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

[Linus]

Originally Posted by Femminator

Does anyone else here engage in moving meditation? I have found that when I run, I meditate with much more focus than I do when I sit. My wife and children have even noticed that after I run, I am so much more at peace and focused than before. I have found it to be a great way for me to meditate.

When I used to do regular bicycling, I found myself to be my most meditative and relaxed, even when getting lost in the middle of nowhere. In fact, it was those moments of being lost and letting my mind just listen to the sound of the wheel against the pavement, the sound of the insects in the back, the wind swaying trees and wheat in fields, the birds talking amongst themselves and the sky the bluest of blue -- it was then that I found the closest thing to perfect peace.

I need to find a place like that to bike to here in Los Angeles (not as easy as I thought it would be, especially when on the road). I need to find a new moving meditation I think.

[Martina]

[Martina]

I have been thinking about wisdom and compassion and what they in a Buddhist sense -- not the Hallmark Christian tradition I grew up in.

From Shantideva and others, I have concluded that wisdom is seeing others as separate from us -- not things to make us feel better or worse -- but completely unique beings, who, however, share the same living essence that we do. We are separate and one at the same time. We recognize them as THEM, so them that they could never be anybody but them, every mole and wrinkle amazing because it makes them THEM.

We also vividly see ourselves in them, see our oneness with them. It's a kind of awe in the other's uniqueness with a simultaneous acknowledgement of connection, an experience that ordinarily we only -- very occasionally -- have with our beloveds. And intimate relationships are fraught with fear of loss -- are by, definition, attachment. To be in that state of recognition of other and same -- with others who aren't our beloveds -- that's living in wisdom and compassion.

Compassion means realizing how dear that other life is and, as a result, cultivating a life of our own which does less harm. Loving action results. Loving action, which helps others, is just action not derived from selfishness, action which does not harm. It's not a deliberate effort to do good, to forge a bond or elevate reality in some way, but any action, however banal, that is not motivated by clinging or aversion. One does not manifest loving action or lovingkindness as a thing in itself. We try to be mindful and act without doing harm. Lovingkindness is everything we do when we are present and not harming others. It's not dramatic, not a Hallmark moment.

I find that my practice is progressing even while my life is not what I would like in some ways. I guess it's good enough not to be stuck spiritually, and for that I am grateful. Anyway, practice leads me more and more toward this understanding of compassion, which has little in common with the Christian understanding that I was raised with -- mercy, shared grief, miracle-making, and forgiveness-generating. At its worst, that kind of compassion is a manipulative emotional state that almost reaches out and deposits itself on the other.

Buddhism does see compassion as the force through which we can help others toward liberation. But it's not the notion I was taught, that oozing tube of God ointment.

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by stone4play

I tend to do a walking meditation when I have my mind set for that. Thich Nhat Hanh speaks of walking meditations. And I will apologize early if this has been mentioned already. I haven't taken the time to read through the thread just yet, but I will.

i think some posts got lost in the outage.


i had replied to this that i have read some of Thich Nhat Hahn's work. Very powerful stuff, and i wish i had some of the books now to finish them, but i don't so i will go by memory here, but i really loved the simple way he explained things. Like grounding with the Earth.

Go out, touch the Earth. Just lay your palm on the ground. It's amazing what you can feel by just doing that simple thing. i feel energy comes from the Earth so when we touch it, we receive it.

i've been suddenly drawn to going deeper for enlightenment. i've been using guided meditations to go to sleep with and i feel many dreams are coming to me, which is complete contrast to the nightmares which have plagued me for years. (like about 40 years now). i am looking into trying to learn what the messages are, and how they apply to my life right now.

It's a welcome change!

[girl_dee]

BUMP! ........

[knight]

In the Buddhist teaching of love, there are four elements. The first is maitri – friendship, brotherhood, loving-kindness. And the second is karuna – capacity to understand the suffering and help remove and transform it – compassion. Mudita is the third element – joy – your joy is her joy, her joy is our joy. The last element is upeksha – nondiscrimination. This is a higher form of love. The four qualities have no limits – infinite love – these elements are also call the Four Unlimited Minds.

The bodhisattva of love is in you.

[FireSignFemme]

[girl_dee]

Love Mudita!......

[Gayandgray]

Can anybody suggest any good books explaining Buddhism for total newbies?

[knight]

There are loads of books as well as info online. In fact it could be very overwhelming. I think the common mistakes that people make is to become rigid about their discovery and become caught up with the three major thoughts of Buddhism. I always say just dive in with out much thought. The Buddha says that Buddhism can not be forced, the mind needs to want it.
A great book to start would be Thich Nhat Hanh The Heart of The Buddha's Teaching. A very easy comprehensive book..
Enjoy it.
Namaste!

Originally Posted by Gayandgray

Can anybody suggest any good books explaining Buddhism for total newbies?

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by knight

There are loads of books as well as info online. In fact it could be very overwhelming. I think the common mistakes that people make is to become rigid about their discovery and become caught up with the three major thoughts of Buddhism. I always say just dive in with out much thought. The Buddha says that Buddhism can not be forced, the mind needs to want it.
A great book to start would be Thich Nhat Hanh The Heart of The Buddha's Teaching. A very easy comprehensive book..
Enjoy it.
Namaste!

Thats my favorite book! i do love all of his books!

[knight]

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by knight

thank you. Love this!, i am going to listen again while i drive in to work.....

[knight]

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by knight

i love the Dali Lama!

[knight]

Thich Nhat Hahn has recently returned home to Vietnam because he may be close to the end of his physical days.... so in thinking about that here is a video on life and death. I especially loved how he speaks of the wave at the end, the wave is water so it never dies, it simply remains as water. Namaste!

[Martina]

There's a website called dharma seed with hundreds of Dharma talks, mostly by insight meditation folks. You can search by topic or teacher.

http://dharmaseed.org

I recommend

Jack Kornfield
Sharon Salzberg
Sylvia Boorstein
Tara Brach
Guy Armstrong
James Baraz
Kamala Masters

[knight]

Thank you for posting that, I love dharma talks, and a great list of teachers.. Namaste!

Originally Posted by Martina

There's a website called dharma seed with hundreds of Dharma talks, mostly by insight meditation folks. You can search by topic or teacher.

http://dharmaseed.org

I recommend

Jack Kornfield
Sharon Salzberg
Sylvia Boorstein
Tara Brach
Guy Armstrong
James Baraz
Kamala Masters

[knight]

[girl_dee]

knight while rearranging my space ( trying to create a shift) i ran across my little pocket book by Thich Nhat Hahn. i haven't opened it in ages.

i opened it and the subject is mindful living. i have gotten soooo far away from this.

" While eating breakfast, don't think of what you are going to do. Your practice is to simply eat breakfast. Your breakfast is there for you, you have to be there for your breakfast. Enjoy each morsel of food with joy and enthusiasm. "


great reminder.