As it is
May 19, 2008
“In this world, as it is, we can find a good and meaningful human life that will serve others”
These are the words of Chogyam Trungpa.
We don’t have to wait until we are smarter or slimmer or more enlightened, until we complete our degree or take that workshop or buy a car or start re-cycling.
We can begin now in the world just as it is, just as we are.
We can once again or perhaps for the first time consider our basic human goodness, the divinity in each human being.
All of us slip into periods of self-doubt and self loathing, a sloth with which I am familiar.
All our emotional turbulence comes from a disconnection with the reality of our own basic goodness.
The flame of goodness dwells within you, give it some oxygen, breath into it.
***** the picture shows Chogyam Trunpka in western dress on the right, with Dilgo Khyenste/
Chinese Wisdom and Energy Today
January 24, 2008
Not everything is obvious.
I have found that sometimes a story can carry more energy … more meaning … and more wisdom when it puzzles me at first glance. I wonder what you will take away from this brief tidbit of traditional Chinese wisdom.
*****
Tsze-lu asked about energy.
The Master Confucius said, “Do you mean the energy of the South, the energy of the North, or the energy which you should cultivate yourself?
“To show forbearance and gentleness in teaching others; and not to revenge unreasonable conduct:-this is the energy of southern regions, and the good man makes it his study.
“To lie under arms; and meet death without regret:-this is the energy of northern regions, and the forceful make it their study.
“Therefore, the superior man cultivates a friendly harmony, without being weak.
-How firm is he in his energy!
He stands erect in the middle, without inclining to either side.
-How firm is he in his energy!
When good principles prevail in the government of his country, he does not change from what he was in retirement.
How firm is he in his energy!
When bad principles prevail in the country, he maintains his course to death without changing.
-How firm is he in his energy!”
How firm is your energy?
If you have difficulties ahead ….
January 17, 2008
This story is about a flowing stream that ran into a desert.
This stream, the story teaches, worked itself across the country for agesand experienced little difficulty. It ran easily around the rocks and quickly through the mountains. No obstacle, it seemed, was too much for this fresh and life-giving water.
Then, suddenly, it arrived at a desert.
Just as it had crossed every other barrier, the stream tried to cross this one, but it found that as fast as it ran into the sand, the waters disappeared. After many attempts, the stream became very discouraged. It appeared that there was no way it could continue the journey.
Then a voice came in the wind. “If you stay the way you are, you cannot
cross the sands. In fact, you will only become a quagmire. To go further,
you will have to lose yourself.”
“But if I lose myself,” the stream cried, “everything I have ever been will be
lost.”
“Oh, on the contrary,” said the voice. “If you lose yourself, you will
become more of what you were meant to be than you ever dreamed.”
So the stream surrendered itself to the hot, drying sun. And the clouds
into which it was formed were carried by the raging wind for many miles.
And once it crossed the desert, the stream poured down from the skies,
fresh and clean, and full of the energy that comes from storms.
This story comes from the book, “Women Strength” by Joan Chittister who began the last chapter with this fine version of the very well known Sufi teaching story.
Two Frogs, A Lesson In Energy
January 7, 2008
Two young frogs fell into a bucket of milk. Both tried to jump to freedom, but the sides of the bucket were steep and no foundation was to be had on the surface of the liquid.
Seeing little chance of escape, the first frog soon despaired and stopped jumping. After a short while he sunk to the bottom of the bucket and drowned.
The second frog also saw no likelihood of success, but he never stopped trying. Even though each jump seemed to reach the same inadequate height, he kept on struggling. Eventually, his persistent efforts churned some milk into butter. From the now hardened surface of the milk, he managed to leap out of the bucket.
The moral of this little inspiring story:
–Those who don’t give up and persevere may be in for a pleasant surprise! –
– Energy is often rewarded with success from unexpected sources. –
From a teaching story by Paramahansa Yogananda
P
The key
January 1, 2008
There was a holy man named Nasruddin who lost his key. Nasruddin was crawling around on the ground under a light looking for it, when one of his followers noticed him and ran to help the master. Soon 40 people where crawling and peering at the ground under the light standard looking for the lost key.Finally Iman said to Nasruddin, “sire are you sure you lost your key here? perhaps you dropped it somewhere else”.”Well actually I lost it our there in the dark but it is so much easier to see over here that I thought to look for it here in the light.”
Soul Care and Miracles
January 1, 2008
Out beyond right doing and wrong doing there is a field I will meet you there……..
Jelaladin Rumi
It tickles my soul that a 15th Century Persian mystic is the best selling poet of our time. These poems are translated by a burly man named Coleman Barks, he and Rumi are so good together, it is truly a miracle.
