Take all the Bad Feeling and
Project Good Feeling to Others

As a proper way
of practicing Buddhism,
a true Buddhist
takes all the bad feeling
upon him or herself,
sees that as suffering,
and learns from it
so as to live more fully
the Eightfold Noble Path
to overcome suffering
and bad feeling.

To live a Buddhist life
is living the middle way;
so, to balance bad feeling,
take it upon yourself for practice;
learn to cultivate good feelings,
the immeasurable feelings,
for others.

With the good feelings
projected onto others
and the shouldering
of the bad feelings
upon yourself,
you can then live
a balanced, middle-way life
as a true Buddhist.

Always develop
the opposite feeling
as an antidote for the feeling
you take upon yourself,
which is always
a much harsher feeling
than the one,
you project onto others.

Without taking on
the suffering and pain of others,
you are not, repeat, NOT,
capable of projecting
good feelings onto others,




Dharma Teachings 2401-2500
by Des/Boo-Ngoh

Do not belive me

Do not believe me
If I say
I have good intention.

Only upon total enlightenment
I will know
My own intention
Which is not conscious
To the Brain mind
& can be accessed only through right meditation

eating healthy

I am not one for conspeirecy thories, there is something that has been bothering me since I started doing chi and eating healthy.
I am on a fixed income at the moment and it never ceases to amaze me that healty foods and practices are priced out of the range of those who would benefit from them most.
This summer has been a cool one and my garden did not do as well as I liked but I still saved money by growing some of my own produce.
It seems that, for lower and fixed income people, sugar, fat and salt are the only affordable things around. I see it daily in the neighborhood markets. People going for canned fruit and vegatables insted of fresh because the cans are 2or 3 for a dollar and the fresh is about one dollar for only two peices.
Food stamps can be used at farmer's markets but the prices make it hard to streach what few dollars are aloted to those who depend on them.
Part of it is lack of knowlage, but for the most part it is just that the fat and salt habit has been ingrained deeply.
It also seems like yoga and chi classes, holistic health and alternive medicines are priced out of the range of lower income folks.
I was luck to find an affordable yoga class and there is an organization in New York City called Yoga to the people(they have a website) that is making body/mind practices more affordable to more folks.
I used David Dorian's DVD's because I just point blank could not afford the only chi classes in town.
This disturbes me because it seems like the message is you have to earn the "right" to be healthy.
There is a debate about health care going on right now. I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I have yet to hear about the goverment covering preventive or alterntive medicine.
If we want a healthier population, should we not be focusing on preventive care and things that will restore health naturally.
This idea will not be popular with the perscription drug industry.
Not that drugs arn't good in their place, but would it not be better is we start from a place that will elemenate them or not even have the need for them in the first place?
And who decides who has the 'right' to have access to healthy food and medicine?
How about some REAL health care choices?
1 Comment
Thu 27th
Chi and the bike 2
Published by: Carpe Qi-em on Thursday 27th August 2009 09:08am
Isn't it funny how a little thing can trigger a big one? Being off my bike for the past few days has triggered a big issue in my life.
You see, my bike has come to mean something in my life. Accomplishment, pride , confidence---and another chance to work on my lack of compassion for others.
I have been enjoying new freedom from being able to ride around when I want to without depending on the bus. I can pop my basket on and do my shopping.
Being off the bike has triggered feelings of loss--but have I really lost anything?
After all once the repairs problems are solved, I will be able to ride again.
The one thing that has been brought home to me is my sense of --well --smarmyness-for lack of a better word-twards the people who have been watching me ride by and given me dirty looks or said nasty things.
I have noted a smugness in myself as I see others sitting on their porches, just watching me move and enjoy my new found energy.
I have this "neh neh neh Na Na neh" attude.
But really, what is the differnce between me and my neighbors who say they are "too old" or "can't move"?
Just a few years ago, I was sitting around thinking I was too old and it was too late.
The fact that I got up, does not make me a better or worse person that anyone around me. By taking a smug attude, I have devalued people and judged them.
So to my shame, I admit that I have been guilty of using my good fortune( for it was just my good luck to find Chi and yoga) to pass judgement on others.

TheReligionofPeace - Link to Us

TheReligionofPeace - Link to Us: "

"

Protecting Our Love
A new adventure awaits us
Something new around every bend
Two lives entwined forever
Two hearts given time to mend

A love so pure and special
A strong foundation on which to grow
Our relationship is like no other
Meant to be as we both know

Love growing stronger every day
As love was designed to be
Me being there for you
And you being there for me

For you are my special angel
Protecting our love within your heart
Until we're joined together
To never be pulled apart

It's that time

Crab this clock widget here

Waking Up In The Morning

Waking Up In The Morning

Waking up this morning I smile
knowing there are 24 brand new hours before me.
I vow to live fully in each moment,
and look at beings with eyes of compassion.

As we wake up in the morning and open our eyes we may like to recite the above gatha. We can start our day with the happiness of a smile and the aspiration to dedicate ourselves to the path of love and understanding. We are aware that today is a fresh, new day, and we have 24 precious hours to live.

Let us try to get up from bed right away after following three deep breaths to bring ourselves into mindfulness. Let us not delay our waking. We may like to sit up and gently massage our head, neck, shoulders, and arms to get your blood circulating. We might like to do a few stretches to loosen our joints and wake up our body. Drinking a cup of warm water is also good for our system first thing in the morning.

Let us wash up or do what we need to before heading towards the meditation hall. Allow ourselves enough time so we will not have to rush. Enjoy the dark morning sky. Many stars are twinkling and greeting us. Take deep breaths and enjoy the cool, fresh air. As we walk slowly towards the hall, let the morning fill our being, awakening our body and mind to the joy of a new day.

Walking Meditation

Wherever we walk, we can practice meditation. This means that we know that we are walking. We walk just for walking. We walk with freedom and solidity, no longer in a hurry. We are present with each step. And when we wish to talk we stop our movement and give our full attention to the other person, to our words and to listening.

Walking in this way should not be a privilege. We should be able to do it in every moment. Look around and see how vast life is, the trees, the white clouds, the limitless sky. Listen to the birds. Feel the fresh breeze. Life is all around and we are alive and healthy and capable of walking in peace.

Let us walk as a free person and feel our steps get lighter. Let us enjoy every step we make. Each step is nourishing and healing. As we walk, imprint our gratitude and our love on the earth.

We may like to use a gatha as we walk. Taking two or three steps for each in-breath and each out-breath,

Breathing in "I have arrived"; Breathing out "I am home"
Breathing in "In the here"; Breathing out "In the now"
Breathing in "I am solid"; Breathing out "I am free"
Breathing in "In the ultimate"; Breathing out "I dwell"

Working Meditation

To participate in working meditation can be a great happiness. It is an opportunity to engage in the maintenance and care of our practice center while enjoying our practice of mindfulness. When we wash the cars, or turn the compost piles or chop wood we stay mindful of our breathing and the activity that we are doing. We speak only when necessary and about the work at hand. We can maintain a light and easy feeling as we work. An environment that is quiet can make the work more pleasant and enjoyable.
When we work in the garden we get in touch with the plants and nourish our connection to the earth we are living on. Sweeping and mopping the meditation halls we see that we are already practicing to calm our mind and body. Please, do not be in too great of a hurry to get the job done. Our most important contribution to the Sangha is to maintain our practice of mindfulness.

Working Meditation links us to our everyday life, both here and when we return home. As we are working at our computer or preparing dinner for our family or teaching a class, we can practice stopping, calming and refreshing ourselves with our conscious breathing. We can relax and smile at our co-workers and pace ourselves to maintain a light and serene state of being

When you love

When you love someone so deep inside,
It seems like it's so easy to hide.
You've loved her for so very long,
You would think she could do no wrong.

Every day you would hope and pray,
That she would always stay this way.
She treated you like you should be treated,
You thought your life was finally completed.

You thought your love was growing true,
And then one day it was all so blue.
She started putting you down and it hurt,
You thought all you were to her was dirt.

She started ignoring you and you wondered why,
All you wanted to do was curl up and die.
You thought your relationship would never end,
But that was all so fake and pretend.
One day She was so sweet to you,
You thought all those things were maybe untrue,
Two days later she was back the same,
You thought you were the one to blame.

She thought the relationship was getting too serious
And that you had become a little too curious.
By this time you knew it wouldn't last,
All the nice things She said were in the past.

You thought that you would marry her some day,
But this time God wanted to get her way.
You wanted things back how they were before,
But you knew this couldn't happen anymore.

It was a Wednesday morning about 3 o'clock,
You heard the news and it wasn't a shock.
You knew this was going to happen soon,
As you laid there and cried in the pale lit moon.

may good thing come your way

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May Buddha hold you in the palm of his hand.

May Buddha be with you and bless you:
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

1 - I do realize i have power over myself; i am the master of my Karma and i am heir to my Karma

2 - I humbly submit I will be totally and squarely responsible for my actions

3 - for whatever I have done wrong, let me have the courage to face the consequences brought upon me by my Karma

4 - for whatever will happen in the future, let me have the wisdom to do what is wholesome so that I may have good Karma for a good future

5 - If I can't meditate well, it's because i have not kept my precepts well

6 - If I do not have right wisdom, it's because i have not meditated well

7 - If I have kept my precepts well and i have meditated well and I am not making progress, it's because i have not put in enough effort

8 - If I still blame on others, it's because i have not looked enough into myself

9 - If I have not yet found Dharma, i still have not looked enough into into myself

10 - If I still have not found Buddha, i still have not looked enough into myself

11 - If I feel like i do not have enough support, it's because i have not been supportive of my sangha

12 - If I am still fearful of old age, sickness and death, i have not yet practiced well enough Buddhism.

that's my twelve steps