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A Quote I like:
I take with me the emptiness of my hands. What you do not have you find everywhere. --W. S. Merwin
with in your contol
feeling
thought
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desire
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knowledge
trining
wellness
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choices
How much risk I take
not in your contol
race
sex
age
country of origin
birth family
physical attributes
raw intelligence
other choices
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Tell your Truth. As much as you’re ready for.
Take Risks. As deep as you dare without doing harm. There is no growth with- Out risk.
Pay Attention to .Your Body. Breathe and focus on your internal process.
Express your Feelings. Be alive and in touch
Take Personal Responsibility. Own your thoughts, words, actions, experiences and choices.
Make “I” Statements. Taking responsibility more and blaming less.
Speak Directly to Person You Are Talking Th or About
Stay in the Here-and-Now.
Avoid the Use of Globalisms. e.g. everyone does that - we all feel that way.
If You Don’t Like What’s Happening, Say or Do Something About It. (You may or may not get what you want)
Honor and Allow Silence When it Happens. Notice what is happening when nothing is happening.
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 21 Aug 2010 @ 03:45
Twelve Steps To Co-Commitment
By Robert Najemy
We can move towards a conscious love relationship by committing ourselves to consciously working towards that goal. We need to clearly understand what we kind of relationship we want to create and be willing to commit ourselves to that goal. This means choosing to work on ourselves rather than falling back into unconscious behavior patterns.
These twelve commitments free us to love our partner consciously without games and fears.
1. I Consciously Commit Myself To Being As Open And United As Possible With You And To Removing From Myself Anything, Which Obstructs That Openness.
We chose to observe ourselves and discover when we are closing up, when we do not feel united with or open to the other and to work on getting free from any fears or mechanisms which obstruct our feelings of love and unity with the other.
2. I Consciously Commit Myself To Participating Fully In My Personal Development And Spiritual Evolution.
Our relationship is a basic part of our growth process. We grow, learn and evolve through our conscious contact with the other. We choose support each other in our growth process and will not allow this relationship to stunt our growth. We are simultaneously committed to the relationship and to evolving into better persons. The relationship should not obstruct growth and our growth should not separate us.
This is important because in many cases, we allow our relationships to impede our dedication to our inner growth and at others we allow our spiritual efforts to alienate us from our loved one. We need to harmoniously combine these two aspects of our lives.
3. I Consciously Commit Myself To Telling All The Truth In Every Situation.
Only through truth can we create a love that is live and flowing. As long as we are not totally truthful, then we are living in fear. Perhaps we fear the other’s rejection or anger.
A conscious love relationship will eventually arrive to the level of inner security and self-acceptance so that we can tell and hear the truth without being hurt or offended. True love means being able to accept the other along with all his or her feelings and needs. True love means being able to share our inner world without fear.
Some symptoms revealing that we are hiding feelings or thoughts might be:
1. We may experience frequent headaches, a blockage in the throat are or a tensed jaw.
2. We may have difficulty in breathing.
3. There may be tension in the abdominal area or in the arms.
4. We may find ourselves avoiding the other.
5. We might be annoyed by the other’s questions.
6. We might find ourselves getting upset with the other for small unimportant reasons, which release pent up feelings that have nothing to do with the event that we are getting upset about.
Self-acceptance is a basic prerequisite to being able to recognize, accept an express our emotions.
4. I Consciously Commit Myself To Empowering You In Every Way And Helping You Manifest Your Latent Potential.
Many relationships become antagonistic and competitive in which each tries to be better or more right than the other is. This is a result of our self-doubt and our need to verify of self-worth by being more right, more capable or more successful than the other is. This leads to jealousy and an inability to support or empower the other in his or her efforts. We fear the other’s success and power.
By committing ourselves to this ideal, we free ourselves from this unfortunate situation. We help the other to blossom and enjoy his or her successes. We help and support each other in our goals and efforts and rejoice in our successes.
5. I Consciously Commit Myself To Taking 100% Responsibility For The Reality I Create Through My Interpretations And Projections.
We usually seek to blame others for our unhappiness or mistakes. We find it difficult to accept responsibility for what we feel and create in our lives. We seek to avoid accepting our own failings and mistakes.
This commitment is perhaps one of the most difficult to employ. We need now to take full responsibility for every emotion we feel and every reality we create. The truth behind this fact may be difficult to understand at first.
We have learned that our feelings are created by what others do and what happens in our lives. The reality is, however, that what others do or say or what happens are only the stimuli which trigger our programmings and beliefs. Our beliefs create our emotions. We interpret events according to what we believe about ourselves and others. Those interpretations create our emotional reality.
One of us may interpret what is happening as threatening or demeaning, while another may see it as positive or pleasant and still another as indifferent. For example someone burping at a meal would be considered rude and inconsiderate to a European, whereas an Arab might consider it a compliment to how good the meal was. An Indian might not even hear it, as it is considered simply a natural bodily function. Who is right? Each creates a different reality with the same stimulus or event.
Only we can create a new reality for ourselves. We can do so by discovering and transforming the beliefs and attachments, which are creating our unhappiness. A relationship is an ideal school for this process. Details on how this can be done are given in the book Psychology of Happiness.
6. I Consciously Commit Myself To Being Happy Together In This Relationship.
The possibility that we might not want to be happy may seem strange at first. But detailed examination will show that we usually cannot stand too much happiness for a long time. We have been programmed that after happiness there will be pain. There are even phrases we use so as not to attract problems when we admit that things are actually going well. We say, "knock on wood, everything is fine."
Secondly, many of us are in the role of the victim "poor me" and therefore cannot admit happiness or else we no longer be "poor me’s". We also need to complain, criticize and blame in order to establish our self-worth. How can we do that if we admit that we are happy and that everything is fine? There is also a fear of the unknown, of appearing silly or of not being serious. Often when one is very high and happy the other becomes serious, thus bringing him or her "down" to being a serious adult.
Some might also fear the intensity of emotions, which occur when we are both very happy and admitting it and allowing ourselves to laugh and play and enjoy each other as two young children.
We manage to avoid high states of energy and happiness in some of the following ways:
a. By being unable to accept of hear positive messages from others. We discard what they say as simply having nothing to do with us.
b. We remain attached to the past or future and seldom experience the present moment.
c. We cultivate worry thoughts that make us unhappy. We think of everything that has gone wrong or could go wrong.
d. We criticize and reject ourselves and others.
e. We create arguments or conflicts so as to destroy our happiness.
f. We unconsciously lock into various matters or situations so as to avoid experiencing the happiness of the present.
g. We avoid and conceal our feelings, both positive ad negative.
h. We do things that we know will upset the other, like be late, ignore our agreements etc.
Some ways in which we can start to get used to being happy and having high energy with someone are:
a. We can learn to give space to the other to be alone when he or she needs it, and can take our space when we need it.
b. We can begin to tell the truth and hide nothing in. Holding the truth dulls the relationship.
c. Deep breathing and dance can help free up our energy.
d. Holding, hugging, caressing, touch, massage and affection can increase our energy level significantly.
e. We can learn to express our needs rather than complain.
f. The ultimate solution is to allow our beliefs to evolve and realize that we are expressions of divinity and that we have every right to happiness and creative ecstasy.
g. The key to happiness is to love and accept ourselves and others as we are, and realize that we deserve happiness.
7. I Consciously Commit Myself To Learning To Love You And Myself Unconditionally.
As you probably have understood this is the foundation of any conscious love relationship. The subject of accepting others is discussed in a previous chapter while the subject of accepting ourselves is discussed in "The Psychology of Happiness".
8. I Consciously Commit Myself To Learning To Feel And Share My Emotions With You Without Blaming You And To Being Able To Listen To Your Emotions Without Taking Them Personally.
Many of us have lost the ability to know and express what we feel. This becomes a major obstacle in our exchange of love and energy. Being cut off from our real feelings, we are also cutting the other off from important parts of our being.
Another problem is that, not knowing what we really feel, we confront the other with the wrong emotions, which confuse him and create unnecessary conflicts. For example a man who does not recognize his fear expresses anger and his wife feels abused and hurt, for she has done nothing which warrants his anger. But her husband cannot express his fear.
His wife may not be able to accept her anger or sexual feelings and thus goes into depression, something he cannot understand, since she has "everything she needs" to be happy.
These problems cannot be solved until we are able to know what we feel and are able to express it. Of course, we want to learn to take responsibility for what we feel so that, when we share it with the other, we do not blame or criticize, but simply inform him or her about what is going on within us. How can we begin to know what we are feeling?
a. We can take time, be still and begin to feel what is going on in the body.
b. We allow our consciousness to flow into the various parts of the body and notice where we hold tension. Tension is a sign of pent up emotions.
c. We then go deeper and feel those emotions behind those superficial ones. For example we might feel anger and below that, hurt or fear which are causing the anger.
d. We can then get in touch with the needs and beliefs, which are creating those feelings.
e. We then accept and take responsibility for the feelings we are creating.
f. While accepting the part of ourselves which feels that way, we can also mentally send love and light to that part of our being - physical and mental.
g. Allow this love and light to heal that part of our being.
h. We then share our feelings, needs and beliefs with the other without criticism or blame.
9. I Consciously Commit Myself To Being Self Sufficient And Whole Unto Myself.
We often mistake love with attachment, fear, need and dependency. Love comes from strength and the assurance that we will be fine with or without the other. Only then can our love be pure and free from need or fear. The moment we need something from the other, and he or she cannot give that to us, our security and love are diminished, especially if we believe that the other could and should give this to us.
When we need something from the other, we tend to change who we are in order to get what we need, perhaps playing the roles of intimidator, interrogator, victim, or aloof. These roles are the opposite of love and truth.
Only when we can be independent, can we really love unconditionally. We will be with the other because we want to be and not out of fear, loneliness or emptiness.
One part of experiencing our self-sufficiency within a relationship is to recognize our mutual needs to be alone occasionally. This is often taboo in many relationships. Some programmings that make this unthinkable are:
1. If she really loved me, she would not want to be alone or want to do something by herself or with others.
2. If I want time for myself, I am a bad partner.
3. A couple which does not do everything together is not in love.
Shakespeare has written, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." We begin to appreciate our loved one even more after a little space from him or her.
It is true, however, that being apart can also be an excuse for people who are afraid of getting close to the other. It may be a form of avoidance or even revenge. Thus we must have discrimination. Too much absence may starve a relationship, and too little make suffocate it.
Some indications that we need some space might be the following:
1. Avoiding contact with our partner.
2. Avoiding eye contact.
3. Watching a lot of TV or being otherwise occupied.
4. Not paying attention to what the other is saying.
5. Being over occupied with our work or other activities.
6. Ensuring that others will be around continuously.
7. Criticizing, blaming or arguing frequently.
If we find ourselves engaging frequently in these types of behavior, we may need to discuss this with our partner and see how we can both renew ourselves, so that we can be more positive and attentive when we are together. A few hours of attentive contact will give us much more pleasure than days of being together while being closed into ourselves.
10. I Consciously Commit Myself To Keeping My Agreements With You.
There is no surer way to lose someone’s trust than to ignore our agreements and promises. This is an absolute in any conscious love relationship. Better to avoid making agreements that we may not be able to keep. And when we have made a promise, which we see, will be difficult to manifest, better to discuss this with the other, rather than ignore it.
In cases where we observe that we are frequently delinquent on our agreements, we may want analyze what subconscious programming may be obstructing us.
a. We may fear losing our freedom.
b. We might have negative feelings towards the other.
c. We may be testing the other’s love.
d. We may have adopted the role of the bad boy or girl and are keeping up our reputation.
e. We may have needs which we are unable to admit to the other and thus make agreements, which our needs then prevent us from keeping.
11. I Consciously Commit Myself To Learning To Communicate Effectively
This method of communication is discussed in other chapters.
12. I Consciously Commit Myself To Cultivating My Relationships With God
Our relationship with the Divine is a tremendous source of inner security and inner strength, which will allow us to love the other without being dependent on him or her. We can take from our inner relationship with God and be in a position to give to others, without needing to receive from them. This very important aspect of self-transformation will not be discussed in this book. It is extensively presented in the books Universal Philosophy and The Art of Meditation.
The basic ideas of this section are inspired by the work of Gay and Katherine Hendricks More >
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 21 Aug 2010 @ 02:46
1. Is it true?
(Close your eyes,be still, go deeply as you contemplate your answer.
If your answer is no, continue to Question 3.)
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
- Can you know more than God/reality?
- Can you really know what's best in the long run for his/her/your own path?
- Can you absolutely know that you would be happier if you got what you wanted?
3. How do you react when you think that thought? (When you believe that thought?)
- Where does the feeling hit you, where do you feel it in your body when you believe that thought? How far does the feeling travel? Describe it.
- What pictures do you see when you believe that thought? Watch it, be still, notice.
- When did that thought first occur to you?
- How do you treat others when you believe that thought? What do you say to them? What do you do? Whom does your mind attack and how? Be specific.
- How do you treat yourself when you believe that thought? Is this where addictions kick in and you reach for food, alcohol, credit cards, the TV remote? Do thoughts of self-hatred occur? What are they?
- How have you lived your life because you believed that thought? Be specific. Close your eyes, watch your past.
- Does this thought bring peace or stress into your life?
- Where does your mind travel when you believe that thought? (List any underlying beliefs, and inquire later.)
- Whose business are you in when you think that thought?
- What do you get for holding onto that belief?
- Can you find a peaceful reason to keep that thought?
- What terrible thing do you assume would happen if you didn't believe that thought? Write down the terrible thought, and turn it around to the opposite and test it for yourself - is the opposite as true or truer?
4. Who would you be without the thought?
- How would you live life differently if you didn't believe that thought? Close your eyes and imagine life without it.
Imagine you are meeting this person for the very first time with no story. What do you see?
- Who are you right now, sitting here without that thought?
Turn the thought around.
(Statements can be turned around to yourself, to the other, to the opposite, and to "my thinking," wherever it applies. Find a minimum of three genuine examples in your life where each turnaround is as true as or truer than your original statement.)
- If you lived this turnaround, what would you do, or how would you live your life, differently?
- Do you see any other turnarounds that seem as true or truer?
The turnarounds allow you to see the best course of action for you.
The key to experiencing The Work is to go beyond the quick answers of the intellect and tap into a deeper wisdom. Ask, then be still and wait for an inner voice to respond. With practice, this will become easier. You will learn to rely on yourself—not the world—to see what's true for you.
1. Is it true?
(Close your eyes,be still, go deeply as you contemplate your answer.
If your answer is no, continue to Question 3.)
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
- Can you know more than God/reality?
- Can you really know what's best in the long run for his/her/your own path?
- Can you absolutely know that you would be happier if you got what you wanted?
3. How do you react when you think that thought? (When you believe that thought?)
- Where does the feeling hit you, where do you feel it in your body when you believe that thought? How far does the feeling travel? Describe it.
- What pictures do you see when you believe that thought? Watch it, be still, notice.
- When did that thought first occur to you?
- How do you treat others when you believe that thought? What do you say to them? What do you do? Whom does your mind attack and how? Be specific.
- How do you treat yourself when you believe that thought? Is this where addictions kick in and you reach for food, alcohol, credit cards, the TV remote? Do thoughts of self-hatred occur? What are they?
- How have you lived your life because you believed that thought? Be specific. Close your eyes, watch your past.
- Does this thought bring peace or stress into your life?
- Where does your mind travel when you believe that thought? (List any underlying beliefs, and inquire later.)
- Whose business are you in when you think that thought?
- What do you get for holding onto that belief?
- Can you find a peaceful reason to keep that thought?
- What terrible thing do you assume would happen if you didn't believe that thought? Write down the terrible thought, and turn it around to the opposite and test it for yourself - is the opposite as true or truer?
4. Who would you be without the thought?
- How would you live life differently if you didn't believe that thought? Close your eyes and imagine life without it.
Imagine you are meeting this person for the very first time with no story. What do you see?
- Who are you right now, sitting here without that thought?
Turn the thought around.
(Statements can be turned around to yourself, to the other, to the opposite, and to "my thinking," wherever it applies. Find a minimum of three genuine examples in your life where each turnaround is as true as or truer than your original statement.)
- If you lived this turnaround, what would you do, or how would you live your life, differently?
- Do you see any other turnarounds that seem as true or truer?
The turnarounds allow you to see the best course of action for you.
The key to experiencing The Work is to go beyond the quick answers of the intellect and tap into a deeper wisdom. Ask, then be still and wait for an inner voice to respond. With practice, this will become easier. You will learn to rely on yourself—not the world—to see what's true for you.
The Work of Byron Katie More >
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 21 Aug 2010 @ 02:35
Twelve Step Program for All Addictions Anonymous
We admitted we were powerless over our addictions - that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn out will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs More >
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 21 Aug 2010 @ 02:23
Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you. More >
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 21 Aug 2010 @ 02:13
The twelve pathwats
The Hanndbook to highter Consciousness
Ken Kenys
I am freeing myself from the securities ,sensation and power addictions that make me try to forcefully control situations in my life therefore destroying my serenity and keep me from loving myself and another
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I am discovering how my consciousness demanding addictions creates the illusion visions of a changing world of people and situations around me
I welcome the opportunity (even if painful) that my minute by minute experience authors need to become aware of the addictions I must reprogram to liberate my robot like emotional patterns.
I always remembered that I have everything I need to enjoy in my here and now unless I am letting my consciousness be dominated by demand and expect nations based on the dead past or imagined future(note only fear can live in their imagination future)
I take full responsibility here and now for everything I experience oriented my programming creates my actions and... the reactions of people around me.
I accept myself completely here now and consciously experienced everything I feel faint say and do including my emotion backed addictions) as a part of my growth into higher consciousness
I open myself completely to all people by willing to fully communicate my deepest feelings since I need in any degree to see start in my illusions of separation from other people.
I feel with loving compassion the problems of others without getting caught up in a mostly in their situation that is offering them the message that they need for their growth
I act freely when I am tuned in censured and loving but if possible I avoid acting when I am mostly upset depriving myself of the wisdom that flows from love and expanding consciousness
I am continuing claiming their listeners scanning of my irrational mind in order to proceed my finer energies that in it enables me to eventually emerge with everything inside me
I am constantly aware of the seven centers of consciousness I am using an ice filled my energy love and inner peace growing as I opened to the seven consciousness
I proceed everybody including myself as awakening beings who is here to claim his/her birthright to the higher consciousness planes of unconditional love and oneness More >
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 18 Aug 2010 @ 15:56
Most people merely rearrange their problems, but with self-insight you can end them
Examining the doubts we have about our present way is a highly intelligent act.
Anyone weary of stumbling in the dark has taken the first step toward walking in the light.
The one supreme power that will guarantee personal happiness is personal right thinking.
Inner light shows you what to do with yourself all day long, making everything comfortable.
Acquired beliefs and cosmic facts are as different as pebbles and diamonds.
Please people and you achieve nothing, but please your real self and you start a miracle.
Feel the need for something different, then let it grow by having affection for it.
Cosmic wisdom reveals why unhappy events happen, after which they cease to happen.
You are not required to listen to anyone, who demands, “What are you doing about my problems?”
Even if all your friends and relatives do not know how to live rightly, you can surely know.
No one is more qualified than you to discover the true treasures of your inner kingdom.
The very nature of your essence is confidence, so why seek this virtue outside of essence?
Freedom from painful decisions is a happy result of discovering who you really are.
Truth has its reasons for acting as it does, and every one of them is for your benefit.
Calm command can replace agitation as surely as sunshine can replace a storm.
All good things come to anyone who refuses to be intimidated by his own despair.
By eliminating the sheep in himself, a man gives psychic wolves nothing to prey upon.
Welcome higher facts without understanding them and in time you will understand.
Truth does not hurt, rather, it is our resistance to its message that causes pain.
When a frantic world tries to carry you away, remind yourself that you need not go.
Self-knowledge creates an inner state in which you are valuable to yourself in a new way.
The feeling of being in danger from oneself fades with the application of higher facts.
Be aware of how people insist upon draining your energy, then quietly refuse it.
Heartache can be conquered because a higher part of you is free and apart from heartache.
It is a bright day when we see that cosmic facts are as practical as a recipe for baking bread.
Reflect often on the interesting idea of getting out of your own way.
We attract events which correspond to our nature, so a higher nature will attract higher events.
One thing that is always right is your eagerness for something higher than yourself.
Most people merely rearrange their problems, but with self-insight you can end them.
By seeing what we fear to see we shatter one of the pillars supporting the haunted house.
Wrong action in the past is corrected perfectly by right action in the present.
Self-concern is caused by living from mere ideas, which is cured by living from essence.
Real courage consists of departing from the false while not yet knowing what is true.
We learn to love the light by seeing clearly what the darkness does to us.
One day you will look calmly at a fear and say to it, “You have shaken me for the last time.”
We can either hear what we want to hear or we can hear the rescuing truths.
Starting now, never again permit hard or disapproving facial expressions to intimidate you.
A quiet mind knows the answer, which means we must cease to fight anxiously for the answer.
Living from your real nature is the same as doing something worthwhile with your life.
If you are now reading this line, you have a rich opportunity to More >
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 12 Aug 2010 @ 10:11
FACT : Did you know? Most American teenagers are killed in car accidents than any other cause accounting for more than one in three fatality risk of the accident is highest in the first year of the teens driving and incidents go up for every teenage passenger they haven't car with out case supervisor driver. More >
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 3 Aug 2010 @ 16:47
Reprinted from ENERGY BULLETIN
Those who learn about Peak Oil, climate change, and economic hard times show a series of short-lived symptoms of stress over several months, but these are normal and expected reactions to these stunning findings. Roughly 50-60% of adults in North America are exposed to traumatic events, but only 5% to 10% develop maladjusted PTSD and related problems. What sorts of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors promote the development of longer-term traumatic reactions? Read on:
1. Mess with your sense of agency:
Put yourself into double-binds where you are either totally responsible for everything that happens to you or totally helpless to modify the course of events.
“I’m Totally Responsible!”
If you choose this route, you should entertain any and all thoughts that suggest your culpability and negligence or that will intensify your feelings of guilt and shame: “I should never have gotten into so much debt! What could I have been thinking?!? I am such a loser!”
Let others in on your asinine behavior, prepping them with lines such as “wasn’t that really stupid of me?” Choose people (such as those who hate debt) who will be more than happy to assist you in believing that you are, indeed, a loser, lazy or stupid. Their help will reinforce your thinking, making this a particularly easy option to accomplish.
“I have no control!”
Or, if you prefer to be totally helpless, repeat “I have no control over anything,” whenever you begin to feel a sense of direction, possibility, or purpose. This should be repeated like a mantra. “I have no control over anything. I have no control over my feelings or thoughts. I have no control over my actions. I have no control over (fill in the blank.)” Focus on ignoring the basics that are most impactful to people right after a disaster, such as food, water, shelter, coordinating the reunification with loved ones, and health care supplies. Don’t think out possible outcomes, alternatives, and the like. Remain as ignorant as possible to the areas of control you do have.
2. Perfect your paranoia:
Don’t let down your guard! Be hyper-vigilant, ruminating, and brooding.
There are two versions of this option you can choose from, depending on your natural bent. The first is the milder form and involves entertaining thinking that goes against countervailing wisdom just BECAUSE it is contrary. Act counter to expert advice, even in cases when it agrees with your own best evaluation. Then, worry that you aren’t doing anything constructive. Repeat.
The second version is for the more hard-core. This involves monitoring the “doomer news” multiple times every day and searching for deeper “meanings” or patterns in past and current events that will help you uncover the “why” questions for which there are no satisfactory answers. As an adjunct to this, continually share your most outlandish theories with family, friends, and strangers, especially during times of intense conflict and stress between you. Be sure to talk as fast as possible, as loudly as possible, as insistently as possible, and connect every conversation back to your theories. Be single-minded.
As Churchill reminded us: A fanatic is someone who won’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.
Emulate this.
As your family, friends, and acquaintances begin to avoid you, tie this in as evidence of their involvement in the conspiracy or blame it on their utter “sheeple-ness.” Feel free to share this opinion with them.
3. Focus on the personal “unfairness” of the situation:
Make yourself the victim:
“I’m a walking target!” “Other people have it better than I do. Why is my life so much worse than everybody else’s?” “Why do I have to have problems other people don’t have to have?” “What did I do to deserve this?” “Why me?” “Why now?”
Look at others whose situations appear better than yours and envy or blame them. “That jackass! He’s an idiot! What did he do to deserve a doomer retreat in the hills and a Prius while here I am stuck in a crappy suburb driving a gas-guzzling SUV?” You have to be capable of lots of self-deception to do this one well; rationality is your enemy. If they have no retirement accounts, resent them that they’ve got nothing to lose if the market crashes. “Ya, sure. It is easy for them. They’ve never had anything to lose, so what do they care!”
If you have ever engaged in sports or watched them on TV, you will have incorporated the winners and losers mentality, the competitive drive, which will assist you in this endeavor. Just feel your “Inner Loser;” this will motivate you to feel victimized, because after all, we all want and deserve to be winners.
Believe nothing positive will result from the experience.
4. Assume you are worthless or incompetent:
Emphasize how incapable you are of dealing with the new reality and how you can’t rely on yourself for anything. Reiterate over and over that you have no skills and couldn’t, for example, grow a garden if your life depended on it (and when you realize your life does depend on it, go on to Number 5).
Believe that anything you do to try to mitigate the effect of hard times will be inadequate, wrong-headed, and counterproductive. See yourself as continually vulnerable and dwell on how your inability to cope will bring you and your family to the brink of utter destruction and beyond.
Reject any attempts at goal-setting as fruitless and if you do make a “Goal, Plan, Do, Check” approach, lose the list or don’t follow through with it.
5. Engage in “head in the sand” behavior:
Persistently pine for the days when you were ignorant of what was coming and believe that this ignorance was bliss.
Better yet, refuse to believe any evidence of current financial, cultural, political, or environmental degradation or devolution. When you have to come up for air, be sure to keep your eyes and ears covered; after all, as long as you can’t see or hear it, it is not a reality in your world. TV is safe to watch, even the nightly news.
6. Don’t allow yourself to feel bad:
Instead, medicate stress
Drugs, alcohol, sleep, or lots of ice cream (or chocolate, if you prefer) and any other avoidant behaviors you can devise. Then, assume that you are overreacting to the stress that everyone else is effectively coping with better than you. Use more drugs, alcohol, sleep, and sweets to keep yourself from feeling bad about that. You will have bought into a perfect circle of feeling bad, self-medicating, feeling bad, self-medicating…
Ignore relaxation-based interventions such as controlled breathing techniques or mindfulness strategies that have proven to be effective. Ignore your ‘body wisdom.’
7. Focus on what other people think of you:
Be preoccupied with their opinions of you and be sure to assume the worst.
If there are people in your life who think well of you, you must discount their opinions, cut them short, reject a complement, look down, and walk away with a scowl. It should be obvious they either don’t know you very well or they aren’t very bright. If they do know you well and they are bright, assume you have hidden the worst from them. Focus on the people in your life who you imagine think badly about you; hyper-focus on them. Then, be angry or rejecting toward them for what you imagine they must be thinking. As you acquire more evidence for their negative opinions, obsess even more. And, finally, allow what you imagine they think of you to dictate your behavior, so that you are acting counter to your own intuitions and truths. This will help to divorce you from your internal beacon of what is right or wrong and will cause you to flounder about in indecision and confusion. It will cause you to distrust yourself. It will also help to deaden you emotionally.
8. Project future doom:
No matter how bad things get, always assume the worst is yet to come.
If you still have a job, imagine joblessness. If you still have family who love you, imagine their death or abandonment. If you are hungry, imagine starvation will soon kill you. If you are cold, assume you’ll freeze to death.
This is the slippery slope option. Climb up and start on down. Make no distinction between “then and there” and “here and now.” Overgeneralize. Assume an endless state of doom, a huge on-going collapse that will keep you in a permanent state of terror. See yourself as the father in the movie “The Road” who never reaches the coast. Imagine not only what might happen, but how you will be particularly susceptible, vulnerable, AND helpless to impact it. Don’t try to rein in your imaginings; really let yourself go. Share these flights of fantasy with your nearest and dearest, especially those with tender sensitivities. This will hasten your abandonment and bring you evidence that you are right. And it is always nice to be proven correct.
9. Convince yourself that you are on your own:
Assume no one is safe, predictable, or trustworthy, especially those closest to you.
Include your spouse, relatives, and best friends. Better yet, assume that everyone is acting against your best interests. Give no one the benefit of the doubt. Twist something you overheard into a damaging accusation of you. Be courageous in your convictions. If you can find no bad intentions or untrustworthiness, you can at least believe that everyone around you is stupid and/or ignorant and makes bad decisions, so that you would be unsafe if you followed their ideas or advice. I mean, chances are excellent that those closest to you are incompetent and worthless, since they are associating with you, so that makes it doubly imperative that you rely on no one but yourself. And, I know there must be some people of your close acquaintance who are moody, volatile, changeable, and just flat out wacky. Assume you must come up with all the answers by yourself, must do all the work yourself, are all alone in the midst of a maelstrom with no anchor.
Ignore those who have survived hard times and don’t listen to their accounts of how they felt and what they did to survive. Grieve and memorialize in private, assuming no one could possibly help you by engaging in social problem-solving or exploring meaning.
10. Be vigilant against change:
Believe nothing good will come from any attempt to improve any situation.
Counteract any thought that there could be positive benefits from making changes by projecting even worse outcomes for those actions. Be vigilant. Vigilance in this instance implies rigidity. Stand unbending; do not sway in the breeze like a tree. Rigidity means not just rigidity of posture; it means not just rigidity of action; it also means rigidity of thought. Keep your same beliefs, your same opinions, your same values, your same routines, your same activities, your same skills, your same abilities regardless of what changes in your outer world. After all, those changes are always for the worst, aren’t they? You’ve got plenty of evidence for that; just marshal your data and start spouting. It follows, does it not…that change is a bad idea in ALL instances? Rigidity is the way of the vigilant future warrior who makes war against the future.
11. Be guided by meaninglessness:
Believe that life has lost all meaning and value.
Most of us have some family or cultural history, and some have religious faith to bolster our self-confidence. Reject these as meaningless to the situation at hand. Assume your higher power has rejected you. Wallow in depressive “What’s the use?” thoughts while lying on your bed and staring at the mottled ceiling. Count the cobwebs in the corners. When your loved ones try to roust you out of bed, tell them to leave you alone; fight with them; drive them away. If you are of a studious inclination, read Nietzsche; embrace nihilism; throw our your moral principles; lose faith in everything. Or, alternatively, if you haven’t got the energy to give up, watch TV. The twin goals of propaganda and distraction will dull you. Embrace shallowness, and allow meaninglessness to permeate your environment and your thinking.
12. Perfect the fine art of blame:
Whenever anything bad happens, don’t waste your time trying to come up with solutions; instead, ask whose fault it is.
Blame others by actively targeting your anger. Whose fault is it? The government’s fault? The oil companies’? The corporations’? Your employer’s? Your in-laws’? Your spouse’s fault? You can while away many happy hours in this pursuit. Surround yourself with other people who share your villain, so you can reinforce each other’s beliefs. “Those g-damn mother-f-king sons a-itches! If it weren’t for them, we’d still have a good life. We’d still have jobs; we’d still have houses; we wouldn’t be living in this tent city waiting for the next measly food hand-out.”
But, in the sad event that you can find no one else to blame, turn your hand around and point your finger at yourself; at least that way, you can feel guilt, shame, and humiliation and won’t lose out entirely. Whatever you do, don’t plan to take any action or cause any trouble. Just complain. It’s easier and safer.
13. Shun social support:
When facing crises, deny to others that you are experiencing any negative feelings. Make up weird excuses as to why you are crying, kicking things, refusing to leave your room. If you get on a weirdness loop and stay on it, you will soon feel really crazy, and then you will act crazier, and then you will feel even crazier and, well, you get the picture. Or, alternatively, blurt out your feelings and thoughts without regard to the setting, picking the most unsupportive people to confide in, thus guaranteeing that they will fail to understand or empathize with you.
Cultivate an air of indifference, criticism, and “you’re an idiot” reactions to others. When they act in like manner to you, use that as evidence that you were correct in your loner stance.
Don’t tell your story about what happened to you and how you felt about it. Assume you have nothing to learn from others and nothing to offer them.
14. Control every emotion & thought or none of them:
Actively attempt to control all unwanted thoughts either by dissociation, suppression, by engaging in repetitive undoing behaviors, or through magical thinking. Alternatively, lose it emotionally.
Think positively no matter how negative the situation may seem. Let nothing less than perfect sunshine enter your consciousness. Use addictive substances, if necessary, to paint reality with a rosy glow; stick with your normal routine even though, by any objective standards, it has become irrelevant; continue to believe nothing bad can happen as long as you don’t believe it can. Assume you are going crazy if you are unable to dissociate, suppress, or otherwise keep at bay these unwanted thoughts. At all costs, refuse to think about the possibility of lack of abundance, discomfort, deprivation, insecurity, pain, disease, or the death of yourself or a loved one.
Refuse to come to terms with any aspect of reality; this might lead to living in the here and now and enjoying the time you have, which is certainly not maladaptive behavior and, therefore, cannot be allowed.
If you can’t control all of your thoughts and emotions, try to control none of them. Model emotional dis-regulation. Laugh hysterically; then, cry pitifully. Demand attention for no real reason. Make a nuisance out of yourself by taxing everyone’s patience and then crying out “Everybody’s mad at me!” Freak out under pressure, lose it over the slightest difficulty. (“We’re all going to DIE!) Refuse to accept what is right in front of you and show little tolerance for things not being perfect. Focus on the past or the future, but don’t focus on what is immediately in front of you. When things begin to calm down, stir them up again by doing dangerous or thrill-seeking or sensation-seeking actions because “nothing matters anyway…”
But if you aren’t really into being miserable…
In a real crisis, survivors keep their heads while other people are losing theirs. They set important personal goals and take incremental, purposeful actions to achieve them. They not only offer help to other people, but they seek help themselves when they need it. They engage in acts of kindness, connect with others, and don’t reject help. They tell themselves they can get through it, while acknowledging full well that they may not make it. They believe in themselves. They see all experience as offering them something they can learn from. They aren’t afraid to look at awful feelings, the worst in themselves, and still believe in the best they have to offer. They actively prepare themselves for what they can realistically do, and prepare to the best of their abilities, incrementally. They aren’t afraid of change, because they accept that it it inevitable. They savor daily pleasures that they never knew were valuable before the disaster. They see the disaster as having unexpected benefits like bringing people closer, accepting responsibility for other people, recognizing their personal limitations, and how things could have been worse then they turned out to be. What is important to them changes. They see new possibilities and goals to work on. They learn about strengths they never knew they had, and chose life instead of death. They don’t see themselves as ‘victims,’ and they don’t expect other people to rescue them. They see their survival as having a purpose, and accept the responsibility to keep alive the memories and stories of those who did not make it. They don’t see themselves as heroes or villains even when they did heroic or less than positive things. They can put to words or in some other form of expression what happened to them without minimizing or hiding important parts. They have learned how to be compassionate with themselves as well as others. Their religious beliefs have been strengthened, not weakened, and they appreciate their lives more than ever before.
Footnote: Donald Meichenbaum, professor at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Can
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31 Jul 2010 @ 18:23
1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was
time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13. They were too close to the door to close it.
14. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend? More >
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20 Jul 2010 @ 16:38
every morning I get up and I re commit my six commitments:
commitment number one
I am committed to be kind/ loving to everyone as close to people as comfortable for them(I understand not everybody is comfortable being close and open with total strangers sometimes even with people they have known for a while)to clear up anything that keeps me from doing so
note I no longer use the term's friends because I seen how everyone as equal is no such thing as a non-friend if you were in my view in my consciousness you are my friend ) I find the word friends implies value I do not value one person more than a nether.
I encounter and to clear up anything that keeps me from doing so. This is very powerful commitment because not only do I want to reach out and make a difference in others humans lives but I am committed to ask myself why I am not able to do so. The answer to this question can move me and forces me to make positive actions which normally I would just ignore and shrugged my shoulders and walk away instead of trying to find a solution it puts the responsibility of movement squarely on my shoulders were it belongs now there are people in this world who prefer you to stay away from them and you are probably doing them a favor by doing so and that is fine however I find that to be very rare, when I find the answer to the question what is preventing me from loving/ kindness(a Buddha phrase) I now am obligated to make corrections
the answer comes from within and I instinctively know to obey the answer immediately I find that I will be making movement towards the answer within five minutes .the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart IN DOING GOOD, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have the opportunity, let us DO GOOD to all men, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:7)
for example: I know I have pushed people away with my commitment to my belief system I am obligated to make peace and to find a way to find harmony in our belief systems so we are not at war you're fighting each other but in fact it to you truly respect at the same time I must keep true to my convictions.
This commitment opens up my next steps constantly for example given day I was at the store and the lady with the a young girl was not able to pay for her popsicles didn't have the money the child began to cry I was next in line the first thing I did was buy some popsicles that was sitting next to the cashier and then I told the lady she had forgotten her box of popsicles and I put it in her bag she just looked surprise and thanked me this action comes from first commitment.
I remember as much as possible the most important person in the world is the one in front of me in the moment
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6 Jul 2010 @ 10:51
ARTIST
Facing blank paper
Is an artist's terror.
When an artist creates, he or she is like a shaman. Inspiration
comes as a gift. Those who follow Tao are the same. Their awareness of
Tao is not something they have cleverly formulated, nor is it something
that they possess. Tao comes to them like a gift. That is why the arts
and Tao are so closely allied : The act of receiving and expressing is
the same.
Just as an artist dreads not being able to make art, so too does one
who follows Tao dread not feeling Tao.
There are many times when we are called upon to be creative : an
athlete on the field, a lecturer before an audience, a musician on
stage, a cook at the stove, a parent with a child. How do we keep the
channel open? Some people try by maintaining tidy and regular lives,
others by being constantly active. We are all different, and there is no
right or wrong. The only thing that counts is feeling Tao in your own
life and maintaining that feeling as much of the time as possible. If
you find those special things that are latent in you and learn to
express them, then you will know Tao.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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1 Jul 2010 @ 16:19
FLOW
If the boulders are moved,
Even a river will change its flow.
Except for occasional flooding, the mightiest river keeps to its bed. It flows where it finds openings between cliffs and rocks. If the river is dammed, if the cliff walls are moved, if the boulders are shifted, it will flow a different course. It could even be made to flow backwards if the earth moved far enough.
So it is with the flow of our lives. Once the fixed objects of our lives shift, our circumstances change. If we move to another city, life will change. If we marry one person over another, life will be different. If we situate our business in a good neighborhood, life will be prosperous. If we choose a house in a good setting, life will be healthy. If we arrange our furniture properly, life will be comfortable. If we eat correctly, life will be prolonged. In short, followers of Tao realize that the flow of life can be affected and to some degree consciously manipulated simply by altering its parameters.
Life is the flow of energy. It is the air that we breathe, the force that moves the weather, the force of all minds combined. It keeps the rivers flowing, our hearts beating, and the sky blue. This flow of energy moves constantly according to the fixed points that exist at any given moment. Therefore, by manipulating the cardinal points of our lives, we can change the flow. The freedom to choose and to change belongs to us.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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28 Jun 2010 @ 02:27
UNFORTUNATE
An unfortunate one is a rootless ghost,
His walk a mad angel's gait.
Insolent steps of one thrown from heaven
To toil in red dust,
As if he had not had enough
In a thousand previous lifetimes.
Where is his heart? Where is his soul?
To call this heaven's will
Is a cheap answer.
There was once a god who committed a crime. His punishment was to be
thrown back to earth to suffer the misfortunes of being human.
When you see those less fortunate than yourself, whether they are
the homeless on the streets or simply the ugly and unpopular, can you be
sure that they are not like that god flung back to this mad planet?
Is their misfortune their own fault? Or do you explain with
references to morality, destiny, reincarnation, and cosmic justice? Even
the words of saints offer no relief for their suffering, so it hardly
seems fair to blame them.
Let us not hold ourselves above our fellow human beings, no matter
how great the disparity. To withhold your scorn is already beautiful. To
see how we are all of one family is compassion.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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25 Jun 2010 @ 15:03
CULTIVATION
Imagine a sculpture
You work on every day.
If you stop, the beauty
Will slowly go away.
What if you were at work on a beautiful sculpture but your material
reverted or decayed if you ever ceased to progress? This is the
unfortunate nature of spiritual efforts.
You can never stop trying to purify yourself, improve yourself,
strengthen yourself, and cultivate the sacred that is inside you. If you
do well one day, that is good. But if you cease your efforts, you will
slide backwards. That is why you must strive on every level, from the
physical to the mental to the spiritual. Your vigilance must never flag.
Your determination must never waver.
Paradoxically, there is nothing to achieve. It is only our minds
that convince ourselves that we must do something. We are already pure,
already sacred. But we live in a polluted world, we have egotistical
thoughts that constantly divide us from the true Tao, and we cannot
remain forever in a pure state and still function in the world. If you
attained the higher levels of Tao, you would appear to an outsider as if
in a trance, and it would be impossible to interact with others. So if
you are trying to be spiritual in today's world, you must never cease
striving to keep yourself pure. Once you are not with Tao, you must
constantly struggle with the impurity of the world.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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24 Jun 2010 @ 15:26
DIVERSITY
Gods have many faces,
But true divinity has no face.
There are so many gods in the world. Taoists have their pantheon.
The Buddhists, Hindus, and other religions have theirs. The Islamic and
Judeo-Christian schools may be monotheistic, but their sects differ
vastly from one another. Those who follow Tao assert that each of us
sees the divine in our own way. Is there one god, or many?
Among those who follow Tao, there are those who say that if there
are gods, then everyone is a god. You are god. There is nothing in the
sky, and no one lives your life but you. Whatever one believes in terms
of deities is fine. It's all individual preference, and it ultimately
means self-awareness. But there is something beyond the diversity of
gods, and that is the absolute.
That which is absolute is formless. Thus Tao is nameless and
faceless. We cannot consider Tao our god. That would be to give it form
and therefore bring it back into the world where the myriad things have
names. We use the word Tao for convenience only, but in fact, we are
referring to a deep mystery. As long as we live in the world of
diversity, whether it is the frantic pace of our professional lives or
the involvement with all the gods of the world, we will not be with Tao.
It is only when we leave the diversity of existence and find the
formless absolute that we reach Tao.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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23 Jun 2010 @ 13:46
WORSHIP
You can worship gods,
But you cannot worship Tao.
Adoration of your god is more beautiful than lovers, more fulfilling
than feasts, more valuable than mammon. It provides greater shelter than
palaces. Proper worship is joyous and ecstatic.
If you have a limited view of worship, you can always lose sight of
holiness. When you are on a junior level of achievement, you can turn
away from your gods at any time. Those who follow Tao know that Tao is
not the god on the altar; they therefore see their god in their every
action and never lose sight of the divine.
Gods can be worshipped, but the Tao can't be worshipped. Why?
Because gods lead to good things and inspire our highest devotion. As
magnificent as this is to imagine, it is still limited when compared to
the eternity of Tao. Tao has no definitions, no limit, no personal or
individual consciousness. Thus, to worship Tao is meaningless, for our
effort would be lost in an infinite sea. There is no supplication to it,
for it will not respond. There is no adoration of it, for it displays no
glory. There is no ecstatic union with it, for it has no
differentiations. Tao is great. Tao is eternal. Anything limited and
small -- even worship -- disappears in it. One can only enter Tao to
become a part of its limitlessness.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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22 Jun 2010 @ 14:15
RENUNCIATION
Wine's pleasure,
Love's intoxication,
Work's obsession,
Children's involvement,
Age's sorrow.
When will craving end?
Originally there was nothing. It is to nothing that we return.
Differentiation came out of the interplay of cosmic opposites. Human
life became mired in complexities, and this constant diversity is
stressful and disruptive. We ourselves add to the problem with our own
lusts and ambitions. We intoxicate ourselves, we indulge in sensual
gratification, we strive for success in our careers, we commit decades
to the raising of children. All this, only to be caught in the closing
jaws of old age, gradually hemmed in until there is no alternative other
than sorrows, infirmities, and senility.
Duty is inevitable, but we need not saddle ourselves with extra
responsibilities. Keep life simple. Give up as much as possible.
Renounce unnecessary cravings and desires. Leave behind the trappings of
wealth and success. Turn toward the divine. It satisfies, it brings
knowledge, and it brings joy.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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 21 Jun 2010 @ 20:18
SOLSTICE
When the true light appears,
The entire planet turns to face it.
The summer solstice is the time of greatest light. It is a day of
enormous power. The whole planet is turned fully to the brilliance of
the sun.
This great culmination is not static or permanent. Indeed, solstice
as a time of culmination is only a barely perceptible point. The sun
appears to stand still. Its diurnal motion seems to nearly cease.
Yesterday, it was still reaching this point; tomorrow, it will begin a
new phase of its cycle.
Those who follow Tao celebrate this day to remind themselves of the
cycles of existence. They remember that all cycles have a left and a
right, an up side and a down side, a zenith and a nadir. Today, day far
surpasses night, and yet night will gradually begin to reassert itself.
All of life is cycles. All of life is balance.
So celebrate, but be not proud. For whenever you celebrate high
achievement, the antithesis is also approaching. Likewise, in
misfortune, be not sad. For whenever you mourn in grief, the antithesis
is also approaching. Those who know how to reach the peak of any cycle
and remain glorious are the wisest of all.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Da More >
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 20 Jun 2010 @ 21:43
ALTAR
Each day I forge my body into steel
And fold in bright strands of consciousness.
Piling up ripe fruit and fragrant flowers,
Lighting red candles and incense,
Serving tea, rice, and wine.
Anointing with aromatic oils,
Offering heart and bones,
The altar is my anvil, sun and moon the coals,
Discipline the hammer, lungs the bellows.
Followers of Tao have private altars in their homes. The pious see
an altar only for supplication; the skeptical see the altar as false and
insincere. Actually, devotional effort is absolutely necessary for those
beginning on the path.
True spiritual cultivation begins with the premise that you already
have a pure spirit and only need to clear away obfuscations. Thus one
must work on both the physical and mental levels in order to achieve the
quickest results. Such varied efforts need a strong center. By focusing
on the altar as the platform for all practices, you will keep yourself
strongly on your path. The outward acts then pile up like offerings
after offerings, and the outward votive furniture becomes your means of
memorializing your efforts. Then your body itself becomes a steel altar,
an unshakable monument to spiritual devotion.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao More >
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 19 Jun 2010 @ 14:11
SHRINE
Wade the warm stream to
The shrine across the river of golden sound,
Where a drunken bee drones the holy syllable
Over a crimson lotus.
Rich mango magenta and spice offerings
Are piled high by the devout.
Entering into hut of blue stone --
Cool black interior smeared with incense and
Pierced with tiny triangles of candle flame --
Ordinary cares fall to the crystalline floor.
Fiery letters appear in the air
And reappear in your heart.
It is good to have holy places in the world, and it is good for us
to go on pilgrimages. Ultimately, it is not the place that is important;
it is what you feel that is lasting. To visit a place is minor; to
change within yourself is greater.
When people visit a holy place, some say that the spirits of that
place speak to them. Others remember the exotic pageantry. When it comes
to sacred sites, it's better to be a pilgrim than a tourist. Go with a
humble attitude, and let your heart be moved by what you experience.
Then you will receive the true treasure of the shrine.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao More >
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18 Jun 2010 @ 13:32
ARMOR
Ripe fruit, crisp greens, live grain,
Vital roots, tender meat, spring water.
Growing essence nourishes your own.
Essence alloyed with breath makes you flexible but hard.
The sage's body is armored.
The sage is impervious to death.
Those who follow Tao speak of three treasures in the body : essence,
breath, and spirit. Essence is the biochemical aspect of your body,
nurtured by the food you eat, and regulated by the quality of your
hormones. Therefore, all your food should be packed and glowing with
energy. Eat food as close to its source as possible. Pray before you
eat, for everything that you take, whether plant or animal, is living.
You must consume to survive, but when you die, acknowledge that you will
become food for others.
To build the breath, work and exercise diligently. Build stamina and
discipline yourself. You will gain great flexibility combined with
hardened flesh, and you will be graceful. Immunity to minor physical
traumas as well as many kinds of illness will be yours.
The ultimate training of the spirit begins with the question of
death. The sages see beyond dying. Though they must die, they also know
that nothing is lost because no one owns body or mind anyway. Those who
follow Tao safeguard themselves and live their spirituality with a
realistic appreciation of death. The establishment of essence, breath,
and spirit is like wearing armor; the travails of the world mean
nothing.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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 17 Jun 2010 @ 08:57
SAGE
Ancient sages lived in forests and
Wandered from village to village.
Sharing openly, teaching the people
Without profit or ownership.
There were more holy aspirants in ancient times. These men and women
cultivated themselves in the mountains or wandered among forests and
streams. When they came to a village and saw that there was some
knowledge that could be imparted to the people, they did so openly. Once
they taught what was necessary, they disappeared, knowing that others
would follow behind them. They did not establish religious schools,
temples, or philosophies bearing their names. They knew knowledge did
not belong to anyone. It could not be owned, parceled out for profit, or
withheld selfishly.
Nowadays, many people regard knowledge as a mere commodity to be
packaged, marketed, and sold. Their interest is not in benefit for
others' souls but for their own pocketbooks. For example, one
contemporary master requires a thousand ounces of gold before he will
teach a single technique. We live in a world where the selfless sharing
of knowledge is no longer a virtue.
The more knowledge that you give away, the more will come to you.
The more you hoard, the less you will accumulate. Be compassionate to
others. What do you have to fear by being open?
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 15 Jun 2010 @ 11:20
TOTALITY
Those who consider their path superior are condescending.
A parrot who speaks of the totality of the self is absurd.
Many paths lead to the summit,
But it takes a whole body to get there.
Once I met a woman who was a lifelong Christian. She had two sons
who practiced yoga. She thought that was wonderful, but they arrogantly
considered their beliefs to be superior to hers and told her that she
was not doing enough for her spiritual salvation.
No one has a right to condemn another person's spiritual beliefs. No
spiritual system is superior to another. Each one of us should have the
philosophy and practices that work for us. We should be happy once we
find it, we should help those who are interested in the spirituality we
represent, but none of us should behave condescendingly toward others'
spirituality.
We are all trying to get to the summit of spiritual realization, and
there are many valid paths leading to the top. Of course, the view and
terrain on one side of a mountain will differ from the other, but the
summit is identical no matter what your approach.
Whatever your path, all that matters is that you commit yourself
totally to following it. Others will do the same. As long as we all
climb, each from our own direction, and reach the summit of human
spirituality, we can achieve complete totality in our lives. Then all
the fracturing discussions of sects and different religions become
unnecessary.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 11 Jun 2010 @ 13:26
ACCESSIBILITY
As long as the sun rises
And your heart beats,
Tao is at hand.
People think that Tao can only be known through fairy-tale stories
of old men in the mountains or obscure poetry about gods riding dragons.
Others declare that elaborate ritual, frightening talismans, and
mumblings from the depths of spirit possession are necessary for
understanding. This is simply not true. Why put another's experience
before your own? Tao is in each of us. Admittedly, an individual's
common ignorance usually obscures awareness of Tao, but this does not
mean that there is no Tao or that it is not important. Tao is there for
us to experience any time that we can open ourselves to it.
Is the sun shining? Does night follow day? Is the sky blue? Do you
have feeling? Then it is possible to know Tao directly and immediately.
Don't delay, don't think yourself too insignificant. Feel for it. Right
now. As long as you are alive, Tao is right at hand.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 10 Jun 2010 @ 12:22
TRUTH
There are three levels of truth:
Experience, reasoning, and knowing.
All other assertions should be rejected.
The first type of truth is experience. Once you have experienced
something, you know it. No person can persuade you otherwise.
The second type is truth gained by reasoning. In this case, the
truth cannot be immediately verified because the subject is too small
(like atomic particles) or too large (like the movement of planets
through time) or too abstract (like ideas). Something may be true, but
its truth is borne out by analysis rather than physical testing.
Either of these two types of truths has a range of validity. They
are relative. Therefore, though truths are superior to falsehood,
opinions, beliefs, and superstition, they each have limits. There is a
third type of truth that is different from these two.
This is a way of direct spiritual knowing. Wholly internal, this
mode is the direct experiencing of truth through the opening of higher
faculties. Meditation gives one perceptions of absolute certainty. There
is no doubt or need of other investigations; this knowledge is beyond
words, descriptions, and rationalization. In fact, one must be careful
not to let the fruits of one's meditations pass into the realm of
rationalization. This will subject you to the relativity of external
truths and ruin your confidence. To avoid doubts and conflicting
opinions, followers of Tao keep their revelations secret. Then what is
known directly is absolutely yours.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 9 Jun 2010 @ 12:45
SUPERSTITION
The voices of ghosts are so familiar,
They whisper to me every day.
You, so young and rich,
Make assumptions with absolute assurance.
I vacillate between superstition and tradition.
You don't need to question.
Tradition is the oral delivery of rites and customs from generation
to generation. Superstition is belief inconsistent with what society
generally considers true and rational. When tradition and superstition
become bound together, it is a sign of trouble. For example, a woman was
once taught not to wash her hair on anybody's birthday. Whenever she
protested this, the answer was "Don't question!" Years later, she
learned that in the old country, letting one's hair down was a sign of
mourning and thus inauspicious on a birthday. What was etiquette in one
generation became superstition in another.
Those raised with traditions and superstitions are often torn
between the extremes of biculturalism. Their inbred beliefs conflict
with current knowledge and quickly changing culture, creating doubt and
uncertainty.
There has to be informed revision to all tradition if it is not to
degenerate into superstition. The true substance of any tradition will
take new form without compromising its inherent character. If not, it
will just become the outmoded beliefs of old people, and it will fade
into ghostly whispers.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations More >
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 8 Jun 2010 @ 11:52
WRITER
She withdrew into herself,
First writing just for one,
Then touching thousands.
She incarnated ghosts, hurt, and joy
Into paper-and-ink stories of wonder.
One author said, "I can get rid of anything by writing about it,"
meaning that the process of externalization could liberate him from the
pain in his soul. That realization produced a delicious dichotomy: to
free himself, or to hold on to both joys and tortures by remaining
silent about them.
Writer write because they must: They need to express something from
deep within themselves. They hear voices that others do not. They listen
urgently, and they must communicate what they hear.
People feel Tao in the same way that writers feel something unique.
In the process of listening for mysterious voices and expressing the
wonder that comes is a magic akin to the perfection of Tao.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 6 Jun 2010 @ 14:13
OPTIMAL
If you are best in the morning,
Cultivate Tao in the morning.
If you are best in the evening,
Cultivate Tao in the evening.
Whatever the optimal time of day is for you, you should devote it to
the cultivation of Tao. For example, dawn, when it is quiet, the world
is fresh, and the mind is untainted by the day's events, is an ideal
time to devote yourself to study. Morning, the time of birth, should not
be wasted on a quick breakfast, a hastily read newspaper, and a manic
rush to work. If is far better to awake from peaceful sleep, wash
yourself, drink clear water, and immerse yourself in the rising energy
of the day.
If your optimal time is evening, there are two propitious intervals:
twilight, when day and night come into balance, and midnight, when the
first breath of the coming day arises. In the night, worldly cares are
put aside, rest and relaxation are paramount, and the entire world
withdraws into nocturne. Night is the time of regeneration, and it
should not be wasted on wanton entertainment, indulgent sexuality, and
too much sleep. It is far better to retire from the cares of the day,
bathe, and immerse yourself in the gestating power of the dark.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 5 Jun 2010 @ 23:32
INSEPARABLE
The trunk is hollow,
But the branches live.
The void is fundamental,
But the ten thousand things are diverse.
Therefore, wanderers free themselves of cares
And follow Tao in great delight.
The base of a tree may occasionally be hollow, yet the trunk can
rise a hundred feet to support a lushly growing crown. Tao may be void,
but the world has great profusion. This is because there is no
separation between void and phenomena. Therefore, Tao cannot be gained
from denying the world.
Void is a part of all reality and thus has tangibility. The great
Tao permeates the world and so it can be studied in the world. All that
needs to be known about Tao's manifestation can be known by traveling
through life. All experiences are valid, for all experiences are of Tao.
In all of life, the only thing that separates from Tao is the human
ego, because one places oneself before all other things. By contrast,
those who follow Tao divest themselves of self-importance and desire for
success. They prefer to follow Tao as it flows through the land. They
move from place to place as they intuitively sense its direction.
Feeling the divine energy, they live in its vital flow. These wanderers
have glimpsed the void that is in them and in all things. They delight
in life but never see more than void.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
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 4 Jun 2010 @ 20:15
ENJOYMENT
Sleek sky of cobalt blue;
Water like nectar satisfies deeply.
Air sweeter than the best perfume;
Sunlight warms a grateful cat.
It is hard to believe life is all for naught. Can't we take
happiness when it comes?
There is admittedly a great deal of suffering and horror in this
world. But if we are to accept life's sad parts, we must also embrace
its good parts. As long as we are in this world, we must accept it all.
If what comes our way is occasionally wonderful, no one should deny our
enjoyment. We all know that every rise is followed by a fall. Why dwell
only on dread of the future? As long as we have behaved responsibly,
there is nothing wrong with enjoying the best of what life has to offer.
Look at a cat as she stretches out contentedly in the sun. There is
no thought of the next moment, only the sheer enjoyment of the present.
Rest assured that she will still be able to clean herself, still be able
to catch mice, and still be able to do all the things that a cat must
do. But she is without anxieties, and so she is purely and totally who
she should be. She acts as if she were nature's favorite. And who is to
say otherwise?
365 Tao: Daily Meditations More >
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Promise Yourself —
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble |
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