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"When we start out on a spiritual path we often have ideals we think we're supposed to live up to. We feel we're supposed to be better than we are in some way. But with this practice you take yourself completely as you are. Then ironically, taking in pain - breathing it in for yourself and all others in the same boat as you are - heightens your awareness of exactly where you're stuck."   ~Pema Chödrön Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Read More @ Source

Q :  Is there a good practice such as zazen for helping  a person see this pure Mind of which you speak? A :  This is a thorny issue.  Those who have invested heavily in doing lots of zazen believe zazen is the only way.  It is the same with those who chant the title of a Sutra or the name of Amitabha Buddha.  These practices occupy the minds of those who use these particular practices.  They offer some consolation—but no real progress.  It is the same in some traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.  From what I can find in the Sutras, the Buddha gave no straightforward information on just how, exactly, to go from being a mere worldling—point A—to someone who has entered the stream or became a Bodhisattva—point B.  One thing I know for sure, based upon my own experiences, you have to be extremely enthusiastic about uncovering the mystery of pure Mind.  It's right here, believe it or not.  But the super subtlety of its presence requires and equally super subtle search fueled with super ...

Meditation is a cool means of transformation, and essential as part of our practice, but the Buddha offered much, much more. Last night at a Dharma study group that I meet with on Skype, we looked at the Meghiya Sutta. Meghiya was an attendant of the Buddha, and one time when the two of them were together, Meghiya asked if he could go off and meditate in a lovely looking mango grove that he'd spotted when he was off on his alms-round. Meghiya had thought that the mango grove would be the perfect place to meditate. The Buddha asked him to wait, though, since he would be left alone. Presumably he wanted the company, or might need Meghiya for some practical reason, or perhaps he thought it would benefit Meghiya to stay with him. But Meghiya was very insistent about going off to meditate. He kept asking and asking (parents are very familiar with this!) and the Buddha eventually said (and I imagine him with a wry smile on his face), "Well, Meghiya, what can I say when you t...

CREDIT: Dreamstime The idea that someone can have a sex addiction has been controversial, but a new study suggests that it is a real disorder, and lays out rules that could be used in deciding who has it. Hypersexual disorder, as sex addiction is formally known, is under consideration for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) — the bible of mental conditions. But first, researchers need to agree on how to define this disorder. For example, under one proposed definition, a person who simply has frequent sex would not be diagnosed with hypersexual disorder, said study researcher Rory Reid, an assistant professor and research psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. But a person whose sexual activities are excessive, frequently used to cope with stress and interfere with their ability to function in daily life may meet the criteria for the disorder, Reid said. The definition also needs to hold up in the r...

RING RING RING... RING RING RING... RING RING *WHACK!* That would be me rage hitting my alarm clock. Normally followed by me rolling over with my blanky and snuggling up to my dog. Well that routine changed. How do you spend the first 5 minutes of your day? Denying that it's morning? Laying around? Snuggling with your honey? That's what I used to do, until I got smart. The following might sound painful (like fingernails on a chalkboard), but I've got to share it - If I didn't you'd be missing out on one of life's big secrets. The Secret to Productivity So what's this amazing secret? Something you must pay for before finding out? Of course not... it is simply that - I have learned that AM exercise is one of the largest boosters to productivity! A morning workout wakes you up fast and sets the stage for the rest of your day. You'll want to shovel a healthy breakfast into your mouth first for added energy, but as soon as you're done - pump it up! Too ...

"We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves." ~Pema Chödrön Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Read More @ Source

The fungus Aspergillus, pictured, has been found in some of the patients affected by the meningitis outbreak. CREDIT: CDC/Dr. Libero Ajello The number of deaths from fungal meningitis linked to steroid injections has risen to 11, up from the eight deaths reported yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today (Oct. 9). Two of the new deaths were reported in Tennessee, bringing the number of fatalities there to six. The other was reported Michigan, bringing that state's total to three. The number of reported cases of fungal meningitis rose to 119, from the 105 cases reported as of yesterday, the CDC said. Tennessee has the most cases, with 39. For the first time, a case was reported in New Jersey, which now joins Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia in reporting cases of the fungal infection. The deadly outbreak is linked to steroid injections produced by the New England Compou...

CREDIT: CPSC. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with GE Appliances, of Louisville, Ky., announced a voluntary recall of about 62,000 GE Profile™ Front Load Washers. Hazard: The washer's basket can separate during use and break the washer's top panel, posing an injury hazard to consumers. Incidents/Injuries: GE has received 19 reports of washer baskets separating, including 10 reports of top panel breakage. No injuries have been reported. Description: This recall involves GE Profile™ frontload washing machines with model numbers beginning with WPDH8800, WPDH8900 and WPDH8910. All serial numbers with these models are included in this recall. The washers were sold in gold, red and white colors. The model number is located on the washer's right side near the bottom and behind the door near the door frame visible when the door is opened. Brand Model Number Begins With: And Serial Number Begins With: GE Profile™ W...

CREDIT: CPSC. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Graco Children's Products Inc., of Atlanta, Ga., announced a voluntary recall of about 86,000 Graco Classic Wood Highchairs in the United States and 3,400 in Canada. Hazard: The high chair's seat can loosen or detach from the base, posing a fall hazard to the child. Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received 58 reports of the high chairs' seats loosening or detaching from the base. There have been nine reports of children falling as the seat detached from the base, resulting in reports of bumps, bruises and scratches. Graco has received one report of a concussion in Canada. Description: This recall involves all Graco brand Classic Wood Highchairs sold in three wood finishes. The high chair has a top seat, bottom leg assembly and removable tray. The high chair is sold with a beige fabric seat cover. Model number 3C00BPN, 3C00BPN TC, 3C00CHY, 3C00CHY TC, 3...

We must recognize that the discourses of Buddhism should not be taken as just 'literature', at least not in a Western sense.  But then what do I mean by literature?  I shall limit the definition to a more modern meaning.  Literature refers to an imaginative composition such as a novel or poetry and drama.   Looking at the discourses of the Buddha as a literary product that the careful, educated reader will eventually find the meaning to is not going to happen.  Almost the same, we cannot back engineer Buddhism just by reading and studying its discourses.   Taken as a whole, the discourses of the Buddha tell us about the mind of someone who has attained a peak experience who, for example, does not regard the psychophysical body as his self or âtman .  Obviously, the peak experience of the Buddha and the discourses that arise from it, have to chime.  This excludes at least two expectations we might have when taking up the Buddha's discourses.  First, reading and interp...

I've been looking for my soul everywhere I can think it might be. No sign of it. I've gone through the drawer where I put stuff that I figure I might need someday, but don't want to throw away. Nope. No soul. Our garage is filled with places it might be, lots of boxes filled with long-forgotten crap. But I don't remember putting my soul into storage there.  So I'm left with talking to myself. Or to whoever might be listening who could help me out. Dude, where's my soul?  (If this allusion doesn't make sense to you, your taste in movies is too elevated. Lower it, dude.) For a long time I've been on a soul search. After all, back in 1971 I was initiated into a mystical/religious practice called Sant Mat which promises to unite soul drops with the ocean of God. There was a lot of talk about "soul" and "spirit" (universal side of soul, basically) in the teachings. But not much guidance about how soul could be recognized. Event...

More and more people are waking up to the fact that their life isn't what they want it to be. Is yours? People are frustrated, angry, and confused. But this is good. Because it's the first step. You have to know what is wrong before you can change it. I've never wanted a job. I couldn't survive in that environment. If you're reading this, you may be able to relate. However, there's a big gap. Everyone keeps talking about going after your dreams and getting paid to do what you love, but there's little information on how to do it. That's one of the reasons I write about this topic. I'm here to do my best to fill that gap, and with this article, I hope to nudge you in the right direction. I promise no magic bullets, and no quick fixes. If you want to get paid to do what you love, you have to be willing to take action despite your fears and excuses. If you do, then you will succeed. It is just a matter of time. What You MUST Do The goal isn't to fi...

Marc Abrahams, The Guardian: Prof. John Hagelin's decision not to run against Mitt Romney and Barack Obama left this year's US presidential race without a major candidate who is a scientist and who acknowledges – publicly – his ability to both counteract gravity and prevent crime. Two decades ago, Hagelin and a team of fellow scientists performed a bold experiment. Their aim was to drastically reduce the amount of violent crime in Washington DC – a metropolis then noted for its high incidence of murder, rape and robbery. The Hagelin method was to systematically blanket the city with mental emanations from transcendental meditation … Read the original article » Read More @ Source

The Venerable Henepola Gunaratana Nayake Thera — often known as "Bhante Gunaratana" or just as "Bhante G" — is 85 years old this week. He's a well-known writer and a highly respected teacher, who has now lived in the US for 50 years. This tribute comes from the Sri Lankan monk and former parliamentarian, Ven. Udawatte Nanda Nayake Thera. (Wikipedia says Bhante G's birthday is in December, but he's such a noted figure that he can have two birthdays if he wishes!) Born to Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Punchi Bandara Nilame and Herath Mudiyanselage Lokumenike on October 07, 1927 in a family of seven in Thumpane of Galagedara, the Ven Henepola Gunaratana Nayake Thera at his young age received education in Dehideniya Primary College and subsequently entered the monkhood under the tutelage of Ven. Karmacharya Kiribathkumbure Sonuttara Mahanayake Thera, the incumbent of Malandeniya Sri Vijayarama Pohoyamalu, Weuda, Kurunegala at the age of 14. He received his p...