On New Year's Resolutions

It's the time of year when so many people will be making resolutions -- lists of things they want to accomplish or behaviours they wish to change. It is, in my appraisal, a time of remarkable demonstrations of grasping. Our intention ought not be spoiled by the eight worldly preoccupations: gain or loss, pleasure or pain, praise or criticism, and fame or infamy.

There's nothing magical about the arbitrary day chosen as the first of the year. We don't need a special holiday to choose to improve our behaviours, improve our health, or choose to better use our time. And what of the broken resolutions?

I believe that there is much to be gained from resolving (right here, right now) to stay in the moment. By letting go of our grappling for the phenomenal world... instead of grappling with thoughts of tomorrow, we can turn our awareness to this moment. It's more useful to ask ourselves what we can do right now, than it is to plan what we're going to get around to tomorrow.

Goals are fine, when they serve as roadmaps -- points of reference, toward which we work in the present, without obsessing over some arbitrary future date.

In the past three weeks, several folks promised that they were going to help out with some of the unmet financial obligations that arose this month. We've had three major vehicle expenses, and some unforeseen medical expenses. These three individuals were all well aware of the hardship that came from my inability to work, because of my condition. And they were the ones, in fact, who offered their assistance.

One of them "fell in love" and spent "all his money" on the new love interest. The other two, from what I am told, decided to go on a winter cruise. I've heard nothing back from either of them in weeks, until this morning. And this morning, I was told, "Oh yeah, we forgot about that... sorry, we're tapped out."

Now I could panic. I could obsess over the fact that the Internet service will be shut off in a few days, unless I come up with the $175 we owe them, or the fact that unless we come up with another $200 for rent and $100 for electric, we'll be up a creek. But what good would it do? I could make resolutions about not letting ourselves get stuck without money, but such plans would serve no point. For my part, I have done what I could. I advertised our webdesign business, and cut the prices to an affordable $250 for a five page website, including a year's free hosting... maybe we'll get two web design clients. I launched our new company, USADebtElimination.com -- the first debt arbitration and settlement firm in the U.S. founded on Dharma principles.

I still don't have the use of my dominant arm... still live most of every day in extreme pain. And Craig is working in temperatures in the teens and single-digits, cleaning yards, trimming back trees, anything he can to earn a few extra dollars, despite his own struggle with Parkinson's Disease. So there is no cause for either of us to feel as though we've failed.

The point is that nothing changes. We might be served with eviction papers in a few weeks. We might lose power and Internet in a few days. And then we'll figure out what we can do from there.

I've taken a lot of flack from one somewhat ill-informed fellow, living in an underprivileged country, where Buddhism is one of the most prevalent spiritual paths. This otherwise amiable fellow finds it "repulsive" that I sell my books, workshops and retreats, because "the Dharma is not for sale". And he's right. I would never sell the Dharma, and have always given freely of all that I have learned. However, where it's acceptable in his country for a monk to beg daily, taking in his food bowl all that he needs to sustain himself, and living in a little hut; that is not as easily accomplished here. So in addition to my vows of non-attachment, I vowed to be self-sufficient, and wherever possible, to provide for those less fortunate than ourselves.

So I ask you, if you know of anyone with a small business, who might need to have a new website, please send them my way. If you know of anyone struggling with credit card debt or any other unsecured loans, who might benefit from having their debt amount reduced by 50-65% or more, please send them my way.

As for me, there is only one resolution I make tonight, and every night...

"For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, may I, too, abide, to dispel misery and suffering in the world. And may I return, lifetime-after-lifetime, to continue to work toward that end, until suffering exists no more."

Namasté!

 

Copyright ©2008, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato). All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

With love... final posting of the current year

On this cold, winter night, the Monks of the Eightfold Path -- a non-sectarian intentional spiritual community, rooted in the rich tradition of Buddhist Dharma, interpreted through an inclusive, non-religious, culturally relevant and post-modern lens -- honours the ancient traditions and mythos of our heritage as disciples of the Buddha Dharma and the Dharma of the Christ.

Inasmuch as mythos almost always draws on more ancient myths, there are some significant parallels between the narratives of Buddhism and the Yeshua narratives. Like Buddha, who was said to have been born of a virgin, named Maya, on December 25th, Yeshua was said to have been born to Mary, also supposedly a virgin, and by the Fourth Century C.E., his nativity was celebrated on December 25th, along with the birthdays of the Persian God-Man Mithra, Sol Invictus, Attis and Horus.

Like Yeshua, whose heritage is traced back to the mythological "first man", Adam, to whom one of the gods had given dominion over the earth, Buddha's genealogy traces back to the mythical Maha Sammata, the legendary "first ruler of the world."

Buddha Sakyamuni, we are told, was visited by wise men, who acknowledged his divinity; just as the story tells us occurred in the Yeshua/Jesus narrative.

When Sakyamuni was an infant, King Bhimbasara feared that the child would one day endanger his throne, and therefore sought to kill him. Similarly, the fictitious "slaughter of the innocents" story is told, in which King Herod ordered all the male children to be slaughtered for the same fearful reason.

At the age of twelve, tradition teaches that Buddha Sakyamuni had already excelled in his understanding of the Hindu Dharma, surpassing the wisdom of the learned men of the temples. Similarly, Yeshua is found in the Temple at Jerusalem, teaching the astounded learned ones there, according to the Christian narrative.

So why then, if it is so patently clear that these stories are mythos, do the monks of our spiritual community honour them?

To answer this, I find it necessary to clarify a misconception which often arises, when folks find their faith shaken by the presentation of rational evidence that frequently causes them to strike a defensive posture, and miss the point of the message altogether. (Both mine, and that of their sacred narratives!)

Unlike some scholars, who believe that this evidence proves the case for disbelief in there ever having been an historical Buddha Sakyamuni or Yeshua ben Yosef, I am disinclined to agree. There is no reason to presume that because the same mythological motifs ascribed to Osirus, Horus, Adonis, Attis, Krsna and about twenty other so-called "sun-gods" or "sons of gods", were overlaid upon the Perennialist teachings of Buddha and Christ, then we must discount there ever having lived two enlightened masters named Sakyamuni or Yeshua.

The interpolation of these universal myths into the biographies of Buddha Sakyamuni and Rav Yeshua simply reflects the same kind of commonality among various cultures, to elevate those esteemed teachers to the status of gods, by a primitive people.

And this has long been understood by the illuminati -- the more educated theologians, philosophers and anthropologists -- within the prevalent religions and spiritual traditions. There is an account in the Tibetinum Alphabetum, in which a Catholic monk, named Georgius, presents plates of a crucified god-man, who was worshipped in Nepal, prior to the time ascribed to Rav Yeshua ben Yosef. Such crucifixes were found at the crossroads of Nepal and Tibet. We know from Andrada la Crozius, one of the first Europeans to visit Nepal and Tibet, that this god-man was Indra, who was said to have shed his blood for the salvation of humanity.

Does this interpolation of ancient mythos into the historical teachings or dharma of these two great spiritual masters mean that we cannot honour the traditions of our spiritual ancestors, through whom we have received the real treasure of the Dharma itself? Does the logical conclusion that scriptures are a human construct mean that we cannot find the keys to personal and spiritual growth within the legends, the myths and the greater message underlying these accounts?

For a quarter of a century now, I have served as the spiritual shepherd or principal dharma teacher of our monastic and contemplative order. Inspired by the monastic traditions of Buddhism, the Camaldolese Benedictines, and the (pre-institutional) Franciscan charism, I embrace a belief that every sentient being deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, loving-kindness and equanimity.

The Contemplative Order of Compassion does not consider any sutra or group of sutras as its basic scripture(s). It draws inspiration from the essence of the Buddhadharma in all sutras. It does not accept the systematic arrangements of the Buddhist teachings proposed by any school. The Contemplative Order of Compassion (Monks of the Eightfold Path) seeks to realise the spirit of the Dharma in early Buddhism, as well as in the development of that spirit through the history of the Sangha, and its life and teachings in all Buddhist traditions.

Ours is a spiritual path based on the revealed wisdom of the Four Noble Truths, and grounded in the traditional Four Spirits; namely, the spirit of non-attachment from views and opinions, the spirit of direct experimentation on the nature of interdependent origination through meditation, the spirit of appropriateness, and the spirit of skilful means. All of these essential elements are found in all Buddhist traditions.

I made a sacred commitment to my then-spiritual teacher, in 2006, that I would spend a year, fearlessly dispelling the religious myths and legends that cause so many people pain and suffering. I promised that I would speak out against literalism, fundamentalism and "religious exclusivism". And I promised to endure the certain financial consequences we both knew would follow, for an entire year, as a test (I presume) of my willingness to stand firm in my spiritual path.

For twelve months tonight, I have kept my word. But now, that year is up. My commitment to my vows, to the spiritual path and to the Dharma itself, is uncompromised. However, I will no longer address what should, by now, be a crystal clear understanding of the difference between the dharma and the cultural mythos that has been interpolated into the teachings of the Buddha and the Christ.

Up until last year, I never felt any compulsion to address such matters, outside the monastery/seminary and ashram. Master Thich Nhat Hanh warns of the riskiness of placing our faith in ideas, because ideas can change. My belief is in the fundamental call to compassion. My faith is in love.

The exercise of this past year, while I hope to have been able to have positively affected some spiritual growth and understanding in others, has been a powerful learning experience for me as well. I believe I know why it was that I was asked to spend twelve months focused on such a difficult subject; and I am unfathomably grateful.

Tonight, all of that gets left in the ashes of the dhuni (ceremonial fire pit), and will be symbolically left on the pyres of the cremation grounds.

As a gift on this night, when we commemorate the symbolic birth stories of the Buddha and the Christ, the members of the monastic community voted and unanimously agreed (a feat in and of itself!) to permit me and my successors, to permanently drop the title of "Lama", in favour of the more simple "Dharmacharya" (Dharma teacher). Nothing could be more wonderfully received, as now, I can be certain that no one will ever mistake me for anything other than a simple monk, whose religion is compassion, whose god is love, and whose path is service to those who suffer.

As a simple monk, I bow to each of you and honour whatever traditions, spiritual paths and philosophies might bring you comfort, strengthen your resolve to serve others, and inspire in you a life of compassion.

I ask your warm remembrances as well, as we personally face some extreme financial hardships and are uncertain of the outcomes in the next week.

Over a thousand years ago, Padmasambhava, the great teacher who brought Buddhism from India to Tibet, predicted that in an age when we find increasingly more creative means of seeking entertainment and happiness outside of ourselves, we would forget how to bring meaning to our lives. In the Shambhala teachings, this time is called the "setting sun" or "remains of the day". As practitioners, we have the power to create an uplifted environment that supports us in changing our habits. My spiritual brother, the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, teaches, "Paying attention to our life and arranging our environment so that it supports us in cultivating compassion is how we move out of the dark age with expediency and momentum."

As I sit in meditation tonight, it will be my sincere intention that each of you will find the courage and inspiration to begin paying greater attention to your lives, and begin to experience an increased cultivation of genuine compassion in your day-to-day journey.

With love and a grateful heart,

gurudas sunyatananda, o.c.
(francis-maria gianmichael salvato, o.c.)
Lojong Ladrang
Lancaster, PA USA

 

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

Copyright ©2008, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda /Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Another look at the Christmas Story

The weary monk sat on a low couch in the receiving room of the Lojong Ladrang. His body worn from the taxing rigours of a weakened immune system, neurological problems and persistent pain. Despite all of this... despite having the looming threat of having the electricity turned off again, and possibly being forced to move, due to eviction... there was a warm smile on his face, as he welcomed the small group of students and disciples to his home.

These students came to hear about the meaning of the Christmas story, from a Buddhist perspective.

"Why is it," one student asked, "that the ancient mythos of the so-called god-men was co-opted from the Persians, the Syrians, the Egyptians and the Aryans by the first and second century authors of the institutional church's canonical texts and doctrinal teachings?"

The teacher explained that the Roman Church, especially once Constantine became emperor, sought to create a state religion, as had been the tradition for generations in that region. Such fanciful stories were not held by the earliest communities of Jerusalem, and by the Copts, for whom the message of the Great Teacher was considered more important than the legends of his life, or even whether or not he was an historic figure.

Nowhere was this more evident, than in the ancient mystery school, known as the Gnostics. Although these adherents are often mistakenly classified as "Christians", in truth, they were nothing of the sort; although it is probably true that they were the ones who followed the most authentic path, and could have much more accurately appropriated the name "Christian" for themselves.

Gnostics, whose philosophy was based in no small part on an amalgam of the Socratic schools, the Essene and Egyptian Therapeutae, and according to many scholars, the Tibetan monks, who traveled to Alexandria, understood the mythos of the Christmas story as a lesson in holistic spirituality.

"This was one of the great challenges that I struggled with my entire vocation as a priest and bishop," the teacher told them. "From the time I was a child, this notion of an imaginary deity was something I understood as a metaphor for a deeper mystery... a mystery into which I was initiated by my refuge guru, Advaita monk, Swami Abishektananda, OSB.

"My worldview, therefore, was a non-dualistic worldview. And my devotion to the spiritual figures of the Immaculata and Quan Yin, were seen as symbolic personifications or emanations of particular qualities of my own indwelling divine nature.

"Of course, I was instructed to be careful not to speak about these things too openly; although, like many youngsters, I occasionally misjudged who I could speak to about these things, frequently getting into trouble with the nuns and priests at school.

"And I readily understood that the ancient story of the virgin birth... the journey to Bethlehem, the Star in the East (Sirius) and the Magi or Three Kings... were all astrotheological tales, surrounding the astronomical and astrological events of the Winter Solstice skies. Myths of twelve disciples, miracles, and of crucifixion and resurrection were likewise all part of the events that occurred between the 22nd of December and 25th of December.

"But there was an opportunity to look more deeply, and aside from what I believe are the authentic teachings or dharma of the Anointed One, Rav Yeshua... whom I believe was born to a normal Essene family, and who likely died in Kashmir, where he and his family lived and taught. And I don't believe he was executed, particularly crucified, let alone resurrected...

"In the Christmas narrative, we find the story of Mary or Miriam, the young Mother. She metaphorically represents our nurturing nature, or the feminine aspect of our nature (anima). Joseph, the "adoptive" father of Yeshua, represents the rational or thinking aspect, or masculine essence of our nature (animus). Rationality and thinking are "adoptive" parts of our nature, since we know our perception is skewed by the cloud of causes and conditions, or phenomenal world.

"Then there is the divine essence... the noumenal nature or true self... It is that part of our true nature, which breathes life into the "womb" of this samsaric existence. When this occurs, Consciousness (Christ) is born within the manger of our hearts... in obscurity.

"We are the Anointed One. We are the Enlightened One. 'Let us not talk of karma, or of religion,' my spiritual father tells us, 'but simply of our responsibility to become compassion for the whole world.'"

The monk took a few sips of his tea, sat quietly for a while, and then continued:

"The stories of Yeshua and of Buddha, like the stories of all the great teachers, are stories of barrier-breakers... non-dualists, who saw themselves in all creation and all of creation in themselves. So too ought we embrace this empowered awareness of the One That We Are."

The students left with much to think about, and a new way of looking at Christmas, even those who were non-theistic.

As Neale Donald Walsch observes, "No religion that claims to be the One True Religion, and no path that is proclaimed the Only Path, can lead the whole of humanity to an experience of itself AS a whole. And unless we can experience ourselves as One, we will have missed the point of all religions."

This holiday season, let us let go of our foolish and obscene clinging to our mythos, our dogma, our traditions and our insecurities that cause us to perceive such illusions as an "us" versus a "them".

Capture that wonderful feeling of congeniality, love and prayers for "peace on earth", which we often find ourselves wishing would "never end", realising that there is no reason for it to end!

At the risk of sounding like Auntie Mame, perhaps it's time for us to affirm that we really do "need a little Christmas"... not the mythological and dogmatic Christmas of the religious narratives... but the Spirit of Love, becoming Incarnate in each and every one of us, so that we can experience our innate divinity with greater awareness.

Holiday blessings, love and peace!

Namasté!

gurudas sunyatananda, o.c.

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Gift Giving

The Winter holiday season has long been a time of the celebration of light, hope and a remembrance of the indwelling Ground of Being. Many of the world's spiritual traditions mark this time of year with symbolic gestures of generosity, gift giving, the lighting of the Yule log or menorah. More recent fabrications have included the creation of "new" holidays, such a Kwanza, and even the secular and non-sectarian (commercialised) version of Christmas.

This tradition of gift-giving, however, can give rise to anxiety and depression for some. Those who are unable to afford to buy or make gifts, might feel angst over realising that some will be giving them gifts, while they cannot return the gesture. Others might even feel anxiety or anger, when the gifts they receive are "not what they expected". Still others might feel slighted, when holiday cards, gifts or party invitations are not extended to them or returned in-kind.

It has long been said that one can give without loving, but one can never love without giving. The custom of exchanging gifts might have been wrought out of good intentions, but we should remember that it is only a custom. Of greater importance is our realisation that by the very act of intentionality, when we are consciously compassionate toward others, we are giving and receiving the greatest gift there ever was.

The ancient myth about the Sun God, who came to earth, born of a virgin and conquered the God of the Underworld... or of the God-Men Attis, Mithra, Krsna and Jesus -- all of whom, according to legend, were also born of a virgin, and became human so that humanity could become divine -- are stories of hope.

On December 25th, according to the primitive astrotheological traditions, the crucified Sun rises one degree on the horizon and is reborn. Days become longer. Light triumphs over darkness. And the gift of life returns to the frozen land.

Let's make up our minds not to let the stress of "gift giving" preoccupy our thoughts. Let's instead find comfort in the gift that we give, not only during these holidays, but throughout the entire year... the only gift that matters...

...the Gift of Love.

That is the mystery of the Incarnation... the true meaning of the manger... the miracle of the Lights...

Namasté!

gurudas

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Ask the monk...

 

 

A student asked, over the weekend, "Could you please speak about how religion figures into the spiritual path, if at all? I understand that you are an atheist, and yet you consider yourself to be a disciple of the Christ and a valid successor to the Apostles. Does this mean that you consider yourself to be apostate? What about your considering yourself to be a disciple of the Buddha, and a Buddhist monk, and yet rejecting the traditional Buddhist monastic rules? Thank you for helping me to understand this."

Namasté! Thank you for that great question. It's actually been a while since we've had any questions at all!

Rather than using the word atheistic, which is certainly an accurate description of my non-belief in supernatural deities, demons, and all of the other beliefs that arise from such belief systems, I choose to use the descriptor non-theistic. The reason is that I often find atheists can be as dogmatic and passionate about their belief that there is no such thing as gods or goddesses, that their belief system becomes something of a religion itself. And I am non-religious, therefore; I don't consider myself to be an atheist either.

I personally view atheism as a belief system, and I try to guard myself against belief systems in general. The great master, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches, "Faith in ideas is risky. Ideas can change, and tomorrow we may not believe the same thing." We find this same wisdom teaching in the Christian scripture, which admonishes that one not build their house upon sand.

My being non-theistic means simply that I do not concern myself with the idea of gods or demons. And by the very nature of not concerning myself with such things, I respect not only those who do believe in such things, but respect their gods and goddesses themselves. You see, I do not deny that there are supernatural phenomena. But I believe that all phenomena are, in fact, impermanent.

It is true that I am considered, by virtue of my having been ordained as a Catholic bishop in direct and documented succession to several of the historic disciples of the great Rav Yeshua (Jesus the Nazarene). I don't necessarily buy into the historicity of Christian scriptures' claim that there were twelve disciples (a reference to the signs of the zodiac), nor the idea that those closest to the Anointed One were all men. And as a theological anthropologist, my personal research has lead me to believe, for example, that the characters of Judas and Thomas, for example, are the same person -- and most likely the twin brother of the historic Rav Yeshua. And therefore, because I am in the succession of Mar Thoma (Thomas the Twin, who founded the communities of faith in India, and who authored the gnostic text, the Gospel of Thomas), I consider it my responsibility to bear that mantle in a way that is consistent with both Judas' and Thomas' teaching -- that the "sovereign domain of the Sacred is within us..." not outside us.

Perhaps one of the most important and influential passages I remember reading from Thomas' gospel, as a young boy of seven or eight, was the following:

Keep on asking, and it will be given to you; keep on seeking and you will find it; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps asking receives, and who keeps seeking finds, and to those who keep knocking, it shall be opened.

And while that passage might seem familiar with the similar passage in the synoptic gospels, it's the continuation of the passage from Thomas' Prologue, which reveals an older and more important part of that teaching, which was obscured by the Roman Catholic Church:

Those who seek, should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will finally have authority, and in that authority, they will find rest.  (Thomas Prologue: 2)

I don't believe that religion is good or bad. I don't believe that it is necessary for spiritual growth either. The purpose of religion, as I understand it, is to help the individual grow, not to help the individual criticise or condemn others. Religion has, for the most part, I think, failed in that regard. Rather than criticising others, we ought to criticise ourselves. Religion is useful if it inspires and challenges us to ask, "How much am I doing about my attachments... my pride... my anger? What am I doing to become more compassionate toward others? To whom am I allowing myself to feel indifference or hatred?" If religion helps us become more aware of these things, it is very useful.

In Spirituality and Nature, my Spiritual Father, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama writes: "If we practice religion properly or genuinely, religion is not something outside, but inside our hearts. The essence of religion is a good heart... Complicated philosophy, this and that, sometimes creates more trouble and problems. If these sophisticated philosophies are useful for the development of a good heart, then good: use them fully. If these complicated philosophies or systems become an obstacle to a good heart, then it is better to leave them."

I cannot think of a better way to explain my attitude toward religion, that in that quotation above. I reached a point in my own spiritual journey in which I no longer found anything useful in religion, and so I left it behind.

Now, let's look at an example that might be helpful. Let's say that a person is born to a very abusive and narrow-minded family. At the end of the day, that person is still a member of that family, but they might consciously choose to move forward with their lives, and leave the dysfunctional family behind.

If someone goes to school and specialises in medicine, then works for several years as a successful doctor, only to choose to walk away from his career as a medical doctor, and instead, enter a monastery and write, that person is still a medical doctor. He can't "unlearn" his medical knowledge, and could, we hope, draw on that wisdom and knowledge to save someone's life, if necessary.

So it is with me. I have disassociated myself with institutional religion entirely. I am still a validly ordained successor to the disciples James, John, Thomas, Thaddeus and Bartholomew (and allegedly, Peter, whose succession I hold suspicious, since I doubt the Roman legends of his supposed leadership of an institutional church.) It is part of my past, just as my service to the pagan communities of the Northeast is part of my past. I am grateful for both. Likewise, from the age of seven, I have been a Buddhist. And from my sixteenth year, I have been a Buddhist monk.

It is true that under the institutional rules of traditional Buddhist sects, I would be asked to leave the monastery, particularly for breaking the monastic rule of celibacy. But I am not part of any of those institutional sects. Their rules are not part of my vowed life. And while I am aware that just as there are Catholics and Christians, who believe than my non-theism and denial of the "Son of God" mythos makes me an heretic and apostate, I am equally aware that there are those in the Buddhist community, especially among the Southeast Asian Buddhist sects, who consider me to be apostate and "a disgrace to Buddhism".

Seven times, over the past eighteen years, such individuals have stolen my monastic robes, saying that I was unworthy of them. That is why I choose to wear the monastic robes of many sects... Tibetan, Japanese Zen, American Zen, Buddhist Secular Humanist, Camaldolese (Benedictine) and Franciscan. It is a way of non-violent protest of the sectarianism that I find so repugnant and unfortunate.

Respecting the student's right to privacy, I have not mentioned them by name, but know this particular student to have a sincere heart. I also know the reason this person asked thee questions, and appreciate how difficult it can be to find oneself having to make such similar decisions. I want you to know that I am here for you. Keep in mind that as we sojourn this spiritual path, we can often discover that those to whom we owe the greatest debt of gratitude are those who have made the journey hardest on us.

I do understand and respect those who find complicated and complex theologies and philosophies useful in their spiritual journey, so long as their beliefs don't marginalise non-believers. I am a bookworm (for those who haven't noticed). Yet I find nothing personally useful in the practice of memorising scriptures or sutras. There is nothing that can be found in a book or oral tradition that cannot be found by simply sitting zazen. Does that mean that I condemn or reject the traditions of the Buddhist schools that emphasise memorisation of sutras, or ritual? Does that mean I reject the traditions in Benedictine and Franciscan sects, in which communal chant is a vital part of the contemplative life? Of course not! In fact, I find those traditions to be honourable, beautiful and enjoy the opportunities to take part in them, when I visit such sects.

They simply are not my path. My path is compassion. Period. The monastic and contemplative community to which I belong does have a rule of life, and does have a set of precepts every monk and lay adherent is expected to live by. I have, to the best of my ability, honoured and kept those rules and precepts for a little under thirty years now. But at the end of the day, for me, it comes down to the Four Noble Truths... the Noble Eightfold Path... the Four Immeasurables... and at the heart of it all... Compassion.

Perhaps I am apostate. Perhaps I am a heretic. I don't know. More accurately, I don't care. Whether or not I am apostate or heretical doesn't impact the love I have for others. It doesn't change my desire to work toward interspiritual dialogue, for the purpose of advancing social justice issues and community service. It doesn't change my daily practice. So it doesn't matter to me.

Surely it has made the journey difficult at times. Those who once gave financial support to our monastery have all but disappeared, because they are frightened by the idea that their external and imaginary saviours might be mythos or simply metaphors for the much more powerful indwelling Heart of Compassion. So we go through weeks at a time without electricity in the hermitage... sometimes, getting evicted... often, going hungry for a couple days. Big deal! It hasn't killed us... and it's strengthened my resolve and understanding of how much more powerful compassion is than fear.

Blessings and love.

gurudas

 

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

 

The Opportunities Hidden in Holiday Stressors

Yesterday, we talked about becoming more mindful of the need to stay in the present moment, and the opportunities that are often found in difficult emotions, which might arise during the Winter holidays. (See here.)

In the Indian region of the Himalayas, one finds families living along the remote and inaccessible ancient paths, leading up to Mount Kailash, who seem to be untouched by many of the ills that affect present society. There are relatively few burglaries, almost no murders or violence, no wars, no unrest. When we visited there, it was not uncommon to find the front doors to people's homes left unlocked, even when they were going to be gone for days at a time.

We found the same thing in remote villages in Brazil, where, for example, a community of artisans work together to create intricately designed embroidered shirts, blouses, and childrens' wear, that is sold through groundbreaking fair trade efforts.

And while one would be tempted to say that it was the lack of technology there, I can tell you that the people of this village use laptops, cell phones and the Internet -- even though doing so requires a three-day journey to the top of a mountain, where they can reach a cellular tower's signal.

By contrast, when one travels to the larger cities near these two places, one finds high rates of violence, theft, and other crimes. The discontent and even depression of the people, even those living at greater or higher economic standards than those in the remote areas, is remarkable.

In our own society, we might find ourselves faced with certain triggers -- whether those are the metaphors, sounds, traditions or sights of the Winter holiday season; the first sign of flowers in Spring; the harvest moon; or the smell and sound of the ocean in Summer.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca wrote:

Wisdom allows nothing to be good that will not be so forever; no man to be happy but he that needs no other happiness but what he has within himself; no man to be great or powerful that is not master of himself.

The Great Rabbi prayed, "Let them all be one, just as You and I are are One." This was a reflection, I believe, of his Perennialist philosophy, which echoes the thoughts of the Buddha and the great philosopher, Socrates, who said, "Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one."

Like Buddha, Socrates and Jesus taught that no human condition is ever permanent. Perhaps, I think, the people living in these remote regions, realising this at a deep, even intrinsic level, do not allow their passions -- their grasping for pleasure and happiness, nor the attempts to avoid pain -- to distract them from the realisation of the impermanent nature of phenomena. They are neither overjoyed by good fortune, nor too scornful of misfortune.

Thoreau and Emerson both point out that each person is the creator of his or her own happiness. The Rabbi Jesus instructed his disciples to recall that they were not "of this world". And even Dale Carnegie pointed out to his students, that happiness "doesn't depend on who you are or what you have," but instead "solely upon what you think."

Several years back, I realised that the holiday season was a difficult time for me -- a time when the unfortunate loss of several loved ones unexpectedly occurred over the years... when the consumerism, greed and materialism of the media caused otherwise good people to become momentarily insane... a time when the passive-aggression of others became more apparent, as they were forced to come together at Nana's house, and exchange gifts once a year... and for me, a time when I was irritated by the ignorance and foolishness of those who refused to allow their intelligence and reasoning to prevail, and instead accepted a 5,000 year old myth, plagiarised by the authors of the Christian scriptures, almost a half-century after the death of the Great Teacher, as a literal story of virgin births, caves, angels and other events, alleged to have occurred in a town that didn't even exist at the time in which the story is set!

So I decided I was going to opt-out of the family gatherings.

I knew there would be some backlash: the tearful call from family members, the (failed) attempts of of dysfuntional family member to try and make me feel guilty, the emails from cousins, aunts and uncles. Oh well!

In 2005, I decided I would further opt-out of the gift exchanging tradition. Not that I refused to give something to loved ones... but that I would choose to give gifts to them whenever love moved me to do so, and with neither agenda, nor an expectation of receiving something in return.

The result has been the complete absence of stress, sadness, anxiety or depression at this time of year.

And that strategy will work with any trigger.

What matters most, as my dear friend Grainne points out is that "we have these feelings in order to give ourselves opportunity to slow down a tad and look within. If we don't, generally things get worse." She also adds, "(I)f one is feeling off, sad, depressed, (or) malcontent, take a moment to identify why. Sometimes just knowing is enough to be able to put that pain to rest and turn towards Light."

The purpose of the holiday season is to increase our mindfulness of the incarnate love... the indwelling joy that is our nature. This year, choose to become a more vibrant expression of that joy.

Whatever works for you, let it be celebrated. Whatever doesn't... whatever detracts from your sense of joy... let it go!

If you need to escape on December 24th, give me a call... I'll put the cider on the stove! Bring a sleeping bag and some pizza! We'll rediscover your joy!

Namasté!

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

The present moment... and holidays

The Buddha is said to have told his students, "The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles; but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

I couldn't help but think of that quotation this evening, as I read so many messages from students and friends, who wonder why they are stressed, depressed or anxious during the holiday season.

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.

When we hold onto these fears, whether they manifest as anger, anxiety, depression or sadness, we are creating a type of emotional/spiritual bondage -- the escape from which only we hold the key. Buddha was also said to have noted that holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned. We can say the very same thing about anxiety, depression, pleasure, pain, or any other experience.

It always seemed to me that our culture was putting the emphasis on the wrong part of these winter holidays.

For the Christian, the season is thought to culminate in the holy night of Christmas. For Jews, it's the joy of the eighth day of Chanukah. For pagans, it's the Winter Solstice itself, and so on.

Truly, these celebrations bring with them much meaning, and the sacred mythos can provide the aspirants with joy, if they allow the simplicity of those celebrations to inform their experiences; but what of the time leading up to -- and away from -- those celebrations? Isn't it what we do with the four weeks of Advent, the seven nights that precede the Eighth Night of Chanukah, the three days leading up to the Solstice, which give us the opportunity to transform our thinking, and to prepare for the Indwelling Light to be manifest more visibly in our lives?

Ought we not treat every day that follows our particular spiritual celebrations as opportunities to demonstrate that which we've embraced, by working to alleviate the suffering of others?

Buddha Sakyamuni taught, "We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them."

The imagery of a shadow is only useful, so long as we recognise that there must be a Source of Light. And we are that Light. Let us not worry about those things which might give rise to moments of depression, anxiety or even anger this next few weeks. Those things will pass. Move through them.

Let us decide to embrace the path of unity, seeing ourselves in all beings, and all beings in ourselves. Then the peace we seek from the outside, will radiate from the inside, and make the outside conform to that same peace.

Namasté!

 

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, make more money, and live more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

 

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

On spiritual teachers...

It often seems to me that we place far too much importance in our reliance on so-called spiritual teachers, gurus, preachers, lamas and such. A teacher's job is simply to lead us deeper inward. In my role as the chief spiritual teacher of a growing Buddhist community, I am no different than any one of our monks or lay members. Yes, I have been trained more extensively. Yes, I have more than two decades of monastic life from which to draw. But in the end, I am simply a person seeking happiness, like everyone else.

The simply fact is that no guru, no teacher, no spiritual leader can ever bring you to the realisation of truth -- even though many of them would like to pretend that they can.

Your spiritual practice itself will reveal the truth to you. Your experience... your journey... is the ultimate teacher.

Namasté!

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Holidays and emotions...

Curt and Bryan had been friends for many years. Few people knew one another as well as the two of them did. So it was no surprise that when Curt received an abrupt and seemingly senseless phone call one night, after several months of complete silence from Bryan, that the phone call disturbed and upset him.

When someone behaves in an irrational or upsetting way, we always have a choice: either we can react to their irrationality and become engaged in their drama, or we can acknowledge that person's deeper need for forgiveness, understanding and love. When we take the second option, we are empowered to be able to respond to the behaviour by offering the love, the compassion and the forgiveness the other person so desperately needs, without confusing the difference between a person's disturbing behaviour and the person themselves.

At such times, our willingness to forgive that person for having hurt or offended us always eliminates the potential for personal suffering in our own experience, and often short-circuits the suffering the other person might have been experiencing. Suffering is always self-induced.

When we become agitated, hurt or upset, we're caught in the grip of the ego -- that part of us that is attached to old ideas, behaviours, expectations and programming. Of course, learning to let go of those old ideas is a process as well. So it's natural for circumstances to arise, which cause us to have to deal with these emotions, and ultimately recognise the ego-attachment as the cause of our suffering.

In our example above, it was easier for "outsiders" to see that Curt's friend was not always the "best friend" Curt came to rely on him as. In fact, for most of the past year, the only time Bryan was ever really in touch, was when he wanted something from Curt. Now we might be tempted to think that means Bryan was a bad person, but he is not. When we look more deeply, we realise that Bryan was allowing himself to be manipulated and controlled by his own significant other, who felt threatened by anyone Bryan had a relationship with -- especially Curt. As a result, Bryan, who just like Curt, would go to any lengths to avoid confrontation, gave in to his significant other's demands, and isolated himself from everyone that really mattered to him.

Bryan had, from what I observed, a difficult life as a young man, and began to believe that the only way to get his needs met was to use people. We often see this same type of behaviour among those young people who end up caught up in prostitution, hustling, grifting and drug abuse. The manipulative spousal partner Bryan chose underscored and reinforced this delusional belief system he accepted, and so he "trapped" himself in a relationship in which he thought he "needed" to stay with someone who was irrational, because he "needed" the things and security he imagined this person as bringing to his life.

Curt, on the other hand, was a survivor too; but somehow, he intuitively knew that everything he really needed could be found within himself. There were, of course, times when he (like all of us) attempted to find satisfaction, meaning and validation from things, people and external circumstances; however, when those things proved to be disappointing, he never lost his sense of wholeness.

I believe that even the most painful and difficult relationships in our lives offer us opportunities to grow personally and spiritually. Every day we are bombarded by countless opportunities to interact with others. If we allow those interactions to do so, they can become powerful and effective teachers.

When we forgive someone, we are actually doing something for ourselves. Forgiveness means being "in favour of" (for) the process of giving. When we forgive, we allow ourselves to let go of the things and ideas that hold us back from giving unconditional love and compassion -- our natural state of expression. We are healing ourselves.

Like Bryan, the people who have caused us pain will ultimately find their own healing paths, whenever they are ready. We choose not to harbour resentment, because we recognise that anger is as useful as choosing to take poison ourselves, as a means of destroying our enemies. It serves no purpose, other than to raise our awareness of the fact that we are about to experience a "learning opportunity".

Holidays can be times when abrasive and hurtful issues seem to bubble to the surface more readily.

This year, let's choose to recognise these circumstances as opportunities to give the finest gift to ourselves and others that we can. The gift of patience, understanding, forgiveness and compassion. The Christmas myth is a story about Divine Love becoming incarnate... taking on humanity... so that just as the divine became human, humanity could become divine.

Let us choose love.

Namasté!

 

---

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, make more money, and live more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Calendars, conjunctions and collective consciousness...

The Maya developed a sophisticated calendar. The ritual calendar that developed in Mesoamerica used a count of 260 days. This calendar gave each day a name, much like our days of the week. There were 20 day names, each represented by a unique symbol. The days were numbered from 1 to 13. Since there are 20 day names, after the count of thirteen was reached, the next day was numbered 1 again. The 260-day or sacred count calendar was in use throughout Mesoamerica for centuries, probably before the beginning of writing.

In addition, the Maya used special glyphs to indicate time periods, the kin represented one day. Winals are periods of 20-days which we now call a month. The Tun was a year of 360 days and the K'atun was a time period of 20 years of 360 days each. As we will see later, the K'atun ending was a special time period celebrated by the Maya. It has its parallel in the modern world, the period of time which we call a decade. The Maya also counted 400-year periods called Baktuns. The Maya used these time periods in a special day count which is now called the Long count.

Today, for example, is the 12th baktun, 19 k'atun, 15 tuns, 11 winals and 19 kins. This is traditionally written 12.19.15.11.19 in the present day.

According to the Mayan tradition, 12 November 2008 (12.19.15.16.9) marked the beginning of what Mayan's refer to as "the Sixth Day" -- a time which will mark the shift from chaos to an Enlightened World.

The Fifth Night was a period characterised by chaos, manipulation and delusion -- a time when many people were lulled into a sense of "freedom" and "democracy". According to the Mayan Calendar, following the period of the Fifth Night, which ran from 18 November 2007 until 12 November 2008, large groups of people will begin breaking-away from hierarchical control, guided by their intuition toward healthier and more holistic personal, spiritual, political and emotional paths. It is during this period that the Mayans also predicted that we would begin to see these manipulative hierarchies begin to break down, perhaps in a chaotic and unpredictable fashion.

One must wonder if the Mayans understood something that we have since lost. Their apparent understanding of the energetic impulses, which they metaphorically attribute to the "World Tree", seems to fit much of what we see happening in our world.

Scientists call the increasing number of persons suffering from "burn-out" and depression a result of the increased pace of the workplace and lifestyle in our society. Yet according to the Mayans, during the preceding calendar periods, the illusion of time would begin to speed-up, and those whose attachment to that illusion would find their lives disrupted, as the chaos of trying to justify this "speeding-up" with the Gregorian or astrological calendars took its toll on us.

The Hindu tradition has always viewed time as cyclic, rather than linear as well. Periods of creativity always arise out of chaos. An Enlightened World always emerges from destruction. In fact, according to many followers of Hindu dharma, the Kali Yuga (time of chaos and destruction) is drawing to a close as well. Some agree that it has recently ended.

I find it interesting to consider the potential for the emergence of an Enlightened Collective -- a world, whose state of consciousness is raised as a direct result of the consciousness of this emerging collective of global sojourners. I believe that the dualistic mindset, which has dominated the human consciousness for the past five millennia, is beginning to crumble.

On 21 December 2012 (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count), at 11:11 GMT, which closely correlates with the conjunction of the Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun), with what that ancient Maya recognised as the Sacred Tree, the "New Era" of Enlightened Consciousness is supposed to begin. From that core, global transformation is possible.

While New Agers have interpreted the Mayan Calendar as something of a "doom's day clock", astronomers and scientists recognise the calendar as something more analogous to the odometer on one's car. When the odometer reaches 9,999,999.9, the next tenth of a mile or kilometer will trigger it to turn to 0,000,000.0 -- starting over again.

Similarly, when the Mayan calendar reaches the end, the cycle begins again, much as a spiral continues to cycle, as it reaches upward.

Scientifically accepted records of sunspot activity do seem to be  heading for a climax in the near future. Since 2006, experts have been predicting the next/current sun cycle to be the worst in 50 years. The first two sunspot's of 2006 were seen moving in reverse direction from the previous sunspots.

"We've been waiting for this," says David Hathaway, a solar physicist at the Marshall Space Flight in Huntsville, Alabama. "A backward sunspot is a sign that the next solar cycle is beginning." Solar activity rises and falls in 11-year cycles, swinging back and forth between times of quiet and storminess.

Now the reason I mention this phenomenon today is because this time of year corresponds with the observance by those who subscribe to the midrashic stories of the Christian Bible as being historically true, as the commemoration of the birth of Rav Yeshua ben Yosef (Jesus the Nazarene).

Of course, I have long pointed out the blatantly obvious and historically proven fact that the biblical narrative is nothing more than the retelling of a 5,000 year-old series of legends, sacred myths and folklore, about the Sun-God, plagiarised and superimposed over the life of the historic dharma teacher, Jesus. I have also believed that throughout the narrative, the various authors weaved some of the actual historic details of Jesus' life and teachings; but that these details, which were handed down by oral tradition for almost a century, before being written down, likely drifted from the realm of historically accurate.

Here's where I think it becomes interesting...

The Christian mythos dominated the world at the time of the development of the present calendar. It was decided that the alleged year of Jesus' birth would become year one -- 1 Anno Domini (literally, "the year of the Lord", or A.D.) From that point forward, time afterward was reckoned in successive numbers, and time prior to that was reckoned as "B.C." or "Before Christ". (N.B. - I do not use those designations, and prefer the non-sectarian C.E., for Common Era, and BCE, for Before the Common Era)

But the powers that were apparently sucked at math and history! They got the dates all wrong!

The historical Jesus could not have been born after 4 BCE. The scholarly consensus, based on Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews is that Herod died at the end of March, or early April of 4 BCE. Josephus states that Herod Philip I's death took place, after a thirty-seven year reign, in the twentieth year of Tiberius, which would imply that he took over on Herod's death in 4 BCE. Therefore, this would place the birth of Jesus earlier than 4 BCE, based on the account in the Matthew Gospel.

If we consider the fact that Jesus could not of been born after 4 BCE, and also that there was not a year 0, since the calendar went from 1 BCE directly to 1 A.D. (1 CE), that means Jesus would have been born in the year 5 BCE.

That would mean that our calendar today is "off" by 5 years... so instead of being 2008, it's 2013.

If we look at the Mayan Prophesies, 2012 was supposed to be the "end point" in their calendar, with the new calendar cycle beginning thereafter. And I believe science proves that theory to be correct.

Last winter, we saw an event that could be as rare as once every 101,000 years, as multiple conjunctions forming a "cross" aligned Pluto with the Galactic Centre. On December 23 2007 — Mars, Earth, Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, Galactic Centre aligned; and it becomes even more remarkable in that it was accompanied by the Full Moon (conjunct Mars) at about 2 AM on December 24, when a simultaneous Venus square Neptune occurred. Still even more remarkable, the Pluto/Sun conjunction appeared exactly on the Winter Solstice, just past conjunction with the Galactic Centre.

Wonder when the last time was that such an event occurred? Well, it's been recorded in the sacred mythos of more than 25 different religious traditions, for the past 5,000 years.

Take a moment now, if you haven't already done so, and watch this interesting documentary for what may be a surprising answer: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-594683847743189197

Namasté!

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, make more money, and live more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

You can join his primary social network and interact with him directly by visiting:
http://www.betternetworker.com/referral/7777cb42

Copyright ©2008, Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Holiday cards...

Zen master, Hsing Yin, writes in Describing the Indescribable, "Generosity begins with our recognition of our debt to others."

The winter holidays of the world's spiritual traditions always seem to be a particularly good time to remind ourselves of this truth, and to inspire us to take action on that debt.

I'd like to thank each of you for the many rich and meaningful gifts you are to me, and for the immeasurable indebtedness I bear in gratitude for your kindness and love. You are my friends, my family, my teachers, and I thank you!

For those inclined toward the lovely act of sending out holiday cards, I would ask that in lieu of sending me cards, you would consider sending a dollar or two to your local homeless shelter, to ensure that someone hungry will be fed on whatever holiday night(s) your tradition observes. We will be doing the same thing in honour of each of you.

May your Winter Holiday season be filled with every good thing, much love and peace... and may those who are lonely, hungry, homeless or financially hurting, as well as those who are afflicted with depression, illness, and mental problems find consolation in the arms of a compassionate caregiver.

Namasté!
gurudas sunyatananda

Taking Refuge

Often, in Buddhist circles, one hears the expression "taking refuge". A Buddhist initiate first takes refuge in the Buddha (the Enlightened One), the Dharma (the Way) and the Sangha (the Universal Fellowship), before beginning his or her study and practice. From that day forward, every Buddhist practitioner continues, usually three times a day, to take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

This concept of taking refuge is often perceived as something we do externally -- placing our "trust" or taking refuge in someone or something else. Yet Buddhism is a philosophy in which such dualism is recognised as delusional perception. There is no separation between us and them, because there is no other.

When we take refuge, we are taking refuge in ourselves. We turn away from illusions of external sources of contentment and fulfillment, toward our ultimate potential. The practice of taking refuge nurtures that ultimate potential, so that our awareness and sight becomes clearer.

We recognise that within us is the Englightened One, the Way to Non-suffering, and we are One with the Universal Fellowship. Separation falls away as a false idea, and we are deeply content, calm and whole.

Namasté!

 

Copyright ©2008, Lama Gurudas Sunyatananda, O.C., All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.