Health | Wellness | Yoga

This blog is about the idea there is no-self or in Sanskrit anâtman .  What goes into forming such an idea?  Why should anyone uphold such an idea and fight for it?  What in my character or disposition requires that I invest in such an idea?  These, and other questions arise when we begin to look at the idea there is no-self. It is remarkable that many Western Buddhists, before they decide to become Buddhists, are very much open to the idea that there is no-self or soul—so much so that they are willing to champion this idea; further believing the self or the ego , as they prefer to call it, is the main cause of suffering.  And then they find Buddhism! When Westerners become Buddhists, whatever the Buddha said in his discourses, that he asked his followers to abandon what is not the soul instead of the soul (P., attâ ), has no impact when it should.  It's dismissed.  The idea is deeply stuck in their minds that there can be no such thing as a ...

Early Morning Stress Reduction Inspiration - 7/1/2013 "Anyone can practice some nonviolence, even soldiers. Some army generals, for example, conduct their operations in ways that avoid killing innocent people; this is a kind of nonviolence. To help soldiers move in the nonviolent direction, we have to be in touch with them. If we divide reality into two camps - the violent and the nonviolent - and stand in one camp while attacking the other, the world will never have peace. We will always blame and condemn those we feel are responsible for wars and social injustice, without recognizing the degree of violence in ourselves. We must work on ourselves and also with those we condemn if we want to have a real impact. It never helps to draw a line and dismiss some people as enemies, even those who act violently. We have to approach them with love in our hearts and do our best to help them move in a direction of nonviolence. If we work for peace out...

Interesting take on how Shin Yoga supports social activism I don't claim to fully understand Tom Pepper's "The Radical Potential of Shin Yoga." But then, I don't claim to fully understand anything . The vestiges of other-worldly mysticism remaining in my mind have found Pure Land Yoga both utterly unbelievable and also strangely compelling. After all, what's not to like about reciting Namu Amida Butsu and earning a ticket to Nirvana Land? Sure beats other forms of Yoga that require you to engage in all sorts of arduous practices, including back-breaking, mind-numbing meditation for ever and ever (almost). But Pepper presents a view of Shin/Shinran Yoga that tosses out its unbelievable aspects and leaves a philosophical system that makes pretty good sense. That said, his essay is sufficiently intellectually dense that I found it difficult to understand much of it on a first reading. Here, though, are excerpts that will give you the gist of Pepper...

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 6/28/2013 "We have negative mental habits that come up over and over again. One of the most significant negative habits we should be aware of is that of constantly allowing our mind to run off into the future. Perhaps we got this from our parents. Carried away by our worries, we're unable to live fully and happily in the present. Deep down, we believe we can't really be happy just yet-that we still have a few more boxes to be checked off before we can really enjoy life. We speculate, dream, strategize, and plan for these "conditions of happiness" we want to have in the future; and we continually chase after that future, even while we sleep. We may have fears about the future because we don't know how it's going to turn out, and these worries and anxieties keep us from enjoying being here now." ~Thich Nhat Hanh Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dh...