I love this quote from Ajahn Sumedho:
Letting go of form is trusting in the immediacy of awareness. And awareness is real. It isn't abstract; it isn't just some kind of concept I have that I don't recognise immediately; it is more like the space in this room and the forms in space. They are what they are. and I no longer go from one thing to another saying," I like this; I don't like that." but recognise that whatever is in this space belongs here in this moment. It doesn't whether I approve or disapprove of it, or whether it is good or bad. If it is here, this is the way it is; and this is learning to trust in awareness, which doesn't pick or choose. It is choiceless awareness.
It is the type of quote that produce a little "ahhh..." moment doesn't it? =D
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
He's on his way back home
Friday, March 14, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Looking at strong emotions as storm
Love to read Thich Nhat Nhan's books =)
Something on working with strong emotions, a very useful and helpful analogy:
Look at strong emotions as a kind of storm. If we know weatherproofing techniques, we can come out of it intact... If we master the ways of calming and steadying our mind, we can pass through the storms of emotion with relative ease... don't think. Stop all your ruminating, and just focus on the breathing. When trees get hit by a storm, the treetops are thrashed around and run the highest risk of being damaged. The trunk of the tree is more stable and solid; it has many roots reaching deep into the earth. The treetops are like your head, your thinking mind.
When a storm comes up in you, get out of the treetop and go down to the trunk for safety. Your roots start down at your abdomen, slightly below the navel, at the energy point known as the tan tien in Chinese medicine. Put all your attention on that part of your belly and breathe deeply. Don't think about anything, and you will be safe while the storm of emotions is blowing. Practice this every day for just five minutes, and after three weeks, you ill be able to handle your emotions whenever they rise up...
I hope you find this useful.
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Something on working with strong emotions, a very useful and helpful analogy:
Look at strong emotions as a kind of storm. If we know weatherproofing techniques, we can come out of it intact... If we master the ways of calming and steadying our mind, we can pass through the storms of emotion with relative ease... don't think. Stop all your ruminating, and just focus on the breathing. When trees get hit by a storm, the treetops are thrashed around and run the highest risk of being damaged. The trunk of the tree is more stable and solid; it has many roots reaching deep into the earth. The treetops are like your head, your thinking mind.
When a storm comes up in you, get out of the treetop and go down to the trunk for safety. Your roots start down at your abdomen, slightly below the navel, at the energy point known as the tan tien in Chinese medicine. Put all your attention on that part of your belly and breathe deeply. Don't think about anything, and you will be safe while the storm of emotions is blowing. Practice this every day for just five minutes, and after three weeks, you ill be able to handle your emotions whenever they rise up...
I hope you find this useful.
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Thursday, February 27, 2014
4 kinds of working with my emotional difficulties
I made an interesting observation recently with regards to my practice working with my everyday emotional difficulties. There seem to be 4 kinds:
1. Those of the very mild variant, like maybe when someone cut my queue. Mere Recognition of the thoughts arising would suffice to dissolve the emotion and prevent a self-centred drama from developing...
2. Those slightly stronger ones, or even mild ones, but were discovered a little late when a short self-centred drama has already been developed. After recognition, a long out-breath with a "sighhh" seems to release the tension completely...
3. Sometimes the emotions were stronger and the urge to play out the drama were strong. I find it useful to Refrain from continuing the thought train and Return to the moment, focusing on the experience of uncomfortable physical sensations in the body. Grounding myself in body awareness is a useful practice...
4. Sometimes it can be just too overwhelming and all I can do was to do my best to not escalate the drama and emotions. Just breathing in, breathing out...riding out the storm...
And then there were many times when mindfulness was simply absent throughout the emotional drama and habitual tendencies took over completely.
The only thing I can do was to forgive myself as an after thought =P
More mindfulness needed!
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
1. Those of the very mild variant, like maybe when someone cut my queue. Mere Recognition of the thoughts arising would suffice to dissolve the emotion and prevent a self-centred drama from developing...
2. Those slightly stronger ones, or even mild ones, but were discovered a little late when a short self-centred drama has already been developed. After recognition, a long out-breath with a "sighhh" seems to release the tension completely...
3. Sometimes the emotions were stronger and the urge to play out the drama were strong. I find it useful to Refrain from continuing the thought train and Return to the moment, focusing on the experience of uncomfortable physical sensations in the body. Grounding myself in body awareness is a useful practice...
4. Sometimes it can be just too overwhelming and all I can do was to do my best to not escalate the drama and emotions. Just breathing in, breathing out...riding out the storm...
And then there were many times when mindfulness was simply absent throughout the emotional drama and habitual tendencies took over completely.
The only thing I can do was to forgive myself as an after thought =P
More mindfulness needed!
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Friday, February 21, 2014
Why do I meditate?
When asked this question, I think my answer evolved and changed over the years. It will also differ dependent whether if the person asking is involved in spiritual practice as well.
Anyway, when asked this question today, my answer goes something like this:
First, I meditate to refresh my mind.
It helps to relieve stress and therefore better cope with the challenges of everyday living.
Our mind is like a calculator whereby it adds numbers after numbers and we can get overwhelmed.
Meditating is hitting the clear button on the calculator, and our mind gets refreshed =)
Second, more deeply, it helps me to connect with our basic goodness.
When faced with difficult situations and emotions, like dark clouds during a thunderstorm, my mind can become very dark and narrow, leading to doing, saying or thinking stupid things.
Meditation helps to put things into perspective, reminding me that the thunderstorm is temporary (this too will pass) while our basic goodness, like the sun, is always present, thunderstorm or not.
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Anyway, when asked this question today, my answer goes something like this:
First, I meditate to refresh my mind.
It helps to relieve stress and therefore better cope with the challenges of everyday living.
Our mind is like a calculator whereby it adds numbers after numbers and we can get overwhelmed.
Meditating is hitting the clear button on the calculator, and our mind gets refreshed =)
Second, more deeply, it helps me to connect with our basic goodness.
When faced with difficult situations and emotions, like dark clouds during a thunderstorm, my mind can become very dark and narrow, leading to doing, saying or thinking stupid things.
Meditation helps to put things into perspective, reminding me that the thunderstorm is temporary (this too will pass) while our basic goodness, like the sun, is always present, thunderstorm or not.
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Peace, No peace, Coming, Going...
Today I did a one day silent retreat with the Ordinary Mind Zen Group @ Mercy Place.
I am very grateful to Gregg and the Zen group for the wonderful opportunity to intensify my practice...deep bow...
In between wandering thoughts and drowsiness, there were short moments of relative silence as well, letting go of my thinking, just hearing the air-con, just breathing in, out on my cushion or during breaks, just hearing the birds chirping, just looking at the greenery...
Ahhhh... Silence... Stillness... Peace...
The retreat was from 9 - 5pm.
After which we went home.
After returning to the muddy waters of everyday life, over the most trivial matters, irritation and frustration took over me. I went into unconscious reactions and negativities...
Grrrr.... Spinning storylines... Uncomfortable physical sensations... No Peace...
Anyway, luckily impermanence came to my rescue and the storm was over.
I forgive myself for not being at peace =)
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
I am very grateful to Gregg and the Zen group for the wonderful opportunity to intensify my practice...deep bow...
In between wandering thoughts and drowsiness, there were short moments of relative silence as well, letting go of my thinking, just hearing the air-con, just breathing in, out on my cushion or during breaks, just hearing the birds chirping, just looking at the greenery...
Ahhhh... Silence... Stillness... Peace...
The retreat was from 9 - 5pm.
After which we went home.
After returning to the muddy waters of everyday life, over the most trivial matters, irritation and frustration took over me. I went into unconscious reactions and negativities...
Grrrr.... Spinning storylines... Uncomfortable physical sensations... No Peace...
Anyway, luckily impermanence came to my rescue and the storm was over.
I forgive myself for not being at peace =)
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Seeing Negativity as Reminders to Practice
Negativity arises throughout my daily living, ranging from little ones like irritation or impatience to big ones like anger outbursts and depressions.
Question is whether I am able to see the arising of negativity as reminders to practice?
Often negativity is a sign that I am holding onto some self-centred thoughts, hence they offer great opportunities for spiritual practice and possibility of insight into the roots of some of my usual vexations.
Question is whether I am able to perceive clearly what is actually happening, see clearly the facts of the life situation, the storyline I spin around the life situation and the uncomfortable physical sensations that accompany the storyline?
I have found working with little ones like irritation useful as they "prepare" me for the bigger ones like emotional outbursts. Intense emotions can be quite overwhelming and just staying with the physical sensations can be a real challenge!
Here is something from Eckhart Tolle that I find useful:
Use negativity as a kind of signal that reminds you to be more present.
Whenever you feel negativity arising within you, look on it as a voice saying,
"Attention. Here and now. Wake up. Get out of your mind. Be present."
You may be able to just drop it once you realise this energy field inside you and that it serves no purpose.
If you cannot drop it, just accept that it is there and take your attention into the feeling (physical sensations).
~Eckhart Tolle
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Question is whether I am able to see the arising of negativity as reminders to practice?
Often negativity is a sign that I am holding onto some self-centred thoughts, hence they offer great opportunities for spiritual practice and possibility of insight into the roots of some of my usual vexations.
Question is whether I am able to perceive clearly what is actually happening, see clearly the facts of the life situation, the storyline I spin around the life situation and the uncomfortable physical sensations that accompany the storyline?
I have found working with little ones like irritation useful as they "prepare" me for the bigger ones like emotional outbursts. Intense emotions can be quite overwhelming and just staying with the physical sensations can be a real challenge!
Here is something from Eckhart Tolle that I find useful:
Use negativity as a kind of signal that reminds you to be more present.
Whenever you feel negativity arising within you, look on it as a voice saying,
"Attention. Here and now. Wake up. Get out of your mind. Be present."
You may be able to just drop it once you realise this energy field inside you and that it serves no purpose.
If you cannot drop it, just accept that it is there and take your attention into the feeling (physical sensations).
~Eckhart Tolle
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy =)
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying
Currently reading the Tibetan Book of Living & Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche.
It is truly a spiritual classic that even before finishing the book, I made intention to re-read this book in the near future to reinforce my understanding of the wisdom contained within.
Reflecting on death is one of the central theme in this book and I must say the effect on me is that it serves as a gentle (or maybe not so gentle...) admonition to make that extra effort to do my spiritual practice while I am still alive!
From the book, a Tibetan saying goes, "We do not know, if tomorrow comes first or next life comes first." What an admonition!
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out more about the meaning of life & death. It is truly inspiring, offers a wealth of wisdom and plenty of practical & compassionate advise on spiritual practice, living & dying.
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well & happy =)
It is truly a spiritual classic that even before finishing the book, I made intention to re-read this book in the near future to reinforce my understanding of the wisdom contained within.
Reflecting on death is one of the central theme in this book and I must say the effect on me is that it serves as a gentle (or maybe not so gentle...) admonition to make that extra effort to do my spiritual practice while I am still alive!
From the book, a Tibetan saying goes, "We do not know, if tomorrow comes first or next life comes first." What an admonition!
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out more about the meaning of life & death. It is truly inspiring, offers a wealth of wisdom and plenty of practical & compassionate advise on spiritual practice, living & dying.
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well & happy =)
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