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The Truth – Seeing It and Speaking It

9/30/2022

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A very important aspect of being one with your true Buddha nature, the divinity within you, is seeing the truth and speaking the truth.

It is an aspect of being one with your true Buddha nature because only when you are free of the control of your mind can you know the truth, because only then can you observe yourself and the world around you with dispassion, free of labels, free of emotion, free of the intervention of your mind.  You see reality.

When you are not free of the control of your mind, you see everything through the lens of your mind; what you observe with your senses - sight, sound, smell - which are themselves neutral, is interpreted and refracted by your mind's life experiences, emotions, and perceptions into your mind's biased version of reality.

There is an old saying that the truth will set you free.   It's not always what you learn about the truth – although often that will in fact be the case, especially about the past – but that since you can only see the truth when you are free of your mind's emotions and perceptions, that is what sets you free.

Seeing yourself and the people and world around you as things truly are is critically important for making sound judgments, decisions, as you go through life.   Depending on how far you are along on the path, to what extent you have renounced your mind and are at one with your true Buddha nature, your mind may still be strong enough to counter the truth you see and make you adhere to its view of things.   Certainly one must be aware that the mind is always out there, waiting for an opportunity to assert itself, no matter how far along you are on the path.

As for speaking the truth to others, only when you are one with your true Buddha nature will you have the courage to do that.  Why does that take courage?

Because most people do not want to hear the truth – about anything.   They see the world and themselves through the lens of their own mind, they have their own personal version of reality, and they do not want to hear the truth because the truth is threatening in many ways.   The truth is challenging.  It rocks the boat.

Having the courage to speak the truth does not mean that you speak the truth to everyone in every situation like you're on a mission.   One has to judge when the truth is needed and when the truth can be spoken without inflicting harm (although there are situations where speaking the truth is so critically important that even if it harms someone, it must be done).   In one sense, one can say that the truth is always needed, but without question in some situations the need is more urgent than others.   

You must be aware, however, that by speaking the truth, you may well be shunned by the very people or their friends that you a trying to help.   Again, people just don't want to hear the truth because typically they will hear something they don't want to acknowledge.

So speaking the truth is often an isolating experience.   That's why it takes courage.
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Beware Complacency

9/24/2022

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When one gets to a certain place in one's practice – and that place is different for different people because their goals are different – there's a human tendency to pat oneself on the back and say you've done it.   And when the mind does that, we become complacent and let down our guard regarding the source of our samsara, our mind.

If one is aware that one is feeling complacent or self-satisfied about one's practice, a bell should ring out – Danger!  Danger!

I say this from personal experience.   It has happened in the past, and just recently I felt after a morning meditation that things were truly coming together, there was a coherence among all aspects of my practice.   When I said "your will, not mine," I felt a burden being lifted from my shoulders.

And so what happened in rather rapid order?   Twice over the course of the following 12 hours I violated key aspects of my daily mantra regarding my relations, my interaction, with others.   This caused grief to people dear to me and thus grief to me.

My purpose in life is to offer myself and others joy.   When I instead cause someone and myself grief, I am not only not fulfilling my purpose in life, but I am truly hurting myself and others.

And so I must remember what I have said many times:  the path never ends.   One must be mindful of the power and persistence of one's mind, knowing that if it sees any opportunity, any crack in your force field of spirituality, it will take advantage of that opportunity to assert itself and at least momentarily knock you off your spiritual balance.

My intent is to always empty myself of myself, to be in touch with the Buddha nature/my divinity inside me, the source of my supply, my substance, to be humble before it saying "your will, not mine," and so be filled with abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength,  And never allow myself to be complacent.
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What Nourishes My Soul?

9/17/2022

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Everywhere I have lived, I have been drawn to nature.   Whether living in a city or the  country, it is nature I seek out – nature read large.   Ether a large body of water, like Lake Michigan or the ocean, or a vista that includes the open sky and some element of nature.

What is at work here? Whether a large body of water or a vista, they connect me to the infinite nature of the universe, the primal forces that are present.   Probably that's why I've always been interested in astronomy, in what's out there.  Connecting with forces beyond me, beyond the known.   Connecting with the abundance and beauty of the universe.

I believe that is also what draws me to good music and beautiful art.   It's not just the aesthetic quality, which is pleasing; it connects me with something deeper, spiritual.

It is the spirituality of nature, beyond man's control, and of man himself when he is in touch with the presence of the divinity within him, that nourishes me.   Because that feeds the divinity within me, my true Buddha nature.

I function very well in cities, but i need access to this spiritual dimension, which can come from a high-rise with a beautiful vista (not just other buildings), or something that dwarfs or is apart from the man-made environment (like Lack Michigan in Chicago).   Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City, for example, lovely as they are, don't work for me because they are very much a part of the man-made environment.  They feel like nature in a cage.

The other thing that nourishes me, being human, is human contact.  Which means contact with people that is not fraught with the things that usually drive people, that has instead a spiritual quality.   The contact does not have to be deep or intellectual, just human, pure, honest.   Given the way we are raised and the society in which we live, that is not easy to come by.   I am grateful that when I go to temple, this is what I receive from the sangha.   And I have found that if I radiate light when in public, even in this impersonal space, I will get an occasional positive response.

If I know that this is what nourishes me, how can I increase the nourishment in my life?  We make decisions every day about what direction our lives will take, both on matters large and small.   Typically the mind has a large say in these decisions.   Even when one has turned one's will and life over to the care of your Buddha nature, your divinity, when you have surrendered your ego, emptied yourself of yourself, the mind still seeks to have influence, just like Mara would consistently tempt the Buddha.   

And not being enlightened, even if you are aware of this, it is a challenge to distinguish whether the guidance you are receiving is coming from the mind or from your heart.  Clearly if it causes you suffering, then as the Buddha said, "this is not you, this is not yours, this is not your self;" I know it is not coming from my heart.   But that is not always the case, or better put, by the time I realize it is causing suffering, I have already invested time and energy in the wrong path.   This is a painful lesson.

My intent is to be ever vigilant so that this knowledge and awareness of what nourishes me influences all my actions and activities.
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Emptying Myself of Myself - The Divine's Will Not Mine

9/10/2022

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If you have been reading my posts, you know that I have gone pasts traditional Buddhist teaching to embrace elements of the Divine.   (See my posts, "Buddhism and the Divine" and "Happenstance - Part II, You, Your Buddha Nature, and the Universe.")  This is all consistent with the Buddha dharma, but it introduces concepts and forces which are not explicitly recognized in the dharma.

You are probably familiar with the phrase, "God's will, not mine," which is a central part of 12-step programs (although the reference is to one's higher power, so the phrasing is "your will not mine").   This is an essential part of surrendering your ego to your true Buddha nature, turning your will and your life over to the care of your true Buddha nature.

When I incorporated this mantra into my practice, I felt a burden being lifted from me.   I had no fear of not being in control.   Instead I felt relief at not being in control, of things not depending on my mind's efforts.

Recently, though, I learned that a further step on this path is to empty myself of myself and so be one with my the Buddha nature, the divine, inside me.   For only when one is in that state can one truly say, "your will, not mine," because at that point you have no will because you have emptied yourself of yourself, not merely turned your ego over to the care of your Buddha nature.

Also, when you are in that place, you are in a position to not just receive but to accept and follow any guidance you receive from your Buddha nature/the divine inside you, your heart.   There truly is no struggle then, for there is no "I" to struggle with the divine.

This is my intent every day, every moment of the day, as I continue walking on the path
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Renouncing What You Have Always Depended On

9/3/2022

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Recently I have written about the teaching of being at one with your Buddha nature/divinity, seeing it as your source and your supply, and your substance.   And so be filled with abundance and light, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength.

That sounds like the whole ball game, right?   Well, the other morning while meditating I realized that in order to be fully in that space, I must renounce my dependence on things, people, and experiences for my source and supply.   That may be implied by looking to the presence of your Buddha nature/divinity as your source and supply, but implication is not sufficient.   You must clearly renounce, relinquish, that habit energy that has been with you throughout your life.

The Abundance Book as well as The Course in Miracles makes clear the importance of renouncing what we have previously put our faith in as providing for or supply, namely money and material things, jobs, people.   It's not that these things are not important to one's life, but they are not the source of your supply.   Buddhist teaching is very clear that that comes from within, and it comes from our being one with our Buddha nature, our divinity, or if you wish, the presence of God within us.   (See my post, "Buddhism and the Divine.")

This is one more aspect of the importance of surrendering your ego to your true Buddha nature.   See my post, "Turning Your Will and Your Life Over to Your True Buddha Nature."
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A Buddhist Trinity - Amended

8/28/2022

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Several years ago, a wrote a post describing the core aspects of the path leading to peace and happiness: acceptance, being present, and faith that you'll be ok in the future whatever will be, que sera sera.   I later wrote a post about some supporting practices.

All of this is a challenge, having been raised as we have been and living in an environment which is often hostile, with our egos being constantly challenged.   In order to have a reasonable chance to experience acceptance, being present, and faith in the future it is clear to me now that several other spiritual practices are critical.

The first is gratefulness.   It's relatively easy for someone to list the things that he's grateful for; I did it for years.   But to feel grateful is something else altogether.  To have the feeling of gratefulness rise up within you, unasked, means that you are truly grateful.

The second spiritual practice is feeling abundance.   One reason why gratefulness is so critical is that if you are not grateful, you cannot experience, feel the abundance that is part of your life and exists all around you.   Believe me, if you are in a state of being ungrateful, about anything, you will not be able to experience any abundance in your life.

Without being grateful and experiencing abundance, you stand little chance of truly being accepting and present in the moment, nor have faith that you'll be ok in the future regardless what happens.

Let's say you're working on a new project, or a job, and it just isn't going well; it's causing you lots of stress.   We are raised to say keep at it, don't admit failure.   Yet from a spiritual perspective, taking that route is bound to just perpetuate your suffering.   

Spiritually, if something is causing you suffering, it either isn't right for you and you need to let it go, or you need to find a different way of approaching it.   As the Buddha said, "If it causes you suffering, it is not you, it is not yours, it is not your self for your self would never cause you suffering. "  But if you aren't otherwise filled with gratefulness and aware of your abundance, you will not be able to accept that fact and let it go.

Another example is people are always talking about what they don't want, something they have but they don't want.   That doesn't get you anywhere, does not move you forward.   It just mires you in frustration.   

What we must do instead is talk (but not obsess) about the things we want.   Throw positive thoughts out to your Buddha nature and the universe.   Remember, any time you voice a negative, you are in fact affirming that negative! But again, the only way to stop focusing on what we don't want, is to be grateful for what we have, feel the abundance, and accept our life as it is at this moment.

The third critical spiritual practice is to be in constant contact with your Buddha nature, your divinity.   Given the environment we live in and the way most of us have been raised, these spiritual states I've noted are a real challenge to experience with some consistency.   To experience them with consistency requires that we are in constant contact with our Buddha nature, with our divinity.   And so this is the third critical spiritual practice.

This is relatively easy when you are sitting on your cushion, or are out in nature, or are doing something that is not part of your role in the world.   But when you are trying to do something, achieve something, being in contact with our Buddha nature while in the process rather than with our mind is a great challenge.   There are times when the mind must be engaged, it is an essential part of moving through life, but frequently that balance is all wrong between the weight of our mind and the weight of our contact with our  Buddha nature and so we go down the wrong path.

I truthfully have no foolproof answer to maintaining that contact.   All I can do (I am not enlightened) is to put myself in contact with my Buddha nature throughout the day, literally asking it to be with me, while rejecting the input of my mind.
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Humility: The Truth About "My" Good Accomplishments

8/16/2022

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I've always been proud about what I've accomplished in life, whether it's the work I did or relationships I developed on the job, whether it's the music or books I've written, whether it's my blogs and videos.   And this seemed very natural.   I was not "prideful" (conceited, arrogant, or overconfident) while still taking legitimate pride in my accomplishments, if that makes sense.

However, I recently watched a video on being humble before God, and I realized that the pride I took in my accomplishments was not being humble before God or Buddha.   Why is that?   Because I know now that my Buddha nature, my divinity, was an active participant in everything good that I have created.   In each case I was moved by my Buddha nature and was giving voice to its wisdom and humanity.   My music, books, etc. were in fact joint projects.   I could never have done those things were it not for the Buddha nature, the divinity, that was inside me, that is my substance, source, and supply.

I had known the truth for many years that the true Buddha nature was inside me.  But I never viewed it as an active participant in my life; more a guider on how to live.

So for many years, although I realized everything good that has happened in my life has happened by happenstance, not  because of my mind's effort, I was not able to add more to that realization.  But since reading The Abundance Book, I have become aware of and acknowledged the presence of my Buddha nature, my divinity, within me as being the source of my supply, the source of my abundance.

And so I realized that this happenstance has been a function of my Buddha nature/my divinity/the universe; these things did not happen by accident.   Even during the decades before I had any knowledge of or belief in the Buddha, I was being provided for.   I know now that this is further proof of the constant presence of Buddha nature inside us all.   (See my post, "Happenstance - Part II.)

And now most recently, I have come to understand that these forces are not just the source of my supply of abundance, but they are my substance.   Everything good I have done has been a result of their influence, even when I was totally unaware of it.

And so I have humbled myself before my true Buddha nature and divinity.   I no longer take unwarranted pride in my accomplishments.
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Your True Self and the Irrelevance of the Mind

8/8/2022

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What do you do when you replace the old view of you – formed by your mind, your life experiences – with a new view of you based on the understanding of your spiritual heritage, that you were born with the true Buddha nature inside you and it is still there – your true self?  (See my "Coming Home" videos, especially "Your True Self = Your Heart.")

I have in my posts suggested various methods to implement this change.   Everything from turning your will and you life over to the care of your true Buddha nature, surrendering your ego to its care, saying, "Not me!" to all your negative feelings and perceptions, shining light and love on your trauma, to burying your old tortured soul and mind with compassion.

But even with all of that work, I believed the mind of the old me still lurked there, waiting for an opportunity to express itself.   It would not be denied.  And it would sneak up on me with no warning.   And I feared that.

Most recently, however, I have received a teaching that has given me an expanded take on the new me.   It is not just that the Buddha nature, my divinity, is inside me . . .  it is me, it is my substance.  That force is what drives all the good that I do in my life.   It is the source of my supply.

With this new concept of my self, I am becoming more aware of all the abundance in my life and around me and radiate the light that is my true Buddha nature, my divinity.

I have also accepted the teaching of his will, not mine.   It is of course my responsibility to engage myself in what I feel led to do, but I don't have to figure out what is best for me or how it will work out; that is the responsibility of my divinity, of the universe.   That is a burden that I am relieved of.   My responsibility is to be ready when I am guided.   I know I will be safe regardless what the universe provides because I have returned home and will always return home to my true Buddha nature, the divinity inside me.   (See my post, "Buddhism and the Divine.")

And finally, with my new self operating, I have no need to fear the impact or guidance of my mind.   I have left that behind.   Yes, it will always be there and it will certainly attempt to assert itself.   But I have the faith in myself and the presence of God within me that its fears are no longer relevant.   I am no longer my wounded inner child in an adult body.   And so I can just ignore it.

To quote Martin Luther King from a difference context, "Free at last, free at last, thank God I am free at last!"
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The Mind and Your Inner Child - II

7/31/2022

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I wrote a post several years ago in which I shared the received truth that the wounded inner child is the source of all our suffering, indeed all the suffering in the world; the point was made that whenever two people are fighting, it is always their inner children that are fighting.   And I therefore said that just as my smiling toddler is the avatar of my true Buddha self, so too my wounded inner child is the avatar of my mind.

I just realized this morning when meditating that I got this wrong.   My wounded inner child is my mind, not just its avatar.   And that makes a profound difference in how I interact with my mind.

I have always viewed the mind as being my adversary, my enemy, in my intent to walk the path.   For the mind constantly brings on doubt and fear, its perceived truth, to pull me from the path.

Recently I wrote a post that said that instead of just saying, "no," to my mind when it asserts itself, recognizing that it and my inner child are one and so an antagonistic stance is not appropriate, I should embrace them, saying that this is not the way we respond to whatever the situation is and provide them guidance from my heart.

That was a positive change in how I had always dealt with my mind.   But I still didn't connect the dots.   If my wounded inner child is my mind, then it cannot be my enemy.   It may be my adversary in walking the path, but it is only so because my wounded inner child is consumed by fear and self-doubt.  There is no evil intent.  

I did once write that just as the devil is often referred to as a fallen angel, so too our mind is our internal fallen Buddha self (see my post, "The Devil Is Alive and Well").   I then spoke about differencing between those who were under the influence of the devil and those who had become the devil incarnate, evil.

This was wrong thinking.   Our wounded inner child is not under the influence of the devil.   It may be thought of as our fallen Buddha self, but it is just disturbed, troubled; it is not evil and thus not the devil.   

Only when one has given up on the light and assumed darkness as ones identity does one become the devil, and that is the devil incarnate.   When I related the story of having dinner with my friend and realizing that I had been in the presence of the devil, that was because my friend had succumbed to darkness, he was not able to see light, and so the devil was indeed inside him.

Thus when my mind, my wounded inner child, asserts itself, beyond saying, "no," I truly need to respond with compassion towards my inner child and provide it guidance from my heart.
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Happenstance - Part II - You, Your Buddha Nature, and the Universe

7/24/2022

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In the years since I wrote the original post on Happenstance, especially recently having embraced my Buddha nature, my divinity, as being the source of my supply of abundance and prosperity, I have a further take on happenstance.

It is very clear to me that none of the happenstances that I have experienced and that have changed my life happened by accident.  They did not just happen.   Instead the universe put me and the other person or object in the same place and it then depended on me, it was my responsibility, to see the light, to be aware of the guidance, and pursue what the universe presented to me.

Now, I have always believed (well, at least since I was an adolescent) that there is no God or some force to pray to for action, to make things happen – not God, not Buddha, not the universe.  Also, for the first 50 years of my life, I was not in contact with the presence of God, my divinity, my Buddha nature.

And so Question #1:  How is it that I was provided with so much good fortune during that portion of my life when I neither prayed for it nor was in contact with my Buddha nature?

That seems at odds with what I have come to believe, as I have been taught, that one does not experience anything one wants or desires, even a Right desire, unless we are spiritually in a place where we feel that we are deserving of what we desire, that we have changed our subconscious from one of inferiority and lack to one of competence and deserving of abundance.

My only answer is that your Buddha nature and the universe are always looking out for you, they know you, and provide even if you are not in a position to experience abundance – and so I experienced a good job, and love – but I nevertheless did not feel good about myself, I felt no abundance, and indeed, because of the force of my negative mind-energy, I did things that ended up destroying that which I was provided and loved.   So I did not truly experience, during this time of my life, what I desired.

We can achieve all sorts of things through the power of the mind, as well as those that are provided by happenstance, but we cannot achieve abundance, the feeling of abundance, unless we are spiritually in the Right place, unless we are guided by the Buddha dharma, among other things.

Question #2: Now that I am in a higher spiritual place, what is the role of my Buddha nature, my divinity, and the universe in bringing me prosperity?

And I literally just became aware of the answer as I was writing.  The answer is that the answer really doesn't matter.   This is an example of my mind doing a number on me, trying to make "sense" of all this and in the process destroy the faith that has slowly been building in me recently that I can place myself in the hands of my Buddha nature – that I don't have to think about this, apply my mind to this – and all will not just be well, I will prosper in the broadest sense.

I don't know when or how or where this will happen, but there is no question in my heart that it will happen.   Only a feeling of lack (which I explained in my recent post, "Feeling Lack - An Insidious Perception") would rob me of this gift.
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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 - Amended
    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?
    Be Careful The Monk/Teacher You Choose
    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
    Beware Complacency
    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
    Can't Find Your Buddha Nature - Look In The Mirror
    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?
    Emptying Myself Of Myself - The Divine's Will Not Mine
    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 Lack - A Most Insidious Perception
    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
    Happenstance - Part II - You Your Buddha Nature And The Universe
    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
    Humility: The Truth About "My" Good Accomplishments
    I Am Being Reborn
    I Am Therefore I Am
    If Nothing Offends All Internal Struggle Ceases
    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
    Lack V Abundance
    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!
    No Spiritual Force Can Protect You From Yourself Your Mind
    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
    Renouncing What You Have Always Depended On
    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
    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 Four Bodhisattva Vows
    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 Light Within You
    The Limits Of Rational Thought
    The Meaning And Power Of Selflessness
    The Middle Way - A Way Back From The Breach
    The Mind And The Wounded Inner Child
    The Mind And Your Inner Child - II
    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 Truth – Seeing It And Speaking It
    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
    Wealth Poverty And Buddhism
    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 Nourishes My Soul?
    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
    Your True Self And The Irrelevance Of The Min

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