The Pure Mountain Path

If a person is insulted or mistreated in any way, his thoughts will lead to anger. Unless, one knows how to observe this anger and deal with it correctly, the anger in this person has no way of lessening and becomes dangerous. The more one continues to feed this anger, the greater the desire to seek revenge. No one has the right to revenge. However, in those who forgive the wrongs done to them, anger quickly vanishes. Then, they can be at peace.

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Cloudless blue sky

Opossum scurrying

Underneath the tool shed

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As the Tai-chi student becomes more accustomed to the exercises and more in tune with his body, he will begin to notice a greater awareness of body parts and areas than before. Continued practice will lead to the ability to control this awareness and eventually to control the body in ways unknown to the student before.

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Drinking some coffee

Stronger than my ambition

Back to bed I go

As the Tai-chi student becomes more accustomed to the exercises and more in tune with his body, he will begin to notice a greater awareness of body parts and areas than before. Continued practice will lead to the ability to control this awareness and eventually to control the body in ways unknown to the student before.

The mind likes to wander and is hard to reign in. Only by a steady practice can it be held in check and remain in dispassion. When we do meditation, we are reigning in the mind, a little bit at a time. The mind is like a wild horse that does not want to be tamed. We must ‘break’ this horse so that it does what we want it to, or else we are condemned to being a helpless rider with no say as to our destination.

Our culture puts much emphasis in measuring how much one has: money, education, looks, power. However, the teachings wish us to see according to the actions and speech that are performed. That is what is important, finding our Buddha-nature and living by it. Simply conforming to what our culture values does not coincide with following the way.

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The darkness outside-

Mimics my future

Cloaked in uncertainty

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The practice of Tai Chi is mentally very demanding because it requires the participant to relax and focus at the same time. Most people are accustomed to endeavors requiring additional effort to be successful. Tai Chi is different in that it requires the individual to be calm and stop forcing mental and physical efforts. When one is able to identify the natural flow of energy in themselves, that energy can be harnessed to accomplish a goal with great ease and almost no effort from that person.

A sage once saw a dog eating the remains of a feast, he went up to him and said, embracing him, ‘Brother, why are you eating alone, without giving me a share?’ So saying, he began to eat along with the dog. The people of the palace naturally thought he was crazy, but when standing before the temple, he began to chant and a nearby temple appeared to shake through the fervor of his devotion. Then the people knew him to be a great Sâdhu. The true Sâdhus roam about like children or mad men, in dirty clothes, and various other disguises.

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In a house of mirrors

Unsure of the next step

Laid out by destiny

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Chinese medicine used exercise extensively to aid in maintaining or regaining health. Rather than simple calisthenics the exercises were very specific, targeting specific parts or areas of the body and used for specific ailments. Also there were numerous fighting arts that developed. The Taoists believed that to master these many arts for health and self protection an inner calm and discipline was required. Chang San-feng is believed to have founded a Taoist monastery on Wu Tang for these studies. Although it is debated whether Chang San-feng was a real person or a legend, the results of the studies are still with us today in the form of Tai Chi and Taoist philosophy.

There is more than enough to go around. Sadly, it is often those with too much, more than enough for themselves, that have so much to lose who out of fear erect walls and create divisions. There is always a temptation to hoard our treasures large or small, and even those of modest means often succumb to this fear. There is no shortage of gates for the poor to sit by, waiting for the scraps to fall from the table of the world. The problem with walls and gates is that they create divisions, and then actual separation. The more we are divided from one another, the more we are separated from being one with the universe.

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The dead tree

Begins its new journey

As tonight’s firewood

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The Chinese word ‘chi’, which is part of the name Tai Chi, has the meaning of ’spirit’ in the sense of ‘energy’. It is more than just energy, however, because Taoists believe it is a special energy that flows through the universe and is contained by all living things. It is considered the ultimate power because it gives life. Furthermore, they believe it behaves almost like a living thing, moving and changing endlessly. The Taoists developed the concept of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ to describe this ebbing and flowing of the chi.

Money is very powerful. It is so powerful that it can replace our values by believing in its power. We have to be careful because it can trick us into thinking that the things it can get are true riches. Money is so powerful that it has destroyed families, started wars, and caused all types of misery in human history. Only when it is understood in a virtuous sense can it be of good use.
Money is the most dangerous thing to a wholesome life because it can make one feel safe and powerful. The truth is we should feel safe and powerful when we are following the path and not worry about money so much. Dogen once said that if we are faithful to the way, we will be provided for. This thought has seen me through some hard times and has not been wrong yet.

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The cardinal

On the window sill

Peering at the birdbath-

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Tai Chi is a martial art. There are many different styles or schools of Tai Chi, but they all trace their history to the same source, Chang San-feng, who is thought to have lived over five hundred years ago. Also, all Tai Chi styles are rooted in Taoist philosophy as a way to achieve their goal of internal strength and wisdom. This is why Tai Chi is called an ‘internal’ martial art. While external styles, such as Kung Fu and karate develop external strength and spiritual growth directly through exercise, the internal arts seek to develop health and strength from within as a by product of proper mental growth.

A sage was lying in a deep trance (Samâdhi) by a roadside; a thief passing by, saw him, and thought within himself, This fellow, lying here, is a thief. He has been breaking into some house by night, and now sleeps exhausted. The police will very soon be here to catch him. So let me escape in time.’ Thus thinking, he ran away. Soon after a drunkard came upon the sage, and offered greetings but thought the man had fallen into the ditch by drinking too much. I am steadier than that, and am not going to tumble.’ Last of all came a sage, and understanding that the great sage was in a deep meditative state, he sat down, and meditated with him.

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The freshly fallen show

Piling up on the railings

Of the porch

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SHALBHASANA

This asana is also called, The Locust. Here the focal points of concentration are the legs. Lift the legs only as much as you can. Feel the pull exerted along the muscles in the back and in the legs. Be aware of the body movements and stretching. The muscles will release and relax after stretching for a specific time period in a tense position. Mentally, yogic exercises help to gather attention and help to develop a peaceful state of mind.

Steps to follow (Shalbhasana) :

1. Lie down on your abdomen with the chin resting on the floor.
2. With arms on both sides of the body and with fists even with the pelvic girdle inhale, lifting both legs 5 to 15 inches above the floor.
3. Hold this position till you feel a pull on the bottom of the spinal cord and retain this position while taking several deep breaths.

Benefits :

It cures acidity, constipation, wind troubles, indigestion and gastro intestinal disorders.
It relieves one of nervous tension.

It activates the whole abdominal region.

The Internet has changed the way we communicate. E-mail, web sites, chat rooms, forums, all have a space in most of our lives. Financial securities are traded, merchandise is bought, plans are made, all with amazing speed, and sometimes with disastrous results. There is an incredible abundance of information available but, knowledge does not equal wisdom. All this information and speed is good but not so good. Exciting sometimes, and at times very convenient. Yet we must see that there is a potential downside. Remember that saying “Speed Kills”. Maybe you heard it when you were learning to drive. That saying is true with driving, but true elsewhere too. Communication can be quick, but the thinking that precedes it often needs to be careful and thoughtful. More than once I have clicked send on a piece of e-mail only to wish I had thought a bit more about what I had said before sending it.
Remember to be deliberate. All things will get done in due time. Doing one thing at a time keeps us mindful and when we are mindful we are less likely to make mistakes. In this world of multi-tasking, and I want it now mentalities, do not give in to juggling hatchets for you are the one who will be cut if there is an error.

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I plant the sapling

Knowing full well that-

I will never live to enjoy its shade

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HALASANA

This asana is called the plough pose. In this posture, the

stomach muscles are strengthened and it ensures a healthy condition of the spine. It enhances the flexibility of the spine and all the 31 pairs of spinal nerves are well nourished. Lifting the legs to touch the ground above the head, is not easy in the beginning. Try to do only as much as you can. The muscles of the back and rear thighs are affected here. Try to concentrate on what you are doing for better results. Relax into the posture. Feel the changes in your position and in your spine as you come to the starting position. Relax and proceed to the next asana.Steps to follow

(Halasana) :

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Raise the legs slowly and touch the ground with the toes above the ground.
3. Keep the palms

flat on the ground.
4. Do this asana for 1 to 2 minutes.Benefits :

It is said to cure obesity

constipation, dyspepsia, liver and spleen disorders.
It strengthens the abdominal muscles and nourishes the spinal nerves.

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Renounce the craving for the past, the craving for the future, the craving for what is between, and cross to the opposite shore. – Dhammapada

I was looking for a book at home. I went through all the bookshelves but it was not there. I went through my desk with no success. I asked others but no one had seen it. I went back home and looked places that realistically, a book would never be. I took books off shelves to look behind them, moved furniture. No luck.

A friend stopped by and, seeing the mess, asked why I didn’t just buy a replacement. I did not want a replacement; I wanted my book. It had been personalized with my notes in it. It had become a part of me in a sense. Sometimes it is hard to understand why something is valuable to someone else. A book, clothing, a family heirloom, things become valuable when they bear a special meaning or have a unique connection to our identity. I eventually found the book but more importantly I learned about attachment. I had become attached to this book and was not suffering when I could not find it. Attachments come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.

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Sitting in the hotel

Watching an old western

With Lee Marvin in it

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BHUJANGASANA

Bhujangasana means a snake. In this asana, the body attains the shape of a raised-hood, the stance of a snake. It is a very rejuvenating exercise. Yoga exercises help to gather attention, thus causing regeneration of the entire body by developing a favorable mental state. It eradicates fatigue

in the muscles. In this asana, the upper, middle and lower muscles of the spine are massaged. They increase flexibility in the spinal column. In this posture, the muscles are slowly and gradually stretched into the final position. In this asana, when we try to bring the back of the head and the feet in contact, care should be taken not to force the stretch. Listen to the body and know your limit. Be aware of the sensations in the body during the asana.Steps to follow (Bhujangasana) :

1. Lie on your tummy on the floor.
2. Place your forehead on the floor with the palms

by the side of the trunk.
3. Slowly inhale lifting the head and trunk back from the floor.
4. While raising the trunk, straighten the elbows by pressing the palms on the floor.
5. Keep the legs perpendicular to the ground by bending the knees and exhale.6. Remove the left arm off the floor and clasp the left knee, by applying pressure on the right hand.
7. Maintain this position for several deep breaths and exhale slowly while lowering your body and bringing your arms against the body and relax.

Benefits :

It is a very rejuvenating exercise.
It cures back and shoulder problems.
It is said that those who practice this asana maintain their youth and vitality.