Early Morning Stress Reduction Inspiration - 10/11/2012

Early Morning Stress Reduction Inspiration - 10/11/2012

Early Morning Stress Reduction Inspiration - 10/11/2012

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 04:00 AM PDT

"When we start out on a spiritual path we often have ideals we think we're supposed to live up to. We feel we're supposed to be better than we are in some way. But with this practice you take yourself completely as you are. Then ironically, taking in pain - breathing it in for yourself and all others in the same boat as you are - heightens your awareness of exactly where you're stuck."

~Pema Chödrön

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma

Read More @ Source

What it takes to see pure Mind

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:00 PM PDT

Q: Is there a good practice such as zazen for helping a person see this pure Mind of which you speak?

A: This is a thorny issue. Those who have invested heavily in doing lots of zazen believe zazen is the only way. It is the same with those who chant the title of a Sutra or the name of Amitabha Buddha. These practices occupy the minds of those who use these particular practices. They offer some consolation—but no real progress. It is the same in some traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. From what I can find in the Sutras, the Buddha gave no straightforward information on just how, exactly, to go from being a mere worldling—point A—to someone who has entered the stream or became a Bodhisattva—point B. One thing I know for sure, based upon my own experiences, you have to be extremely enthusiastic about uncovering the mystery of pure Mind. It's right here, believe it or not. But the super subtlety of its presence requires and equally super subtle search fueled with super enthusiasm. No one can teach you that.

Q: It seems sort of hopeless to me. How do you acquire such enthusiasm?

A: In my case, when I first learned about Zen Buddhism in my philosophy class, I was really, really hooked. My teacher even knew Dr. D.T. Suzuki—had ice cream with him! So I read Suzuki's books—those I could find. What intrigued me about Zen, at the time, was I couldn't figure it out. However, deep down inside there was a part of me that believed I could and really wanted to solve the mystery. It is at that early stage when you will know if you have what it takes to uncover pure Mind. At that point, too, I believe that the cards are being delt in your favor. You will also begin to acquire serendipity. I don't mean that things will never go bad—they will, often in a huge way. That is part of the program, believe it or not. Everything standing in your way is you; that has to change. Even your particular spin on Buddhism stands in your way. You are trying to overcome 'you' to get to pure Mind. It is a difficult task.

Q: So what is the thing with serendipity?

A: It is like a gift from on high for finding things that will get you closer to a direct intuition of pure Mind. There are clues around us. But not all of them will take you to pure mind. Having good serendipity helps you to see the right clues based on your passion for the quest. On a different note, looking back over my journey, there was a lot of worthless shit I had to dump that was hindering me. I didn't know it at the time. I couldn't tell you exactly what it was. But I just knew that I had to go here in order to get my ass kicked—you know, to give up an old pattern that was a major hindrance. Many times I had to go to hell A to get to heaven B. I also learned a lot about my own weaknesses. Two bigones were laziness and carelessness. I had to learn to run a tight ship. All around me were clues and omens telling me where to look and to go.

Q: Based on my own experiences, I don't find a lot of Buddhists on a vision quest for pure Mind. They seem to be using Buddhism to heal themselves mentally—like therapy. Why is that?

A: I don't know how to put it—most people who call themselves Buddhists are not all that interested in Buddhism when it comes to realizing pure Mind. They have some interest, don't get me wrong. If they can find a particular practice that suits them like zazen and it makes them mentally happy that's as far as they want to go. Another angle on this, I know lots of young people, mainly in their mid twenties—they are interested in getting some kind of advanced degree in college. Hopefully, the degree will help them get a good paying job. Yet, not one of them is going to become a great mathematician or a great historian—not without a huge injection of enthusiasm for the subject itself. They will go as far as getting a good secure job so they can get married, buy the big house and raise two kids. I've always imagined Buddhism to be like a hardware store. You come in, find the stuff you need and that's it. Most people don't want the item, pure Mind.

Q: So what's your best advice for those Buddhists who don't have your level of enthusiasm?

A: At least find something you're enthusiastic about—I mean really enthusiastic. Don't become an unenthusiastic bore. The real danger is that the bulk of humanity just want security—nothing more—which makes them weak and almost spiritually dead. They believe a secure life is enough. Feeling secure is like being closer to God. This is all a bunch of crap, of course. There is no security in this world. It is a house on fire. It's just that the flames have not reached our room. Buddha's come into the world to warn all of us. This house on fire is not a refuge! Bottom line, I really don't have a lot of advice. There are no miracles that can turn us into experiencers of pure Mind. We stand in our own way. Like Pogo Possum said: "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Read More @ Source