Category Archives: Uncategorized

Five Fundamental Practices

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Tashi Nyima's avatarGreat Middle Way

amida-nyorai-amitabha-late-13th-early-14th-centuryIf a good man or woman performs the Five Fundamental Practices and has accomplished them, he or she will eventually attain birth in the Pure Land of Bliss and see Buddha Amideva.

What are the Five Fundamental Practices? They are: (1) reverence; (2) praise; (3) aspiration; (4) contemplation; and (5) merit-transference.

What is reverence? It is a bodily act of honoring Amideva the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One. One performs this act because one aspires to be born in His Land.

How do we praise Amideva? We praise Him by means of speech. We call the Holy Name of that Tathagata which describes His Light, the embodiment of Wisdom, wishing to practice in accord with the Dharma, that is, in agreement with the significance of the Holy Name.

How do we aspire to be born in the Pure Land? We constantly and definitively resolve, fixing our thoughts on…

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Thoughtful Thursdays # 81 – I Am Proud Of Myself

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So many times we don’t give ourselves credit for how much we do, accomplish or endure.

How many times have you bit the bullet and went to work because it was necessary. Congratulations.

How many times have you overcome an obstacle that seemed impossible. Congratulations.

How many times have you had to endure a really uncomfortable situation. Congratulations.

Each opportunity is a chance to say “I am proud of myself”.

Proud that I earn a living.

Proud I don’t give up.

Proud I have endurance.

Make a list of everything that makes you proud to be you and you will see how very capable you are and how valuable you are to everyone in your world.

Lucky you!!!!!

 

We All Have Schizophrenia

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This is going to sound strange but yes we are all schizophernic to one degree or another.

Google Definition:

schiz·o·phre·ni·a
ˌskitsəˈfrēnēə,ˌskitsəˈfrenēə/Submit
noun
a long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.
(in general use) a mentality or approach characterized by inconsistent or contradictory elements.

For example, we can have a mental disorder that leads to breakdown in thought, emotion and behavior when we fall in love or  have murderous rage.

Inappropriate actions and feelings can come from having our egos brused and wishing death and destruction to the offender and acting on those feelings. These are common stories in the news paper.

Withdrawal from reality in relationships can come from going into denial that you may be in a bad relationship, job, etc.

Inconsistent or contradictory elements can come from being frozen with indecision that you are paralized.

I am not negating the severity of schizophrenia but we all have different aspects of ourselves.

We can be the parent, the child, the protector, the killer, the compassionate one or more. Pay attention to how you behave in your interactions in your daily routine. These aspects will become visible if you pay attention.

We are a blend of aspects in our psyche and that is normal. Some aspects are more pronounced than others. Sometimes we are mostly sweet or angry, sad or outgoing or any other role. We all have flashes of insight and can choose whatever behavior we want.

It is our job to accept all aspects of ourselves and deny nothing. In this way we are in touch with our humanity and the humanity of others.

Happy exploring.

 

Thoughtful Thursdays #79 – Going with the Flow

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I wonder if anyone else goes through this. I find when I push and try to force an event, it usually doesn’t work.

When I go with the flow of events, things work out perfect.

I must remind myself that stepping back and letting life flow without my interuption is the better way to get what is perfect and necessary.

Happy flowing.

 

 

Fate

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do not resent the heavens for ones’s fate.

do not blame our problems on others.

realize the negative cause

lies within us,

was created by us,

can only be changed by us,

resolved by us with

understanding,

diligence,

love.

Shi Wuling

Narcissistic Sociopaths and Stonewalling (a.k.a. The Silent Treatment)

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knowledge is power.

Paula's avatarYour Healing Frequency

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If you are or have ever been in a relationship with a narcissistic sociopath (or any number of pathologically disordered characters, for that matter), you’ve been stonewalled. Being stonewalled is disturbing and frustrating, to say the least.

The following seven (7) characteristics of “Stonewalling” were taken from the blog, Psychopath Resistance.

1. Refusal to negotiate a conflict in good faith.

2. Refusal to discuss honestly one’s motivations.

3. Refusal to listen to another point of view with openness.

4. Refusal to compromise.

5. Refusal to collaborate.

6. Refusal to support the other person’s plans.

7. Refusal to accept influence.

Stonewalling tactics guarantee narcissistic supply.

After prolonged periods of being stonewalled, we are forced to do whatever it takes to get an answer and to resolve the issues. We drop to our knees begging and pleading for answers.

They count on us to offer up an apology and to admit…

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We Are One

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we are one,

all part of one another.

if one part suffers and feels pain then

we also suffer and feel pain.

we are one.

Shi Wuling

Good and Bad

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everyone has a combination

of good and bad qualities.

the ones we dwell on

all too often

tell more about us

than about others.

Shi Wuling

We Are What We Think

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All that we are

arises with our thoughts.

With our thoughts,

we make the world.

by Master Chin Kung

Thoughtful Thursdays # 78 Compassion

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Inspired by the book: The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying” I was reading about Tonglen Meditation. It is mostly about compassion.

Compassion is one of my favorite subjects. How do we have compassion? How is it beneficial?

1. Remember a time when you felt deep love, just remember the feeling. Or read something that invokes the feeling. Stay with it and extend it to yourself, environment, friends, loved ones and even your enemies.
2. Remember that others are the same as you are. We all want happiness and be free from suffering.
3. Put yourself in the other persons place. We all bleed suffering the same way.
4. Actions speak louder than words. If it is possible try to help others in a practical way.

All beings everywhere suffer, let your heart go out them. Compassion is greater that pity. Honor those who suffer.

You are no better or greater than anyone else. Dedicate your positive actions for the welfare of others.

It will benefit all beings and return to you ten fold.