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Writing 201: How to Restart after a Long Break
Engaging the writer’s mind and hearing the Muse’s voice. A few months ago, I took what I thought was going to be a small break, and it turned into a long one. A spiritual practice is something each of us must live, not in theory, but actually in practice. Sometimes, that practice involves giving to…
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Balancing Act: Striking the Right Harmony Between Worldly Ambitions and Spiritual Needs
Each person must find their own balance point between pursing worldly goals and finding inner peace. My apologies for the slow pace of new posts lately. I haven’t lost my enthusiasm, nor have I run out of material. Over the last three weeks, my life circumstances made it necessary to focus on worldly matters. I…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Taking (aka Tonglen)
Tonglen meditation involves visualizing the suffering of others as dark smoke absorbed into the heart, where it is purified and transformed into light, then radiated outward. In Buddhist psychology, there are three fundamental reactions to the experience of any phenomenon. If one were to examine their day to day experiences of objects, they would find…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Great Compassion
Great Compassion in Lamrim is the profound desire to free all sentient beings from suffering, seeing their pain as one’s own and striving for their ultimate happiness. The first seven steps on the Great Scope of Lamrim focused on people, with the final step being the complete exchange of self with other. Lamrim teachings take…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Exchanging Self with Others
Challenging the ego-centric perspective, promoting a shift towards universal compassion and the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim is the path to enlightenment. It’s a step-by-step emotional journey from ruthless self-centeredness, the natural human condition, to a compassionate focus on the needs and wants of others. It’s…
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Boost Your Focus: Mastering the Art of Concentration with Time-Tested Antidotes to Distraction
Discover cutting-edge strategies and timeless wisdom to enhance your focus in any endeavor. Distractions in meditation include (1) Sensual Desire, which is the attachment to sensory pleasures; (2) Ill Will, characterized by negative emotions towards oneself or others; (3) Sloth and Torpor, combining physical and mental sluggishness; (4) Restlessness and Remorse, involving unease and regret;…
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Navigating Through the Fog: Understanding the Five Hindrances to Peace of Mind
An insightful look into how the classical obstacles of Buddhism relate to modern challenges in meditation and mindfulness. Most people’s minds are a jumble of disturbing thoughts, moods that rise and fall like waves in stormy seas, and high levels of anxiety. This is not a failing; it’s the natural human condition. Peace of mind…
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Reclaiming Spirituality: How Emotional Entitlement Undermines Gratitude and Compassion
Everyone should undergo an entitlement detox and cleanse their spirit to cultivate gratitude and compassion. The Mahayana path in Buddhism focuses a practitioner on developing compassion so that when enlightenment is achieved, the practitioner will not be trapped in personal bliss and instead work to benefit other beings. Without this compassion training, many who find…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: The Advantages of Cherishing Others
In the pursuit of self, we overlook the path to true fulfillment: embracing the joy of cherishing others above ourselves. Self-centeredness and Prioritizing Personal Desires A self-centered person creates a reality that revolves around themselves. Every event, every conversation, every moment of daily life is judged either good, bad, or unimportant based totally on how…