Many of us see discipline as confining. Yet it is these very discipline that can liberate us. Without the discipline to sit in meditation everyday, where would we be? Without the discipline to study, how would we learn? Without the discipline to regularly pray, how could we cultivate compassion?
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One falsehood spoils a thousand truths–Proverb
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If you [...]
Often, we fail to master the art of doing nothing. Instead of doing nothing or at least filling it with useful activities like meditation, prayer, or study, we spend it idly chatting on the phone, surfing the internet, or watching television. We have the choice of doing nothing or doing something. If you cannot do [...]
As brothers and sisters of the path, we are as different as night and day. Yet, we are all one, seeking to become one with the universe and live in harmony. We must not let our individual paths separate us and become a divider. We can instead focus on the common, the desire for liberation [...]
Getting rid of a bad habit demands more than just not doing something. There is a hole that is created and that hole must be filled. Simply refraining from something harmful is not enough, and unless we fill it with something positive like seeking out a path to serenity, we may find ourselves in the [...]
I sat meditating today and glanced up at the sky. The clouds had taken the shape of some far off in the distant mountains; snow-capped and beautiful. My mind briefly took myself to a small village perhaps, a hut not far from the base of the mountains, the Himalayas perhaps. I looked at these ‘mountains’ [...]
Keep desiring what you cannot have and you will never be at peace. You have what you need. The river does not seek to be the mountain. The mountain does not wish to be anything else. Would you bother setting out on a trip to somewhere that you knew you could not reach?
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Better to [...]
Why do so many people following a spiritual path fight so much with each other? There are wolves in sheep’s clothing who simply relish causing dissension, but they are not the source of most of our conflicts. Most disagreements are caused by good moral people with deeply held convictions. Conflict arises when it becomes more [...]
A good way to learn to appreciate something is to contemplate what your life would be without it. Without love, what would you have? Without compassion, what type of person would you be? Without humility, what character flaws would you have? Without following the steady way of your path, what unfortunate directions would your life [...]
Yes, it can be most difficult to eliminate the superficial and worldly cravings and attachments we have forged throughout the years. They are a heavy blanket of snow smothering the tiny bud. That is why diligent practice and study is needed to keep reinforcing the wise new behaviors we seek to embrace. Please meditate as [...]
Go outdoors, to a park, forest, or beach. Look at the sun, sky, stars. Be alone with the world. Feel how insignificant you really are in this world. Where is your feeling of power now? Think about your anxieties over work, relationships, or something else that troubles you. Ponder the madness of this world and [...]