Via Daily Dharma: The Great Teacher

Nature is the great teacher. Shakyamuni went to the jungle to find its teachings, Moses up the mountain, Jesus to the desert, and Bodhidharma and Muhammad to their caves. We tend to forget this, so it is important to have a practice that reminds us of it again.

—Clark Strand, “Turn Out the Lights”

Via Daily Dharma: Let Desire Melt Away

All we can say is that desire arises in the mind, stays in it for a while, and dissolves in it. The more we try to find any intrinsic characteristics in desire, the more it melts away under our gaze, as frost under the morning sun.

—Matthieu Ricard, “Working With Desire”

Via Daily Dharma: Limitless Charity

One small act of charity (dana paramita) is said to be equal to countless acts of charity. No one can measure the effects of a single act of giving, for its repercussions are beyond our limited imagination.

—Taitetsu Unno, “Three Grapefruits”

Via Daily Dharma: Generosity Goes Beyond Gifts

An act of giving is of most benefit when one gives something of value, carefully, with one’s own hand, while showing respect, and with a view that something wholesome will come of it.

—Andrew Olendzki, “The Wisdom of Giving”

Via Daily Dharma: Meditation without Meaning

Meditation is just to be here. This can mean doing the dishes, writing a letter, driving a car, or having a conversation—if we’re fully engaged in this activity of the moment, there is no plotting or scheming or ulterior purpose.

—Steve Hagen, “Looking for Meaning”

Via Ram Dass / Words of Wisdom - December 24, 2017

 

The technique of the witness is to merely sit with the fear and be aware of it before it becomes so consuming that there’s no space left. The image I usually use is that of a picture frame and a painting of a gray cloud against a blue sky. But the picture frame is a little too small. So you bend the canvas around to frame it. But in doing so you lost all the blue sky. So you end up with just a framed gray cloud. It fills the entire frame.

So when you say, 'I'm afraid' or, 'I'm depressed', if you enlarged the frame so that just a little blue space shows, you would say ‘Ah, a cloud.’ That is what the witness is. The witness is that tiny little blue over in the corner that leads you to say, ‘Ah, fear.’ 

- Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: Commitment Leads to Care

Strong personal relationships are the pathway to experiencing impartial care and concern for all beings.

—Sylvia Boorstein, “Dear Abbey Dharma”

Via Ram Dass / Words of Wisdom - December 20, 2017

 

A true marriage is with God. The reason we form a conscious marriage on the physical plane with a partner is to do the work of coming to God together. That is the only reason for marrying when we are conscious. The only reason. If we marry for economics, if we marry for passion, if we marry for romantic love, if we marry for convenience, if we marry for sexual gratification, it will pass and there is suffering. The only marriage contract that works is what the original contract was - we enter into this contract in order to come to God, together. That's what a conscious marriage is about. 

 

- Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: Practice Like a Child

Spiritual practice ought to be childish. It ought to help us recapture something that gets lost in the process of growing up. It ought to foster a sense of play, a sense of magic, a sense of humor.

—Norman Fischer, “Saved From Freezing”

Via 4 of 11 Daily Dharma: Stop Distracting Yourself

When we stop distracting ourselves, trying to figure the chances of ultimate success or failure, our minds and hearts are liberated into the present moment. And this moment together is alive and charged with possibilities.

—Joanna Macy, “The Greatest Danger”

Via ily Dharma: Prayer Opens Us to Love

Through prayer, we come out of the mine shaft, open our eyes, become receptive to enlightened presence, the omnipotent love and compassion that exist for all beings.

—Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, “Prayer: Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche”

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Via Daily Dharma: How Present Are You?

There are many degrees to being present. Just because my eyes are open doesn’t mean I’m awake. It’s possible to look right at someone and still not truly see them.

—Erik Hansen, “Moving Target”

Via Ram Dass / Words of Wisdom - December 17, 2017

 

When I start to get angry, I see my predicament and how I’m getting caught in expectations and righteousness. Learning to give up anger has been a continuous process. When Maharaji told me to love everyone and tell the truth, he also said, “Give up anger, and I’ll help you with it.” Maharaji offered me a bargain: “You must polish the mirror free of anger to see God. If you give up a little anger each day, I will help you.” This seemed to be a deal that was more than fair. I readily accepted. And he’s been true to his end of the bargain.

I found that his love helped to free me from my righteousness. Ultimately I would rather be free and in love than be right. 

 

-  Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: Strengthen Skillful Desire

This is how a mature and healthy mind works: conducting a dialogue not so much between reason and desire as between responsible desires and irresponsible ones.

—Thanissaro Bhikkhu, “Pushing the Limits”

Via Daily Dharma: No Ego, No Guilt

Relief comes when we can be honest about what we’re thinking, feeling, saying, and doing. We take responsibility for our actions without feeling guilty about them because we don’t attach a big-ego “I.”

—Thubten Chodron, “The Truth About Gossip”

Via Daily Dharma: When Jealousy Dissolves

As jealousy dissolves, universal compassion and unconditional love become more easily available.

—Jorge Ferrer, “What’s the Opposite of Jealousy?”

Via Daily Dharma: At-home Practice

As you walk from room to room in your own home, try to really experience the transition of traveling from one place to another. Notice the differences between motion and stillness. Sense how you relate to various enclosures and open spaces.

—Gary Thorp, “Crossing the Threshold”

Via Ram Dass / 9 of 43 Words of Wisdom - December 13, 2017

You have to be very honest about your spiritual predicaments. You can’t be phony. Phony Holy isn’t going to get us there, in other words, you don’t go dramatically changing everything once you get a new value in your head, because you’re doing it with a certain kind of attachment of mind that’s going to cause you to have a reaction to it anyway. So don’t get voluntary-simple too soon. Let it be something that naturally falls away, rather than you ripping it away. 

- Ram Dass -