Just Another Brick In The Wall

13 May 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Looking At A WallWith ever increasing mindfulness, our own feelings will change as we reflect on the causes for those feelings.

We know that acting in haste, motivated by anger, disappointment or desperation will result in the causes of unwanted effects.

So when you encounter what appears to be an insurmountable challenge, a wall if you will, you should tell yourself, “Since there is a wall here, a wide open expanse must lie on the other side.”

Rather than becoming discouraged, you should realise that the very fact you are encountering this wall is actual proof of the progress that you have made so far.

So if you find yourself facing such a wall, prepare to strive with all your heart, and you will surely find a way to get to the other side.

Take The Opportunities

20 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

RaindropsI was really looking forward to getting out on the bike again today, the weatherman had been promising sunshine over the whole holiday.

So you can imagine my disappointment when the weather caused a rethink.

High winds and heavy rain are never the best for a trip out over some of the highest points around here, but there’s always tomorrow.

Every day we have highs and lows, wins and losses, good things happen, bad things happen, every single day.

Problems are an everyday reality, they are part of life and ignoring them will never make them go away.

So focus on what’s good, what’s going right, enjoy that brief spell of sunshine on an otherwise rainy day. Smile, laugh when you can, and always focus on the positives. Make the most of every minute, you will never have the opportunity to use that minute again, so don’t waste it.

Make causes today, to make tomorrow better and never give in to the inevitable resistance that you feel when you are nearing your goal.

Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, never fear the truth, use the Wisdom, Courage and Compassion, we all possess, to help others to be positive, it will increase your own life-energy as you encourage them to increase theirs.

Failures Of Perception

03 Apr 2014 2 Comments

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

Failures Of PerceptionIt’s a well known Buddhist saying, that our problems are not the real problem, it is the way we perceive them that is the problem.

So don’t have problems, have a series of challenges. Challenges are just problems that we are confident that we can overcome. Our problems come and go, nothing lasts forever, so view them with an open mind, look on them as challenges and remember, you are turning poison into medicine.

Even places that have been shrouded in darkness for billions of years can be illuminated by a simple lit candle. Even a flint from the bottom of the deepest river can be used to produce fire.

Our present sufferings, no matter how dark, have certainly not existed for billions of years, nor will they linger forever.

The sun will definitely rise, in fact its ascent has already begun. With determination, we can all overcome our problems, so look on them as challenges and enjoy the victory when it arrives.

Never Give Up, Not Never Ever

17 Mar 2014 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

DeterminationRecently, we talked about the fact that we only lose when we decide we have lost. Having the courage, patience and determination to press on, even when all the signs are telling you to stop, to give in, to cut and run, can allow amazing unexpected results to occur.

Remaining calm, collected, objective and compassionate, even when the circumstances may be urging you on in other directions, is a feature of our nature that requires time, patience and practice.

I don’t think it is simply a coincidence that practice, meaning repeating a task or skill to improve your proficiency, and Buddhist practice, use the same word. As Gary Player, the famous golfer once said of his game, ‘the more I practice, the luckier I get’. Luck has nothing to do with it of course, and he, and we, know it.

So if you find the odds stacked against you, start getting disheartened by the way events seem to be going, you must believe in yourself and your practice. You might be surprised by what actually happens. So apply for that job, write that email or make that phone call, what have you got to lose?

The Rough With The Smooth

15 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Waiting For The FerryIf you ride a bicycle on UK roads, you’ll know how lovely it can be to find yourself on a stretch of nice smooth new tarmac. The lumps and bumps of our older repaired roads really can rattle your bones, so the new surface is a real treat.

Life is like that too. It’s the lumps and bumps of everyday life that make you realise just how comfortable the smooth untroubled times are. But without the rough times, we would never recognise the comparison and enjoy the easier times all the more.

We all know that as we move through life, it is impossible to stay on the smooth untroubled path. The bumpy times are a simple fact, just as they are out on the road. So when they come along, just be determined, hold on tight, keep pedalling and look forward to the smoother times ahead.

Here are a couple of photos from my ride today …

Destination Old Harry

Beautiful Sunshine

Just Look Around You

11 Mar 2014 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Just Look Around YouWe all appear to have an inbuilt ability to feel sorry for ourselves. Sometimes it seems we have problem after problem, and think the world is against us. But we can all take a step back and look at our situation compared to others, and the chances are that there are millions of people in much worse circumstances.

In Buddhist terms, the effects in our lives are the result of causes we make along our way, it’s called Karma. Whilst it is difficult sometimes, to reconcile ourselves with the fact that we have, in some way caused our own problems, it is important to remember that we are not being punished.

So when you have had enough of your troubles, and are ready to throw in the towel, just take time to look around and realise that there is always someone worse off somewhere. Be grateful for what you have, and concentrate on making causes for the effects you need to improve the situation. To do anything else is to lack wisdom, courage and compassion towards yourself, and that doesn’t help anyone, least of all you.

Where To Next?

15 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

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

And Where To Next?Sadly, I’ve never been in a position where I can sit back and think, “Right that’s it, I’m who I want to be, I’m where I want to be, I have nothing left to do”. Maybe that is a rather rare situation to find oneself in, maybe we might call it Enlightenment.

But if there are things we still wish to improve, to learn, to complete, the question arises, “Where To Next?”. Some things have to be done in sequence, some things can be changed in isolation, but deciding which one to choose can be difficult.

Sensei, as always, has some very good advice:

“You may have fundamental questions about yourself and your identity: Who am I? What should I do with my life? It is quite natural to feel unsure about the best way to proceed. If you haven’t yet decided on your future course, I feel the best thing is just to concentrate your energies on what you need to do right now, and gradually your full potential will emerge.”

~ Daisaku Ikeda

Wise words indeed, and when they are allied to chanting, focussed on the same question, the answer is sure to come in no time. Having been through a great deal of change over the last few years, I would like to share a morsel of acquired wisdom, that being, to remember to be compassionate towards yourself. Change can be, and often is, quite painful.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

It’s Raining Again

13 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

UmbrellasThere was once an old lady who cried all the time. Her elder daughter was married to an umbrella merchant while the younger daughter was the wife of a noodle vendor. On sunny days, she worried, “Oh no! The weather is so nice and sunny. No one is going to buy any umbrellas. What will happen if the shop has to be closed?” These worries made her sad. She just could not help but cry.

When it rained, she would cry for the younger daughter. She thought, “Oh no! My younger daughter is married to a noodle vendor. You cannot dry noodles without the sun. Now there will be no noodles to sell. What should we do?” As a result, the old lady lived in sorrow everyday. Whether sunny or rainy, she grieved for one of her daughters. Her neighbours could not console her and jokingly called her “the crying lady.”

One day, she met a monk. He was very curious as to why she was always crying. She explained the problem to him. The monk smiled kindly and said, “Madam! You need not worry. I will show you a way to happiness, and you will need to grieve no more.”

The crying lady was very excited. She immediately asked the monk to show her what to do. The master replied, “It is very simple. You just need to change your perspective. On sunny days, do not think of your elder daughter not being able to sell umbrellas but the younger daughter being able to dry her noodles. With such good strong sunlight, she must be able to make plenty of noodles and her business must be very good. When it rains, think about the umbrella store of the elder daughter. With the rain, everyone must be buying umbrellas. She will sell a lot of umbrellas and her store will prosper.”

The old lady saw the light. She followed the monk’s instruction. After a while, she did not cry anymore; instead, she was smiling everyday. From that day on she was known as “the smiling lady.”

Prevention Is Better Than Any Cure

12 Feb 2014 2 Comments

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

StatinsWith NICE, the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence, proposing to put millions more people on statins to lower their cholesterol levels, are we seeing yet another pharmaceutical led scam of the general population?

This advice comes despite figures for deaths from heart attacks and strokes showing a decrease over the past few years. In fact, dissent from certain quarters is already pointing out that the side-effects from taking statins can often outweigh the benefits. But surely they are completely missing the point here.

The ‘Western Diseases’, heart attack, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and increasing obesity cannot be prevented or treated by statins. The cause of all these illnesses is entirely down to the western diet, and predominantly the massive consumption of meat and dairy products.

People will say, in defence of their lifestyle, that man has eaten meat and dairy for centuries, which of course is true. However, the rapid rise in the level of consumption, allied to the increase in average life-span caused by advances in medicine means that heart disease is fast becoming the number one cause of death in the west.

So rather than prescribing statins, and then other drugs to deal with the side-effects that they cause, we should all be concentrating on our diet and taking more exercise, prevention rather than cure. Of course, the pharmaceutical companies don’t want us to do that, they can’t make billions from healthy people.

As always, in our Utopian capitalist society, ‘they’ are trying to make money by keeping the general public unhealthy and ill-informed. If your doctor suggests that you start taking statins, politely decline and instead take a good look at your lifestyle to see how you can change it to prevent these problems long before you need a cure.

For more incentive to make that change, you might want to watch this informative video.

Points Of View

08 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Three Fingers Point Back At YouWhen you become submerged in difficult situations, when the way forward looks bleak and less than inviting, it can be tempting to start pointing a finger at others to lay the blame at their door.

But there is an old Buddhist saying about pointing. When you point, one finger points out, away from you, towards the one you are blaming. But look at your hand, three fingers are pointing back, at you, towards the person who is also to blame. Meaning that for each inference you point at others, three will be pointed back at you. But there is another way.

If you are honest with yourself, really, truly honest, and you examine the situation from all angles, you will almost certainly find that you are indeed responsible for making some of the causes that, in conjunction with another or others, has contributed to the outcome in which you find yourself.

Rather than trying to apportion blame, take responsibility for your own mistakes, you will find it a very cathartic experience, I know, I’ve been there. The unsurprising side effect is that it will also change the way in which others perceive you. They will recognise the Wisdom, Courage and Compassion in your new found attitude, and will respect you for all it represents.

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