influencing children
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 11 Mar 10 at 07:29
When raising children, our own state of consciousness at home is critical. Children absorb, from us, our predominant state of consciousness. They are more influenced by what they experience from us, than by what we tell them. So, we should be present in the moment when we are with them. We should not be thinking about work, or the things we need to do around the house. We should give them our full attention.
When we are in a state of presence, we don't want anything from them. We just listen, or watch them play, or otherwise give attention. Many parents don't do that - they only give attention when they want something. That has its place, of course - children need to brush their teeth, and they need to learn to tidy up their room - but more is needed. The child wants to be acknowledged in his or her being. So it is vital to give them conscious attention at home. Give the child space to be. It doesn't need to be long, just a few minutes every day. But be there, be present, ....(more)
Can You Imagine the Dalai Lama Holding a Machine Gun?
RSS item from "The Buddhist Blog"
on 11 Mar 10 at 04:07
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:19:00
Neither can I, but that's exactly what some are suggesting now that Tibet has been under Chinese occupation for over 50 years. A recent online article called for the Dalai Lama to end the campaign of non-violence in relation to the oppressive Chinese government:
Neither can I, but that's exactly what some are suggesting now that Tibet has been under Chinese occupation for over 50 years. A recent online article called for the Dalai Lama to end the campaign of non-violence in relation to the oppressive Chinese government:It has....(more)
we are not our illness
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 10 Mar 10 at 10:42
When we are ill, we often identify with our illness. Unconsciously, the ego clings to the illness. The illness becomes a primary part of "me". How can this identity be undone?
First, realise that the illness has become part of your self image. Become aware that it has become "my" illness, and a part of "me". These thoughts have become habitual, and you now see yourself as a sick person. Once you are aware of that negative thought pattern, you can stop giving it energy, and you can replace it with a positive thought pattern: "I am healing", "my body is fixing itself". ....(more)
First, realise that the illness has become part of your self image. Become aware that it has become "my" illness, and a part of "me". These thoughts have become habitual, and you now see yourself as a sick person. Once you are aware of that negative thought pattern, you can stop giving it energy, and you can replace it with a positive thought pattern: "I am healing", "my body is fixing itself". ....(more)
breaking out of our chains
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 10 Mar 10 at 10:35
There is a separation inside us: there is the image of who we think we are, the human ego, and then there's a being, the real "me". We mix the two up. The true self, that essential consciousness, which is eternal, awake, and still, is separate from the false self of the ego.
The ego is an unhappy creation of the mind. It is fed continually by our stream of thinking. The instincts, emotions, and thoughts, that make up the ego, create the dreadful suffering that we experience.
We can break out of the chains of the ego. We can walk through a garden without naming every flower. We can lay down the burden of the heavy me, the personality, with all of its' problems, its' past, and its' future. We can stop thinking. ....(more)
inner goodness
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 10 Mar 10 at 09:57
We don't become good by trying to be good. We become good by finding the goodness that is already within us. We allow that goodness to emerge.
But the goodness can only emerge when there is fundamental change in our state of consciousness. Otherwise, we remain trapped in ego consciousness, and no matter how good our intentions are, we always end up in conflict.
It is not enough to just think positively. We have to go deeper, and find the formless consciousness within. This is the soul, our own inner divinity. We find inner stillness and silence, where the mind is no longer chattering. We are just conscious without thinking. Here we realise that we are that stillness. We are eternal. We are eternal souls. This formless, pure consciousness is the essence of every being. ....(more)
But the goodness can only emerge when there is fundamental change in our state of consciousness. Otherwise, we remain trapped in ego consciousness, and no matter how good our intentions are, we always end up in conflict.
It is not enough to just think positively. We have to go deeper, and find the formless consciousness within. This is the soul, our own inner divinity. We find inner stillness and silence, where the mind is no longer chattering. We are just conscious without thinking. Here we realise that we are that stillness. We are eternal. We are eternal souls. This formless, pure consciousness is the essence of every being. ....(more)
"Persist" by Peter Clothier is an Inspiration to Creative People Everywhere.
RSS item from "The Buddhist Blog"
on 10 Mar 10 at 04:07
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:12:00
Peter Clothier is a long time expert in art, a fellow dharma practitioner and fellow blogger. You can find his blog over at, "The Buddha Diaries." He has written a great, easy to read book titled, Persist: In Praise of the Creative Spirit in a World Gone Mad with Commerce. As both a Buddhist and an artist I was pleased to read aspects of Buddhism within his advice on how to be a crea
....(more)
Peter Clothier is a long time expert in art, a fellow dharma practitioner and fellow blogger. You can find his blog over at, "The Buddha Diaries." He has written a great, easy to read book titled, Persist: In Praise of the Creative Spirit in a World Gone Mad with Commerce. As both a Buddhist and an artist I was pleased to read aspects of Buddhism within his advice on how to be a crea
....(more)
the power of the group
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 09 Mar 10 at 07:48
When we join with others for group meditation, spiritual talks or readings, we enter the state of "being present" together. The group generates an energy field. There is synergy: together, the group generates more spiritual energy than we can individually. We feed each other more than we take from each other. We create a group energy which nourishes all of us.So group meetings and activities are beneficial. But be careful not to become dependent on any group. It is our individual responsibility to bring this new consciousness into our everyday lives. If we become dependent upon a group, then we always need to go back to the group, and we do not learn how to live individually "in the moment" in our daily lives.
So, we go to the group to generate more presence, and then we go home and live it in our everyday lives. Most of the time, perhaps, we will be surrounded by people who are not yet present. More and more people are beginning to awaken, yet the vast majority of people on the ....(more)
religion and the new spirituality
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 08 Mar 10 at 12:25
This site is not about religion. It is about spirituality. Religion can be an open doorway into spirituality, but it can also be a closed door, preventing us from going deeper. If we go deep enough into any religion, then we end up at the same place, in the golden light of universal truth, in enlightenment. However, as soon as we say that "our belief" is true, and that the beliefs of others are false, then we have adopted a religious ideology. And then religion becomes a closed door. Our traditional religions are based on authority, on a hierarchy. Church authorities tell us how to worship in church, and how to behave outside of church. God is external, and the path to worship God has already been defined. Our role is to follow the directions, and do what we are told.
In the new spirituality, we are not told what to think or what to do. We are our own best authority, as we work to know and love ourselves. We learn to listen inside, and discover how to live a more spiritual life.
T ....(more)
Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya 2010.
RSS item from "The Buddhist Blog"
on 08 Mar 10 at 04:07
Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:13:00
The Dalai Lama recently visited to Bodh Gaya for discourses to Buddhist pilgrims at the Mahabodhi temple. The following, and above are all pictures taken during his visit to the site venerated by Buddhists as the place where Buddha realized enlightenment. I like the first three pictures and the last one most.
....(more)
The Dalai Lama recently visited to Bodh Gaya for discourses to Buddhist pilgrims at the Mahabodhi temple. The following, and above are all pictures taken during his visit to the site venerated by Buddhists as the place where Buddha realized enlightenment. I like the first three pictures and the last one most.
....(more)
crisis point
Mankind is reaching a crisis point. In the past, spiritual awakening was a luxury, enjoyed by only a few. They tried to teach others, but their teachings were largely misinterpreted. Now there is an absolute need for a broader awakening. We have to awaken if humanity is to make it to the next evolutionary level. The ego-centered consciousness has become so destructive, that we will destroy ourselves and the planet if we do not step out of that consciousness. We have to step out of the collective ego. In the 20th century, 160 to 180 million human beings were killed by other humans through warfare and concentration camps, and prison camps, and manufactured starvation. This is true insanity. As a species we relish, through books, film and video games, other people being maimed and killed and murdered. We see this as entertainment.
If there is no shift in consciousness, we will go downhill very quickly. We are already in the process of destroying the planet, and in continuous conflic ....(more)
impressions
Life grows ever more complex. We have less and less time. We find it more and more difficult to pay full attention to anything. We rush. We don't take things in.
We wish to rescue ourselves from this complexity and haste. We crave simplicity, and directness. We want to slow down and create space in our lives.
Less input can give us more wisdom. And so I write this series of impressions. Each short episode conveys a simple point of spiritual wisdom, in clear and concise language. You can treat them each as a "thought for the day", a simple focus, an inspiration, something to hold on to, and to guide you, in the whirlwind of modern life.
I hope you find these impressions helpful. ....(more)
We wish to rescue ourselves from this complexity and haste. We crave simplicity, and directness. We want to slow down and create space in our lives.
Less input can give us more wisdom. And so I write this series of impressions. Each short episode conveys a simple point of spiritual wisdom, in clear and concise language. You can treat them each as a "thought for the day", a simple focus, an inspiration, something to hold on to, and to guide you, in the whirlwind of modern life.
I hope you find these impressions helpful. ....(more)
stop thinking - start living
episode of "impressions" by howiemac
on 06 Mar 10 at 14:16
There is only now, the present moment. The past has passed away, and we cannot alter it. The future is unknown, and we cannot predict it with any certainty.
Thought absorbs energy. We waste our energy when we think about the past or the future. And when we are thinking, we miss the present moment.
So, stop thinking. Enter the present moment. Start being. Shift attention to now.
This is a very conscious state. We are conscious, but thinking much less, or perhaps not at all. ....(more)
Thought absorbs energy. We waste our energy when we think about the past or the future. And when we are thinking, we miss the present moment.
So, stop thinking. Enter the present moment. Start being. Shift attention to now.
This is a very conscious state. We are conscious, but thinking much less, or perhaps not at all. ....(more)
Science, the Brain and Meditation.
RSS item from "The Buddhist Blog"
on 05 Mar 10 at 04:06
Thu, 04 Mar 2010
One of the subjects that interest me most is the intersection of science and Buddhism as I highly value both. So, it is always enlightening and exciting to see where they meet and compliment each other. I have posted several articles showing the effects of mediation on the brain but this one triggered a fresh perspective to the subject--That being the interactions between the left and right hemispheres of the brain:
One of the subjects that interest me most is the intersection of science and Buddhism as I highly value both. So, it is always enlightening and exciting to see where they meet and compliment each other. I have posted several articles showing the effects of mediation on the brain but this one triggered a fresh perspective to the subject--That being the interactions between the left and right hemispheres of the brain:Enlightenment has been described in....(more)
Weird Moments At Each Time
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
It started out in small town in South Dakota. My parents told me that they found me as a baby who hadn't crawled yet in the middle of the room (on the floor) outside of crib one morning. They couldn't figure out how I got there. Other time I remember screaming from the crib until mom and dad got in ...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=580
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=580
Something Is Protecting Me
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
When I think back to all the things that have happened to me in my life, all the things that should have killed me or at the very least hurt me, I think of all the times I've walked away without a scratch.
The one thing that happened to me was my car accident back in December 09.
It was a Fr...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=579
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=579
Chosen One? - Any Suggestions
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
I am 24 year old girl and recently discovered that I have all characteristics of a crystal child. I am also an empath and clairaudient.
Waking up in the morning on 14th February 2010 I heard a voice chanting: "You are the chosen one" over and over in my ears. The voice felt like it was from the a...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=578
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=578
The Holy Communion Angel
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
I did my Holy Communion when I was seven years old. I was a very innocent child even for my age back then (and still am for my age now) and I realize that at the time I had no idea what a holy communion was. I thought it was a party for all the kids at the church and I hardly took any catechism clas...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=577
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=577
I Want To Tell You About Someone I Met When I Died
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
Anyone can see what is physically there in front of them. One of the reasons, or basis of achievement of our life is to be able to understand, to formulate, and to hold to a personal belief system that will sustain us in good times and bad. This personal belief system will define who you are as an i...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=573
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=573
A Mother's Sacred Journey From Grief To Healing
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
Life is a mystery with so much more then our physical eyes can see. I embraced the unknown, surrendered my ego, and started to receive spiritual healing. One cold day back in February of 2006, my life changed forever. My son Stephen 18 years old, left this physical realm and transitioned to the spir...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=572
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=572
Spiritual Awakening - Told Of Future Lover
RSS item from "Spiritual Experiences"
on 04 Mar 10 at 04:06
I have had a number of experiences throughout my life that I didn't think much about because I have always accepted that a spiritual plane exists. However, I didn't have a spiritual practice or give it much attention.
Then, my life turned upside down. Problems in my marriage slowly surfaced over ...
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=571
see: http://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=571