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Faith: The Essential Element of Spiritual Practice

5/15/2022

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I have written many posts about faith that reflect the state of my practice at the time.   My faith has developed from being reason-based to coming from my realizing truths from within myself.   Even when I am following a teacher, deep faith comes not from respect or reason, but by meditating on the truths presented and coming too be aware of them from within, putting them in my own words.

The simplest statement of my faith is that I believe that I will be ok, safe, regardless what the universe provides (or when or how) because I have returned home and will always return home to my true Buddha nature, am sustained by the love of God within me, know that the presence of Buddha/God, the universe, within me is the source of my supply of abundance and good fortune, and so I always experience abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength.

You may be surprised by my interchangeable use of the terms "Buddha," "God," and "the universe," but that reflects my realization that these forces are all one.   Note that the "God" I refer to is not the God of the Old or New Testament; the father figure who one prays to and micromanages our lives.   Instead, it is the essence of God that is within each person, the cosmic force, which is light, love, faith, trust, compassion, gratefulness, humility, joy, contentment, strength, courage, and wisdom

In using the phrase, "whatever the universe provides," I am reflecting my experience as related in my post, "Happenstance."  Although at the time I wrote that post, back in 2016, I had not come to the awareness that these happenstances don't just happen accidentally; there is some force in the universe that I connect to within me (Buddha, God, the universe) which presents opportunities to me and which I either follow up on, or not.   

I do believe and have faith that the cosmos wants each individual to experience abundance and good fortune.   If we don't, it's because the working of our mind presents a barrier to achieving that faith because it is grounded in fear.   That is the mind's faith, and if that is what controls you, you will have no faith in your deserving and obtaining abundance and good fortune, and so you will not in fact obtain it.   If you live in fear, what you fear will come to pass.

Note that abundance does not necessarily mean wealth.   There are millions of people who are financially poor or suffer disaster who experience abundance and light because that comes from their faith, their self-knowledge. No material situation can take that away from them.

I have always said and written that faith is the beginning and end of spiritual practice.   Without faith, one is lost, subject to the control of the mind/ego, and thus subject to all the fears and anxieties and perceptions that cause human suffering.   It is faith that enables one to have positive energy regardless what is happening in life.   

Some people may say this sounds like an opiate.   Not so; opiates, drugs, obscure          what one fears and so provide an escape.   But when one has this faith, one is very aware of the circumstances of life, nothing is obscured, yet one doesn't obsess about it, one doesn't run from it.   Instead, one is aware of the light within you regardless, that you have everything you need to be at peace and happy within you right now.
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Innocence or Ignorance?

5/7/2022

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In a recent meditation I realized something.   When I have pointed to my smiling toddler as being the avatar of my true Buddha self, a common reaction that I get is that the toddler is innocent, he knows nothing of the world, so his smiling is one of ignorance.   To which I gave some credence.

But that is mistaken on two points.   While it is certainly true that a 3-year-old toddler knows nothing about all the cruelty, thoughtlessness, and evil in the world, how innocent is the toddler?   That child has already had his share of life experiences of people, in this case his parents, not being dependable for meeting his needs; of knowing that he is not in control of his life, others control it; and experiencing disappointment.

Those three experiences are critical components of everyone's life experiences as they pass through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.   So the child is not this innocent baby that we imagine.

However, as we know from all the smiling, radiant toddlers we have seen, and taken joy in their radiance, those experiences have not yet impacted them; have not dragged them down to "reality."

The reason is two-fold.   First, the ego doesn't develop until age 2 or 3, so all the experiences the child has up to that point have not been categorized, labeled, and stored by the mind.   The child just experiences this as they are in the moment, much like the chickens in my post, "The Wisdom of Chickens."

Second, because the ego has not developed, it does not supersede the light and faith he was born with.  And so the child is still in touch with his Buddha nature, his divine essence,  Ergo his radiant smile.

I was right on all counts when the image of my smiling toddler came to me years ago in a meditation and I knew right then that it was the avatar of my true Buddha nature.   I am strengthened in my awareness of Buddha nature inside me, of its love, and the power of turning my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature, of surrendering my ego to its care.   I am relieved of all burdens caused by the mind.   
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5.   You Have a Self, But It's Not the Ego

4/23/2022

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The common but incorrect Buddhist teaching of “no self” presents a problem for many people trying to walk the path.  As an example, I noted in my first book, The Self in No Self, the story, as reported in the New York Times, of a Zen master who had become disturbed by his inability to synthesize his Buddhist practice ... his no self ... with the continuing evidence of his individuality, his psychological markings.  And so he went to a psychiatrist for help!

In that book, I argued that this seeming conflict flows from a basic misunderstanding of the Buddha’s teaching,  “One may perceive the intrinsic emptiness of all five skandhas and be at one with all things, free of ego, and in this sense have no self, and yet still have a self.”   I posited that the self that is part of one’s true Buddha nature is one’s unborn spirit, one’s elemental nature.

Later I came to question the teaching of “no self” more strongly.  It wasn’t just that there was a self in no self, it’s that the teaching of no self seemed wrong, opposed to the evidence of our lives.

And with that thought, I went back to the authoritative book, The Life of the Buddha, by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, to see what the Buddha actually said on this subject.   As a note, most of the passages in this book are taken directly from the Pali canon, which is the most immediate and direct presentation of the Buddha’s life and teachings.

What I found, and had surprisingly missed on previous readings, was that the teaching of “no self” is not a teaching of the Buddha.  Instead, this is yet another example of a translation having been used for English fluidity but having the unfortunate consequence of changing the meaning for it’s intended Western audience and creating barriers.

What the Buddha did was define what was "not self."  At one point he said to his disciples, "If it causes you suffering, it is not you, it is not yours, it is not your self for your self would not cause you suffering."  The Buddha also enumerated all the things that were “not self,” basically all the things that make up our ego, our learned experience, the clinging aggregates.  For example, he said that form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent, of dependence origination, and are not self.  And in “The Doctrine,” he stated that these attributes should be regarded as, “This is not mine, this is not what I am, this is not my self.”

While we thus have a clear statement of what is not self, the Buddha does not provide a similar statement for what is self; he just frequently refers to the self.  But by logic, self is the absence of these attributes, which is in essence our true Buddha nature which is free of ego, free of thought, dwelling in perfected wisdom, experiencing all directly and at one with all things.  Thus when the Buddha says that when one perceives not-self, he eliminates the conceit, “I am,” this is not a negation of the concept of self, but a statement that one must perceive his true self before one can be fully free of ego, the conceit, "I am."

At one point, the Buddha is asked whether the self exists.  He doesn’t respond.  Then he is asked if the self doesn’t exist.  He again doesn’t respond.  When Ananda asks him afterwords why he did not answer the question, the Buddha said that regardless how he would answer, it would be confusing because it would contradict some other aspect of the teaching or would confirm one point of view versus another.  In this as in other instances, we find that there is no right answer because all is one; there is just one’s true Buddha nature.

After arriving at these conclusions, I did a Google search to make sure that I wasn’t missing something.  What I found was that teachers far more learned than I have made basically the same points.  The doctrine of “no self” is not a teaching of the Buddha.

You have a spiritual self – your true Buddha nature which resides in your heart.   You were born with that self and it remains a part of you, regardless how buried it is under the detritus of your learned experience and the five skandhas,   And so your heart is light, love, faith, trust, compassion, humility, gratefulness, joy, contentment, strength, courage, and wisdom.   Rediscover your heart, free yourself from the control of your ego-mind, be sustained by the love of your Buddha nature within you, so that you become a radiant being who is a light to yourself and to all those around you.

See the videos in my "Coming Home" series, "Your Ego ≠ Your True Self," and "Your True Self = Your Heart."  See also my post, "How to Free Yourself from the Control of Your Ego-Mind," together with the numbered posts at the beginning of the blog list.
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The Purpose of Meditation

4/18/2022

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The purpose is not as obvious as one might think.    For many people, including Buddhists, meditation is about quieting the mind and experiencing the calming effect of that quieting  as well as the clarity that comes from being free of the intervention of the mind.   

If one can achieve this through meditation, that is a major accomplishment.   We all have had the experience of our mind bombarding us with thoughts – one monk called it, "our unfinished business" – when we first started meditating.   But we learned  through various techniques to not give those thoughts any focus and just let them pass.

But there is more.   I once read a story about a woman who, after 40 years of meditating, complained to a monk that nothing had changed in her life.   My take on that was that her meditating was probably divorced from the Buddha dharma.   She did not take the opportunity of the quiet and freedom from the mind's intervention to sit with aspects of the Buddha's teaching.   To me, that is the real purpose of meditation.   To absorb the teachings and ultimately find those truths from within yourself.

And for me, the ultimate truth contained in the Buddha dharma is the truth about your true self, who you are.   As I've explained in my books, posts, and videos, your true self is your true Buddha nature, your unborn Buddha mind, your heart.   You were born with this and it remains part of you throughout your life.

Not only is it a challenge to discover your true self because the power of your ego-mind is so strong.  but most Buddhist teachers teach the doctrine of "no self."  As I explained in my book, The Self in No Self, and in my post, "The Misleading Teaching of No Self," the Buddha never taught that there is no self.   What he did teach was the things that are "not self" – all the attributes that cause suffering and make up the ego.   Read the post.

While the Buddha's teaching of "not self" implies that there is a self, he never spoke to that subject.   But I and others have written that discovering your true self is a very important part of the process of walking the path and freeing yourself from the control of your mind.   See my video in the "Coming Home" series, "Your True Self = Your Heart."

As always, when we negate something we have to have something positive to put in its place, otherwise the old just rushes back in, as nature abhors a vacuum.   By coming to know your true self, you will have an anchor that will help you free yourself and remain free from your mind.   Without that, there is no end to suffering.
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Being Aware of Abundance

4/3/2022

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Human beings tend to be complainers.   We complain that we don't have what we want, that things aren't going the way we want them to go, that someone or life isn't being fair to us, and the list goes on.   People are in a negative frame of mind much of the time, which is to say that their mind focuses on the negative, on lack.

When that is your frame of mind, you will not feel grateful for the good things in your life, past or present.   You will certainly not feel grateful for being alive.   You will not be able to experience the abundance in your life.   You will not happy and content.

Even if you have a spiritual practice, if your mind is in control, you will not feel grateful (even if you are able to articulate what you are grateful for) and you will not experience the abundance in your life.  So what does one do to change this unfortunate habit-energy that causes suffering and blocks joy?

As with most things we have as a spiritual goal, it necessitates freeing ourselves from the control of our mind, because when you are in that state, very little spiritual can be accomplished.   Not an easy matter by any means, in fact very challenging.   But it can be done and the path is clear.   See my post, "How to Free Yourself from the Control of Your Mind."

Freeing yourself from the control of your mind is not a once and done thing, nor does it happen overnight.   It is a long process and it develops incrementally.   I have found that as with many things one has to name each aspect of the mind – each fear, perception, etc.  – that one wants to be free of, that is not "you," in order for the process to work.   A global cleansing doesn't work.

And the process has no end because you can't remove your mind; it will always be there, waiting in the wings for an opportunity to assert itself.   That is why one must meditate every day as long as one draws breath.

But at some point in the process not only will you be free of the emotions and perceptions that are the cause of your suffering, but you will be able to honestly feel grateful, not just list the things your are grateful for.   And you will be able to experience abundance.

Abundance.   This is not a matter of having lots of money or things.   Many people are incredibly wealthy but do not experience abundance because they are in the control of their mind, feel insecure, and so never feel they have enough.   And so they don't experience abundance. '

Abundance is feeling that "your cup runneth over."  Abundance is the feeling you have, whether rich or poor, when you are sustained by the love of Buddha/God/the universe within you.   Because when you feel the presence of the divinity inside you, you are filled with light, love, faith, trust, compassion, gratitude, humility, joy, contentment, strength, courage, and wisdom.

Free of worries and concerns, observing all things through the neutrality of your senses, the equanimity of your third eye, you are not only aware of the love and light inside you, but you feel that abundance surrounds you.   Because you are abundance, it has nothing to do with the things around you.

Whether you live in an urban center or in the country, you are aware of the wonders of nature – the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars.   Your material surroundings, whether they are very modest or lavish, are experienced as abundance because you feel abundance.   The feeling comes from within, of feeling in the presence of your divinity.

Imagine being able to look around you and see your surroundings as abundance rather than as lacking something that you want.   That is the true state of peace and happiness.
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See Things Through Your Heart Not Your Mind

3/20/2022

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One of the most important intents of walking the spiritual path is to see all things through your heart, your true Buddha nature, not your mind.

To see things through your heart is to be filled with positive energy and joy, the neutrality of your senses: the equanimity of your third eye, free of worries and concerns, full of faith and strength,

When  you see things through your mind, you cannot experience any of these things.   The mind is never neutral; it is never free of worries and concerns; and it never has faith or strength.   What may appear to you to be positive energy is really a more manic type of energy in pursuing your mind's guidance.   And what may appear to you like joy, is also more manic in nature, there's a nervousness to it.   And what you feel as strength is really bluster or bravado, because the mind is almost always insecure.

So how do you put yourself in the wonderful space of seeing things through your heart, not your mind?  To do this you must free yourself from the control of your mind and surrender your ego to your true Buddha nature.   For the mind is the source of our fears and anxieties, not the actuality of our life and world.   See my posts, "How to Free Yourself from the Control of Your Ego-Mind," and "Turning You Will Over to Your True Buddha Nature."  Also watch my video series, "Coming Home."

This is certainly a huge challenge and it's not unusual for people to find the process scary because their mind is the only thing they've known and depended on their whole life.   But the good news is that it can be done.   The choice is indeed yours.   

Imagine if you could go through life, seeing yourself and the world around you as it is, which is different from your feelings and perceptions, and thus without worries or concerns, full of faith and strength.

Try it, you'll like it.   May you experience peace and happiness.
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As a Buddhist, How Do You Plan - Revisited Again - Relying on Your Buddha Nature

3/13/2022

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I have written several posts in the past about the challenge to a Buddhist of planning for the future and still remaining present.   Life goes forward and some type of planning for the future is inevitable, necessary.

In those posts, I wrote about how to stay present, not "thinking" about the future, not needing to know where you're headed.   See my posts, "As a Buddhist . . .  Revisited - Planning without Thinking," and "As a Buddhist . . .  Revisited - Do We Need to Know Where We're Headed?"

Recently, I realized that I had failed to articulate (and truth be told, to consciously realize) a key element of this process.   As you know from my writing, central to the way I walk the Buddhist path is turning my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature.   And surrendering my ego to its care.   (See my post, "Turning Your Will Over to Your True Buddha Nature. ")

What I failed to articulate was the intersect between turning your will over to the care of your true Buddha nature and planning for the future.  When you place yourself in the hands of your true Buddha nature, of your divinity, of the universe, you are surrendering the mind's control over your life.   You know that you are sustained by the love of Buddha nature inside you and you will thus experience abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength . . .  regardless what life provides.

Turning your will and your life over to your true Buddha nature entails choosing your goals based on guidance you receive from your heart, not your mind.   As the ancient Chinese poem says, "All's self-revealing, void, and clear without exerting power of mind."

Once you have chosen a goal, you then have to put some skin in the game, you have to do your research, get your facts.   BUT, you do not engage your mind and thought in sifting through those facts to decide what to do.   You depend on your intuition, which is your heart's guidance, as to what to do.   And it is critical that you follow your intuition, not fight it or overrule it because it doesn't conform to what you "want."

It may seem strange that at this stage of things one would still be challenged by your mind, but that certainly will be the case, especially when you are putting effort into something.   It is up to you to be aware of what your mind is doing and say, "no," and seek the guidance of your heart.   Listen to your intuition.   It will never fail you.

May you experience peace and happiness.
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The Mind is Sneaky - Surrender it

2/27/2022

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I have frequently written that although I have turned my will and life over to the care of my true Buddha nature, am free of fear, my buttons don't get pushed, and I feel at peace, my mind continues to assert itself and when it does I and those dear to me suffer.   And so I always have to be vigilant, on guard, regarding the mind asserting itself and when it does, say "no" to it, embrace it and my inner child, and say that this isn't how we respond to things and provide guidance from my heart.   See my post, "Don't Just Say No To Your Mind."

Unfortunately, I frequently have been aware but not on guard when my mind asserted itself, with unfortunate consequences.   I became aware in a recent meditation just how sneaky my mind has been, how it works at cross-purposes, which is to say against, important goals that stem from my heart.   And it does that by acting in areas where despite my having turned my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature, I still cling to certain perspectives which were important to me.   And so although I'm aware of doing something that I shouldn't be doing, and so am aware of the mind asserting itself, I don't stop the mind and say, "no."

But I do in fact have a choice.   I can say "no" to these activities or perspectives and choose to act in harmony with my heart.   And having now realized what my mind has been doing, where it has been leading me counter to my practice, I have started saying "no" to it and saying "yes" to the guidance of my heart.

This experience of the mind continuing to assert itself even after I turned my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature, after you have achieved the wisdom of knowing that all feelings and perceptions, the skandhas, are a product of the mind, has been disconcerting.

But this morning in my meditation, I realized a further truth.   As I wrote, many years ago, my Vietnamese Zen teachers urged us to surrender our egos to our true Buddha nature.   But as I wrote in my post, "Turning Your Will Over to Your True Buddha Nature," that sounded somewhat scary, especially with the monk's image of us having to jump off the precipice of our ego, and so I adopted the 12-step phrasing of turning my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature.  I thought that would get me to the same place.

I realize now, however, that those two expressions are complimentary, not identical in their impact.   Although I have achieved the one, I have continued to suffer with some regularity because I have not surrendered my ego, and so it is still active in me, sabotaging my efforts to offer myself and others joy, to achieve peace and happiness.  The two need to be combined.

It's interesting that that is exactly what I said at the end of my post about turning my will over to the care of my true Buddha nature, that I needed to combine that together with the act of surrendering my ego in my revised "Fourfold Path to Freedom."  But obviously since writing that, I totally forgot about the two in combination, and instead just focused on turning my will over.   Hmmmm.   Could it be that my mind blocked my memory of that intent?

How do you surrender your ego?   I think you do everything I have done and taught, plus whenever your mind asserts itself, you say "no" to it and look for guidance instead to your heart.  No "if's, and's, or but's."

The example of the Buddha's life shows that one cannot banish, be free, of the ego.   Even after he was enlightened, the Buddha was visited by Mara, his temptress and ego avatar, on many occasions.   He, however, had the presence and awareness to always say "no" to Mara.   That is what we all must do.

And so after almost 30 years of daily practice, I now enter into yet a higher phase.   And I feel freer because the burden of my ego-mind is being lifted off my shoulder.
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Waking Up

2/20/2022

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When you wake up in the morning, how often do you feel like not getting up because you feel at best neutral about starting your day and often wary or even fearful of some of the things going on in your life.   But when you first wake up, and feel your mind starting to engage, that's an opportunity for you to turn your day around.

When you wake up, you should make it a practice to assess how you're feeling.   And if you feel your mind asserting itself, make a choice right then to instead connect with your Buddha nature, your spirituality, with God.   Say a mantra or chant.   I say, "Rejoice and be happy, sing and be happy, awake and be happy."   Or you could say, "I am filled with abundance and light. "  Whatever works for you and is consistent with your practice.

This sounds like a little thing, but it is important to get your day off on the right foot, right from the start.   Even though I meditate every morning, starting perhaps 15-20 minutes after I get out of bed, that's enough time for my mind to take me down troublesome paths.   My meditation of course dissipates all that negativity.   But why put yourself through that for even 15 minutes?

We were not put on this earth to constantly worry and be fearful, anxious.   We were put here to partake of the light and bounty of creation that is all around us, to be sustained by the love of God/our Buddha nature within us, and to make the world a better place in whatever small way we can.

It was revealed to me years ago that my only purpose in life was to offer myself and others joy.   And I offer myself joy by cherishing each moment, grateful to be alive; to be in touch with the positive energy, the faith, in my heart; to release all desire that my life be  different in any way from the way it is right now at this moment; to be aware of all that I am grateful for; and to love myself unconditionally and have compassion for myself.

Note there is nothing in this list about being successful, or making money, or the other attributes of the understanding of joy and happiness that our culture forces on us.   The things of this world are not our source of light, of joy.   

This truth is also evident from what was revealed to me about what I need to be happy: to offer myself and others joy, to be in touch with loved ones and friends, to respect my mind, to respect my body, to be in touch with nature, and to live within my means.   Again no mention of material things or things of the carnal world.  Rather, by having the intent of living within my means, I am rejecting the felt need to acquire always more things in order to be happy.

And I offer others joy by doing what will be of benefit to them, whether through my writing, my composing, or my actions throughout the day.   The one exception being evil ones.   It is not the purpose of a Buddhist to offer evil ones joy.   See my post, "Evil - How Should a Buddhist Respond?"

So tomorrow morning when you wakeup put a purposeful smile on your face, and say, "Rejoice and be happy, sing and be happy, aware and be happy."  Make a choice.   Follow that up by looking yourself in the mirror after you get up, smiling, and saying "Good morning!  I love you," (what's called "mirror time").  These practices together with morning meditation will provide you with the spiritual strength to withstand the challenges you will face throughout the day.

May you experience peace and happiness.
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Allow Nothing to Disturb Your Peace and Happiness

2/8/2022

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The reader may respond, "What peace and happiness?"

The peace and happiness that is your birthright.  As explained in my post, "Peace and Happiness Is Your Birthright," we were all born with the true Buddha nature inside us and peace and happiness is an essential part of that nature.

The fact that you may seldom have experienced true peace and happiness is the result of your being in the control of your mind and its emotions, judgments, cravings, and attachments.   That is the source of your samsara, your suffering,  Not your true self.

Think of it.   Your natural state is peace and happiness, yet you have seldom experienced that state because of the activity of your mind!  What better reason is there to free yourself from the control of your mind.   See my post, "How to Free Yourself from the Control of Your Mind. "

Once you realize that peace and happiness is your natural state and undertake the exercises that free yourself from the control of your mind, you will be aware when the mind asserts itself and be able to say, "No," to your mind, embracing it, embracing your inner child, and provide guidance from your heart.  Thus stopping your emotions from carrying you away and remaining at peace and happy.   See my book, How to Find Inner Peace.

Then you will always be in a state of peace and happiness regardless what is happening around you.   You will be in the hands of your true Buddha nature, your heart, be sustained by its love, and experience abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength.
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    All
    1. The Goal Of Buddhism
    2. End Of Suffering Cheat Sheet
    3. 12 Steps On The Buddhist Path
    4. The Choice Is Yours
    5. You Have A Self But It's Not The Ego
    A Buddhist Trinity - Further Support
    A Buddhist Trinity - The Core Path To Peace And Happiness.
    A Carefree Day And Life
    Acceptance Courage And Wisdom
    Accepting The Life Of Those Around You
    Acknowledgement Of The Cause Of Suffering Is Key
    Allow Nothing To Disturb Your Peace And Happiness
    An Open Letter To President-elect Trump And All Americans
    Antagonist Or Challenge?
    A Path To Compassion And Loving Kindness
    Approaching The Other Shore
    Are You Reading And Willing To Let Your Cravings Go?
    As A Buddhist How Do You Plan - Revisited Again - Relying On Your Buddha Nature
    As A Buddhist How Do You Think About The Future?
    As A Buddhist … Revisited Again - Do We Need To Know Where We’re Headed?
    As A Buddhist ... Revisited - Planning Without Thinking
    As A Buddhist … Revisited Yet Again - How Do You Implement Moving Forward Without Having A Destination Point?
    A Simpler Path To Experiencing Joy
    Attachment To Self
    Avatars - Their Usefulness
    Back To Basics
    Be A Light Unto Yourself And Others
    Be Aware When Reading - Yearn To Please Or To Offer Joy?
    Befriend Yourself
    Being Aware Of Abundance
    Being Good To Yourself
    Being - Not Being
    Being One With Your True Buddha Self
    Being Present Is Being Flexible
    Being Present Is The Key To Peace And Contentment
    Being Present - No What If’s Or Imagining The Future
    Being Present - Part 2
    Being There For Someone
    Belief In You Buddha Nature - The Beginning And The End
    Be Sustained By The Love Of Buddha Within You
    Be The Eye Of The Hurricane
    Beyond Acceptance
    Beyond Awareness
    Beyond Dispassion - The Next Step
    Boredom
    Boundaries
    Buddha Mind - Child Mind
    Buddha Mind Free Of Thought
    Buddha Nature Gentle And Serene
    Buddhism And The Divine
    Burying Your Old Identity
    Change Your Life By Changing The Direction Of Its Energy Flow
    Changing The Direction Of Your Energy Flow - II - Manifesting
    Changing Your Reactions
    Chicken Or Egg ?
    Co-existence Of Buddha Nature And Ego-Mind
    Compassion
    Control
    Craving "Survival" Condemns You To Suffering
    Crying - An Understanding
    Darkness Before Light
    Death And Life
    Death And Life - Part 2
    Death Heaven And Hell
    Deflating The Ego
    Dependence
    Desire - The Gerbil Trap
    Discipline - It’s Essential
    Dislike - An Insidious Obstruction
    Dispassion Does Not Mean Wtihout Feeling
    Dispassion - Enter The State Of By Becoming Aware Of The Emptiness Of Our Ego-mind
    Dispassion - Obstacles And Options To Achieve It
    Dispassion - Unlocking The Doors
    Don't Just Say No To Your Mind
    Don’t Waste A Moment
    Don’t Waste A Moment
    Do We Suffer Or Not? - The Choice Is Ours
    Do You Really Want To Be At Peace And Content
    Ego - Changing Your Relationship With It
    Embrace The Moment Not Merely Accept
    Emptiness - What Does It Mean?
    Enter Your Buddha Mind
    Equanimity But Feel Someone’s Pain
    Everything That Disturbs Us Is A Product Of Suffering
    Everything You Need To Be Happy
    Evil - How Should A Buddhist Respond?
    Expectations? - Not If You Want To End Suffering
    Experiencing The Fullness Of The Present
    Facing My Insecurity
    Faith And Mind Not Separate
    Faith And Mind Not Separate - 2
    Faith And Reason
    Faith Even When You Are Dependent On Others
    Faith: The Essential Element Of Spiritual Practice
    Fear And Anxiety - There's More
    Fear Anxiety And Craving - Chicken Or Egg #2
    Fear Arises From Our Desire To Control
    Fearlessness
    Fear's Destructive Impact
    Fear V Common Sense
    Feeling Off? - Adjust Your Attitude
    Finding Happiness In Each Moment
    Forgiveness - A Different Take
    Freedom From The Future
    Freedom From The Known
    Freedom - What Does It Mean?
    Freeing Yourself From Anger And Resentment
    Freeing Yourself From Attachments
    Freeing Yourself From Fear
    Freeing Yourself From Fear II
    Freeing Yourself From Suffering - The Prerequisite Step
    Free Of Thought - Important Clarification
    Frustration ... Our Canary In The Mine
    Get Over Yourself
    Getting To Know Your True Buddha Self
    Give Yourself A Choice
    Going Through Life With Blinders - The Obstruction Of Labels
    Good Guys Finish Last?
    Go Slow
    Grateful For Being Alive
    Guilt
    Guilt And The Defensive Beast
    Happenstance
    Happiness Is Elusive
    Happiness - What You Need To Be Happy
    Happy New Year 2017?
    Have Directions Not Goals
    Have You Heard Of Narcs - The Final Answer To Why I Was Frowning
    Healing Your Inner Child - Healing Your Wounded Heart
    Healing Your Inner Child - Update
    Hell Is Just Resistance To Life
    How I Failed Myself
    How The Ego-Mind Tries To Destroy Faith
    How To Desire Yet Not Crave?
    How To Find Faith?
    How To Find Your True Self Your Heart
    How To Free Yourself From The Control Of Your Ego-Mind
    How To Live In Our World
    How To Love Yourself
    How To Observe Through The Eyes Of Your True Buddha Self
    How To Offer Others Joy
    How To Protect Yourself Against Psychic Attack
    How To Respond To Acts Of Aggression
    How To Spiritually Respond To The Election?
    How To Start The Day
    How To Surrender Your Ego Or Turn Your Will And Your Life Over To The Care Of Your True Buddha Nature
    Humbling Myself
    Humility
    I Am Being Reborn
    I Am Therefore I Am
    If This Is Practical Buddhism Why The Pastoral Setting
    "If You Love Someone You Will Suffer"
    Imagining In Meditation
    I’m Grateful To Be A Jubu
    Inner Happiness - Outer Happiness
    Innocence Or Ignorance?
    Insecurity - Nurture Not Nature
    Instead Of Forgiveness Show Compassion
    It Doesn’t Have To Be
    It's All About Survival - Or Is It?
    It's A Sin -The Harm We Inflict On Ourselves
    It’s Just The Way It Is
    It’s Just The Way It Is And It’s All OK
    It’s No Crime To Think About Oneself!
    Joy - A Hopefully Final Take
    Joy - At Last Real Understanding
    Joy - Experience It Now
    Joyful Dispassion - Excited Non-attachment
    Joyful Dispassion - Update
    Joy/Happiness - A Choice We Make
    Joy - One More Take
    Joy - Yet Another Take
    Knowing Best?
    Know Thyself - The Power Of Awareness
    Let Go - Let God
    Letting Go
    Letting Others Go Their Way
    Liberate Yourself From Thinking
    Likes And Dislikes - A Potential Trap Examined
    Listening - Why Is It So Difficult?
    Love At First Sight - NOT
    Love/Loving-Kindness - Defined In The Buddhist Context
    Love Yourself Unconditionally
    Make It Your Own - An Extension Of “The Heart’s Embrace”
    Making Lists - Objectifying Your Fears The Things That Push Your Buttons
    Making Peace With The Outside; Making Peace With The Inside
    Making The Most Of Every Day
    Manifestation - DANGER DANGER!
    Manifesting
    Manifesting In The Moment
    Meditation - Coming Home Releasing And Being At Peace
    Meditation - The Importance Of Daily Practice
    Memory - Don’t Trust It
    Mental Obstructions
    Mind Resting Undisturbed
    Mirror Mirror On The Wall - A Revelation
    Money And Spirituality
    My Daily Task
    My Daily Task - 2
    My Ego's Sneak Attack
    My Life - A Being Dichotomized
    My Meditation Isn't Working!
    My Mind Trapped Me
    My Road To Peace
    My True Buddha Self And Me
    Nature Of Mind Revealed - A Transformation
    Never Stop Going Deeper
    Newly Discovered Trauma
    Nirvana - It's Right Before Your Eyes
    No Expectations No Hope?
    No One’s Life Is Ordinary
    No Reason To Be Defensive
    No Self - Not!
    Not Engaging Your Thoughts
    Nothing To Prove
    Not Me - Peeling Off The Layers Of Our Ego-Mind
    Observe
    Offer Joy Experience Joy
    Offer Myself Joy!
    Oneness Does Not Mean Sameness
    Opening The Door To Being Present
    Our Over-sexed Culture And Lives
    Pain - A Cry For Help
    Paradise Lost
    Peace And Happiness Is Your Birthright
    Personal Boundaries As Part Of A Buddhist Life
    Preparing A Child For Life
    Pride Is A Function Of The Devil
    Problem - NOT!
    Proof Of The Nature Of Mind - Fear Ego And Buddha Mind
    Prosperity And Abundance
    Protecting Yourself From The Elements
    Psychiatry Needs To Incorporate Buddhist Teaching
    Putting Spirituality Into Practice 24/7
    Que Sera Sera - Whatever Will Be Will Be
    Real Clarity V The Delusion Of Clarity
    Reality Is Not What We Experience
    Receiving The Love Of Your Buddha Nature
    Reciting Affirmations
    Reclaiming The Narrative Of My Life - II
    Reclaiming The “Story” Of Your Life
    Reflecting On 75 Years
    Reincarnation - An Unorthodox Take
    Rejoice And Be Happy
    Rejoice And Be Happy - II
    Releasing All Desire
    Releasing All Desire - II
    Releasing Negative Energy
    Replacing Weakness With Strength
    Reprogram Your Mind To End Your Suffering
    Returning Home - Returning To Your True Buddha Nature
    Right Attitude
    Ritual Burning Of The Past
    Safety Defined
    Saying Grace
    Saying “No” To Negative Thought
    Seeing The Light
    Seeing Through The Eyes Of Your True Buddha Self
    Seek And You Shall Find
    Seeking Guidance From Buddha Mind Not Ego Mind
    See Things Through Your Heart Not Your Mind
    Self Re-examined
    Self-Responsibility During The Pandemic
    Sex - Misused And Abused - A Different Perspective
    Shall We Dance? - An Invitation To The Dance Of Death
    Shame
    Smiling Toddler + Wounded Inner Child
    Soul’s Yearning Distorted By The Ego-Mind
    Soul -True Self - And Ego-Mind
    Speaking The Truth
    Speak The Truth But Beware
    Starving The Ego
    Step #10: Continued To Be Mindful Of The Arising Of Cravings And Desires And When They Arose Did Not Attach To Them And Allowed Them To Subside.
    Step #11: Sought Through Meditation To Constantly Improve Our Conscious Contact With Our True Buddha Nature
    Step #1: Admitted Our Cravings Cause Us Suffering And That We Are Powerless Over Them
    Step #2: Came To Believe That Our True Buddha Nature Could Restore Us To Peace And Created A Platform Of Serenity
    Step #3: Committed Ourselves To The Path By Practicing The Five Precepts And The Six Paramitas
    Step #4 Came To Believe That All Our Perceptions Are Learned - That They Are Just A Product Of Our Ego-mind - And That Our Ego-mind Is Not Our True Self - Instead We Knew That Our True Self Is Our Heart.
    Step #5: Were Ready And Willing And Made A Decision To Surrender Our Ego And Turn Our Will And Our Lives Over To The Care Of Our True Buddha Nature Opening Our Heart To Embrace All Aspects Of Our Being.
    Step #6: Came To Believe That We Have Everything We Need Within Ourselves To Be At Peace And Happy
    Step #7: Came To Be Free Of Our Cravings
    Step #8: Were Entirely Ready To Love Ourselves Unconditionally And Have Compassion For Ourselves And To Accept Ourselves And The World Around Us As Being The Way They Are Because It's Just The Way It Is.
    Step #9: Made A List Of Persons We Had Harmed And Made Amends To Them
    Stopping Self-Sabotage
    Strength Not Courage
    Suffering Is Universal - But Why?
    Survival - The Force That Controls Our Life
    Taking Pleasure In Each Passing Moment
    Taking Refuge In Yourself
    Taking Responsibility Is Not Blame
    Teaching Only Points The Way
    Test The Wisdom Of What You’re Doing Or Thinking Of Doing
    The 3-legged Stool Of Spirituality
    The Art Of Self-Nurturing
    The Challenge Of Staying Aware
    The Coexistence Of Ego And Buddha Nature
    The Devil Is Alive And Well
    The Distinction Between Pain And Suffering
    The Divine And Man
    The Ego As Saboteur
    The Emptiness Of Intrinsic Existence And Its Relevance To Global Warming
    The Felt Need For Acknowledgment
    The Five Precepts
    The Fourfold Path To Freedom
    The Four Noble Truths
    The Freedom Of Focusing On Someone Or Something Outside Yourself
    The Heart/Mind Divide
    The Heart’s Embrace - More On Freeing Ourselves
    The Heart's Embrace - Updated
    The Hurt Of Rejection - Its Enduring Impact
    The Illusion Of Control
    The Imperative Of Self-Preservation
    The Lessons Of Siddhartha
    The Limits Of Rational Thought
    The Meaning And Power Of Selflessness
    The Middle Way - A Way Back From The Breach
    The Mind Is Sneaky - Surrender It
    The Mind - Suffering Connection
    The Misleading Teaching Of No Self
    The Missing Noble Truth
    The Myanmar Situation
    The Mystery Of The Ego - An Answer
    The New Me - I Not I
    The Noble Eightfold Path
    The Parable Of The Raft
    The Path As Tightrope
    The Path From Peace To Joy
    The Path Is Never-Ending
    The Power Of Affirmations - Use Carefully
    The Power Of Giving Voice To Thoughts
    The Present Beyond Us
    The Purpose Of Life
    The Purpose Of Meditation
    The Push/Pull Of Ego-Mind
    The Question Is Not Whether The Glass Is Half Empty Or Half Full
    There Are No Bad Persons
    There Is Nothing Wrong With You
    The Remnants Of The Ego
    The Serenity Prayer
    The Soul’s Yearning And How Best To Fulfill It
    The Stages Of Acceptance
    The Stages Of Man’s Spirit
    The Subconscious
    The Three Stages Of Embrace
    The Unaware Consumer
    The Wisdom Of Chickens
    The Wisdom Of Now
    This Is Not Me This Is Not My Self
    Thought Objects
    To Free Yourself From Cravings You Must Free Yourself Of Fear
    To Love Unconditionally = Loving-Kindness
    Tonglen - How To Approach Its Practice
    To Observe Free Of Mind - To Experience Joy
    To See Opportunity You Must Be Free Of Fear
    To Thine Own Self Be True
    Trauma
    Trauma Begets Trauma
    Trauma Denied No Longer
    Trauma - Healing It Is Critical
    Trauma - It’s Release
    Turning Your Will Over To Your True Buddha Nature
    Waking Up
    Walking Away From Modernity
    Walking On The Beach
    Walking The Path - It’s A Lot Of Work But It’s Well Worth It
    We Are All One
    We Are Not Meant To Suffer
    We Have Everything We Need To Be At Peace And Happy Inside Ourselves
    We Have Lost Our Sense Of Place
    We Make Our Own Mental Environment
    We Never Stop Healing
    What Activates The Ego-Mind?
    What Are We Celebrating On July 4th?
    What Blocks Me From Being Truly Present And Radiating My Inner Energy 24/7?
    What If The Present Is Bad?
    What Is Joy? What Is Happiness?
    What Is Life Without Emotion?
    What Is Most Important To You?
    What Is Your Task In Life?
    What Price Peace And Happiness?
    What's In A Name?
    What's Real And What’s Not Real?
    What’s The Real Challenge - Life Or The Ego?
    What To Do When You Lose Faith?
    What Use Fame Power Fortune?
    What You Can’t Will And What You Can
    When A Heart’s Desire Is Commandeered By The Ego
    When Joy Is Not Joy
    When Love Is Not Love ...
    When Nothing Offends
    When Really Bad Things Happen
    When Smiling Toddlers Cry
    When The Mind Intervenes
    Who Am I?
    Who Are You?
    Who/What Is Your True Self?
    Why Diets Fail - A Buddhist Perspective
    Why Do We Crave?
    Why Is Being Grateful Such A Challenge?
    Why Is It So Hard To Be Free Of Your Ego?
    Why Is Mankind Trapped In A Box?
    Why Point The Compass Towards Tomorrow?
    Why We Take Offense
    Wisdom - What Is It?
    Wounded Our Ego-Mind Becomes The Devil
    Yes Virginia There Is A True Buddha Nature
    Yet Another Past Attachment
    You Are Not Alone
    You As Observer
    You Can Be In Control
    You Don't Need To Be Liked

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