ThePracticalBuddhist.com
  • Home
  • TEACHINGS: Blog
  • Coming Home Video Series
  • The Heart Sutra | A New Translation & Commentary
  • LIFE COACHING
  • BOOKS:
  • How to Find Inner Peace
  • The Self in No Self
  • Making Your Way in Life as a Buddhist
  • Scratching the Itch: Getting to the Root of Our Suffering
  • Raising a Happy Child
  • Dear Buddha | An Advice Column
  • A Buddhist Anthem - There's Nothing Like Today
  • Who Am I?
  • Bio
  • Contact

How to Surrender your Ego or Turn Your Will and Your Life Over to the Care of Your True Buddha Nature

6/28/2016

0 Comments

 
.I received the teaching almost 20 years ago that in order to free myself from my suffering I ultimately had to surrender my ego to my true Buddha nature, or as it is put in 12-step programs, turn my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature.  And this has been my intent every since.  But it’s easier said than done.  

Early on, I surrendered bits and pieces of my ego (the obviously more harmful bits) and in general my disciplined practice brought me much peace and contentment; I led a relatively calm life.   But my ego was still very active on matters both large and small.

It is only quite recently that I am for the most part free of my ego … free of emotions, judgments, and attachments.  (Even when I wrote my post “End of Suffering Cheat Sheet,” two years ago, all the necessary elements were not yet in place), It is a change in my life that is palpable as I go about my day.  There is no question.

While I have discussed the various parts of this transformation in different posts, I wanted to aid my readers by clearly setting forth, in one place, what for me has been the path to this freedom from my ego.   (This should be read in conjunction with the post, “12 Stepson the Buddhist Path,” as well as the “End of Suffering Cheat Sheet.”)

1.  As I have often said and written, of central importance to making progress on the path is a rock-firm belief in the teachings of the Buddha … namely that we are all born essentially perfect with our true Buddha nature in side us; that our true self is that nature not our ego; that the cause of our suffering is craving, our emotions; and that we have the ability to free ourselves from our cravings and emotions and thus end our suffering by turning our will and our life over to the care of our true Buddha nature.  This is the first requirement.  Without that faith and belief there can be little progress.

Further one needs faith that our true Buddha nature would never lead us anywhere that would harm us, or where we would not find peace and happiness. For when we turn our will and our life over, we have no idea where our heart will lead us, probably not where our mind would have lead us.


I have had an unshakeable belief in the teachings of the Buddha from very early on in my practice.  When I read Sogyal Rinpoche’s The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying a light bulb keep going on in my head, “Oh, that’s why this has been going on!”  The teachings resonated with my life experience and made perfect sense.

2.  And so from early on I had the second requisite to freeing ourselves, which is the intent to surrender my ego, to turn my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature.  I took the Precepts and began a daily meditation practice from which I have not wavered in 20 years.

But while I clearly had the intent, I cannot say that I was ready and willing to turn all aspects of my ego over to the care of my true Buddha nature.  To surrender every last vestige of what I felt was myself.  
That readiness and willingness, as explained in my post, “Step #5: Were Ready And Willing And Made A Decision To Surrender Our Ego … “ is essential to actually doing it.  While as indicated above, I had that willingness regarding some aspects of my ego, the readiness to turn it all over required my experiencing the truth of the third requisite.

3.  The third requisite is to know that not only is our suffering caused by our cravings and emotions, but the emotions, judgments, and attachments that are the source of our suffering are not our true self.  

As the Buddha taught … if it causes us suffering, then “it is not us, it is not ours, it is not ourself, for ourself would not cause us suffering.”  The monk, Huyen Te, told us of his practice of naming his various feelings and perceptions and saying, “Not me!” while flipping his arm up and snapping his fingers.

Intellectually, I had no trouble accepting this truth.  However, that acceptance and the practice of saying “Not me!” did not change the power of my primal ego over me.  My fears in particular had as much control over me as ever and caused me much suffering.

It was only many years later, in fact only a little more than a year ago, when in a meditation I realized the truth from within myself that fear, and thus all my emotions, were just a product of the mind.  See my post, “Proof of the Nature of Mind - Fear, Ego, and Buddha Mind.”  From that point on, fear rarely raised its head, and when it did it was easily put aside and I returned to my abiding faith that all will be well regardless what life throws my way because I will always return home to my true Buddha nature and be at peace and happy.


At this point, all the major emotions that had caused me suffering had been defanged.  They were still part of my ego and thus will always be there, but they were no longer in control.  I was ready and willing to surrender them.

4.  But despite this rather huge step on the path, I could not say that I generally felt happy.  Instead I felt that there was still a gray cloud hanging over me.  It evidenced itself most concretely in the frown that I felt almost continuously in my facial muscles.  I had been aware of this for more than 10 years and had tried different spiritual exercises at various points to rid myself of this frown.  But nothing worked more than for a short period.

Then this past year, my partner and I read the Sufi book, Personality: The Art of Being and Becoming.  The central teaching of that book is that our true self is our heart.  That the heart is pure.  That all the forces that disturb the heart’s peace and happiness, it’s harmony, are not natural, are foreign to it.  That foremost in our practice should be our intent not to allow anything to disturb the heart’s purity, it’s harmony … not to allow outside impressions to imprint themselves on the heart and to purify it from those that have already imprinted on it.  And the greatest purifying force is love, for oneself and all others.

The teaching of my heart being my true self resonated with me strongly.  I had intuitively felt that before, but the teaching of this book crystalized this vague understanding.  I now for the first time knew not just what my true self was not, I knew what my true self was.   For my heart is light, love, faith, trust, compassion, strength, courage, and wisdom.  This deepened my practice and strengthened me.

Then one day, as related in my post, “The Heart’s Embrace,” I was discussing my frustration with my perpetual frown with my partner and he suggested that I meditate on something he had recently read … opening up your heart to embrace all aspects of your being and experience.  As related in that post, the meditation was transformative.  With my heart’s embrace all internal and external struggle ceased because my mind rested undisturbed.  As the ancient Chinese poem, “Affirming Faith in Mind,” says, “when the mind rests undisturbed nothing in the world offends, and when no thing gives offense all obstructions cease to be.”  When nothing offends, there is no catalyst for the emotions, judgments, and attachments of the ego-mind.


As I went through my days in the following weeks, when I sensed I was feeling blah or gray, I would just take in a deep breath and feel my heart embrace all aspects of my being and experience, my in-breath hugged me, and I knew again that I had everything I needed within myself to be at peace and happy, and I would smile.

5.  The final (possibly?) and related step occurred one day shortly thereafter when I was feeling blah at the gym.  As related in my post, “Change Your Life by Changing the Direction of Its Energy Flow,” I realized in a flash that it was in my power whether I was at peace and happy or suffering.   No one or nothing else had that power.  

And the way I exercised that power (for peace and happiness, obviously, for I do not want to suffer) was to have the compassion and positive energy that is in my heart flow out to myself and everything and everyone that I encounter.  To see everyone and everything through my heart, not my mind.  That energy creates a force field around me which does not allow any negative energy from my ego or from what I encounter to reach me.  That positive energy has the force of the outgoing tide which nothing could stop, unless I stopped it.

​
And so after more than 20 years of disciplined practice I have come to the point where for the most part I have found the way to turn my will and my life over to the care of my true Buddha nature; to surrender my ego.  I say, “for the most part,” because I am not so foolish as to believe that I am enlightened or to believe that my ego will not find an opportunity to grab me by the collar and shake me again.  But even if and when that happens, I have faith that all will be well because I have faith that regardless what life throws my way, I will always go deep inside myself and return to my heart and see things through the eyes of my true Buddha self, my heart.  
0 Comments

Change Your Life by Changing the Direction of Its Energy Flow

6/21/2016

0 Comments

 
All of our lives, we have been subjected to an energy flow coming at us from the world around us … our learned experience, what we’ve been told about ourselves, the negativity and dysfunction in the world … and the reaction of our ego-mind to those experiences.  And so we have absorbed countless negative impressions which disturb our Buddha nature’s innate peace and happiness.

Why did our Buddha nature allow this to happen?  Because although perfectly formed at birth, it needed to be nourished by love to strengthen its roots, but instead our learned experience planted and nourished negative seeds such as insecurity, anger, envy … all our emotions, judgments, and attachments. 

How then do we practically implement our ability to be in control of whether we experience peace and happiness or suffer (the previous post, "You Can Be in Control")?  The literature is full of suggestions of how to let go and not engage the emotions, judgments, and attachments that flow from our ego-mind.  My experience is that such methods are often effective with specific target issues when coupled with replacing the negativity with positive thoughts, for example “it’s just the way it is,” or “all will be well,” or “I am there for myself,” or “I have compassion for …”

But when it comes to exercising control over our general ambiance as we go through the day, the mental environment we inhabit, I found that I was still reacting to the negative energy around me with a feeling of blahness.  Once I meditated on opening my heart to embrace all aspects of my being and experience, this feeling of blahness started leaving me and I felt myself smiling more as I went about my day.  (See my post, “The Heart’s Embrace.”)

Then the other day, I was at the gym and became aware that I was in a very blah frame of mind caused in part by the atmosphere in the gym and in part because I didn’t really feel like working out that day.  I was absorbing the grayness of the gym.  (Funny, you’d think there would be lots of positive energy flowing in a gym; not in this case.)  

It was then I realized that I could change the dynamic of this situation and all parts of my day and life if the compassion and positive energy in my heart flowed out to me and everything around me.   And as I did that ... seeing everyone and everything through my heart ... the change in my spirit was palpable, supported by saying “hello” in my mind to everything and every person I saw.  I also felt positive about my workout.  

​By greeting everything around me in this way, I was creating a positive flow of energy from my heart outward.  And while that was flowing, I was not subject to any emotional reaction to the blah, negative, or dysfunctional energy of the world around me.  I was aware of the way it was but I didn’t label it and my positive energy embraced it. 

By directing energy to flow from my heart outward it was like creating a force field that my ego-mind and any negativity around me couldn’t penetrate.  But when the energy ceased to flow, the force field was gone and I soaked up surrounding negativity like a sponge and my ego-mind reacted to it, not with agitation but with definite blahness. 


In the following days, I have had the intent to observe everyone and everything (including myself) through my heart 24/7.  And so I have throughout the day directed positive energy to flow from my heart, mentally saying hello to everything and everyone, and have been in a peaceful and happy state, with a smile on my face.  And I have found that when I sense I am not in that space, because that positive energy isn’t flowing, I can change my mental environment on the spot by starting the flow again.  At this point, this is a volitional act, but from past experience I know that at some point it will become my default way of going through the day.

​
This practice, together with opening up your heart to embrace all aspects of your being and experience, is how one practically turns one’s will and one’s life over to the care o your true Buddha nature.
0 Comments

You Can Be in Control

6/11/2016

0 Comments

 
The other day, I all of a sudden had the realization that I have power.  It is within my power to either be at peace and happy or to suffer.  Nothing and no one else has that power; only I do.  The components of this have long been known to me, but they never came together in quite this way.  I knew I had a choice, but never viewed it as a power.  A distinction with a difference.

Yes, I know that many of your will scratch your heads at this title.  Most people, including most Buddhists, do not feel that they have much control over their lives, over the challenges they face in most areas of their lives.  Likewise, when they are swept away by emotions they feel like they have no control.

And it is in fact the case that most people have little control over the external things in their life.  Those are either dependent on the actions of other people or they are a function of the way our culture/society functions.  We can make plans, we can make efforts to achieve things, but ultimately we do not have control.  And this is hugely frustrating for most people and the cause of much samsara.  But we do have control over how we react to things.  

The serenity prayer says, Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  That wisdom is critically important.  The way the world is, the way people are, the decisions they make, the way our life is right now at this moment, fall into the first category.  They are things we cannot change; it’s just the way it is.  But see below.  

What can we change then?  We can change the way we relate to ourselves and others … the thoughts we have, the words we speak, and the actions we take.  The central point here is an internal point.  We can change the mental environment in which we live and thus whether we are at peace or suffer by changing the thoughts we have, the words we speak, and the actions we take.  Never forget, the Buddha taught that the cause of suffering is not what is happening out there or to you, the cause is how you react to it.  It is basically a question of attitude that is the difference between experiencing nirvana or suffering.  (See my post, “Nirvana - It’s Right Before Your Eyes.”) 

The path may be quite straightforward, but as we’ve all experienced, the path is certainly not easy.  The ego-mind, our habit energies, are so strong, are so deeply rooted within us, that even if we have a disciplined, daily meditation practice, the challenges are constant and the progress slow.  Don’t through up your hands at these challenges; keep the faith.  As you walk the path, your suffering will certainly become less just as you increasingly experience peace and happiness.

And sometimes, the changes we make in the words we speak or the actions we take can affect a favorable reaction or change in others, can even change the way the world is.   For example, occasionally we are able affect a change through our participation in large social movements like civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights which have not just resulted in a change in the laws but have ultimately resulted in a substantial change in the attitudes of a large share of the population.  Also, by doing good work in our job, we can make a raise or promotion more likely. 

But note that if we do work towards such a goal, it is very important that we not get attached to it, otherwise it becomes a craving and we suffer.  (See my post, “How to Desire Yet Not Crave.”)  And we must always remember and accept that we are not in a position of control as to the outcome of these efforts.

​
So take heart.  With belief in the Buddha dharma, clarity through meditation, and discipline, you can free yourself from suffering, from the control of your ego-mind.
0 Comments

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

     

    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

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.