Currently Reading:
The Heart of Meditation
by Swami Durgananda



Accidental Advice:
I was off-handedly told something today that was more insightful then the person who said it may have realized. "You know, if you opened your mouth 1/4 as much as you do now, you would be the kind of person that when you spoke, others would stop what they were doing and quietly listen."

At first my reaction was something like, "Yeah, and f*ck you too," through some giggling.


Be Cool:
Later I got to thinking about it, and wondered, "Why all the nervous conversation that leads to me saying asinine things?" I wasn't cool. What is cool, but a practice of acceptance.


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Shakyamuni Buddha

"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." - George Carlin

Currently Reading:
The Heart of Meditation
by Swami Durgananda



Said With a Loved One:
Namaste,
One day, I will die.
One day, you will die.
Precious are the few moments we have together.


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Shakyamuni Buddha

"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." - George Carlin

Currently Reading:
The Heart of Meditation
by Swami Durgananda



Cause of Suffering?:
I have pretty much always taken it for granted that sadness caused suffering.

The beginning of this week was very sad for me. While I was very sad and generally upset, I noticed something very peculiar; I wasn't suffering. There was no suffering in my sadness at all. They may appear together at times, but one does not necessitate the other.

This begs the question ...


Koan:
If there is no suffering in sadness, then what is "sadness"?


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Shakyamuni Buddha

"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." - George Carlin

Currently Reading:
Mind Lines
Translated by L. Michael Hall & Bobby G. Bodenhamer



Whom I Never Met:
I'm gonna miss the hell out of you George.




Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Shakyamuni Buddha

"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." - George Carlin

Currently Reading:
Mind Lines
Translated by L. Michael Hall & Bobby G. Bodenhamer



Culture and Aversion:
In America, we'll do whatever it takes to keep from being bored. We'll do ANYTHING to keep from being bored. We'll spend ALL of our money to avoid being bored. We'll destroy ourselves to keep from being bored.

We buy expensive vacations that have "lots of exciting things to do". We buy the biggest and most expensive state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and then stuff our cabinets full of movies we're tired of seeing, but continue to watch at full blast volume. TV commercials and movies are louder and flashier then ever.

Some people drink, simply to drown out the internal noise. Some drink far too much, simply to drown out the internal noise. Some die from drinking far too much, simply to drown out the internal noise.


The Only Thing We Have to Fear:
Why do we go to such extreme lengths to avoid boredom?

When we're bored, we're able to hear our minds. When it's quiet, you can't stop the flood of thoughts. What are these thoughts? What do they say to us?

When it's quiet, our personal demons come out and to eat us alive. All of our past failures and regrets come out to torment us. It's o.k. though, it's just an illusion. If you look around, you're fine. You're still there, whole and unharmed, just a little scared.

It's o.k.

When you wash dirty clothes, do you get angry at the water because it becomes clouded with dirt?


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha

Currently Reading:
The Way of Chuang Tzu
Translated by Thomas Merton



The Subjectivity of Beauty:
When someone has a fire in their belly, it threatens to come out of their mouth as words.

If a person puts a trumpet in front of their mouth when the fire comes out, we call it "music" and we say that it is "beautiful".

If a person puts nothing in front of their mouth when the fire comes out, we call it "obscene" and we say that we are "offended".

What is the difference?


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha

Currently Reading:
The Way of Chuang Tzu
Translated by Thomas Merton



Definition:
Aversion is that which you avoid. Things that make us bored, things we hate, things we are afraid of are all aversions we have.


The Challenge:
We avoid that which makes us uncomfortable, and that "comfort zone" we create is what murders our ambition. The only thing keeping us from realizing our full potential are our aversions. If you have an aversion to dancing, then that is precisely the reason that you MUST go dancing, and you must DO IT NOW. If you hesitate, then you have been murdered by your aversions, again. Each time you die, you are reborn a little bit weaker, until you are a timid shell of the person you once were.


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha

Currently Reading:
The Way of Chuang Tzu
Translated by Thomas Merton



True Compassion:
When you are truly listening, you stop listening and become listening.


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha

Currently Reading:
Tao Te Ching
Translated by D. Lau



Naivety and Cynicism:
Those are some who see the dark side in others, but ignore the good. They are called "cynics". Those that are cynics convince many of us that looking for the dark side in others is foolish, because we are afraid that we might become cynics.

There are some who see the good in others, but ignore the dark side. They are called "naive". Those that are naive convince many of us that looking for the good in others is foolish, because such we are afraid that we might become naive.


Beyond Naivety and Cynicism:
If we ignore the dark side in others, we can be taken advantage of.

If we ignore the good in others, we lose a part of our humanity.

Each person has both a dark side and a good side, it's simply a question of how much is there and what forms it takes. If we actively look for both sides, without judging, we can see deeply into another person. We can have human compassion, but we don't have to be naive.


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha

Currently Reading:
Tao Te Ching
Translated by D. Lau



The Power of Words:
A friendship takes years of cultivation to create, and only a few minutes to destroy; this is one of the many awesome powers contained in words.

It is said that words are the most difficult precept to develop. It is easier to master every other precept, then to begin to master Right Speech. Speech is something we think about so much, yet have so little control over. We are deceived in believing that we choose what we say, but we rarely do.

When someone corrects your words, be grateful to them that they are assisting you in accomplishing the near insurmountable precept of right speech.


Namaste,
CET

"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the illusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha