Om Gate Gate. Paragate. Parasamgate. Bodhi Svaha.
From Aloneness to Aliveness
Published: Sat, 06/17/23
When we've been raised in the western context, with English as our language, we end up with a very limited set of tools to experience life. The result is an experience of separation: aloneness.
The spiritual search can be a way to use our language and perception tools to manage this separate existence -- so that we can feel better. This, unfortunately is usually temporary. The spiritual search can also be a way to move beyond it completely and transform our being. Or... it can be a way to gracefully do both things at the same time.
Hmmmm, you say. Is that possible?
We live in a time and place where our participation in life is essential for the sake of everyone and everything. The whole of everything needs your thoughts, and your body, and skills and ideas. We also need your spirit, and your joy, and your "beyond the beyond".
So let's start out this week singing...
Offering a Prayer
There’s a big difference in offering a prayer or praying to something. These are interesting things to think about because it opens our perception to who are we as human beings, and what are we are doing in this life. When we’re praying to something we’re imagining a being beyond ourselves. We are often asking …
The Mind and the Brain
Are the mind and the brain the same thing? Or two different things? Well... if all is one, then there aren’t two things. So they are the same thing.
The Problem in Praying to the Universe
The problem in praying to the universe is that the idea of the universe doesn’t really create a feeling of gratefulness, a feeling of giving back. What could we possibly give back to the universe? It’s so huge. I don’t know how you see the universe but to me it feels like it’s cold, and …
Heart Sutra
The Heart Sutra is such a great story. It’s from a long time ago so we’re missing a whole lot of the details of exactly what happened. But in essence the bodhisattva wakes up. A sudden awakening and after, apparently it seems, years of studying. It seemed to be a practice of straining to get …
Come To Me
Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden. Come to me and I will give you rest.
Not Two Doesn’t Make Sense
Non-duality means not two. “Not two” doesn’t mean “one.” The problem with the idea of one is that one is a thing. Even if you are imagining a vast oneness of all you can still see it in your imagination. You can think about it. You can get fixated on it. What we’re trying to …
The Trick is to Keep Things Simple
All in all the biggest trick is to keep things simple. When you look around at the world it can be so complicated! Everyone is running around; running around like mad. A cat can just sit there. A dog can just sit there. People are always doing. The more we keep it simple the better …
Sufi Mysticism Frees the Mind
Sufi mysticism is about what happens when the mind becomes unhitched from the human being. So you are free and no longer held captive by ideas. Then poetry happens.
A Thought is a Thought
Illusion happens when you don’t see a thought as a thought, or an emotion as an emotion. Instead you get sucked into a vortex of importance. You give them a name and a power: My thought. My emotions. The emotion isn’t you. The thought isn’t you. Any more than your hair isn’t isn’t you. If …
Zen Stories & Mulla Nasrudine
Zen helps us explore ourselves with stories. The human mind operates on stories. We are all crazy because we have been given ridiculous stories since birth. So, one of the best ways to wake up is to rewrite the story.
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