The Planet's Sangha: Buddhist discussions, thought, etc.

[Lady_Wu]

If one's life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, being content with you have is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect you from the elements. And finally there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama)

[Linus]

Originally Posted by Lady_Wu

If one's life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, being content with you have is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect you from the elements. And finally there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama)

This is so very true in this day and age. The simplier the life, the happier that people are.

[Lady_Wu]

when a superior person hears of the Tao
she diligently puts it into practice
when an average person hears of the Tao
she believes half of it and doubts the other half
when a foolish person hears of the Tao
she laughs aloud at the very idea
if she didn't laugh
it wouldn't be the Tao
(Laozi)

[oblivia]

June 21, 2010
Tricycle Daily Dharma
One Size Doesn't Fit All

Nowadays, having become a teacher myself, I can see clearly that no practice can fit everyone. Generally I would say most practices suit sixty percent of the people who encounter them and try them out for a certain period of time. So I have become what could be called a pluralistic liberal in terms of Buddhist practice.

- Martine Batchelor, "The Question" Summer 2008

[Lady_Wu]

From one point of view we can say we have human bodies and are practicing the Buddha's teaching and are therefore much better than insects. But we can also say that insects are innocent and free from guile, where as we often lie and misrepresent ourselves in devious ways in order to misrepresent or better ourselves. From this perspective, we are much worse than insects.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama)

Traditionally in Buddhist teachings, to be human is the pinnacle of development on this world at least. Humans can become bodhisattvas and enlightened beings, where after one leaves the hell-realms, if one has had to go there, one moves up from insects to fish and birds, then to animals, unto one reaches the level of human being again. (I think I've got this correct, in a shortened fashion.) But I've often though in the fashion of H.H., and even wondered if, after achieving enlightenment, one might not become an insect or fish or bird or animal. They do not have the karmic consequences with which to deal that humans do. Just a though. But I agree with H.H.
Lady_Wu

[Lady_Wu]

the Tao gave birth to One
One gave birth to Two
Two gave birth to Three
Three gave birth to all of creation

all things carry Yin
yet embrace Yang
they blend to blend their life's breaths
in order to produce harmony.
(Laozi)

I have something to say about this but don't the time right now. I'll try to get back to you on it.
Also, Linus, I have a question for you concerning The Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Namaste,
Lady_Wu

[Lady_Wu]

When a problem first arises, try to be humble and maintain a sincere attitude,
and be concerned that the outcome is fair.
(H.H. The Dalai Lama)

[Lady_Wu]

that which offers no resistance
overcomes the hardest substances
that which offers no resistance
can enter where there is no space

few in the world can comprehend
the teaching without words
or understand the value of non-action
(Laozi)

[girl_dee]

i've always found i like the beliefs of the Buddhist way, and a while back was made to read the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh (who is fascinating) which i was grateful for. i have found his teaching to be simplistic which i appreciate. i also learned that i have to handle my spirituality to please myself, not someone else. i also learned that not all who claim Buddhist actually walk in that light. i like to learn from people who actually walk in the light of the Spirituality they claim.

i started to dive deep into my own spirituality when it was what helped me cope and find my way. The Buddhist word is relaxing and calming to me. One thing that comes to mind was being told to touch the Earth for a grounding experience, how simple is that? Visiting the monastery on top of a beautiful mountain a few times touched me deeply and i wanted to learn more about the Monks and their whole way of life. They are so at peace. i wanted that too. Touching the prayer wheels and sitting in that energy moved me greatly.

After a mini nervous breakdown a couple of years ago, i stopped looking into Spirituality to fix me. i reclaimed some of my own roots and although i still agree with the teaching of Buddha, i don't use that as my only source of Spirituality. i call on ALL of the deities that have helped me throughout my life, Buddha is just one of them.

[Martina]

I doubt that this is true for people in very serious chronic pain, but one thing I have noticed as a meditator who lives with arthritis pain is that first, because of your awareness, the pain gets much worse. You had no idea how much pain there was. It's damned near everywhere. Your body practically throbs with it. And then it recedes. I imagine that the same number of neurons are firing -- or however pain works. But the pain seems to rest almost. I know that the pain is there. But I am neither distracting myself from it nor focusing on it, and it becomes less significant. I wish I could explain it better. But I am impressed with how much meditation helps my arthritis pain. And sorta surprised that the process begins with the pain seeming to get much worse.

A friend of mine goes to the chiro -- a good one -- and after he hasn't gone for a while and goes back again, he realizes how much pain he has been enduring. It's not till the pain is less or even gone that he realizes how much there was.

I don't know what the research says, but I doubt that meditation lessens my pain. It's just that if I meditate, more of the time my reaction to it is, "Oh. That's pain," not fear and self-pity. I then move around more, which I think DOES help the pain long term.

[mariamma]

You've discovered a deep truth. It's not uncommon, what you describe Martina. It is difficult to manifest without a teacher though. My foster-parents are Buddhists and practice Vipassana meditation and yoga for back pain. When they meditate 2 hours every day, everything else in life flows and the pain and struggle and misery is significantly less. It has to do with perception as you imply. If you focus on the possibility and expectation of pain, you will experience more pain. Meditation can significantly increase well-being and happiness (serotonin). All that focus is healing your body, little by little. Over time, you probably will find you're maintaining mobility as where others with arthritis who rely on medication solely may have decreased mobility.
Namaste ~ the Light in me honors the Light in you

Originally Posted by Martina

I doubt that this is true for people in very serious chronic pain, but one thing I have noticed as a meditator who lives with arthritis pain is that first, because of your awareness, the pain gets much worse. You had no idea how much pain there was. It's damned near everywhere. Your body practically throbs with it. And then it recedes. I imagine that the same number of neurons are firing -- or however pain works. But the pain seems to rest almost. I know that the pain is there. But I am neither distracting myself from it nor focusing on it, and it becomes less significant. I wish I could explain it better. But I am impressed with how much meditation helps my arthritis pain. And sorta surprised that the process begins with the pain seeming to get much worse.

A friend of mine goes to the chiro -- a good one -- and after he hasn't gone for a while and goes back again, he realizes how much pain he has been enduring. It's not till the pain is less or even gone that he realizes how much there was.

I don't know what the research says, but I doubt that meditation lessens my pain. It's just that if I meditate, more of the time my reaction to it is, "Oh. That's pain," not fear and self-pity. I then move around more, which I think DOES help the pain long term.

[girl_dee]

i've often wanted to learn to really meditate, REALLY meditate. i've tried so many times but i just can't get to the level i want to. i am a hypnotherapist and i think that somehow interferes with my inability to really get to the level i want . i keep putting myself in the role of the person putting the other person under.

i know that there are different levels of meditation, and sometimes when people say they are meditating they are doing other things, or actually just relaxing... in reading those books a couple of years ago i learned about mindful meditation etc... but that is not what i want,

i want this:

[sylvie]

i am new to this thread, and fairly new to exploring my spiritual side. It feels like i have already been walking a Buddhist path for a very, very long time, as i read literature and visit the journey within, it all feels so familiar and i am nodding in agreement ... In these passed few weeks, though...i have had much self exploration, meditation time and am very much on a very deep journey of self, and looking forward to sharing more as i explore and walk this path..

[aishah]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

i've often wanted to learn to really meditate, REALLY meditate. i've tried so many times but i just can't get to the level i want to. i am a hypnotherapist and i think that somehow interferes with my inability to really get to the level i want . i keep putting myself in the role of the person putting the other person under.

i know that there are different levels of meditation, and sometimes when people say they are meditating they are doing other things, or actually just relaxing... in reading those books a couple of years ago i learned about mindful meditation etc... but that is not what i want,

i want this:

in my experience that feeling only comes after a LOT of mindfulness and insight meditation. to be honest you kinda have to get past the boring suck with basic forms of meditation to get to the good stuff, and even then it goes in circles/waves. i've always been taught that in the context of buddhism, feeling attachment to the good meditation experiences is an unskillful emotion though. that may or may not help, hehe.

i've also felt a strong sense of deep meditation sometimes when in dhikr circles. muslims - particularly sufis - have a tradition of reciting parts of the qur'an or the names of allah and in a powerful dhikr circle the recitation actually changes the energy in the room. and sometimes when listening to synchronicity meditation - it is supposed to actually change your brain wave patterns and it definitely does SOMETHING to my brain because i can feel it really deeply.