Staying On Course

30 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Staying On CourseDealing with the ever changing aspects of life is a little like sailing a yacht in a squally breeze.

There are external influences that push and pull on the direction of our path.

Our role as skipper of our own craft, is to deal with the challenges that those influences bring, whilst trying to steer in the direction we want our lives to go.

The similarity to sailing is most evident when you compare the way a yacht has to sail across the wind, in a direction as close to, but rarely directly towards, the desired goal. So there has to be a degree of compromise in order to make progress towards that goal.

Life is exactly the same. It is pretty rare to find, that the influences on our lives, push or pull us directly towards our goals. The old adage of ‘two steps forward and one step back’ is often very accurate. A little progress in the right direction is often followed by a period of consolidation, during which we may even find that we have slipped back a little.

It is good to remember that, as illustrated in The Buddha, Geoff and Me, resistance is not only inevitable, and a measure of our progress, but is essential for some processes to work at all.

Passing It On

31 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Ed is having a hard time - at work, in his love life and, well, generally. Then he meets an unlikely Buddhist - who drinks and smokes and talks his kind of language. Bit by bit, things begin to change...When you find something that excites and enthuses you, you want to tell people about it and spread the news. When it is a spiritual matter it can be a more delicate situation, wanting to be enthusiastic without being evangelical or overbearing.

My go to book, as we all know, is The Buddha, Geoff and Me, beautifully simple, brilliantly written and, for me at least, a life changer. So to make a present of the book, to someone you care about, might be an idea.

That way, you show you care, you pass on the idea , but you don’t force the issue. If they are interested they may choose to read it. They also have the chance to pass on the news at a later date, if they so decide. And so the good news spreads.

Forever Reading

06 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Forever ReadingDaisaku Ikeda, in his book, Buddhism Day By Day, says this about the act of reading:

‘Reading is dialogue with oneself; it is self-reflection, which cultivates profound humanity. Reading is therefore essential to our development.

It expands and enriches the personality like a seed that germinates after a long time and sends forth many blossom-laden branches.

People who can say of a book ‘this changed my life’ truly understand the meaning of happiness. Reading that sparks inner revolution is desperately needed to escape drowning in the rapidly advancing information society.

Reading is more than intellectual ornamentation; it is a battle for the establishment of the self, a ceaseless challenge that keeps us young and vigorous.’

We all know which book ‘changed my life’, and I can confirm that I fully understand the meaning of the happiness that this encompasses. Books transformed civilisation in the broadest sense when they became widely available via the printing presses of William Caxton and all those who have followed.

The advent of the world wide web and the internet has simply taken that process to the Nth level. The dissemination of information, and the written word has never been so widespread. Although there are associated dangers and we must be circumspect about the source of the information we consume, there has never been an easier time to read.

During my CELTA course I read to expand my knowledge of the English language, currently I am reading to increase my understanding of psychology and the workings of the mind. Whatever we read, be it fact or fiction, it adds to the kaleidoscope of facts and emotions locked in our brains, so read and read and read again, it will never be a waste of your precious time.

The Perfect Gift?

05 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

The Buddha, Geoff and MeI’m always going on about this brilliant book, but The Buddha, Geoff and Me is the perfect gift for pretty well anyone you know. It is full of wisdom, courage and compassion.

An amazing, invigorating and enlightening story about a young man’s friendship with a Buddhist, who teaches him the basics of the religion and covers aspects of practice.

For anyone, interested in Buddhism (particularly Nichiren Buddhism) its teachings and practices, in a most readable form, this book is a must read.

The book will transform your thinking, help you to control your mood (life states) and lead you towards a more meaningful life. Buy it here or listen to it in podcast form here.

I don’t think it is overstating the case, when I say that this book changed the course of my life forever. It relates Nichiren Buddhism to everyday life so well, and in such an understandable form, it should be required reading for all students, it would change the world.

Steering The Right Course

04 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Steering The Right CourseWith a friend about to start his holiday working as a member of a racing yacht crew I thought this was rather apt …

There are external influences that push and pull on the direction of our lives.

Our role as skipper is to deal with the challenges that those influences bring, whilst trying to maintain the direction in which we want our lives to go.

The similarity to sailing is most evident when you compare the way a yacht has to sail across the wind, in a direction as close to, but rarely directly towards, the desired goal. So there has to be a degree of compromise in order to make progress towards that goal.

Life is exactly the same. It is pretty rare to find, that the influences on our lives, push or pull us directly towards our goals. The old adage of ‘two steps forward and one step back’ is often very accurate. A little progress in the right direction is often followed by a period of consolidation, during which we may even find that we have slipped back a little.

It is good to remember that, as illustrated in The Buddha, Geoff and Me, resistance is not only inevitable, and a measure of our progress, but is essential for some processes to work at all.

Writing Nice Letters To Ourselves?

02 May 2014 Leave a comment

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

Creating Our Own DestinyThe law of cause and effect, action and reaction, applies to everything in life and forms the basis of our Karma.

The results of all the causes we have made in this, and previous lives, is precisely why we are where we are today.

The more good causes we create, generally speaking, the more good effects we see, and the happier we are with our lives.

Dora, in the book The Buddha, Geoff and Me, explains that Karma is a bit like letters we write to ourselves. Many of those letters were written so long ago, that we have forgotten all about them.

The nice letters are lovely surprises when they arrive. Nasty ones come as a bit of a shock, they may annoy us and we might even write another nasty one in response. Of course, in time, those responses get delivered too, so the cycle can repeat itself, time after time.

That is, of course, until you understand the way the process works. Once you realise that you create the causes, you can create causes for nice, or good effects, rather than going round and round forever.

I cannot imagine a more important lesson to learn, to know that your Karma, and hence your future, is determined by you? It is the most empowering feeling, to take control of your life and to have your destiny in your own hands.

Inner Strength

04 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

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

Inner StrengthWe are very similar, in many ways, to steel reinforced concrete, in that much of our strength comes from within. The pillars of motorway bridges are immensely strong because, apart from the toughness of the concrete itself, they have a rigid steel structure embedded within them.

In the same way, we have an inner strength, an emotional structure that allows us to handle the rigours of daily life. The strength of that structure is different in each one of us, indeed it can change depending on the strain that life is exerting at any given point in time. But the important thing is that we can increase it through some very simple practices.

Generally speaking, we are stronger, mentally, when we see problems as challenges, and stronger still when we feel we can overcome those challenges and come out the other side unscathed. So how do we improve our resilience to the bumps and knocks that life delivers?

Well in my own case, I find that chanting raises my life-state and allows me to tackle challenges more positively. By chanting about a particular issue, I find that I see the details more clearly and hence have more ideas regarding the possible solutions to solve it.

Of course, other people have their own way to deal with challenges. Some meditate, some pray to their God for guidance or divine intervention, some in fact are so grounded that they seem to have a built in ability to cope.

However you go about it, the most important thing to remember is that confidence and determination are key factors in winning the battle. Sitting and cogitating the fluff in your navel, getting depressed, or feeling that the challenge is just far too great to tackle, will undoubtedly result in failure, so don’t do it.

One really good tip, whatever you are facing, is to try to break down the task at hand into bite sized pieces. As Geoff says to Ed, in The Buddha, Geoff and Me, ‘How do you eat an elephant?’ … ‘One bite at a time’. So take it bit by bit, deal with each day as it arrives, and remember to stay strong and above all positive. If you believe you will win, then you are already half way there.

A Perfect Gift

18 Dec 2013 4 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

The Buddha, Geoff and MeI know, I’m always going on about this brilliant book, but The Buddha, Geoff and Me is the perfect Christmas gift for the Buddhist in your life (if that isn’t an oxymoron).

An amazing, invigorating and enlightening story about a young man’s friendship with a Buddhist, who teaches him the basics of the religion and covers aspects of practice.

For anyone, interested in Buddhism (particularly Nichiren Buddhism) its teachings and practices, in most readable form, this book is a must read.

This book will transform your thinking, help you to control your mood (life states) and lead you towards a more meaningful life. Buy it here or listen to it in podcast form here.

I don’t think it is overstating the case, when I say that this book changed the course of my life forever. It relates Nichiren Buddhism to everyday life so well, and in such an understandable form, it should be required reading for all students, it would change the world.

Staying On Track

16 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Staying On TrackDealing with the ever changing aspects of life is a little like sailing a yacht in a squally breeze. There are external influences that push and pull on the direction of our path. Our role as skipper of our own craft, is to deal with the challenges that those influences bring, whilst trying to steer in the direction we want our lives to go.

The similarity to sailing is most evident when you compare the way a yacht has to sail across the wind, in a direction as close to, but rarely directly towards, the desired goal. So there has to be a degree of compromise in order to make progress towards that goal.

Life is exactly the same. It is pretty rare to find, that the influences on our lives, push or pull us directly towards our goals. The old adage of ‘two steps forward and one step back’ is often very accurate. A little progress in the right direction is often followed by a period of consolidation, during which we may even find that we have slipped back a little.

It is good to remember that, as illustrated in The Buddha, Geoff and Me, resistance is not only inevitable, and a measure of our progress, but is essential for some processes to work at all.

Reading, Forever Reading

05 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

The Pleasure ReadingDaisaku Ikeda, in his Buddhism Day By Day, says this about the act of reading:

‘Reading is dialogue with oneself; it is self-reflection, which cultivates profound humanity. Reading is therefore essential to our development.

It expands and enriches the personality like a seed that germinates after a long time and sends forth many blossom-laden branches.

People who can say of a book ‘this changed my life’ truly understand the meaning of happiness. Reading that sparks inner revolution is desperately needed to escape drowning in the rapidly advancing information society.

Reading is more than intellectual ornamentation; it is a battle for the establishment of the self, a ceaseless challenge that keeps us young and vigorous.’

We all know which book ‘changed my life’, and I can confirm that I understand the meaning of the happiness that this encompasses. Books transformed civilisation in the broadest sense when they became widely available via the printing presses of William Caxton and all those who have followed.

The advent of the world wide web and the internet has simply taken that process to the Nth level. The dissemination of information, and the written word has never been so widespread. Although there are associated dangers and we must be circumspect about the source of the information we consume, there has never been an easier time to read.

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