Ya ‘Aziz ~ Physicians of the Heart Ya ‘Aziz (yaa ‘a-ZEEZ) … When al-‘Aziz is viewed from the psychological perspective it brings up a particularly important crux theme for the ego structure. The human ego structure is made up of many layers, layers that ultimately defend against major wounds. There is a major wound of humiliation, a wound of shame which most people carry. It is the result of experiences in your life in relation to others. And, [...]
Wholehearted Living Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging. (p.1) Brown, [...]
We make the road by walking Let us think as an example. Give a camera to several people and say: "Record what you want to record, and next week we meet together. The only demand I have is that each group has to justify to all of us the reasons why the group preferred to record, for example, the front of the school, the market, the church." You can discuss with the group, video by video, trying to [...]
Together We Are One We need to educate ourselves in ways that help us listen deeply to people---- and it doesn’t matter if we have had their experience. What matters is that we can listen, and we can listen well enough that their experience can be healed and transformed. So a lot of it is about the power of simply listening and holding a space of compassion for people sharing their difficulties, their pain, their insights. A lot [...]
The Fur Coat, God, and the Fishermen There once was the teacher who was so poor that in winter he wore only one threadbare cotton robe. A river in spate carried a bear down from the mountains, its head hidden in the swirling water. The children the man was teaching saw the back of the bear and shouted: “Teacher and look over there! There’s a fur coat in the water! You are always cold, jump in and grab [...]
how to ? Dave Christensen ✆ buckskin@mtintouch.net Dear Family, My 5th grade teacher just died at age 97. He was a buckskinner too. Several friends are writing about him on a web site and phoning each other in remembrance of him. You may find my story amazing. It directed my life and influenced my family's. For those not wanting to read a story, this is not important. Love David/Dad AN ASTOUNDING STORY. A Memorial [...]
Donapaka Sutta (King Pasenadi Goes on a Diet) Once when the Buddha was living at Savatthi, King Pasenadi of Kosala ate a whole bucketful of food, and then approached the Buddha, engorged and panting, and sat down to one side. The Buddha, discerning that King Pasenadi was engorged and panting, took the occasion to utter this verse: "When a person is constantly mindful, And knows when enough food has been taken, All their afflictions become more slender They [...]
Dogen at Celestial Lad Temple Tian Tong’s first phrase of midwinter. Old plum tree bent and gnarled, All at once, opens one blossom, two blossoms, three, four, five blossoms. Uncountable blossoms. Not proud of their purity. Not proud of fragrance. Spreading, becoming spring. Blowing over grass and trees, balding the head of a patch-robed monk. Whirling, changing into wind, wild rain, falling snow, all over the earth. The old plum tree is boundless. A hard cold rubs the [...]
Mushim invites us to listen Sage Mahosadha shared: nathan miller Two weeks ago, in our Noble Truth class, our teacher, Mushim Ikeda-Nash gave us a homework assignment in which we were to watch a video entitled Middle Way Bass. You may view it here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h62Wo1DRC2E. The idea here is a basic and foundational construct in Buddhism--The Middle Way. In the video the teacher demonstrates this concept by tightening and loosening the strings of his bass guitar and illustrating how [...]
The Only Way I Know to Eliminate Suffering ~ Darlene Cohen Self-healing is an area I've explored intensely because I have had rheumatoid arthritis, a very painful and crippling disease, for eighteen years. It began in my seventh year of zen practice, while I was living at Green Gulch Farm. . . . . .Because of my pain I lived in a world of continual intrusive sensation. It was very much in my self-interest to notice what circumstances [...]