Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - December 22, 2024 💌

 

"In meditation, the focus can be whatever you love deeply. You can find it in God, in Guru or in a teacher, in a flower. Anything you love deeply opens your heart and takes you through. Just allow that love to open your heart and expand outward. As you sit quietly, allowing the inner messages that come through you, you will find plenty of guidance inside. The more quiet you get in your mind, the more able you are to hear that inner message and allow it to guide you."

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Via Daily Dharma: Crocodiles and Ants Have Enlightened Nature Too

 

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Crocodiles and Ants Have Enlightened Nature Too We all have this enlightened nature, no matter who we are. Even crocodiles, ants, and mosquitoes.  Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, “Read The Way of the Bodhisattva with Mingyur Rinpoche” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Everything is Buddha By Noelle Oxenhandler A discussion of our relationship to objects and the drive to winnow as we age Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna

 

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RIGHT MINDFULNESS Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects A person goes to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place and sits down. Having crossed the legs, one sets the body erect. One establishes the presence of mindfulness. (MN 10) One is aware: "Ardent, fully aware, mindful, I am content." (SN 47.10)   When sensual desire is internally present, one is aware: "Sensual desire is present for me." When sensual desire is not present, one is aware: "Sensual desire is not present for me." When the arising of unarisen sensual desire occurs, one  is aware of that. And when the abandoning of arisen sensual desire occurs, one is aware of that. . . . One is just aware, just mindful: "There is a mental object." And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection The fourth basis for the establishment of mindfulness is the mindfulness of mental objects. While mindfulness of mind focuses on the quality of consciousness, mindfulness of mental objects turns to the specific contents of consciousness. Every moment is a moment of knowing something, and the mind takes up one object after another just as a monkey takes hold of one branch after another as it swings through the trees. Here we notice this. Daily Practice The text does not direct us to be aware of whatever random thoughts come to mind but leads us through a number of specific mental objects as understood by Buddhist psychology. We center here on the first of the five hindrances. Notice when sensual desire is present in the mind and when it is absent. Notice also how it arises and how you can decide to abandon or let go of it. We are practicing observing mental flux.  RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the Fourth Phase of Absorption (4th Jhāna) With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, one enters into and abides in the fourth phase of absorption, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness as a result of equanimity. The concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability. (MN 4) Reflection The four stages of mental absorption described in the system of jhānas culminate with the attainment of a profound and imperturbable equanimity. In this state the mind is free of both craving and aversion, neither favors nor opposes any mental object, and is able to simply regard things as they actually are, undistorted by our projections and fears. Notice also that such equanimity has the effect of purifying mindfulness. Daily Practice Sitting quietly and allowing the mind to become more and more peaceful, progressively "more unified, and gradually steadier will eventually culminate in the quality of mind described here. This is not a transcendent state but rather a natural, immanent state of mind. See if you can allow your mind to become still like tranquil water and watch the mind reflect whatever comes before it without distortion.  Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and Abiding in the First Jhāna Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via White Crane Institute // WINTER SOLSTICE

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Yule Santa with Antlers

2024 -

WINTER SOLSTICE - In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice, sometimes known as Yule, occurs on or very close to this date. In the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the first official day of Winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around this time.

YULE is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar. During the process of Christianization and the adoption of the Julian calendar, Yule was placed on December 25, in order to correspond with the Christian celebrations later known in English as Christmas. Thus, the terms "Yule" and "Christmas" are often used interchangeably, especially in Christmas carols.

In Denmark, Norway and Sweden the term jul is the common way to refer to the celebration, including among Christians. In these countries the highlight of the yule celebrations is the Yule Eve or Christmas Eve on December 24, which is when children get their Yule or Christmas presents by a character resembling Father Christmas called julemanden (Denmark), julenissen (Norway), or jultomten (Sweden).

In Finland, it is called joulu, in Estonia jõulud, and in Iceland and the Faroe Islands jól.

Yule is an important festival for Germanic neopagans, Wiccans and various secular groups who observe the holiday at the winter solstice (December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere).

As with other holidays at this time of the year, it is about the shortness of the day and the long dark night, and it is celebrated, traditionally, with the burning of a log all night to keep the light or carry the light over the divide of the old year to the new.

The burning of the Yule log, the decorating of Christmas trees, particularly with lights, the eating of ham, the hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe, etc. are all historically practices associated with Yule. When the Christianization of the Germanic peoples began, missionaries found it convenient to provide a Christian reinterpretation of popular pagan holidays such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, versus trying to confront and suppress them. The Scandinavian tradition of slaughtering a pig at Christmas (see Christmas ham) is probably salient evidence of this.

The tradition is thought to be derived from the sacrifice of boars to the god Freyr at the Yule celebrations. Halloween and aspects of Easter celebrations are likewise assimilated from northern European pagan festivals.

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

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Via GBF // "Embracing The 6 Paramis" with Jokai

Our latest dharma talk is now available on our website: 

Embracing The 6 Paramis – Jokai

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How can we use the wisdom of the Paramis to guide our everyday life? 

In this talk, Jokai makes practical the six essential qualities that form the foundation of Mahayana Buddhist practice: The Paramis. He begins by quoting Nagarjuna, from his work called Ratnavali or Precious Garland of Advice for a King:

"Generosity and morality for benefiting others,
Patience and diligence for cultivating self,
Meditation and wisdom for casting off self and others.

This is, in short, the great vehicle's meaning.
This is, in brief, the Buddha's true teaching.
For the liberation of self and all beings,
These six means are the treasure-house."

Jokai describes the Paramis as steps toward self-liberation and service to others. He highlights the practical and transformative nature of the Paramis, reflecting on their ability to guide practitioners toward compassion and awakening, even amidst the complexities of daily life. He stresses the importance of starting with generosity and ethical conduct as a way to shift from self-centeredness to a collective sense of care and responsibility.

While meditation and wisdom are often emphasized in Zen practice, the Paramis remind us that spiritual growth also requires cultivating patience and perseverance. He acknowledges the challenges and frustrations that can arise but encourages staying committed to the path, not for personal enlightenment alone, but for the benefit of all beings. Through humor and personal anecdotes, Jokai makes the teachings relatable, reinforcing that the essence of the Paramis is not in striving for perfection but in embodying compassion, resilience, and openness throughout life’s journey.

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Enjoy 850+ free recorded dharma talks at https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/

Via Daily Dharma: Let the World Come Forward

 

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Let the World Come Forward Seeing things as equally present . . . is to cease seeing things through the lens of their meaning and usefulness to myself. And when we are able to do this, it makes room for the world around us to come forward, with extraordinary vividness. Birds sing, the wall meets the floor, and even a mound of stinking garbage shimmers in the sunlight. Noelle Oxenhandler, “Everything Is Buddha” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Anchoring in the Present Momentt Mike Sheffield in conversation with Tashi Dorji Exploring monastic music traditions, apocalyptic visions, and Drukpa anarchism with singular guitarist Tashi Dorji. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States

 

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RIGHT EFFORT Maintaining Arisen Healthy States Whatever a person frequently thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders healthy states, one has abandoned unhealthy states to cultivate healthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to healthy states. (MN 19) Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts the mind, and strives to maintain arisen healthy mental states. One maintains the arisen awakening factor of mindfulness. (MN 141)

Reflection The premier list of healthy mental and emotional states includes the seven factors of awakening, the first of which is mindfulness. It is good to practice mindfulness frequently, for that will incline the mind to further mindfulness. Right effort has a lot to do with developing and maintaining healthy habits of mind and body. It is not always easy to do the right thing, and it often takes effort, but it is invariably good for us. Daily Practice The effort required to sustain the state of mindfulness over time—that is, over multiple mind moments in a row—is not the teeth-clenching discipline of forced action but rather the gentle willingness to come back to the present moment. See if you can access a way of understanding effort that is easeful and natural rather than strained. Think of the effort you put into doing the things you like to do—it is an easy effort. Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and Abiding in the Fourth Jhāna One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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