Pain is weakness leaving the body!

Pain is weakness leaving the body.
~U.S.Marine Corps T-shirt

Perhaps the hardest thing to remember in the throes of a crisis is that every bad break can also be a blessing. There are always unexpected benefits in misfortune, IF we meet our crises with a shift in outlook...IF we recognize that Divine Order is always present.

Look back on your difficult times. See them in perspective. Did you make lemonade out of the lemons that were handed to you? We sometimes play our best hands when the chips are down. Perhaps our character works like a muscle: the more we exercise it, the stronger it gets!

I'm holding the high watch!
Rev. Donna

The Taming of the Ego!

Just pondering an incident in my own life...and I realized I was taking it personally. My ego was shocked and bruised and I couldn't imagine how this could happen to a nice person like me.

I wonder how much of our pain and trouble is caused because we misinterpret what people say and do to us?

Our ego-centric nature is what causes us to think the worst and to take everything personally. It's not in our nature to think...I wonder what's going on for him right now? What pain inside caused him to do or say that?

When we take the actions of other people personally, this is our ego speaking, telling us that we are the center of the universe, that everything that happens in our lives revolves around us. Our ego is the veil separating us from the true, spiritual reality.

Today, I am believing that the more I tame my ego-centric thinking, the more I don't take it personally, the more connected to Spirit I will be. Hmmm, I feel better already!

I'm holding the high watch!
Donna

Our Daily Practice

Ironically, when we get busy, the first thing that tends to get cut back is our meditation practice. Most of us know from experience that we function much better when we give ourselves time each day to sit in silence. And the more "things" we have to do, the more we need that solitary, quiet time for the day ahead.

Expanding our morning meditation by just 10 minutes can make a big difference, as can the addition of short meditations into our daily schedule. The truth is, no matter how busy we are, unless we are in the midst of a crisis we always have five or 10 minutes to spare. The key is convincing ourselves that spending that time in meditation is the best choice. We could be getting our dishes done or heading into work earlier instead, so it’s important that we come to value the importance of meditation in the context of all the other things competing for attention in our lives.

We can also add short meditation breaks into our schedule, from five minutes before or after lunch, to a meditation at night before we go to sleep. When we come from a place of centered calm, we are more effective in handling our busy schedules and more able to keep it all in perspective. If more time in meditation means less time feeling anxious, panicky, and overwhelmed, then it’s certainly worth the extra time.

Here's a Buddhist 21 day practice I recently started. It takes ONE MINUTE! Read the practice below. Perhaps a minute or two of centered calm will help your day and your night.

21 DAY DAILY DHARMA PRACTICE

Daily Gassho (gosh ho)

The act of gassho is done by putting the palms of one's hands together in front of the heart and bowing the head. Gassho may be done sitting or standing; with eyes closed or open; and with or without beads.


Harmony Gassho

The verbal recitation accompanying your morning gassho can be the word “harmony.” Other recitations can be introduced later. Your recitation can be spoken with any degree of loudness or simply be said to yourself. The depth or power of the recitation is facilitated through your breath. After a moderately deep (but not overly long) inhalation through your nose, make your recitation as you exhale through your mouth. The sound of the last syllable should be extended until the end of the exhalation. As an approximate guideline, your inhalation can be about 3-5 seconds long, whereas your exhalation should be about 9-15 seconds long. Keep your body and head erect as you inhale. As the last syllable of the recitation is being extended, slowly bow your head, keeping your hands and body still.

At the end of the recitation most people like to stay in the finishing position for a while (perhaps for 1-3 normal breaths, saying the words harmony, understanding, wisdom) so that one doesn't get the feeling of rushing off immediately after the recitation. The underlying sentiment of the Harmony Gassho is that you will try your best to have a spirit of cooperation with others, and always be as calm and patient as possible. The seed of this sentiment will gradually blossom into an understanding that can be called wisdom.


The Gratitude Gassho

Use the same procedure as described for the Harmony Gassho except that your recitation is the word “gratitude.” On your normal breaths say the words gratitude, blessed, wisdom.

The underlying sentiment accompanying the Gratitude Gassho is an awareness of interdependency—that one is supported by nature, by other people, by everything. There is a feeling of “counting one's blessings,“ of “grace,” or of “how grateful I am.” The seed of this sentiment will naturally blossom and be expressed in compassionate ways.

An Important Consideration

The Buddhist way is “purposeless purpose” or “effortless effort.” In the context of this program, this means being as earnest and sincere as possible while doing your daily gasshos—and letting their effects gradually and naturally spread into other times of your day.

Let The Light In

In order to find the Light, you must first find the darkness.

If are in a room whose windows are curtained off, first you find the curtain!

The Light is always there. It never leaves. When we take down the curtains (low self-esteem, self-hatred, egotism, elitism, judgment, doubt...all our old enemies) we let the love and happiness pour in.

Today, remember the Light never left. It's only covered up. Find, and tear down, the curtains within. Let a little Light in.

I'm holding the high watch!
Rev. Donna