Of all that is wonderful in hman beings, our most glorious asset is the capacity to change ourselves. - Eknath Easwaran
Theologians may quarrel, but the mystics of the world speak the same language and the practices they follow lead to the same goal. - Eknath Easwaran
Though mindfulness is rooted in the Eastern meditative practices it is also strongly present in the Christian tradition. Jesus frequently called on people to pay attention, to be mindful - "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." (Mark 4:8 NIV); " Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." (Matthew 13:16). He also told parables which stressed the dangers of refusing to remain alert and mindful - The parable of the thief in the night (Matthew 24: 43-44); The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
Other biblical verses relating to mindfulness include: "Be alert and of sober mind!" (1 Peter 5:8, New International Version); "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2); "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5) Many early Christian mystics spoke about the importance of mindfulness - Evagrius of Rome - "A single word said with an attentive mind is better than a thousand when the mind is far away." Joseph the Visionary - "The mind is like the steersman in charge of the boat." John of Carpathos - "Much toil and time is needed in prayer so that one may reach a state of mind that is not liable to be disturbed by anything." (feel free to re-post and/or link to your social media) We need to learn how solemn, dignified and sublime human life really is. No matter who we are, we should respect others and not judge them. Nor should we judge ourselves. - Danin Karagiri
Meditation apps have become extremely popular and facilitated meditation greatly. Now, one such app - Calm - is now valued at $1 billion, Business Insider reports. Privately held companies that are valued at ten-figures or more are referred to as unicorns, and Calm is the first meditation-based company to receive the label. The app boasts more than 40 million downloads and one million users with paid subscriptions, according to Business Insider.
The day before Calm’s value rose, it got a lesson in how to save some cash from rival app Insight Timer, which touts itself as the top “free” meditation app. After Calm put up three billboards in San Francisco with the tagline “Sleep with us,” Insight Timer bought one across the street that read: “Don’t pay others to sleep with you. Sleep with us for free.” To add insult to, well, insult, Insight Timer bragged about the public relations coup on Instagram, pointing out that they got a better deal on their ad space. (source: Tricyle Magazine) According to traditional Buddhism, our helter-kelter state of mind must be by the practices of 'shamatha' and 'vipassana' - tranquility and insight. - Danin Katagiri
. . . You open and close doors carefully, quietly.
. . . You pick up and put down things gently, quietly. Consider these teachings on this topic: "We don’t teach meditation to the young monks. They are not ready until they stop slamming doors." – Thich Nhat Hanh to Father Thomas Merton in 1966. From the Tattva Artha Suytra - a definitive Jain religious text. The title simply means "The Nature of Reality." It describes an enlightened person as one who takes great "care in lifting and laying down things." So, those who are clumsy and careless about doors and the way they pick up or put down objects have more to work on before they approach an enlightened state. Think about someone who becomes angry and walk out - they usually slam doors, possibly kick objects, and generally make noise reflecting their anger. Today, be aware of yourself every time you open and close a door, pick up and put down something. Be an enlightened soul. (feel free to re-post and/or link to your social media) The world I aspire to live in is one with fewer borders, not more, greater acceptance of diversity, not less, and cooperation between peoples rather than suspicion and antagonism. These values are at the very heart of what the Buddha taught. I find all forms of nationalism, sexism, racism and homophobia to be in direct conflict with the dharma. - Stephen Batchelor
Robert Thurman, PhD., professor of Buddhism at Columbia University, author and former ordained Buddhist monk (ordained by the Dalai Lama himself as the first Westerner to become a full Buddhist monk) is a serious about meditation and knowledge. One without the other leads to a spiritual vitamin deficiency (my words). Here's how he puts it:
In the West, "the main thing has been to just meditate and it will all be solved. That is a bunch of b.s., as far as I’m concerned. Meditation is essential, but only after learning something." Both the Buddhist tradition and Vedic philosophy offer a wide variety of teachings about mind management, working with emotions, and applying the insights gleaned from meditation into daily life. That's the reason why we - at Tulsa Yoga Meditation Center - as well as other traditional yoga studios offer workshops and retreats. Information can be transformed into wisdom. We try to help women and men take their yoga and meditation "off the mat or cushion" and into daily life. The only way to experience true wellbeing is to turn inward. This is what yoga means – not up, not out, but in. In is the only way out. – Sadhguru
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Victor M. Parachin ...is aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Archives
July 2024
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