Buddha Says Pain Passes

You can’t go preventing pleasure and pain, you can’t keep the mind from labeling things and forming thoughts, but you can put these things to a new use. If the mind labels a pain, saying, 'I hurt,' you have to examine the label carefully, contemplate it until you see that it’s wrong: the pain isn’t really yours. It’s simply a sensation that arises and passes away, that’s all.

- Upasika Kee Nanayon, "Tough Teachings To Ease The Mind" 

I read this quote and thought about living in the present moment.  When a person is present, pain has a harder time being present.  It is like trying to have two beings inhabit the same space.  It is not possible.  Pain does pass.

Blessings,

Judy

Carting Around The Past

The Poster says:

Quit hanging on to the past; fantasizing, dreaming, wishing and replaying it.  You can’t change it.  You just haven’t realized it yet, but you have moved on.  You are different now; not of the past, but of now - a different person.  You don’t need what the past had.  Your life is here today.  Your greatest moments are ahead of you and are right where you are now, so seize them while you can, before it is too late. —Bryant McGill

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This blog comes from an old journal that I was writing in while I worked at a particular job.  I think the entry still has relevance for many people today.

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I was having a bad day.  When I have a bad day, the Angels seem to appear to give me something else to think about.  A bad day, for me, is when things do not flow smoothly.  There are blocks. Even little things like we are out of my favourite chai tea latte in the kitchen at work.

Going back to the Angels….  they reminded me that when we hang on to something or become attached ( read my favourite tea), we constantly set ourselves up for failure and disappointment.  Then I saw the poster above, and I had this moment of clarity around the past, and around attachment.

Later, to make sure that I really got the message, the Angels sent me an OSHO Zen Tarot card called “Clinging To The Past”.  See it below.  Being blocked will limit your abundance.  The clear message is that change is required.  Creator will help you with your healing, however, some Meditation – a chance to listen to Creator (or the Universe) is required. 

The write up is pretty impressive.  Here is part of it.

The figure pictured in this card is so preoccupied with clutching her box of memories that she has turned her back on the sparkling champagne glass of blessings available here and now. Her nostalgia for the past really makes her a 'blockhead', and a beggar besides, as we can see from her patched and ragged clothes. She needn't be a beggar, of course--but she is not available to taste the pleasures that offer themselves in the present.

It's time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn't been so busy clinging to what you have already been through. Take a deep breath, put the box down, tie it up in a pretty ribbon if you must, and bid it a fond and reverent farewell. Life is passing you by, and you're in danger of becoming an old fossil before your time!

- from Osho, THe Great Zen Master Ta Hui, Chapter 10.

When something appears to you several times in a week, then pay attention.  If something appears several times in a day, you are being smacked over the head to get your attention.

This was telling me about clinging to the past.  What does it mean to you?

Special thanks to http://kathryn.mnsi.net/ for having the Osho Zen cards available.

Many blessings,

Judy

More on Breath

The poster says:   The same atoms and molecules of air, the breath that Jesus breathed, Moses breathed, Buddha breathed, that same breath is flowing into you right now!

The interesting thing about air is that it is always present.  It moves and is cleansed, and becomes rain or snow, and then changes to become “air” once again.  This is a good time to take up a meditation practice.  Not a big one – five or ten minutes a day.  And, in that time, be mindful of your breath.  You will be uncomfortable at first, however, things will change after the seventh day, and, it will become more natural.

Blessings,

Judy

Living In The Past

I have many card decks.  Periodically, I pull a card for the day, or the week, or even for the month.  I pulled the card for today, Osho card #5, Clinging To the Past, for January 2025.

Below is the explanation for the card.  May you find some information int the explanation that helps you with something that you are facing.

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The Osho Card for today

These tenses--past, present and future--are not the tenses of time; they are tenses of the mind. That which is no longer before the mind becomes the past. That which is before the mind is the present. And that which is going to be before the mind is the future. Past is that which is no longer before you. Future is that which is not yet before you. And present is that which is before you and is slipping out of your sight. Soon it will be past.... If you don't cling to the past...because clinging to the past is absolute stupidity.  …..

The figure pictured in this card is so preoccupied with clutching her box of memories that she has turned her back on the sparkling champagne glass of blessings available here and now. Her nostalgia for the past really makes her a 'blockhead', and a beggar besides, as we can see from her patched and ragged clothes. She needn't be a beggar, of course--but she is not available to taste the pleasures that offer themselves in the present. It's time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn't been so busy clinging to what you have already been through. Take a deep breath, put the box down, tie it up in a pretty ribbon if you must, and bid it a fond and reverent farewell. Life is passing you by, and you're in danger of becoming an old fossil before your time!

--Osho The Great Zen Master Ta Hui Chapter 10

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Blessings,

Judy 

Magpie Drops In

Magpie dropped to the path ahead of us (the dogs and me), and began to chatter.  Slowly, the chattering took form in my mind.  Here are some of the thoughts.

• Spend time in the present for this is where your power comes from.  In the present, you will be open to all that is available from the Oneness.
• Magpie does not dwell on the past; we remember the lessons.  One lesson is that a man with a long stick that smokes (gun) will hurt or end us.  Remember the lessons and let go of the emotion, the scene and all the blame!
• Walk more.  Even though we fly, we walk on the ground because it does ground us.  Humans do not walk enough.
• Play more.  Magpies enjoy each other and other animals.  We play.  We see you compete, we do not see you play.

I contemplated what Magpie was saying and realized that I can do better in being in the present.  I worked to stay in the moment as I wrote this blog.  I realized that my mind is like a herd of cats, different thoughts wanting to go different places.  I had to consciously work back to the moment.  When I did that, I felt more energy.  I am grateful to Magpie.

Blessings,

Judy

How To Understand Emptiness - From Buddhism

I was doing some reading in my studies on Buddhism, and I found this interesting quote on emptiness.  Since it resonated for me, I thought it might resonate for some of you, as well.

Many blessings,

Judy

Emptiness is a mode of perception, a way of looking at experience. It adds nothing to, and takes nothing away from, the raw data of physical and mental events. You look at events in the mind and the senses with no thought of whether there's anything lying behind them. This mode is called emptiness because it is empty of the presuppositions we usually add to experience in order to make sense of it: the stories and worldviews we fashion to explain who we are and the world we live in. Although these stories and views have their uses, the Buddha found that the questions they raise—of our true identity and the reality of the world outside—pull attention away from a direct experience of how events influence one another in the immediate present. Thus they get in the way when we try to understand and solve the problem of suffering. 

- Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "What do Buddhists mean when they talk about emptiness?"

 

Take Time To Contemplate

The word “contemplate” means:  

1. (v. t.) To consider or have in view, as contingent or probable; to look forward to; to purpose; to intend. 
2. (v. i.) To consider or think studiously; to ponder; to reflect; to muse; to meditate. 
3. (v. t.) To look at on all sides or in all its bearings; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study.

I was surprised when this was the word that the Angels gave to me to work with today.  For me, contemplation is what I do all the time when I am thinking about a problem, a writing issue, or a “how to” problem.  In fact, I think most people contemplate all the time.

The Angels laughed at me when I expressed this idea.  Their idea of contemplation is tied in with meditation, and thinking about God or Great Spirit, and wondering how to live one’s life more gently.  I have mentioned before that the First Law Of The Universe is “Harm No One”.  This is a tough one for humans to follow, especially those in religions that believe in annihilating all the non-believers.  Our training has been to be competitive and to believe in the survival of the fittest – Darwin’s theory.  We think that we must beat others down.  

The Angels are working with us to help us see that we are all needed to be part of life, and that we can grow to understand this idea through contemplation (or meditation).  The Angels work with individuals and with groups to have the idea of force and fighting removed from the consciousness.  

When we contemplate, we are in the present moment, and we will not need to resort to force to achieve an end.

May you have a wonderfully contemplative day!

Many blessings,

Judy

Redefine Yourself!

Picture from Highwood Trail, part of Kananaskis Country

The following motivations come from https://www.dailymotivation.site/?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily

• You are not defined by your past. 

• Things have changed and so have you.

• Life is dynamic. Don't limit yourself to what once was. 

• Stop over-thinking what has happened. Focus on living well in the present. 

• The present moment is giving you opportunities to create better experiences and transform your perspective.

I see so many people, friends and family included, who are stuck in a past situation.  For me, this is a sign of PTSD.  A trauma occurred and now the person is stuck.  If one is truly in balance as Nature intended, the past is a rolling event that is like a past movie.  Details are difficult to recall.  However, when someone keeps repeating the same story of an event that happened and how they are the victim in the story, the person gets time-locked in that emotion and in the reactions.  Talk about stuck in a rut!

So the solution to being stuck is to let it go!  It is not the situation that is the problem but how one reacts to it.

What changes will you make this week?

Many Blessings,

Judy

Staying in Synch

Today, I was trying to figure out why the podcasts on my iPad were not updating the way that I expected them to.  I started checking every setting.  What I found was that the “Synch” check box on my settings has some how become unchecked.  Now, since I never go in and change my settings, this seemed to be quite a “weird” thing for me.  I felt that maybe there was a lesson waiting to be learned.

I went to my podcasts and I listened to a Zen Buddhist lesson on “Being Present”.  There were several things that inspired me about this lesson.  One was that the emphasis through sutras and through stories was around being in the present moment.  If you cannot be in the present moment, and need to dwell on the past or the future, then what in the present moment is causing you so much pain?  

The second item in the teachings was that each act of living is about being in the present moment.  If we cannot be in that moment, then we are missing most of our life.  That too makes sense to me because I see so many people wasting happy and fun moments by texting or being on the phone, or trying to get away from themselves in some way.  

The third item I enjoyed in the teaching was around recognizing that each person is living perfectly in their present moment, and that we do not need to impose our ideas of what is going on.  I start to laugh as I read this because back in my second item, I realized that I was imposing judgement on those who choose to text in the present moment.  (I still wish they would not text while they are driving!)

I realized that Spirit was giving me a “hands on” lesson about staying in balance and harmony with my passions and my path.  When all is going well, then little thought is required because a person simply rolls with the flow of what is going on.  We are living in the present moment.  However, when we start to over think our actions and try to second guess all the people around us, then we are “out of synch” with our purpose.  Our harmony is compromised, and therefore life seems choppy and full of obstacles.  The serenity is gone. 

 I am truly grateful for the lesson.

Many Blessings,

Judy

Wisdom Comes

 

When I am asked, "How can I get back into balance with my life?", my answer is, "Go to Nature".  I see that wisdom comes from Nature, whether it is for me or for others.

Yes, it really is that simple. Yet, most people seem to want a long, difficult method of rebalancing.  I think it is because, over time, we have learned to believe that everything is complicated and that we need to go through a lot of steps to get to the end goal.  After all, that is what work is.

Being in balance is a natural state, so, it seems to me, that the best place to balance is in Nature.  It doesn't matter what the season is; it only matters that you go out into nature willingly and with an open mind.

My best drive home from where ever I am is one where I have time to look at the trees along the river and, if I am lucky, I see the Eagle guarding the river bank.  The sight of the river, trees, Eagle, and what ever else shows up brings me firmly into the present moment so that all that has been floating in my mind clears away.  I feel refreshed.

Many blessings

Judy

Keeping a Warm, Loving Feeling

 

In many ways, Nature reflects how we are feeling.  When we feel dismal, the sky is grey and cloudy.  When we feel very emotional, rain may very well be falling outside.  When we are filled with warm, loving thoughts, then often, the sun shines and life is beautiful!

How does this work?  Well, part of it is that we all create our own reality.  And part of the occurrence is that others are often feeling the way that we do.  You might say that we all create our own reality together.

The challenge becomes how to continue to feel warm and loving when others do not feel that way.  How do we stay Buddha-like?  One of the easiest ways to stay in that space of harmony is to be in the present moment - to leave the past behind, and to not think or worry about tomorrow, or next week.   Do not listen to the "what if..." statements that start to grow in your mind.  Send them away, and continue on, thinking of the warmth and brightness and lightness.  It works!

Blessings.

Judy

Water

 

Picture of Elbow Falls from August 2021.

Water is an amazing piece of magic.  It sustains life around it because it carries oxygen and “waters” the plants and trees and birds and animals.  It makes up a great percentage of the human body.  And while it gives life, water can be so destructive as shown by floods, tidal waves, torrential rains, and pounding spring runoffs from the mountains that reshape river banks and wash out bridges.  

Water is healing.  We bathe in it, soak in hot springs, drink it, cook in it, and use it for recreation.  Water finds the path of least resistance and flows in the way that is the easiest.  Yet, if an obstacle obstructs the path, water ruthlessly eliminates the blockage.  

Water stays in the present moment for it cannot go back to a past and it has no idea of the future.

 We too, can be like water and go with the flow and follow the path of the least resistance.  We too can overcome the blocks or obstacles on our path.  

Today, pay attention to the present moment and stay in the flow.  

Blessings

Judy