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A Simpler Path to Experiencing Joy

5/25/2018

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As you know from previous posts, I have been working with my inner child, healing it from the wounds it suffered.   A friend of mine recently said to me that you have to do more than visit your inner child in the past and comfort him, be there for him.  Your inner child is alive in you now and has needs.  You need to parent him now; you have a symbiotic relationship.  So ask you inner child what he wants for himself and how you can help him.

I did that.  And the answer I received was very simple and straight-forward.  My inner child said that he wants to experience joy.  And for him to experience joy, I need to experience joy.  And to experience joy, I need to be free of thought … emotions, judgments, cravings, attachments, and the eternal “what ifs?”.

This message was revelatory for me.  I had always said that I want to be free of suffering and so I need to turn my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha self.  My healed inner child was saying that he wants to experience joy and so needs to be free of thought.

These are two sides of the same coin.  But as the days pass, I am finding a big difference in their implementation.  What my inner child wants seems easier, more natural.  I’m not trying to free myself from something; I just want to experience what’s already there.  Also, it seems easier to be aware when you are not experiencing joy than when you are experiencing low-level suffering.  Finally, there is something very moving to hear your inner child say that it wants to experience joy; it is very motivating; you want to be there for your inner child.

And I am finding that being free of thought is simpler than turning my will and my life over to the care of my true self.  First, there is no push-back.  When I say I want to turn my will over to my true Buddha self or surrender my ego to it, that is threatening to my ego.  But when I just don’t let thoughts invade my mental space, that seems to meet with no resistance.

Second, it’s straight-forward. There is no question of, “how”. I just say “no” to any thought or emotion that starts arising because I know it will interfere with my experiencing joy and happiness at that moment.  Again, as I’ve stated in previous posts, being free of thought does not mean that I am not discerning.  I am very aware of the situation I am in; I just don’t apply the ego-mind’s labels to it; I experience it directly with dispassion.

To put this into practice, it helps to take time throughout the day to do things for the pure joy of doing them, no other motive; whether it’s being in nature, going for a walk, listening to music; reading a good book.  It also means that when I am doing things that move my life forward, I do them without emotion or labels or what ifs.

Many years ago, a monk told me, “Take joy in each moment, in everything you do.”  I finally understand how, practically, to experience life in that way.  It does not mean finding joy in the moment or the things I do, because it’s there.  No effort is required.  It just means being free of thought.  When not weighed down by thought, my inherent joy will rise to the surface naturally.

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At its core, what I just described is no different than knowing that what’s most important to you is peace and happiness and not allowing anything to interfere with that. (See my post, “What Is Most Important To You?”)  And yet I am finding this message from my inner child to be even more powerful and easier to implement.
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Soul, True Self, and Ego-Mind

5/19/2018

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The soul features prominently in much spiritual writing.  It is central to all three Abrahamic faiths, as it is to Hindu teaching.  In Buddhism, the existence of “soul” has been confused because of the Buddha’s supposed teaching of “no self.”  (See post referred to below.)  Some lineages thus believe there is no soul; others do.

For those religions that believe in a soul, much spiritual writing defines it as the very essence of man.  In many one speaks of the soul leaving the body at death.   In Hinduism and those Buddhist lineages that believe in soul, one speaks of its reincarnation.  But what the soul actually is and where it is to be found is a source of varied opinion.

In my earlier writing, The Self in No Self, I noted that what I termed our unborn spirit, our elemental nature … or what people would often call temperament … was part of our true Buddha nature.  It was something that made one uniquely who he is, from birth, and yet because of his Buddha nature, he was at the same time one with all people.

Our unborn spirit does not separate us from each other, while still making us unique.  That sounds like an oxymoron, but it isn’t.  It is the feelings and perceptions of the ego-mind … thoughts … that separate us from others and is the source of selfish action and our suffering.  This is the teaching of The Heart Sutra; this is perfected wisdom.  Our unborn spirit, our elemental nature poses no barrier to selfless behavior because it is not composed of thought.

What I referred to as man’s unborn spirit, his elemental nature is what is more usually referred to as his soul.  It is not of dependent origination.  Whether the soul is part of our Buddha nature or an adjunct is, as the Pennsylvania Dutch say, “no never mind.”  It is of no consequence.

The point I want to make here, as I did in my book, The Self in No Self, as well as in my post, “The Misleading Teaching of No Self,” is that the individuality of each person is not inconsistent with the Buddha dharma.  The Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh are both individuals; they are not clones.  The Buddha never taught that there is no self; what he taught was that the ego is “not self.”  (See my post referred to.)

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It is the ego-mind that develops within us and is of dependent origination that separates us from others and is the source of our samsara.  That is what the Buddha defined as “not self.”  It is from our ego-mind that we must free ourselves.  Our individuality, our unborn spirit, our elemental nature … our soul … is part of our true self.  It, together with our true Buddha nature, is thus the very essence of man.
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Peace and Happiness Is Your Birthright

5/12/2018

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Many readers will find this an odd statement, as they have rarely experienced true peace and happiness in their life.  Indeed, we are taught that suffering is universal, so how can peace and happiness be our birthright?

It is our birthright because each of us is born with the true Buddha nature intact within us.  And since peace and happiness is the hallmark of Buddha nature, that is our birthright.

However, almost from the moment of birth (and indeed, often while still in the womb) we do not receive the spiritual nourishment we need and are instead subjected to life experiences which cause us pain.  Parents do the best they can, but a parent’s love and attention rarely meets a baby’s need, so great is it and so occupied with their own issues  and lives are parents.  Although toddlers are remarkably resilient, around age 3 those hurts start becoming calcified as the ego-mind forms, creates negative labels to describe our experiences, and develops emotional reactions to them.

In this way, our Buddha nature is similar to the body, which is also born intact but is weak and needs nourishment to grow and strengthen.  Most babies, except those born into extreme poverty, receive the physical nutrition they need.  But our Buddha nature  does not receive the spiritual nourishment it needs and is instead overwhelmed by negative life experiences that create the darkness of the ego-mind.  And so our life of samsara begins.

But regardless how far our Buddha nature has been buried under the detritus of life, it is important in walking the path to know that our Buddha nature is still there, intact.  And in fact to be able to discern moments in our life when that nature has spoken to us.  (Whenever you’ve had an internal debate between what is often referred to as the “good” and “bad” you over how to respond to something, the “good” you is your Buddha nature speaking.)

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So when we work to discover our true self, we are not looking to create something new, we are trying to reconnect with that self that has always been within us since the moment of our birth.  To reconnect with our Buddha nature that is peace and happiness.

And when we have reclaimed our true self and are at peace and happy, we will be filled with joy and wonder.  For that is our natural state when we are free of the ego-mind’s thoughts.

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Walking the Path - It’s a Lot of Work, but It’s Well Worth It

5/6/2018

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There are many challenges in walking the path, whether one is relatively new to Buddhist practice or someone who’s been at it for 25 years, such as myself.  The challenges come from two directions.  The first is the world around us.  Every day, we experience things which can be a catalyst for us to react through the emotions and judgments of our ego-mind.

The second is the ego-mind itself.  Until you turn your will and your life over to the care of your true Buddha nature, your ego-mind will generally control your reactions to most experiences, even as you are walking the path.  Thus while you will have extended periods of calm and clarity resulting from your practice, you still will frequently experience the samsara of fear and craving.

When you have turned your will and your life over to the care of your true Buddha nature,  as I have, you will for the most part not react with emotion or judgmentally to things.  You will be at peace, not agitated.  But your ego-mind will still assert itself, mainly regarding “minor” things that you don’t notice, for example your overall ambience.  And those minor things are enough to put you in a blah space rather than a joyful one.

And so, every morning when I meditate, I go to my heart, release all desires, release all attachments, and embrace all aspects of my being and experience.  Then throughout the day, I try to be in touch with the positive energy in my heart and let that energy flow outward, and to experience things directly through my senses.

But each day, without fail, I become distracted at some point by the events of the day and so I am not present; at that point my ego-mind senses an opportunity to assert itself and control me.  Until such moment when I am aware of what is happening and I redirect myself to my heart by chanting or conjuring up my smiling toddler.

To an observer or a novice, the reaction on reading this may be, “Why bother?”  Let me tell you why.  Before I walked the path, I was beset by endless suffering, not just a case of the blahs.  I no longer suffer; nothing I experience agitates me or disturbs me.  I have released all desires and attachments.  So while I am not totally free of the grip of my ego-mind, relatively speaking my life today is a walk in the park.

Yes, it requires constant work and discipline.  But the reward is a state of almost consistent peace and frequent experiences of joy and happiness, both from offering others joy and just experiencing what the present moment offers.  I’ll take it.
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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 Present Requires Faith
    Being There For Someone
    Belief In You Buddha Nature - The Beginning And The End
    Be One With Your Divine Essence
    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
    Desperate For Love And Acknowledgment?
    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
    Faith: What Is It And Why Is It Essential?
    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
    Fear V Faith
    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 Faith In The Process
    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
    Offering Others Joy - From The Heart
    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
    See Yourslef And The World Through Different Eyes
    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
    Speaking To Your Buddha Nature/Divinity/Heart
    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's Deep State
    The Mind - Suffering Connection
    The Miracle That Is You
    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 Original Trauma - Birth
    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 Lies Behind Our Good Deeds?
    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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