Buddha

All posts in the Buddha category

Grieving. The Sad Loss Of Robin Williams

Published 13/08/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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How will we deal with grief and the loss of a loved one?

Imagine yourself sitting on the deck of a beautiful white yacht, the sun shining its warm rays on your skin and the wind filling the sails speeding you along a beautiful deep blue ocean. You are watching dolphins playing nearby. They jump out of the water one after another, they spin gracefully through the air in an arc before diving back into the sea.

The arc is not unlike the cycle of life and death for human beings. We appear in this world like the dolphin jumping out of the water, visible for a short time. Before long, we return to mother nature like the dolphin diving back into the ocean, to complete the circle of life that began there.

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When a dolphin disappears beneath the waves, we feel no need to grieve because we know it is still there, it is still alright, even if we can no longer see it. Loved ones who pass on are just like that. They have made the transition, but they do not suddenly cease to exist. They are still there. They are still alright, even though we can no longer see them.

One day it will be your turn to pass on yourself. As you plunge into the waves, you will find the dolphins waiting for you. You will be reunited with your loved ones and once again swim with them..together through the infinite oceans of mother nature.

If you know people who are struggling with grief, give them the gift of caring.Talk to them and listen, just be there and offer a shoulder for them to cry on. When the time is right, let them know that we are all part of something that always has been and always will be. There is birth and death for the body, but not for the soul. Share the truth that the passing of a loved one is but a temporary separation, and let the truth set them free.

R.I.P Robin Williams, your relentless pursuit of happiness has made millions of us smile and your tears of joy have kept us company through the years. May you now be freed from your internal suffering and once again join your loved ones and swim free with the dolphins in Mother Earths great and infinite oceans of love.

Namaste with Love My Friends

Always

Mark

Remember To Share Your Love While You Still Can!

Published 09/08/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

We often forget to share our love with the people closest to us and regret it at the end if their days. Share your love while you still can my friends, reach out to your loved ones today, tell them you love them and leave them with a smile 😄❤️

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#IAMPEACE Please Join The Global Meditation For Peace 8.8.14 12 Noon EST

Published 08/08/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends

I will join Deepak Chopra, India Arie, Gabrielle Bernstein and hopefully millions of other beautiful souls in a Global Meditation For Peace, this event will take place on the 8th August 2014 at 12 Noon EST so for me that is Midnight same day (approx 13 hours from now), I will be there to pledge my support in meditation and feel the positive peaceful energy that this mass global meditation will bring to our world.

Please go to http://globalmeditation.chopra.com to register, this will give you the specifics of the event, a countdown timer, a short video etc

Namaste with Love and Peace

Always

Mark

Going With The Flow Of Life

Published 04/08/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

surfs up

In Taoism the Tao ‘Wu Wei’ is often compared to a river. When we talk about going with the flow, we are describing the Tao as having a definitive direction, just like a river flowing in a certain way. Since we live in the Tao, it is important to understand its direction, just as those who swim in a river must understand how its currents work and how this effects their ability to swim, or not.

Moving in flow with the Tao is like swimming downstream. It requires little or no effort at all and you can travel a large distance in a very short time without expending all your energy. Moving against the Tao is like swimming upstream. No matter how hard you try and how hard you swim against the flow of the river, you will struggle to get anywhere and very soon you become exhausted and will possibly drown.

This is why harmony, peace and love are emphasised in the teachings of the Tao. They represent the same flow as the Tao. The more you move with them, the more we experience the effortless grace that they bring to our lives. Life is smooth and easy, and you can go along way in a short time.

To swim with the flow, focus on the positives within your life. Like attracts like, so as soon as you mindfully turn your attention to the goodness of life, you start heading in the same direction. Even the smallest act of appreciation, like a slight movement of a fish to align itself to the powefful current of the river, can be all that you need to turn your life around.

Stop living your life of negativity, go with the flow of life, be thankful for the blessings your life has to offer you and open your heart to a new way of life.

Namaste with Love my Friends
Always
Mark

Would You Rather Be Known By Others – Or Know Yourself?

Published 01/08/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Would you rather be know by others
Or know yourself?
Is money more important
Than freedom?
Is security sought more than service?

The greedy get the least
The stingy lose the most
The fearful fare the poorest.
The one willing to give all away for free
Only grows richer.
The one who gives his/her life to love
Has nothing to loose

Please give your love freely my dear friends

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

looking At Myself Is Like Looking Through Mirrors To Infinity

Published 31/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

Who am I?

You have often read these words within my posts, but as I work in the field of Psychology and Mindfulness I’m often trying to help people understand who they really are. Even I, after all these years of life must from time to time remind myself who I really am. I often reflect and go deep inside myself through meditations and connect to my inner self, to my very being, to my heart and to my soul in order to understand why I am; where I am; in my life.

You can’t see it with the ordinary eye
You can’t hear it with the ordinary ear
You can’t feel it with the ordinary touch
You can’t separate it from light or dark
You can’t approach it from ahead or behind

It’s like a pyramid of mirrors.
Everywhere you look
You see yourself.
Open the pyramid to see whats inside:
The reflection is you.

To define your life is futile;
Don’t get ahead of yourself
Don’t get behind yourself
Don’t compare yourself.
Just be you and enjoy what’s inside.

Consider this: In this present moment God chooses to be you.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Give to Receive and Receive to Give-The Circle of Life

Published 30/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

To give, receive.
Be the wet fertile valley
That rivers of life flow through.
The full will be emptied
The empty, filled.
So be the empty, that you may be filled.

The greatest healer shares all
And becomes yet greater.
One who wants to be healed
Must become a healer.
And one who wants to be a healer
Must first seek healing.

Suffering gains meaning only when healed
And healing is meaningless
Until it is shared.

To receive, give,

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

The Time Is Now: What Will You Do?

Published 16/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

I was blessed to be drawn to this wonderful video poem by Jamie Dunmore, his message is clear as he speaks to the world as a ‘Human Being’ asking us a simple question…What Will You Do?

Please take the time to watch this wonderful short video and please share with your networks because it is indeed ‘Time For Change’

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Entering My Garden of Eden

Published 14/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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My eyes are closed and I’m safe and sound
Safe inside my own private world
My senses on high alert
As I commence my daily meditation

The sound of silence fills my ears
My breath slow and deep
My chest rising and falling
In synch with the beat of my heart

My back straight and my legs crossed
I sit and gaze into nothingness
My hands at rest upon my thighs
As I slowly enter my world of calm

My Garden of Eden, my tranquil place
I walk amongst friends here with nothing to fear
The light is bright and the sounds of happiness abound
The softness of the grass as my feet kiss the ground

Children at play, their laughter fills the air
The sounds of birds in song, fish splashing in the tranquil pools
The fresh mountain breeze rustles the leaves on the trees
Perfection on earth as Mother Earth intended

Smiles and Joy are for everyone here
No pressure, no stress, no competition allowed
Only compassion, peace and love
Humanity and nature living together as one

One Earth, One Humanity, One Love
In my world everyone is allowed
No chains, no suffering, no hunger
Only Love, One Love, Unconditional Love

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Clear Your Mind With Meditation

Published 12/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Learn to eradicate one thought at a time until you reach inner peace. Meditation and mindfulness are so much a part of my life 🙏

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

My Life Has Been Touched By Some Wonderful People

Published 03/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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I’m so thankful and grateful for all I have in my life and all the people who have been there for me along the way, I’m also so looking forward to all the wonderful people who have not yet come into my life, it’s exciting wondering who they will be, what they will be like and how they will effect my life moving forward 🙂

How about you, who are you thankful and grateful for in your life and what are looking forward to moving forward with your life?

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

A Simple Question?

Published 28/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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I pose a very simple question to all readers of this blog and to all your followers too.

If all religions team peace, then why can’t all religions achieve peace?

Is it not time for us to put our differences aside and come together just as our religions say deep within their ancient texts, and live as one in PEACE!

Food for thought my friends

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Change Our Thoughts and Change Our World

Published 23/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Change Our Thoughts and Change Our World

One sun warms our planet from East to West each and everyday, come rain or come shine mother earth provides for us, One Mother Earth with no preference to who we are, what country we are from or what race, color, religion or creed we are from.

The beauty and bounty that Mother Earth has to offer us is endless as long as we protect her, protect her from harm, harmful pollutants, de-forestation, fracking, oil spills and poisoning of our land and waterways.

Mother earth can and will provide us with all the crops we need and fish from our oceans and rivers as long as we protect her, protect her from the endless greed and profits of man.

What we need to do is ‘Respect, Accept and Coexist’; this could be the starting point of world peace and the coming together of mankind for the good of all.

As the Buddha said:-_

 

One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.

 

Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.

 

Whatever harm an enemy may do to an enemy, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind inflicts on oneself greater harm.

 

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is law eternal.

 

From the Bible:-

Proverbs:6:16-19 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

John 1:19 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

Islamic Philosophy;-

The Arabic word salaam (سلام) (“secured, pacified, submitted”) has the same root as the word Islam .One Islamic interpretation is that individual personal peace is attained by utterly submitting to Allah. The greeting “As -Salaam alaykum” favored by Muslim, has the literal meaning “Peace be upon you”.

One of the terms meaning peace and peacemaking in Arabic, sulh, which is used in the Quran, is also the root of the word islah denoting development and improvement. This term is used to refer to peacemaking. Peacemakers are agents of good and those who breach it are elements of corruption and sin. It is therefore observed that peace and peacemaking are seen in Islamic tradition as part and parcel of human development. In Islam peace and making peace are seen as Godly acts worthy of praise and reward. In Islam peace is advocated as a divine quality to be pursued in order to achieve the state of felicity that we were in paradise, man’s former dwelling.

The Hindu Concept on Peace;-

The rulers think that punishing the peace-breakers will bring peace.

The oppressed think that eliminating the oppressors will ensure peace.

The nations think that destroying or subduing the enemy nations will create peace.

But the wise say that ever-enduring peace can never be obtained through external means.

One who has found inner peace has indeed found peace that abides forever.

Through spiritual discipline alone this inner peace can be acquired.

One who has found peace within transmits peace to others by one’s own life’s example, though one be not aware of it.

Therefore, say the wise, may all try to create peace within, before trying to create any temporary or superficial peace in the world through external means.

 

All religions want peace so in my simple mind if we start acting peacefully in the names of our religions rather than just preaching about it then we could move forward to wards world peace.

May all that have life be delivered from suffering and may we come together as one for the benefit of mankind during my lifetime.

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Buddhist Tours to Bhutan

Published 19/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

Hi Everyone,

I don’t know if any of you are interested or in fact have the time, but i’m organizing small Bhuddist tour groups to go to Bhutan in the Himalaya’s, I have a Bhutanese friend partnering with me in Bhutan to make all the internal travel arrangements. We are currently organizing a 7 night 8 day tour which includes flights to Bhutan and back to Bangkok Thailand, all transportation in Bhutan, an English speaking tour guide, hotels, meals, Visa’s, country taxes all trips to natural places of beauty, temples, markets and the famous Taktshang (Tigers Nest)  which is perched on the side of a mountain ( see photos below) a Buddhist Monk as tour guide at each temple, meditation sessions with the monks and at least one meditation and prayers session with a Buddhist Lama at the Taktshang Temple. I will be going there myself in September along with a small group of Chinese Buddhists.

If you are interested, please let me know and I will give you the details and prices, Bhutan is one of the happiest places on earth and so far unspoiled by mankind.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

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He Who Speaks

Published 11/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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He who speaks
does not know
He who knows
does not speak

He who understands
does not preach

Temper your judgements and
your words

Smooth out your differences and
forgive disagreements

Dull your cleverness and
simplify your motives

Be open to the world as it
unfolds

Then, friendship and enmity
Profit and loss
Honor and disgrace
Will all be the same:
The world unfolding

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Quietness

Published 06/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

Yongfu Monastery

Quietness.

Rare perfection seems incomplete,
Yet does not decay

Rare abundance seems empty,
Yet does not fail

A rare truth seems contradictory;
Rare cleverness seems stupid;

Rare eloquence seems awkward.

As spring overcomes the cold,
And autumn overcomes the heat,
So do calm and quiet
overcome the world.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Contentment

Published 05/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

In Prayer

Contentment.

What is dearer, health or reputation?

What has more worth, health or possessions?

What is more troublesome, profit or loss?

Passionate love incurs great expense

Great riches incur great fear
But contentment comes at no cost

He who knows when to stop
Does not continue on into danger
And so may long endure

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Zen Needs No Translation, Only Understanding

Published 03/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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I love this comment from Alan Watts and quotation by a Japanese Zen Master.

Think about it for a while 🙂

Namaste with Love
‘Always’
Mark

Fo Xing 佛性: Buddha Nature

Published 29/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Fo Xing: Buddha Nature

Fo Xing 佛性, Buddha-nature (Classical Chinese: 佛性, modern pinyin fó xìng) literally corresponds to the Sanskrit Buddha-dhātu – “Buddha Element”, “Buddha-Principle” the Chinese term translated as Buddha Nature refers to the potential within a sentient being to awaken into enlightenment and become a Buddha. This potential exists within everyone, it is not a question of if you will ever attain Buddhahood; it is a question of when.

Despite its Buddhist origin, this term can be freely used by Tao cultivators, because it’s meaning is universal. For instance, if a spiritually advanced Christian priest becomes truly enlightened, then the title ‘Buddha’ fits him even if he does not know anything about Buddhism. Words are but labels, we must always remember to look beyond the label for the meaning it represents.

You may not think of yourself as a candidate for Buddhahood, but the Buddha Nature is in you, too. It lives in your heart regardless of your background, your education, intelligence, compassion or any other attributes, and one day it will manifest its full expression as you awaken to greater reality.

The presence of the Buddha Nature in everyone is the reason why Tao cultivators would never discriminate against anyone based upon ethnicity, background or any other superficial distinctions. As the sixth patriarch Hui Neng one said ‘People may be differentiated into northerners or southerners, but there is no differentiation in the Buddha Nature’. It is one and the same for all of humanity. It is the Tao in all of us.

Namaste with love
Always
Mark

I See

Published 22/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

I See

I see your indifference
But I want to warm the cold heart
I see,
In fact, I am yet to accept your indifference

I see your pain
But I want to end the pain
I see,
In fact, I did not accompany your pain

I see your selfishness
But I judge your selfishness
I see,
In fact, it was driven by my selfishness

I see your anger
But try to get rid of your anger
I see,
In fact, I did not let you feel angry

I see your anxiety
But I feel worry about your anxiety
I see,
In fact, I start being anxious
I see your weakness
But I do not know which hand shall I use to give you a hug
I see,
In fact, I am feeling weak now as well

I see your beauty
And I appreciate your beauty
I see,
I am getting beautiful now as well

I see your kindness
And I am delighted with your kindness
I see,
Originally I have such kindness as well

I see you are true
And believing in your truth
I see,
Originally I am also being true

I see you are firm
And see the gentle accompanying
I see,
I am firm and gentle now

I see you are strong
And feeling the flexibility of the strength
I see,
I start having such power now
I see your humbleness
And feeling the self-confidence inside
I see,
I start am being humble as well

I see your peacefulness
And feeling the peaceful mercy
I see,
I am walking towards mercies now

I see your open-heart
And hugging your open-heart
I see,
In fact, I am opening my heart as well
I see you giving
Without any condition
I see,
In fact, I am learning how to share myself

I see your purity
Simply just,
Do what you want to do
Love who you want to love
Walk on the road you want to
Cry when you feel pain
Laugh when you feel happy
Rest when you feel tired
Go on when you are fine
I see myself too

If only see it, that’s only seeing
And accepting what we see
But not immediately thinking what shall be changed
Through seeing
I see myself
And I also see
The original purity and completeness of life

seeing the light

我看见你的冷漠
却想去温暖这个冷漠
我看到
其实我还没接纳你的冷漠
我看见你的痛苦
却想去结束这个痛苦
我看到
其实我并没有陪伴你的痛苦

我看见你的自私
却去评判你的自私
我看到
其实真正涌动的是我的自私
我看见你的愤怒
却想躲开你的愤怒
我看到
其实我没有允许你可以愤怒

我看见你的焦虑
却去担心你的焦虑
我看到
其实我已开始陷入焦虑
我看见你的无力
却不知道要伸哪只手来抱你
我看到
其实当下我也无力
我看见你的美丽
并欣赏着你的美丽
我看到
当下我也开始美丽
我看见你的善良
并喜悦着你的善良
我看到
原本我亦善良
我看见你的真实
并相信着你的真实
我看到
原本我也如此真实
我看见你的坚定
并看到相守的温柔
我看到
我正坚定并且温柔
我看见你的坚强
并感受着柔韧的力量
我看到
我正承接到这样的力量
我看见你的谦卑
并感受到内在的自信
我看到
我也开始低头谦卑

我看到你的淡定
并感受到平静的慈悲
我看到
我正在走近慈悲
我看见你的敞开
并拥抱你的敞开
我看到
其实我也正在敞开

我看见你的付出
不带任何条件
我看到
其实我也学会将自己分享

我看见你的纯粹
只是
做自己想做的事
爱自己想爱的人
走自己想走的路
痛了就哭，喜了就笑
累了就歇，好了就走
我也看到了自己

如果对于看见
只是看见
并接纳所有的看见
而不要想要马上去改变
透过看见
我看见了自己
也看到
生命原本的纯粹与全然