Enjoy Earth Day

Take a deep breath, enjoy your breathing and thank a tree or plant for that breath. And don't forget to recycle!!

This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

~Chief Seattle


A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.

~John James Audubon

Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.

~Franklin D. Roosevelt


Each time you look at a tangerine, you can see deeply into it. You can see everything in the universe in one tangerine. When you peel it and smell it, it’s wonderful. You can take your time eating a tangerine and be very happy.

~Thich Nhat Hanh


~Peace to all beings~

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This Body is Not me Poem by Thich Nhat Hanh

This is the poem I was looking for yesterday that I wanted to add to yesterday's post on the Virginia Tech killings. It is a great poem to meditate upon to find peace in regards to issues of violence, death, pain and suffering that come with samsara:

This body is not me.

I am not limited by this body.

I am life without boundaries.

I have never been born,

and I have never died.

Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars, manifestations from my wondrous true mind.

Since before time, I have been free.

Birth and death are only doors through which we pass, sacred thresholds on our journey.

Birth and death are a game of hide- and seek.

So laugh with me,

hold my hand,

let us say good-bye,

say good-bye, to meet again soon.

We meet today.

We will meet again tomorrow.

We will meet at the source every moment.

We meet each other in all forms of life.

~By Thich Nhat Hanh, Chanting and Recitations from Plum Village. Page 188.

James: Isn't that lotus gorgeous!! I wish to extend a lotus to you all to hopefully bring a smile to your heart, face and eyes.

~Peace to all beings~

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Correction about Blue Cliff Monastery plus a Commentary on the Virginia Tech Massacre

PHOTO: "Non-Violence" sculpture donated to the United Nations from the government and people of Luxembourg in 1988.

In an earlier post I had announced the purchase of land to build the new Blue Cliff Monastery in the tradition of Thich Nhat hanh located in New York state in the U.S.A

Well, I misunderstood why the monastery will be named, "Blue Cliff." Originally I thought it was named for the hills near by. However, I received a new letter yesterday thanking me for my donation and explaining in more detail how the monastery got it's name. The following is from the letter I received from Thay's Unified Buddhist Church:

The center is named Blue Cliff Monastery after the monastery in China where the famous Blue Cliff Records (a record of the most famous koans) were compiled in the 12th century.

On another more serious subject I wanted to also write on the Virginia Tech massacre that occurred yesterday. My heart breaks in sadness for the victims, surviving students and their families involved in this cruel act of fear and delusion. May they be reborn in a world that will provide them the best chance for liberation. However, as this story unfolds even more I must also have compassion for the shooter as he is just as deserving of our love. Maybe even more so because he will most likely have some major karma to work off from this powerfully attaching event. May he be reborn in a scenario that will provide him the best chance to liberate himself from these strong karmic attachments and aversions.

How do we understand such unspeakable acts of violence? I know for myself that I felt fear and anger creeping into my mind after this incident. As panic began to set into my mind and kicked into high gear I recalled the Dharma--suffering is everywhere I reminded myself. We can not avoid it no matter how hard we might try to. I can either live in fear of every moment of my life and suffer even more or I can accept that one day I might indeed find myself caught-up in such a situation and perhaps even killed or injured--accept that potentiality and move on to enjoy my day. If I do not attach to the self then why should I be worried about losing my life or becoming injured? I try to meditate upon death and violence on a regular basis to train my mind not to fear such a natural and normal event. As my acceptance of death becomes stronger it frees me up to truly be in the moment and enjoy it because it may be my last moment in this particular space and time. When I remember that the present moment is the only moment I have--I do the best to live it to the fullest and try to pass that enjoyment and peace on to others.

The Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh (amongst others) are excellent examples in these violent times about letting go of hate, anger and fear. These two great men saw so much bloodshed in their homelands and yet they remain calm, peaceful and happy because they have fully accepted such suffering is the reality of this world. They do not let it attach and weigh down the infinite opportunities that the beautiful gift of each precious, present moment offers us. Both were driven out of their homelands, saw horrific things and lost friends and colleagues to war. Yet they do not let that get them down. They don't attach to that energy. They realize that where ever we find ourselves--that is our home. Accept it for what it is and if it is a rough moment then make the best out of it. Just as we'd decorate a cheap, run-down, ugly apartment to make the most of it. One might have to live in a run-down apartment in a dangerous neighborhood for a time but we accept that and try to make it the most beautiful run-down apartment we have ever seen. And realize that this won't last forever--one day one will live in a different situation.

This is a moment as well where we should meditate upon inter-being/interconnectivity for it is support networks that keep us connected together and not feel alone and unaccepted as this man seems to have been. Let us reach out to those "loners" in our lives and let them know that they are loved, thought of and supported. Understanding inter-being isn't enough for us--we must reach out and look after each other. This dove-tails nicely into the refuge of sangha but sangha means so much more then simply our circle of fellow followers. I believe that sangha (in a broader context) involves everyone in the world. When we realize these connections and our interdependency we want to care for others because they are us. Please hug someone today or send them a message of concern and thoughtfulness. Let us have the courage to rise above hatred and anger and soar in the reinvigorating and cleansing heights of compassion and love.

I can't imagine what pain and suffering these victims as well as their family and friends are going throw right now. May the victims come to one day forgive this man for their own peace of mind and happiness because as we know-hate begets hate, anger begets anger, revenge begets revenge and violence begets violence.

~Peace to all beings~

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My Meditation "Rituals"

I thought I'd write a bit about how I start and end my meditation sessions. I will also speak of a new adaptation to the taking refuge vows at the end of the sitting.

(Most of my "rituals" come from Thich Nhat Hanh's recommendations) First, I breath in and out deeply three times in front of my altar taking in the moment and preparing myself to enter meditation. Then I say the following gatha before sounding the bell three times:

Body speech and mind in perfect oneness, I send my heart along with the sound of this bell. May the hearers awaken from their forgetfulness- and transcend the path of anxiety and sorrow.

Then I breath deeply as I ring the bell threes times and bowing after each sounding. During the bowing and ringing of the bell I saying the follow while breathing deeply yet naturally:

I listen, I listen. This wonderful sound brings me back to my true home.

At this point I light a tea light candle as say:

Respectful of countless Buddhas I light this candle--brightening the face of the Earth.
I then bow.

Next, I light the incense saying:

In gratitude I offer this incense to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be fragrant as Earth herself. Reflecting our careful efforts, our whole-hearted mindfulness and the fruit of understanding--slowly ripening. May all beings be companions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. May we awaken from forgetfulness and realize our true home.

I then sound the bell and bow to the Buddha within us all.

Finally I bow to my cushion and settle in for meditation.

Upon finishing my session I ring the bell three times, again reciting the gatha (I listen, I listen. This wonderful sound brings me back to my true home). Then I get up slowly and take refuge in the three jewels. I use to just simply say: I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha but I have since added a few words to make it sink it more.

Now I say:

Aware of the Buddha within I take refuge in the Buddha. Aware of the 4 Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path I take refuge in the Dharma and aware of interconnectivity of all things I take refuge in the Sangha. And of course I bow between each refuge.

And that's my usual session.

Today I am headed over to my parent's house to teach some basics of meditation to my father. I'm excited but I'm also nervous--I've never taught anyone before. I do have a natural teaching talent, however, in other areas so I'm sure it will go just fine. We will be going slowly anyway so it should be fun. It's a lovely way to bond with my friend and father. :)

Enjoy your breathing!!

PHOTO: Image representing the Three Jewels of Buddhism--found HERE.

~Peace to all beings~

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Blog Over-Haul Update

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've decided to basically stick with the template the way it is right now.

I switched the font back to trebuchet and enlarged the font a bit so it's easier to read. As well as switching the title from bold and whitened up the description of the blog.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming:

We need to understand the concept of practice and what makes it spiritual. Practice is an activity that is regularly performed and is an open-ended process, never reaching a point of perfection. We can develop skills or even mastery with practice, but there always remains a quality of something new to learn. If approached with a dull mind, even the most exotic practice becomes a rote expression. A person could spend a lifetime in practice this way and accomplish no more than a perfunctory exterior form without any spiritual substance. Unfortunately, many people find themselves following a traditional practice for the wrong reasons. They make all the right moves, but there is no heart in it. We should approach the most mundane practice with a bright, open beginner's mind and regularly discover new insights, whether brushing our teeth, washing the dishes, or making the bed.

--David A. Cooper, Silence, Simplicity and Solitude

James: I think this is why practicing mindfulness is so important. I see meditation as the key and mindfulness as the door to Buddha nature or awakened being. I like to use the word awakened instead of enlightenment because enlightenment has become so charged and over-used. It has come to mean that there is some kind of "Ah HA!!" moment in one's practice that marks the end of one's journey. The reality is that every moment is an "Ah HA!!"

This can only be achieved in combining meditation, chanting, memorizing sutras with living in mindfulness.

~Peace to all beings~

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