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Dharma Quote of the WeekOur mind needs to stretch to encompass emptiness. Our minds are so stuck in the idea, “Things exist the way they appear to me. What I see is reality. It is 100 percent true. There’s nothing to doubt. Things exist exactly as they appear to my senses, exactly as they appear to my mental consciousness.” We hardly ever doubt that. Not only do we have the appearance of inherent existence to our sense consciousnesses and mental consciousness, but also our mental consciousness grasps on to that appearance and says, “Yes! Everything really exists in this findable, independent way. Everything is real as it appears to me.” When we believe there’s a real “me,” then we have to protect that self and bring it happiness. Thus, we are attached to things that are pleasurable and become angry at anything unpleasant. Pride, jealousy, laziness, and the whole gamut of negative emotions follow. Motivated by these, we act physically, verbally, and mentally. These actions, or karma, leave seeds on our mindstream, and when these ripen, they influence what we experience. We again relate to these experiences ignorantly, so more emotions arise, motivating us to create more karma. As a result, cyclic existence with all its difficulties continues on and on, created by our mind, dependent on the ignorance that misconceives the nature of ourselves and all other phenomena. …However, when we investigate more deeply and look beyond appearances, we realize that it’s impossible for things to exist in the way they appear. Seeing this gives us a kind of spaciousness and freedom because, if samsara were inherently existent and everything really did exist the way it appears to us, then transformation and change could not occur…and the best we could ever have is what we have right now. Thinking about the emptiness of inherent existence shows us the possibility for change. Beauty can come forth because nothing is inherently concrete, fixed, or findable.(p.105) –from Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of Chenrezig by Thubten Chodron, foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama, published by Snow Lion Publications Cultivating a Compassionate Heart • Now at 5O% off! |
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Archive for March 22, 2012
Dharma Quote from Snow Lion Publications
March 22, 2012Kindness Daily: Using My Hobby To Help The Homeless
March 22, 2012
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Then it dawned on me. I could stock up on sweaters and jackets for the impending cold weather and donate them to the homeless shelter! In the last couple of weeks I’ve gotten six huge bags of sweaters, jackets, sweatpants, and long-sleeved shirts for under $20! I also got a small bag of soap, toothbrushes and shampoo for $1.
An Ordinary Magical Life
March 22, 2012Things that I will do my best to carry on in your honor: I will order salad with french fries on the side, with a straight face. I will drink my tea with too much milk. I will carry cookies in my coat pocket for all the dogs. I will love unconditionally. — Eulogy for Shelagh Gordon, Feb 2012
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Inspiration of the Day:
“I met Shelagh Gordon at her funeral. My sharpest impression of her that day, as mourners in black pressed around me, was of her breathtaking kindness. Shelagh was freshly-in-love thoughtful. If she noticed your boots had holes, she’d press her new ones into your arms. When you casually admired her coffeemaker, you’d wake up to one of your own. A bag of chocolates hanging from your doorknob would greet you each Valentine’s Day, along with some clippings from the newspaper she thought you’d find interesting. Shelagh made people around her feel not just loved but coveted. That was the golden thread that stitched together the ordinary seams of her life.” The Star newspaper dedicated unprecedented coverage to this relatively unknown 55-year-old woman’s funeral … this remarkable story explains why.
http://premiere.whatcounts.com/t?ctl=16A9B38:C3009629A010612CB377B09CFA38828AB4B847859706E37D&
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Be The Change:
Honor an ordinary, magical life in your own world.
**Share A Reflection**
http://premiere.whatcounts.com/t?ctl=16A9B39:C3009629A010612CB377B09CFA38828AB4B847859706E37D&
Dalai Lama Foundation Study Circle Montreal 