Today’s advice form the heart: Profit and respect are nooses of the maras, so brush them aside like stones on the path. Words of praise and fame serve only to beguile us, therefore blow them away as you would blow your nose. I admit, I had to stop and research the word ‘respect’ for this […]
Today’s advice from the heart: Avoid activities that are said to be meritorious, but which in fact are obstacles to Dharma. I’m not sure what this piece of advice ‘means to me’. I’m still noodling it through, and as usual, am doing so ‘real time’ in the interest of both being of the moment (mindfulness) […]
Today’s advice from the heart: Avoid all haughty, conceited, proud, and arrogant minds, and remain peaceful and subdued. I have to admit, this one is tough for me. Moreso for the understanding that all perspectives regarding another being ‘haughty’, ‘conceited’, ‘proud’, or ‘arrogant’ are, in fact, reflections of things within myself that have yet to […]
Today’s Advice from the Heart: Friends, the things you desire give no more satisfaction than drinking sea water, therefore practice contentment. One of the deeper lessons of Buddhism rests in the realization that desire creates suffering. It is a difficult concept for the western mind to embrace, as so much of our culture posits that […]
Today’s advice from the heart: Because you have received advice, whenever you are not meditating always practice in accordance with what your Spiritual Guide says. If you practice with great devotion, results will arise immediately, without your having to wait for a long time. If from your heart you practice in accordance with Dharma, both […]
As you may note from the dates between entries, life has been a bit on the distracting side of late. I am soon to enjoy the first vacation I’ve had in over ten years. But to get to it, I’m having to pretty well work me tookus off to clear things for it. So I […]
Today’s advice from the heart: Since there is never a time when worldly activities come to an end, limit your activities. This item is picked up at an opportune time. I have recently undertaken to try and be more social; dating, getting out of the house, trying to pull together some semblance of social activity […]
Today’s Advice from the heart is: Avoid friends who cause you to increase delusions, and rely upon those who increase your virtue. This you should take to heart. When I first read this, I couldn’t help myself but to think, “Duh!” After all, none of us like to think we’ve poor judgement in relation to […]
Today’s ‘Advice from the heart’ deals with the the need to maintain mindful focus on the things that are helpful: Until you attain stable realizations, worldly amusements are harmful, therefore abide in a place where there are no such distractions. For those of who practice as ‘laymen’ (outside official tradition or without taking refuge), this […]
Independence day is always something of an odd holiday for me. I understand that the initial point and purpose of the holiday was to celebrate our successful parting from England, but it feels a little weird to carry that, here, now, some two hundred and twenty three years later. This is, of course, why the […]