?
It's an effort to be nice for one reason or another.
The excuses don't really matter, its all in our heads and totally within our control.
Does our family have expectations about us that we are not fulfilling?
What is it about our home life that we feel we lack?
Do we lack love, respect,
admiration, or is it just boredom and a feeling of being locked in that stops us from performing as a role model should.
All the above and more are only in our head.
These feelings of loss will only go away when we decide to let go of them.
Again,
how to let go is simple.
When we recognize and understand our behavior, realize the consequences of our behavior,
we can then embrace the behavior,
forgive ourselves,
and let go.
This process does not take two to be involved,
it takes one and one only.
Ourself......
The most important person in our life.
................
Halfway:
We are now half way through my version of the six most important areas of our lives....
Should we be bothered to have a hard look at these areas and see we lack,
then we are halfway to discovering a new us.
It is only the recognition that something could be better that determines our attitude to ourselves and the consequences that effect others..
Our behavior is the only standard by which others judge us.
When our behavior does not fit with others values then we are looked at as different, or looked at in a poor light.
In each of the first three areas, it is our behavior and the way perform financially, look physically and react with our home and family,
that determines all our interactions.
Should we not be fulfilled or satisfied, then an effort to let go may be in order.
Behavior does not involve two,
it normally starts with one.
Ourself.
The most important person in our world.
..................
Week four:
Spiritual.....
Do we believe we do the right thing, because its the right thing to do?
Or, do we think we do things, because it is what is expected of us, with no thoughts of consequence?
Our spiritual beliefs differ from our religious faith.
Spirituality is our deepest commitment to the way we behave and how that behavior effects those around us, now and into the future.
Our spirituality denotes realms of our inner life.
The purity of our motives,
our affections,
our intention,
and the analysis of our feelings.
That is how we feel,
what we think,
what we say,
and what we do.
The Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh said;
"We must not be attached to a view,
ours or others,
a doctrine,
even a Buddhist one
and call it the truth."
"The Buddha said that when we adopt something as the absolute truth and we attach to it, then we no longer have the chance to reach the truth.
Even when truth knocks at our door,
we won't recognize it.
So we must not be attached to dogma,
or to what we think,
we believe, or perceive"
Only the truth can set us free from the prison that we set for ourselves and spend most of our lives trying to escape.
Lets escape now
and be free.
It only takes
a spiritual thought.
................
Week five:
Emotional....
(Social)
Oh!
I don't want to talk about this
I am so sick of your inane comments
You make me sick
It's all your fault
The government is against me
I hate you
Recognize any of the above?
Do you want to add at least another seventy,
or so, emotional outbursts, some positive, most negative.
Here is a small list?
Affection Anger Angst Anguish Annoyance Anxiety Apathy Arousal Awe Boredom
Confidence Contempt Contentment Courage Curiosity Depression Desire
Despair Disappointment Disgust Distrust Dread Ecstasy Embarrassment Envy
Euphoria Excitement Fear Frustration Gratitude Grief Guilt Happiness
Hatred Hope Horror Hostility Hurt Hysteria Indifference Interest Jealousy
Joy Loathing Loneliness Love Lust Outrage Panic Passion Pity Pleasure
Pride Rage Regret Relief Remorse Sadness Satisfaction
Self-confidence
Shame Shock Shyness Sorrow Suffering Surprise Terror Trust Wonder Worry
Zeal Zest
The range is enormous and as varied as our behavior allows.
Emotion is what motivates our behavior in a negative,
or positive manner, depending on how we feel at the time.
So the list above can be both positive,
or negative.
In most cases of behavioral lack, we hide behind the use of emotional blackmail that we call communication.
It's the juggling between our own personality,
character and our perception of how we believe others see us,
that determines which emotion we use and whether it will have a positive,
or negative outcome.
The consequence of excessive emotional outbursts can cause damage to qi (life energy) which in turn damages vital organs for both ourselves and those we communicate with.
When we lack in this most important area,
we effect directly all those we contact every day,
in every way,
family and friends,
in fact all we contact.
Please take care with everything
we say,
think,
and do.
The more mindful we are, the more able to let go of useless,
emotional,
rubbish.
...................
Week six:
Mental....
I have started this,
the last area of our life with a plea.
We take a shower everyday to wash our body clean,
then why are we so careless about our mind?
Why should we not cleanse the defilements from our mind,
by meditation every day.
Lets give our mind the shower of meditation everyday, for our mind is the ultimate source of all our happiness.
I ask that once in awhile please sit,
just sit
and cleanse the mind.
Please don't forget;
"As a broom sweeps the streets clean,
the breath sweeps the mind clean."
Sogyal Rinpoche wrote from his Tibetan book of living and dying;
"Sometimes when I meditate, I don't use any particular method.
I just bring my mind home and relax.
There is no question if this is "correct",
there is no effort,
only a rich understanding.
When I am in the nature of mind, the ordinary mind is not there.
I simply am."
It really is so simple.
We have one life,
one period of time that is so fragile,
so impermanent.
It is guaranteed to end.
The only thing in our life that is certain, is our end.
Why then do we hasten this certainty by choosing stupidity.
The stupidity of our desire to constantly keep a state of lack, in one or more areas of our most precious gift.
The gift of being.
There are,
as we have seen,
six main areas in our life that incur consequence.
This insuring result can bring about Karma with devastating calamity.
The prison that most of us live in is self made.
The bars and locks self imposed.
To break free is easy.
Sit
Relax
Let go
Break free
Thank you all for allowing me to come into your life and share.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Saturday, 1 November 2014
Humility
Humility...
I have heard about a young man whose father was a great teacher.
All his young life he had heard his fathers wisdom.
He felt he knew all there was to know just by listening to his father's words.
His father said,
"I want you to learn from a farmer, an illiterate peasant teacher."
The son travelled for many days and finally reached the farmers village.
The farmer was on horseback returning from a trip.
He watched as the young man approached and bowed before him.
"Not enough." said the peasant.
The young man bowed again, bending his knees.
"Not enough." said the peasant.
So the young man bowed so low his knees touched the ground.
Once again he was told "not enough."
He then prostrated himself flat on the ground with his fingers touching the horses hooves.
"That's it"
said the peasant teacher,
"you have learnt everything I can teach,
you go home now."
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
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