Saturday, June 22, 2013

Empty arisings


Just like a reflection in a mirror,
I understand that the nature of appearances is empty.
Just like seeing some spectacle displayed in a dream,
I understand that the nature of being empty is to appear.


~ from The Great Melody of Experience by Drakpa Gyaltsen (in: Straight from the Heart)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Dealing with fear

"Dealing with fear is the central moral question we have to deal with. If you think of moral questions as not being about principles but more [about] moral sentiment... in other words...
How do I live with empathy as opposed to alienation?
How do I live with a sense of my own value as opposed to a feeling of deficiency?
How do I live n a spirit of hope instead of fear?
How to be in the world and capable of moral engagement with other human beings..."

~ Marshall Gans interview with Bill Moyers, aired on PBS on May 1, 2013

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

The basis of them all


Awareness leads to wisdom, understanding the nature of things. Compassion/kindness leads to the embracing and integrating of everything.

Bodhicitta is the aspiration and intention of awareness and compassion.

Shamatha is calmly abiding in whatever arises with awareness and compassion.

Vipashyana is seeing clearly the nature of things (and, hopefully, naturally responding from and with compassion).

The immeasurables are kindness, compassion, joy, and clarity~equanimity.

Yidam is the recognition of and identification with awareness and compassion.

Qigong (whether externally with limbs or internally with intention) is moving bio-energy with awareness and compassion.

Awareness and compassion are the basis of every practice.