Monday, March 10, 2014

Somewhere Else

Somewhere Else - Buddhist quote
Somewhere Else
"We always imagine that there's got to be somewhere else better than where we are right now; this is the Great Somewhere Else we all carry around in our heads. We believe Somewhere Else is out there for us if only we could find it. But there's no Somewhere Else. Everything is right here...Make this your paradise or make this your hell. The choice is entirely yours. Really." - Brad Warner

I don't know Brad Warner. Picked this up from my Insight Timer App and it felt like it fit all too comfortably.

Namaste and Friendly Bows _/|\_

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Metta Practice and Ego

Metta Practice and Ego
Working with ego has led some interesting places. One discovery was the need to befriend those pesky parts of ego that I would just as soon take residence elsewhere - resistance. The following is a variant of Metta practice that I work with at the end of zazen meditation...

A tender start...

May I love my fear
May I love my frustration
May I love my self doubt
May I love my obsessive thinking
May I love my compulsive doing
May I love my confusion
May I love my awkwardness
May I continuously discover the inner peace, clarity & humor to welcome each moment
May I love myself exactly, exactly as I am. 

A little perspective...

May I observe my fear
May I observe my frustration
May I observe my self doubt
May I observe my obsessive thinking
May I observe my compulsive doing
May I observe my confusion
May I observe my awkwardness
May I continuously discover the inner peace, clarity & humor to welcome each moment
May I observe myself exactly, exactly as I am. 

A little softening...

May I smile at my fear
May I smile at my frustration
May I smile at my self doubt
May I smile at my obsessive thinking
May I smile at my compulsive doing
May I smile at my confusion
May I smile at my awkwardness
May I continuously discover the inner peace, clarity & humor to welcome each moment
May I smile at myself exactly, exactly as I am. 

A lighter heart...

May I laugh with my fear
May I laugh with my frustration
May I laugh with my self doubt
May I laugh with my obsessive thinking
May I laugh with my compulsive doing
May I laugh with my confusion
May I laugh with my awkwardness
May I continuously discover the inner peace, clarity & humor to welcome each moment
May I laugh with myself exactly, exactly as I am. 

A tender heart...

May I love my fear
May I love my frustration
May I love my self doubt
May I love my obsessive thinking
May I love my compulsive doing
May I love my confusion
May I love my awkwardness
May I continuously discover the inner peace, clarity & humor to welcome each moment
May I love myself exactly, exactly as I am. 

and an opportunity to bring awareness to even the smallest separation by repeating this Metta for those we call others... 

Namaste and Friendly Bows _/|\_

The Bow by Caroline Kornfield
The Bow