I know how I feel, but what about you?
My World Of Learning
03 Nov 2010 2 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Learning, The Buddha Geoff & Me
Apart from chanting my way to work, my favourite bit of my Buddhist day is listening to my podcasts, shutting the world out, and entering the World of Learning.
I keep banging on about Edward Canfor-Dumas’ The Buddha, Geoff and Me, but I must have listened to the podcasts twenty or thirty times.
It’s not just a really good story, read beautifully, in convenient bite sized episodes, it covers pretty much every aspect of Nichiren Buddhism at least once.
So I listen to my good friends, Ed, Geoff, Dora and Piers weaving their way through the story, the ups, the downs and every time I take in a little bit more.
I truly believe that the book should be a compulsory read for every school kid, and parent too actually. It’s a modern classic, in my opinion, and could change the whole world given the chance.
It’s not for everyone, my mother doesn’t like the bad language and it’s a bit too complicated to take in on a single read, but I implore you, listen to one chapter and give it a chance. Chapter seven is my favourite, but that’s just me.
Stirring Things Up
02 Nov 2010 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Action & Reaction
When you start changing things through practice, your life-state, your life-energy, you may well encounter a reaction.
Every action has an opposite reaction and they can be totally unexpected in nature.
As we try to improve ourselves, we change the way we react with the world. Sometimes the world isn’t quite ready for that change and it can make for uncomfortable situations.
The main thing to remember is, that if you change, your environment must change. They fit each other exactly, like a hand in a glove. So even though the ride might get a little bumpy at times, use those times as confirmation that the changes in you are happening and be resolute.
Just remember to add a little compassion and wisdom into the mix too.
Chanting – Recharging The Batteries
01 Nov 2010 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhist Practice
As I suspected, my holiday distracted me from my practice and I had not chanted enough, or in the right manner, to raise my life-energy levels.
Today, on the way to work, I chanted my socks off. As I’ve mentioned before, I do get a few funny looks but it’s well worth it.
By the time I had parked up I was fizzing. It’s amazing how energised you feel and it’s also strange how quickly you forget that fantastic feeling.
A little like the effect you get when you change the batteries in a torch, you had forgotten how beautifully bright everything suddenly was and, rather aptly, how clearly things came into focus.
I am sure my relapse has taught me to maintain my level of practice and I hope it helps to remind you too.
Welcoming Problems
31 Oct 2010 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhist Practice, Poison Into Medicine
We all know that we should welcome, if not exactly seek out problems, to test our practice.
Sometimes it is easy to see the benefits, sometimes it’s not and today has been one of those times.
I think I have been guilty of swinging the lead, in practice terms on my week off, and the results speak for themselves.
I’m back in the office tomorrow and I need to chant all the way to Ringwood to get myself into the right life-state.
Happy Birthday Mom
30 Oct 2010 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Bodhisattva
We have had a lovely day celebrating my Mother’s birthday today. Happy Birthday Mom, congratulations on another fabulous year!!!
Interesting to compare the Christian background I was brought up in and Mom’s Methodist Religion, and the Buddhist Practice I now choose.
Interesting too, that Nichiren Buddhist is an atheist belief system, which fits my way of thinking much more closely.
Oh Yes, it’s Kutai Alright
29 Oct 2010 1 Comment
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhism, Ku, Kutai
After a day working on the new Yoga Essence website, we spent the evening in the company of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. Their concert at the Lighthouse in Poole was a brilliant mix of new songs from The Living Tree and golden oldies.
All sorts of memories came flooding back as the lyrics and notes unlocked them.
Only I could see them, but they were as real as were the original experiences. So they exist and they don’t exist all at the same time, and Nichiren Buddhism calls this Ku, short for Kutai. All they need are the right conditions to become manifest, in exactly the same way our own potential does.
Now the concert itself has been consigned to history, as has typing this sentence, memories that will remain forever.
A Day In Paradise
28 Oct 2010 3 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhist Practice
If ever there was a perfect place to see the Universe in all it’s beautiful perfection, it was evident all around at Westonbirt Arboretum today.
No lessons learned today, except that nature in all it’s glory can be absolutely amazing …
To see all the images click here
A Strange Calm
27 Oct 2010 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Reincarnation, Wheel of Life
I spent most of last night walking around the Quay, watching TV and hoping that the pain in my chest wasn’t the onset of a heart attack.
It may sound strange, but having looked through the symptoms on NHS Direct, and deciding that it probably wasn’t a coronary episode, I simply chanted for the pain to go away.
I did get a few short naps, but by 6:30 it was too painful to lie down and I continued my perambulations.
I left my partner sleeping, she couldn’t help in any case and I had become strangely calm about the whole thing, which I knew she wouldn’t understand.
Anyway, by the time the doctors opened at 8:30 the pain had subsided enough to allow me to sleep. Not the ideal way to spend one of my holidays, but it did teach me an interesting lesson.
I no longer have any fear of dying, I am sure that it is simply part of the Wheel of Life. I have no desire to hasten it’s onset, but I am ready when my time is done.
Cool Head – Warm Heart
26 Oct 2010 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Sometimes all it takes to resolve an insurmountable issue is a cool head and a warm heart.
Wisdom, Courage and Compassion … isn’t that Buddhahood? Not that I intend to make a habit of it, but a good result for all parties involved, I believe.
What did you expect, War and Peace? I’m on holiday.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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