ZenLife Blog
How to be a Friend Until the End
It’s important in the beginning to remember that we already know how to care. We’ve extended a helping hand hundreds of times in a thousand meaningful and loving ways. Caring is a natural expression of our humanity. We can trust our good hearts to be reliable guides.
Tears and Bundles of Love
After the mass, I thought about the line that caused my tears to spontaneously arise. What were those tears about? They definitely had to do with the heart and beauty. I finally realized the deep abiding love that Our Lady of Guadalupe represents is in each one of us, whether we see it or not.
Wildflowers Grow Everywhere
Amy mentioned in her talk why she named her zen community Wildflower Zen Sangha. She said that wildflowers grow everywhere - in cracks of cement, in rocks, on mountainsides - everywhere. Theyʻre all different according to their particular environment. She also said , “Our nature, is also wild in the sense that we are not limited by what we think we are. We can free ourselves of these identifications - we can be free. we can be anything…”
Give No Fear
You have to be very honest with yourself. You have to be willing to really look at your own confusion. Meditation can help you be with your fear. Meditation helps you be in sync with your body, mind and heart. This grounded, embodied awareness shines a light on the dark corners of fear.
Thinking Beyond Words
I think it is useful to maintain this perspective of a less-than ideal Buddha. A person who struggled with finding the right way to live, with right actions and right speech. Having this vantage-point fosters an understanding that anyone can enter the Bodhisattva path. Pema Khandro has noted that “Wherever you find yourself, that’s the starting point of the Bodhisattva path — all we need to do is to take that first step.
Mindful Speech
used unskillfully, in minutes they can destroy trust that has been built up over years and years of friendship. To be mindful about what you say and how you listen, is an important aspect of living a Zen-inspired life.
Loosening the Knots of Anger Through Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
Many people look for happiness outside themselves, but true happiness must come from inside of us. Our culture tells us that happiness comes from having a lot of money, a lot of power and a high position in society. But if you observe carefully, you will see that many rich and famous people are not happy.
Stingy Brain, Generous Brain by Sharon Begley
Perhaps the strongest message from the science of generosity is that the more adversity someone has experienced, the more compassion she feels and the more generous she’s likely to be.
Living by Vow
Someone once asked my root teacher, Maezumi Roshi, "Christians believe in a soul that continues after this life. Do Buddhist believe in something permanent that continues after death?" Maezumi Roshi thought about the question and said, "No" But then he added, "Rather, we believe in vow."