Day 38 - It is said that we have 5 duties. Here is the summary: First, tend your parents with love and reverence and gratitude. Second, speak the truth and act virtuously. Third, whenever you have a few moments to spare, repeat the name of the Lord, with the form in your mind. Fourth, never indulge in talking ill of others or try to discover faults in others. And, finally, do not cause pain to others, in any form.
Wow, the first one is easy, the second takes a bit of effort, the third - you have to know who is your Lord, the fourth needs constant awareness and lastly, not to cause pain to others in any form needs integration of awareness and directing mind, body and soul to be at one with every living beings. But what is pain? pain for me might be pleasure for someone else. What is living beings? Are they any form or entities with life?
One duty is enough, two is a struggle, three is almost a burden. But to have 5 duties and do it constantly??? who can do it?
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
DIVINITY WITHIN - Day 36 of 108 Days - ".....Wisdom to know the difference. "
Day 35 - Wisdom indeed. Don't we all desire that from time to time? And those who seem to have it all the time have a responsibility to share it with others.
A guru in India once said that of all the masters, sages, saints and sadhus who are staying in the Himalayan mountains and caves and have acquired all this learning and wisdom of all ages have to, one of this day, come down from the mountain and share their wisdom. And from the look of things and the information that is available from the media and the internet, it seems like that day is already here.
Why then, are we not taking advantage of all the wisdom that is now available to us? Why is it that the general population would much rather watch the ball game or "Dancing with the Stars" or "American Idol" etc. than acquire the wisdom that has been hidden from them for so long?
It is my belief that we are creature of habits - we have been trained by the media, by society in general (that is dependent on the economy) to do what we have been trained from childhood - watch TV, feed our brain with media info for it is much easier to digest what the media is feeding us than to retrain our brain into acquiring new information and filtering that information and make a decision base on WISDOM, to know the difference between the things that we can change and the things we cannot change.
Change - didn't I write about this before? Ahh, yes - something about the law of change and man is under that law. So why are we not changing? Let me sleep on it, and will continue this tomorrow for it is now 2:20 in the morning.
Be Well for now, and so it is.
A guru in India once said that of all the masters, sages, saints and sadhus who are staying in the Himalayan mountains and caves and have acquired all this learning and wisdom of all ages have to, one of this day, come down from the mountain and share their wisdom. And from the look of things and the information that is available from the media and the internet, it seems like that day is already here.
Why then, are we not taking advantage of all the wisdom that is now available to us? Why is it that the general population would much rather watch the ball game or "Dancing with the Stars" or "American Idol" etc. than acquire the wisdom that has been hidden from them for so long?
It is my belief that we are creature of habits - we have been trained by the media, by society in general (that is dependent on the economy) to do what we have been trained from childhood - watch TV, feed our brain with media info for it is much easier to digest what the media is feeding us than to retrain our brain into acquiring new information and filtering that information and make a decision base on WISDOM, to know the difference between the things that we can change and the things we cannot change.
Change - didn't I write about this before? Ahh, yes - something about the law of change and man is under that law. So why are we not changing? Let me sleep on it, and will continue this tomorrow for it is now 2:20 in the morning.
Be Well for now, and so it is.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
DIVINITY WITHIN - Day 35 of 108 Days - " Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others."
Day 37 - Can we conduct ourselves in a way as not to injure others and yet in doing so, we injure ourselves?
" Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others."
Yes, indeed. I am writing from experience. I have done this so many times and in the process, injured myself - seriously, that it may take twice as much time to recover from the injuries and harm that I inflicted on my self trying not to injure others.
A friend once asked me if I know what "grandiosity" means. When I asked why? he said because that is what I am. I was totally shocked. But, when he explained, I found that I had 5 of 8 of the Narcissistic criteria for grandiosity such as:
Rom. 5:2-3 - Paul says that more than rejoicing in our hope, we rejoice in our sufferings which produces endurance, character and hope. Through faith, suffering brings about hope in God and, through endurance, salvation.
Rom. 8:17 - Paul says that we are heirs with Christ, but only if we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Paul is teaching that suffering must be embraced in order to obtain the glory that the Father has bestowed upon Jesus.
Rom. 8:18 - the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. We thus have hope that any sufferings we or others endure, no matter how difficult, will pale in comparison to the life of eternal bliss that awaits us.
2 Tim. 1:8 - Paul instructs Timothy to share in suffering for the Gospel. Suffering is not to be asked for, but it is also not to be avoided. For the sake of the Gospel, it is to be embraced.
2 Tim. 2:3 - Paul says to take our share of sufferings as a good soldier in Christ. Sufferings atone for the temporal effects of our sin.
2 Tim. 3:12 - all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But this persecution unites us more closely to Jesus and repairs our relationship with God.
2 Tim. 4:5 - Paul instructs Timothy to endure suffering to fulfill his ministry. As evangelists, we suffer with Christ for the Gospel.
The above Bible verses are just few of the hundreds that talks about suffering. Suffering is not to be asked for, but it is also not to be avoided. Our sufferings produces endurance, character and hope.
Perhaps so, but as I looked back, all it did was caused me more pain and more suffering and more injury to my mental, emotional as well as physical health. What an injury inflicted upon oneself just because we were told that suffering purifies us and prepares us for union with God and further our growth in holiness and spirituality. What BS is that? to the point that most people suffered physical and mental health in hope of eternal bliss in another life?
Dear reader, if we are to analyze the saying "Love your neighbor as yourself", it would mean that we can only give what we have. We can only love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. We hate our neighbors because we hate ourselves. The measure of love that we give others is the measure of love we have for ourselves.
I will " Try to conduct myself in such a way as not to injure others " and in so doing I will make sure that I do not injure myself either.
" Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others."
Yes, indeed. I am writing from experience. I have done this so many times and in the process, injured myself - seriously, that it may take twice as much time to recover from the injuries and harm that I inflicted on my self trying not to injure others.
A friend once asked me if I know what "grandiosity" means. When I asked why? he said because that is what I am. I was totally shocked. But, when he explained, I found that I had 5 of 8 of the Narcissistic criteria for grandiosity such as:
- The person believes that he/she does not need other people.
- The person believes in her/his invulnerability.
- The person regards himself/herself as unique or special when compared to other people.
- The person regards himself/herself as generally superior to other people.
- The person behaves self-referentially.
Rom. 5:2-3 - Paul says that more than rejoicing in our hope, we rejoice in our sufferings which produces endurance, character and hope. Through faith, suffering brings about hope in God and, through endurance, salvation.
Rom. 8:17 - Paul says that we are heirs with Christ, but only if we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Paul is teaching that suffering must be embraced in order to obtain the glory that the Father has bestowed upon Jesus.
Rom. 8:18 - the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. We thus have hope that any sufferings we or others endure, no matter how difficult, will pale in comparison to the life of eternal bliss that awaits us.
2 Tim. 1:8 - Paul instructs Timothy to share in suffering for the Gospel. Suffering is not to be asked for, but it is also not to be avoided. For the sake of the Gospel, it is to be embraced.
2 Tim. 2:3 - Paul says to take our share of sufferings as a good soldier in Christ. Sufferings atone for the temporal effects of our sin.
2 Tim. 3:12 - all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But this persecution unites us more closely to Jesus and repairs our relationship with God.
2 Tim. 4:5 - Paul instructs Timothy to endure suffering to fulfill his ministry. As evangelists, we suffer with Christ for the Gospel.
The above Bible verses are just few of the hundreds that talks about suffering. Suffering is not to be asked for, but it is also not to be avoided. Our sufferings produces endurance, character and hope.
Perhaps so, but as I looked back, all it did was caused me more pain and more suffering and more injury to my mental, emotional as well as physical health. What an injury inflicted upon oneself just because we were told that suffering purifies us and prepares us for union with God and further our growth in holiness and spirituality. What BS is that? to the point that most people suffered physical and mental health in hope of eternal bliss in another life?
Dear reader, if we are to analyze the saying "Love your neighbor as yourself", it would mean that we can only give what we have. We can only love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. We hate our neighbors because we hate ourselves. The measure of love that we give others is the measure of love we have for ourselves.
I will " Try to conduct myself in such a way as not to injure others " and in so doing I will make sure that I do not injure myself either.
DIVINITY WITHIN - DAY 34 of 108 days - " Friendship is the expression of unshakable LOVE, LOVE that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism."
Day 34 - All good relationship should be based on friendship. Once I was told that to be a good lover, you have to be a good friend first. Why then when lovers separate or go their separate ways, it seldom ends amicably? If it was base on friendship first, should that friendship last no matter what? And if friendship is the expression of unshakable love, why then taint it with desire and turn it into a physical relationship?
" Friendship is the expression of unshakable LOVE, LOVE that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism."
I was at the car shop having my car serviced and there was this guy with a face like the ones depicted in the mayan artifacts with a perfectly triangular nose and he has a salt and pepper hair that is a bit curly on top and the side and extra long, long in the back all the way to his waist. As we were both waiting, and we started talking I mentioned that I was hungry coz' I have not had breakfast yet. And he casually said that since they are still waiting for the parts for his car, he can take me to a restaurant so I can have breakfast. And so we did had breakfast at a Mexican place - chile relleno and rice and beans and guacamole.
We talked about so many things and we just keep on laughing about things and it feels like we were old friends. And for the next few weeks, he seems to call me whenever I was feeling down and casually asked if I want to have brunch and when whenever my response was that I don't feel like going out, he will just nudge me a bit saying that it will do me good to go out and get some fresh air. He doesn't even make as much as all the other friends I know and yet, not once has he allowed me to pay for anything. He always say "Save your money for your son, my kids are all grown up". And he can say the meanest thing in the nicest way. Like if I tell him how good or smart I am and that I know I am beautiful inside and out, he will just blurt out that yes, I am really that ugly and when I pretend to be shock, he will say that he knows that I know that he knows I am beautiful inside and out. And we will just both laugh out loud. Right off the bat, he just say he loves me and misses me etc. etc. and I just accept it because it feels like it is pure and free from desire or egoism. If anyone else will tell me that on a first date or even the second time we meet, I will right away brush it off or deliver a lecture on "uttering words that we really mean" and by using it in a casual context, it loses its meaning or that 'your word is your bond - I will hold you to it'.
Anyways, after having brunch with him the fourth times, he casually said that he has been thinking of me and nothing else ever since he met me and that not once has he thought of anything negative. I would guess that since I have been venting on guys who wants nothing but sex, when he says negative, he means nothing dirty. Okay, sex is not dirty if put in the right perspective. So, it is quite a change when someone can just be friend - no pressure, no condition, no pretenses, no limitation on how to act or not to act, to impress or not to impress. Just be.
Another thing that comes to mind is the friendship that is establish between a parent and a child. Once we establish the boundaries of parenting, when the time comes that your child needed a friend, you become that friend - with unshakable love, love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism. Just thinking about it, makes my eyes water for it brought back so many memories of when as a mother I get very upset that my son is not performing his duties and yet when the phone rings at 9:30 p.m. and he is on the other line in Champaign, IL while I am in Palm Beach (working as usual) and he informed me that his girlfriend broke up with him, I have to be his friend whose shoulder he can cry on. I have to switched right there and then from being an upset mother to a friend who is there for him no matter what, a friend who is ready to listen, just listen without offering or suggesting a solution or ideas - for that is all he needed at the time, just a friend who will listen. I remember many nights when he called and tell me that one of his friend had a problem and they needed someone other than their mother/father who will just listen and just say some words of wisdom to alleviate their pain at the moment. And so, as soon as he put the friend on the phone, I have to switch from being Jay's mom, to just a friend who is there to listen.
What about our relationship with our siblings? When does being a sibling switch to just being a friend - many times, I tell you. You will know it because, there are things you cannot tell your siblings but you can tell a friend. When you start telling your siblings what you used to talk about only to your friends, you have switched. For most of the times, the things you do with siblings are those you somehow believe is your duty base on blood relation. But remember "Love without duty is divine". You learn to love your siblings and be their friends and stop doing things because it is your duty as their siblings.
Yes, indeed. I know what is friendship as the expression of unshakable Love, Love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism. And for that experience, INFINITE LOVE AND GRATITUDE ALWAYS.
Be Well, and so it is.
" Friendship is the expression of unshakable LOVE, LOVE that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism."
I was at the car shop having my car serviced and there was this guy with a face like the ones depicted in the mayan artifacts with a perfectly triangular nose and he has a salt and pepper hair that is a bit curly on top and the side and extra long, long in the back all the way to his waist. As we were both waiting, and we started talking I mentioned that I was hungry coz' I have not had breakfast yet. And he casually said that since they are still waiting for the parts for his car, he can take me to a restaurant so I can have breakfast. And so we did had breakfast at a Mexican place - chile relleno and rice and beans and guacamole.
We talked about so many things and we just keep on laughing about things and it feels like we were old friends. And for the next few weeks, he seems to call me whenever I was feeling down and casually asked if I want to have brunch and when whenever my response was that I don't feel like going out, he will just nudge me a bit saying that it will do me good to go out and get some fresh air. He doesn't even make as much as all the other friends I know and yet, not once has he allowed me to pay for anything. He always say "Save your money for your son, my kids are all grown up". And he can say the meanest thing in the nicest way. Like if I tell him how good or smart I am and that I know I am beautiful inside and out, he will just blurt out that yes, I am really that ugly and when I pretend to be shock, he will say that he knows that I know that he knows I am beautiful inside and out. And we will just both laugh out loud. Right off the bat, he just say he loves me and misses me etc. etc. and I just accept it because it feels like it is pure and free from desire or egoism. If anyone else will tell me that on a first date or even the second time we meet, I will right away brush it off or deliver a lecture on "uttering words that we really mean" and by using it in a casual context, it loses its meaning or that 'your word is your bond - I will hold you to it'.
Anyways, after having brunch with him the fourth times, he casually said that he has been thinking of me and nothing else ever since he met me and that not once has he thought of anything negative. I would guess that since I have been venting on guys who wants nothing but sex, when he says negative, he means nothing dirty. Okay, sex is not dirty if put in the right perspective. So, it is quite a change when someone can just be friend - no pressure, no condition, no pretenses, no limitation on how to act or not to act, to impress or not to impress. Just be.
Another thing that comes to mind is the friendship that is establish between a parent and a child. Once we establish the boundaries of parenting, when the time comes that your child needed a friend, you become that friend - with unshakable love, love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism. Just thinking about it, makes my eyes water for it brought back so many memories of when as a mother I get very upset that my son is not performing his duties and yet when the phone rings at 9:30 p.m. and he is on the other line in Champaign, IL while I am in Palm Beach (working as usual) and he informed me that his girlfriend broke up with him, I have to be his friend whose shoulder he can cry on. I have to switched right there and then from being an upset mother to a friend who is there for him no matter what, a friend who is ready to listen, just listen without offering or suggesting a solution or ideas - for that is all he needed at the time, just a friend who will listen. I remember many nights when he called and tell me that one of his friend had a problem and they needed someone other than their mother/father who will just listen and just say some words of wisdom to alleviate their pain at the moment. And so, as soon as he put the friend on the phone, I have to switch from being Jay's mom, to just a friend who is there to listen.
What about our relationship with our siblings? When does being a sibling switch to just being a friend - many times, I tell you. You will know it because, there are things you cannot tell your siblings but you can tell a friend. When you start telling your siblings what you used to talk about only to your friends, you have switched. For most of the times, the things you do with siblings are those you somehow believe is your duty base on blood relation. But remember "Love without duty is divine". You learn to love your siblings and be their friends and stop doing things because it is your duty as their siblings.
Yes, indeed. I know what is friendship as the expression of unshakable Love, Love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism. And for that experience, INFINITE LOVE AND GRATITUDE ALWAYS.
Be Well, and so it is.
DIVINITY WITHIN - Day 33 of 108 Days - " Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than even arrows. "
Day 33 - My mom had a favorite poem that she used to recite to me and wanted me to memorize it -
"I threw an arrow into the air, it fell to earth I knew not where,
I breathe a song into the air, it fell to earth I knew not where,
Long, long afterward in an oak, I found the arrow still unbroke
And the song from the beginning to an end, I found again in the heart of a friend."
Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than even arrows.
I remember as a child (probably less than 7 yrs old), my mom did something that I didn't like or care for and I was so upset about it that I remember saying something like 'I wish you were dead' or 'I wish you die soon, if not right now'. And I remember hearing older siblings and other kids said the same thing. Where did we learn that? Definitely not from TV or radio or the newspaper. Was it inherent in us to utter such a dreadful curse on someone so near and dear to us? I could understand using poisonous words against someone because they already learned the art of meanness all throughout the years of growing up and constant interaction with the rest of the human race. But a child less than 7 yrs old, how does it know how to be mean - oh fine, perhaps I heard it from my older siblings but ... regardless, words really wound more fatally than arrows. And yet, as adult if we can't hurt the other person physically, we hurt them with words.
I met a physicist who have nothing but good words about his ex-wife and his ex-girlfriend. I can see a trace of sadness and hurt when he talked about how both ex decided to move on and left him and yet all he has are sweet words. How fascinating indeed. I remember my ex-husband is the same thing, everyone else tells me that he has nothing but good words about me and yet, at home, he seems to go out of his way to say mean things and verbally abuse me and my son.
I don't get it. We all know about all this good things and wonderful things that we are suppose to do and say. We all know about RIGHT ACTIONS, then why for goodness sake are we not practicing it. Why do we keep hurting one another? When will we ever learn, when, when, when?
"I threw an arrow into the air, it fell to earth I knew not where,
I breathe a song into the air, it fell to earth I knew not where,
Long, long afterward in an oak, I found the arrow still unbroke
And the song from the beginning to an end, I found again in the heart of a friend."
Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than even arrows.
I remember as a child (probably less than 7 yrs old), my mom did something that I didn't like or care for and I was so upset about it that I remember saying something like 'I wish you were dead' or 'I wish you die soon, if not right now'. And I remember hearing older siblings and other kids said the same thing. Where did we learn that? Definitely not from TV or radio or the newspaper. Was it inherent in us to utter such a dreadful curse on someone so near and dear to us? I could understand using poisonous words against someone because they already learned the art of meanness all throughout the years of growing up and constant interaction with the rest of the human race. But a child less than 7 yrs old, how does it know how to be mean - oh fine, perhaps I heard it from my older siblings but ... regardless, words really wound more fatally than arrows. And yet, as adult if we can't hurt the other person physically, we hurt them with words.
I met a physicist who have nothing but good words about his ex-wife and his ex-girlfriend. I can see a trace of sadness and hurt when he talked about how both ex decided to move on and left him and yet all he has are sweet words. How fascinating indeed. I remember my ex-husband is the same thing, everyone else tells me that he has nothing but good words about me and yet, at home, he seems to go out of his way to say mean things and verbally abuse me and my son.
I don't get it. We all know about all this good things and wonderful things that we are suppose to do and say. We all know about RIGHT ACTIONS, then why for goodness sake are we not practicing it. Why do we keep hurting one another? When will we ever learn, when, when, when?
DIVINITY WITHIN - Day 32 of 108 Days - " When heart is bound to heart, heat of argument finds no place. "
Day 32 - How many times have we heard or read about a fatal incident resulting from " heat of argument"? Many unnecessary shootings that end a life due to a heated argument? How many lives have been destroyed, families and friendship broken and who knows even war started because of an argument.
"When heart is bound to heart, heat of argument finds no place."
Does it mean that when there is a heated argument, heart is not bounded? Whatabout between husband and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend, even father and son? Was there not a famous singer Marvin Gaye who was shot by his father during a heated argument? How is it possible that the son's heart was not bounded to the father's heart or vice versa?
"When heart is bound to heart, heat of argument finds no place."
Does it mean that when there is a heated argument, heart is not bounded? Whatabout between husband and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend, even father and son? Was there not a famous singer Marvin Gaye who was shot by his father during a heated argument? How is it possible that the son's heart was not bounded to the father's heart or vice versa?
Thursday, May 13, 2010
DIVINITY WITHIN - Day 31 of 108 Days - "God is the life-breath of every soul."
Day 31 - What is a soul? A soul is the eternal part of a living being, commonly held to be separate from the body. Many philosophical and religious systems teach that humans have souls; some attribute souls to all living things and even inanimate objects (such as rivers); The soul is often believed to exit the body and live on after a person’s death, and some religions posit that God creates souls.
If some religions posit that God creates souls, then it is understandable that God is the life-breath of every soul. If soul may be synonymous with spirit, then perhaps soul is the divinity within, so of course God is the life-breath of every soul since that divinity is God.
The question is how do we experience that life-breath, how do we experience that divinity within? Some never experience it and do not care. Others experience it once in their lifetime and are satisfied with it. While there are those who wants the life-breath every moment of every day of their lives.
And I am one of those who wants to experience it every moment of everyday. And I am one of the fortunate ones who's been given the chance to be born to experience it. The challenge is from time to time, I forget or rather I allow myself to be distracted that I become unaware of the moment.
What then is SOUL? Since soul may denote a more worldly and less transcendent aspect of a person and it has an affinity for negative thoughts and images, whereas spirit seeks to rise above the entanglements of life and death then, that is why I sometimes get distracted and become unaware. Since I am in the body, the pull of the body to the soul is stronger than for the spirit to be constantly be in divine awareness.
So, I try to be more tolerant now. I become more understanding of people, things and event. I try not to go into judgment although at times I still fall into that mire but I try not to stay in it for more than an hour. Really, it should be 10 minutes and no more, else you become muddied in that quagmire and you might be trap for much longer than you want to be.
I even signed up on Gratitude Log and tried it for a few days as a form of discipline. But, I did not last on that discipline long enough to change my habit of falling into that 10 minute stuff. It does not matter anyhow. I am still fortunate to be given the chance to experience the moment. And for that I am very grateful.
The soul has often been deemed integral or essential to consciousness and personality, and may be synonymous with spirit, mind or self.[2] Although the terms soul and spirit are sometimes used interchangeably, soul may denote a more worldly and less transcendent aspect of a person.[3] According to psychologist James Hillman, soul has an affinity for negative thoughts and images, whereas spirit seeks to rise above the entanglements of life and death. The words soul and psyche can also be treated synonymously, although psyche has more physical connotations, whereas soul is connected more closely to spirituality and religion.
"God is the life-breath of every soul"If some religions posit that God creates souls, then it is understandable that God is the life-breath of every soul. If soul may be synonymous with spirit, then perhaps soul is the divinity within, so of course God is the life-breath of every soul since that divinity is God.
The question is how do we experience that life-breath, how do we experience that divinity within? Some never experience it and do not care. Others experience it once in their lifetime and are satisfied with it. While there are those who wants the life-breath every moment of every day of their lives.
And I am one of those who wants to experience it every moment of everyday. And I am one of the fortunate ones who's been given the chance to be born to experience it. The challenge is from time to time, I forget or rather I allow myself to be distracted that I become unaware of the moment.
What then is SOUL? Since soul may denote a more worldly and less transcendent aspect of a person and it has an affinity for negative thoughts and images, whereas spirit seeks to rise above the entanglements of life and death then, that is why I sometimes get distracted and become unaware. Since I am in the body, the pull of the body to the soul is stronger than for the spirit to be constantly be in divine awareness.
So, I try to be more tolerant now. I become more understanding of people, things and event. I try not to go into judgment although at times I still fall into that mire but I try not to stay in it for more than an hour. Really, it should be 10 minutes and no more, else you become muddied in that quagmire and you might be trap for much longer than you want to be.
I even signed up on Gratitude Log and tried it for a few days as a form of discipline. But, I did not last on that discipline long enough to change my habit of falling into that 10 minute stuff. It does not matter anyhow. I am still fortunate to be given the chance to experience the moment. And for that I am very grateful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)