Stay Calm – See Results

16 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Oneness of Self and the EnvironmentHaving been a bit down over the last few days, I have put the chanting into overdrive. Not only has this raised my life-energy levels and put me in a much higher life-state, but it has improved my mood and my enthusiasm as a result.

It is also worth noting that it has also had a similar effect on those around me. Of course the principle of Oneness of Self and Its Environment predicts such effects, so I am not surprised. However, the magnitude of the effects has been slightly surprising, proving once again that the more you chant, the greater the effect. Simple cause and effect theory.

So with the weekend to look forward to, and being in exactly the right frame of mind to enjoy it, it should be a cracker. With a 70’s theme party to go to on Saturday night, it’s going to be fun choosing a costume. Then it’s off to Birmingham on Sunday with B and her mum, to see my mum for Mother’s day.

Staying calm, assessing the situation and my mind-set, taking the appropriate action has brought the desired results. Why am I not surprised, it works every time.

Doom And Gloom

15 Mar 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

My Fundamental DarknessWhen life’s road gets a little bumpy, it’s easy to let it get you down, and that can have a series of knock-on effects. When the (whatever the opposite of ) rose-coloured spectacles go on, when all glasses are suddenly half empty, it a sure sign that you are in, or heading straight for, Hell state.

Hell state isn’t all fire and brimstone, as Christianity might suggest, it’s where your negativity takes over, where your Fundamental Darkness holds sway. In my case, my Dark Passenger has been rather too vocal over the last couple of days, making up ridiculous scenarios and basically forging my own little hell.

The side-effect of that can be that I tend to take others there with me. I’m less rational, more irritable, less approachable than usual. That’s not a very nice way to be, but it’s even less nice for those around me. If you’ve been on the receiving end, over the last few days, I am very sorry. I’m going to take steps to put things right.

So it’s time to take myself off somewhere quiet, a secluded spot where I can be alone, somewhere I can chant my head off !!! Just writing this is making me feel better already, because I know that chanting will definitely do the trick. It always does. So I’ll see you later. I’ll be the one with the smile on my face.

The Best Of Times

14 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Cancer Research UKAnyone who has lived with cancer, or is related to someone who has, will know that it lurks in your mind just as much as it does in the sufferers body. Even after successful treatment, that niggling doubt remains, is it gone, or just hiding somewhere, ready to spring back up at some time?

Charlotte had a ‘routine’ scan last week, although in truth, there is no such thing following surgery, chemo and radiotherapy, and the results were promised yesterday. The whole family were on tenterhooks, waiting for the phone call from the hospital. So imagine the stress I was under when there was no news, so I chant, chant, and chant some more.

They say that ‘no news is good news’ but was all but climbing the walls waiting. There was still no news by the time I left work, so I was left in a quandary. Should I call Charlotte to find out? Had she received bad news, so didn’t want to call me? Going slowly crazy and preferring to know the score either way, I made the call.

‘Oh, I was just going to text you’ she says, ‘they haven’t called, though I did miss a call this afternoon’ … argh !!! Honestly, not knowing is far worse than knowing the worst. At least when you know, you can deal with the challenge. Talking it over, we managed to convince ourselves that the caller, who left no number or voicemail, was probably the hospital, and that made us feel a little better.

So imagine the collective sigh of relief, when just before 10:00 this morning, Charlotte sent a text that simply said ‘All clear :-)’ The very best news we could have had. So life continues to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and my practice, although being pushed hard, is holding up just fine.

I Don’t Like Mondays !!!

12 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

I don't like Mondays !!!Having had a lovely relaxing Sunday, today has been like having a bucket of icy cold water thrown over me. Over A hundred emails waiting in my inbox, a small, but important misunderstanding and various other challenges have meant that I feel like nothing really got done today.

Of course, it’s always busiest on a Monday, with all the weekend issues to deal with, but today has felt like skiing uphill. Good job I chanted most of the way back from Bristol to Ringwood, poison into medicine and all that good stuff. Remembering back to how it used to be before Nichiren made me feel a whole lot better.

And now the day is over, and everything is back to normal again. Nobody died or got eaten by bears, and best of all, my inbox will be almost empty in the morning. So it’s just a case of thinking happy thoughts and letting the waves of anguish fade gently away against the solid foundations of calm and reason.

So just to put it all into perspective, I know from personal experience, that it is a lot better to have too much work to do, than have none at all. A little gratitude for the good things in life makes the bad things melt away, but it’s easy to say that now.

Perfect Peace?

23 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

TranquillitySometimes the World of Tranquillity can be a true blessing, a lull after a period of intense effort.

At other times it can be be like the dying notes of a moving piece of music, the echoes of the most magnificent firework display.

Maybe the biggest difference between the two is whether you wished for Tranquillity or not.

If you do wish for it, Tranquillity can be the most restful of time, if not it can be as quiet as the grave, peaceful but not something which you might actively desire.

If you find yourself becalmed in a world of Tranquillity, chanting will raise your life-state and get the energies flowing again.

A Way Of Life

09 Dec 2011 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

BuddhahoodAs you know, my Buddhist Practice is now a way of life. A routine of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and prayer, that I go through every day, a routine that also involves me writing this blog. But routine is also another word for boring, mundane or even hum-drum, so it’s important to keep in mind why we Practice.

We Practice for several reasons …

  • To raise our life-energy levels …

  • To chant for certain outcomes …

  • To move us along the road towards Buddhahood …

  • To give a stable anchor in our lives …

and there are many others, often different for every individual.

As a mere novice, I find that I can learn a little more each day Let’s face it, Buddhism has been around for well over two thousand years, so there’s plenty to learn about.. I can improve or seek to perfect my Practice and to maintain a more focussed attention to the subject of my chanting. I look forward to the feeling I get during and after Gongyo. I often find that I am quite warm when I finish chanting and in a really good mood, despite any problems I am facing.

I never cease to be amazed by the effectiveness of chanting either. To start with, the word coincidence came into my mind when I saw results, but not any more. But I do get surprised by the way the Universe solves the problems with which I have asked it to help. Not always the way I expected, and often in better, more subtle ways than I could have imagined.

So my Practice is a pleasure, not a chore. It’s something I enjoy and never something I feel I have to do. As Nichiren Daishonin said, ‘If you practice something, you must test it’s validity with the results you see’. In other words, if it doesn’t work, stop doing it. For me, it is still working wonders almost daily, and I truly believe the World would be a better place if more people were to discover those wonders.

Success At Last

08 Dec 2011 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

HappinessHaving said how tough things were yesterday, I am delighted to relate that today had been a much more positive and happy day, with some great progress and success in many areas. Many of the issues raised over that last week have been addressed and resolved, and I have spoken personally to some of the most vehement detractors, reducing their blood pressure and mine, and getting them back onside.

It is all too easy to let pressure get the better of us. To let ourselves focus on the negatives, to the detriment of the positives in life. Be that at work, in our home life or wherever, this is a big mistake and we all need to redress the balance if we are to meet the challenges.

So with work back on track, albeit that there is still much to do, things are now moving in a positive direction, I feel more able to concentrate on the more important things in life. Charlotte is due to have her last scheduled radiotherapy session tomorrow, and apart from that being a success in it’s own right, is a great relief to her and all her family and friends.

When we look back to the beginning of the year, with the devastating news about her cancer, the worrying news about her pregnancy and the difficult choices that were ahead, it is wonderful to reach this point. It would have been all too easy for us to dive into a state of hopeless depression. But with Charlotte’s own strength and positivity and my own blossoming practice, coupled with the huge support from everyone, we find ourselves coming out of the shadows and into the bright sunshine of achievement, with a beautiful baby boy and with Charlotte well down the road to full recovery.

Deep Breaths

07 Dec 2011 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Software ProblemsWe all know that we should welcome, if not exactly seek out problems, to test our practice. We also know that sometimes it is easy to see the benefits, sometimes it’s not and today has been one of those times.

Our software has had a few issues since launch and a select group of clients have been making their thoughts known most vehemently. I don’t know what gives them the right to think that they are such an elite group, because we have had some very nice emails from other people. But being bombarded with vitriolic criticism, when you have little or no control over the project, is a difficult place to be.

We need to take a step back, take a few deep breaths, try to see the situation from their point of view and put things right. I’m meeting the boss in the office tomorrow and I’ll need to chant all the way to Ringwood to get myself into the right life-state. Poison into medicine, challenges not problems, that’s the way we’ll drag ourselves back from the edge of this particular brink.

A Day Of Reflection

23 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Mirror MirrorBack on my own again, and time to think, to get everything in place and to take stock. Being alone isn’t all bad. It does give me the space for introspection and that is a very healthy thing. Having the peace and quiet to chant is also the perfect environment to put my thoughts in order.

A nice bike ride in the autumn sunshine and the brisk air also gets the grey matter working again. Working hard forces the blood to flow and the heart to pound, both a great way to make me feel alive. Burning the excess calories of the last few days gives a feeling of satisfaction and makes all the effort worthwhile.

So my mind is clear, my decision is made and all that remains is to deliver the verdict. That isn’t going to be the most fun, but I know it will bring a sense of closure. At least, only being half way through my week of relaxation, I still have time to get life back on the right track and settle back onto my path to self enlightenment.

No Man’s Land

22 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

No Man's LandI have a strange feeling of being in limbo, again. Whilst I enjoy having a visit from my friend, I always feel a sense of loss when it’s over. The worst bit being that it leaves me in a position of being unable to go back as well as being unable to move forward, so I’m stuck. I am also on holiday for the week, and although I can keep in touch with happenings in the office, my input is not required, so yet again, I feel like a fish out of water.

So as I have said before, on several occasions, I have to be honest and make a decision that might not be well accepted by all concerned. It has to be the right decision, both for me now, and for the future. That might sound simple, but believe me, it isn’t. So I have to sit and chant, to get my head and heart in the right place, and then evaluate the situation in order to make a logical choice. I’m still not in that position, so I don’t know which way to go.

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries