Author: Posts

Notice your opinions.  If you are aggressive about your opinions, notice that; if you are nonaggressive, notice that.  By cultivating a mind that does not grasp at right and wrong you will find a fresh state of being, the ultimate cessation of suffering comes from that.

Look within, beyond the physical body, you have the faculties to do so.  Focus your mind away from sensual input and you will discover a new mode of perception.  Searching in this way you will begin to understand, and all your doubts will cease.

When most people hear about the ancient teachings, they waiver between belief and disbelief.  When wise people hear about them, they diligently follow their path.  Others laugh at them thinking they are foolish; by this laughter we know of their authenticity.

Stillness is accomplished by realizing the truth, not by resting the body, but inwardly still, being aware of the body.  In action you act correctly, acting in the truth, not in obedience to others, but stopping in the proper place.  Both action and stillness come from mindfulness.

Quote: Each step of the journey is made by following the heart instead of following the crowd.

Each moment is just what it is, it may be the only moment of our life.  We could get depressed about it, or we could appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of that moment.  We learn to appreciate every single moment of our life by constant practice.

Questions for contemplation:  When working, are you happy with what you do?  When speaking, are your words without guile?  When you meet suffering, do you help?  When you meet conflict, do you work towards harmony?  When facing problems, are you far-seeing and tenacious?

It is a universal law that what you do, say and think determines what happens in your life.  Recognize that you and this law are one, cultivate yourself in accord with it, bringing moderation to your actions and speech and clarity to your mind.  This is a profound simple truth: what you do, say, and think is what you are.

If a person or persons are annoying you, sometimes it is best not to engage them, instead retreat with dignity and reserve.  When you carry retreat out correctly it is a sign of strength.  Through perseverance and single acts of resistance we prepare for the counter movement.  

Quote: Its not about being wrong, but how we do better.

Being satisfied with what we already have is the key to being alive in a full, unrestricted, and inspiring way.  Wake up, become more alert and curious about yourself.  Being who we are rather than trying to change and improve ourselves is all right, just be.  Any wisdom that exists, exists in what we already have.

We will put in the extra effort, and even go through hardship, if we know that we will gain something better for it.  Self-discipline, if practiced with understanding and clear goals, will lead to a greater result.  If you put in extra effort in this way, you gain a better life.

All things are brought forth from the subtle realm into the manifest world by the mystical intercourse of yin and yang.  The source of the universe is ultimately unknowable, a great invisible river flowing forever through a vast and fertile valley.  Silent and uncreated, it creates all things.

An exhausting situation can be caused by not having enough or being overwhelmed by having too much.  If you are stuck in an exhausting situation, discover the cause and seek a solution.  Merely complaining and being resentful will only make the situation worse.

Quote: Do not wait for change before you do something, do it now.

What seems undesirable in our lives doesn’t have to trigger habitual reactions.  Instead, practice gentleness and loving kindness towards every moment.  We can use difficult situations to encourage us to step out into that ambiguity, not knowing what’s ahead.

Your way of living, what you eat, what you wear, are an expression of your state of mind.  Contribute, be creative, treasure what you learn and preserve it so it can be passed on to others.  Above all be compassionate, this is a stand against evil and opens the spirit.

Be natural, look at the substance, not the form and then you will discover the truth.  You cannot discover it by accumulating more knowledge.  Knowledge creates doubt and makes you want more knowledge.  Find the subtle truth inside yourself and be content in this knowing.

To achieve results that are enduring and complete, be gentle with a steady influence that never lapses.  To produce such results, you must have a clearly defined goal.  Your results may be less striking than things done suddenly, but they will be more lasting.

Quote: You cannot change what you are, only what you do.

When something hurts in life, we want to get rid of it right away.  Doing this we naively cultivate a subtle aggressiveness against ourselves.  Instead, we could aspire to be kind right in the moment, to relax, and open our heart and mind to what is right in front of us.

When you compete against other people or natural forces, compete using concentration and awareness, no anger or aggression.  When not competing do not forget to be kind, you must still have awareness and concentration and reflex, but your expression is different.

Caring for all things, you care for yourself.  Giving to all, you give to yourself.  At peace with all things, you are at peace with yourself.  Looking at yourself or another you see the same thing.  You do this by accepting responsibility for the energies you manifest, actively and subtlety.

Talents and abilities are gifts that you possess that have a higher purpose behind them, but they only gain value by what they are used for.  The integrity of your gifts will lose their power if you boast about them or become distracted by comparing them to others.

Quote: You don’t have to know people to be nice to them.

Where we are going is unknown, where we have been we can see clearly.  The moment-by-moment experience what is happening right now is where we are going.  This is encouraging because our source of wisdom is whatever is happening to us at this very instant.

You will have many opponents in your lifetime, but your ultimate opponent is yourself.  There are many demons to conquer: fear, laziness, selfishness, egotism, and many others.  You will need discipline courage and perseverance to overcome your own defects which is the ultimate victory.

Practicing undiscriminating virtue eliminates the illusory boundaries between yourself and others, this brings you joy and freedom.  This does not mean you don’t encounter difficulties in life, but you learn to meet them calmly and openly and they become a natural part of your life.

To find your true nature seek harmony and balance in the five virtues: benevolence, justice, courtesy, knowledge, and truthfulness.  If you work diligently in this way, you will be able to assist others and the world to find this balance and bringing tranquility to all.

Quote: If your words and conduct are not consistent, they will have no effect.

Work with your own unacceptable stuff rather than struggling against it, you do this with loving kindness for yourself.   Instead of perceiving there is a problem and a solution, just keep your mind and heart open to whatever arises and maybe the perceived problem goes away.

Your overall obligation in life is to complete your own journey, but what good is self-cultivation and wisdom if you keep it for yourself?  Knowledge is meant to shared, if you can use it on behalf of others along your path through life, you should do so.

Attaching yourself to gross energies such as liking this, hating that, rejecting experiences habitually, indulging in another, will lead you to a heavy detached life.  Love all things, work daily on your habitual tendencies, and live in the world without attachments, let go.

When you feel stuck, cooperation with others on a common goal, and with concentration on the goal, will help you dissolve your barriers.  If you are free of all selfish exterior motives and are united in this joint task or goal, this can also dissolve the hardness of egotism.

Quote: To create new habits first make a small effort.

We are stuck in the same patterns of grasping and fixating, which cause the same thoughts and reactions to occur over and over again.  When we see this, even just for a second, explore these patterns and relax, we will naturally discover the knack of stopping these reoccurrences.

When you feel in the zone or that life is going right, the feeling is not something you can formulate or possess, and if you try to find it, you cannot.  The way it comes to you is by being open and focused on what you are doing and then, as if from nowhere, the feeling comes.

Whether the form is a person or a star, the process is the same.  First, the subtle energy exists. Next it becomes manifest and takes on life.  After a time, the life passes away, but the subtle energy goes on, either returning to the subtle realm, where it remains, or once again attaching to manifest things.

When a relationship or a business is in a period of abundance and prosperity, great caution should be taken to prevent disharmony and overdoing.  People become used to an easy situation, but they have a tendency to neglect the natural law of cause and effect.

Quote: To break a habit, you have to be aware of it, motivated to change, and have a strategy to replace it.

The journey to peace and happiness is a process of letting go of attachments, both physical and mental.  To do this open your heart up and surrender to life, but we cannot do this on certain occasions or situations, our surrender must be constant and genuine all the time.

If your mind is scattered, its images in disarray, you cannot move in a clear direction, the result is confusion and unhappiness.  A mind that is clearly focused on a single point or idea, like in contemplation or meditation, is able to receive all things and abide in tranquility.

Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom.  When you master yourself, you do not have to master others. When you know you have enough then you are truly wealthy.  Find your roots and nourish them and you will know longevity.

In society conflicts are unavoidable, sometimes you have to give up your own interests and ideas to chime in with others but continue to do what you intuitively know is right.  However, you must adapt to the demands of the time rather than wear yourself out resisting.

Quote: What I see depends on how I look and for how long.