That this moment is more fantastic than any story.
The Storyteller Understands
Reply
Category Archives: Consciousness
Finally, The Search is Over!
The Throne and the Treasure
The Book of Changes
A couple days ago, I got an email from one of the members of the Vihara Community of which I became a share holder this last year. He was informing us of his decision to withdraw from the enterprise. His reason being our shortage of shareholders as we neared the point where we would finalise our purchase of the magnificent property and infrastructure that was our first goal as a group. As things stood, we would need loans from some of the members in order to finance this first step. That would leave us in a position lacking reserves in money and energy to launch the community. What would be minor difficulties in other circumstances could develop easily into major difficulties with all of the attendant stress added. We had been hoping to recruit additional shareholders in the next few months but our efforts to date had met with limited success. So, the decision by this share holder, soon followed by a second, led to the rest of us realising that this particular venture was coming to an end.
I had been excited by the possible manifestation of the vision set forth in the Vihara Manifesto. It fit me very well. Though I made plans and took actions in that direction, I was aware of the possibility of the above occurring. Life is bigger than me and I have to move with what is.
Did I feel disappointment? Yes, I did. After all, he was sitting there on the floor next to my right leg; his squat rounded cubical body with the huge mouth and woeful eyes squirming in anticipation of my giving him the energy to turn into a screaming monster. I gave him a glance and turned away. I had better things to do. (Don’t know where he is now. When I ignore him, he just pisses off.)
The first cab off the rank for my attention was the feeling of immense gratefulness for the friends who have accompanied me on this part of the journey. It’s been a joy to get to know new friends and better know previous acquaintances. After that, I turned to reflect on the recent journey. What steps had we taken that helped the cause and what could we have done differently to our advantage? I let the options surface and absorbed the insights for future opportunities.
Life can take sudden turns. That’s just the wonder of it. Now, life is overwhelming me with possibilities. I am so fortunate: I’ve got a comfy bed to sleep in. A lovely house to live in located in a sub tropical paradise. Good food available. I’m healthy. There’s my Tai Chi and Bagua. My flute is always at hand to stretch the heavens. To top it all off, I have somehow learned the art of letting go into a meditative state. What more could one ask?
So, dear friends, I wonder what experience is awaiting me on the next page of this book.
Morning Salutation
Hi Friends,
Each morning here finds me at some point out in front of the trailer doing my morning workout. I used to do this in the small street that passes by. Residential streets in Japan really are small. In order for two small cars to pass, one has to pull over and come to a complete stop. My little street is used by some people as a short cut and therefore receives more traffic than would be normally generated by the neighbourhood.
The result of the above was that my tai chi and bagua forms would be interrupted at various times by an approaching car. I would notice the impending occurrence and maintaining my state as best I could step to the side of the street. Then, as the cars would pass, I would make a small bow to the drivers. Some would be surprised the first time this happened, however, almost all would bow back. If it was a repeat performance, their bow would be a genuine greeting. This would also occur with people out for a stroll with their dogs or kids going to school.
There is a lot of bowing in Japan. In the supermarket, the cashier will make a formal bow after giving you your change. There is the temptation by foreigners to write off such bows as just form and no substance. What I have found in such situations is that when I return the bow with sincerity, then, the substance of the bow is in existence and we both feel it. A bow can be a very beautiful gesture.
There is a child and mother who wait at the t-junction just close by each weekday morning for a brightly coloured kindergarten school bus. The bus has a woman driving and another woman who attends to the children. The attendant gets off the bus and approaching the mother and child, greets them and escorts the child back onto the bus. As they drive by me the driver gives a little bow and the attendant waves while encouraging the children to wave as well. What a big smile stretches my face as I wave back.
A few weeks ago, I cleared a section of the area that my trailer shares. It’s is full of large gravel set down to hold car parking. I began to practice my forms without the interruptions. It is such a pleasure to be able to move smoothly through my forms. Yet, I do miss the morning ritual of making way. I still get to wave to the kindergarten crew and say hello to the occasional person and dog who pass by. As a part of my exercise, I take a walk up the nearby street past houses where I encounter other walkers and sometimes someone out in his or her garden. I have even had short conversations at times. (Very short due to my limited vocabulary.)
Then, there have been a few mornings when I am walking along and see a person approaching slowly. The person’s head is down, there is a slight hunch of the shoulders and almost a shuffle in the walk. When I get close, I say my ‘good morning’ and suddenly a face pops up surprised and a shining smile appears immediately followed by an enthusiastic ‘good morning’. Yeh, what a good morning.
Ohayo Gozaimusu, Kundan
A Reminder From Japan
Image
The Zero Waste Home
Hello Friends,
I have been reading this blog for a little while and find it refreshing and informative. It’s an informal journal of one family’s journey to produce as little waste as possible. In telling her story, the author shows the readers possibilities to consider.
The current entry is a letter from one of her readers. A new phase of the blog.
The Vihara Adventure
I have just been confirmed as member number ten of a group that is organising to purchase what is now being used as a Tibetan Buddhist retreat centre in Kyogle, NSW, Australia. We intend to finalise purchase in May of 2012. This is a very exciting new adventure. I’ve been searching for years for such a community to join and when I read the proposal, I knew immediately that this was for me. I’ll post more info as it progresses.
“Mindsight” Lecture by Dr Daniel Siegil
Below is a link to a Google Lecture by Dr Daniel Siegil. I feel that this video is extremely interesting and useful in understanding the functioning of the brain and mind. Dr Siegil is a child psychologist and neuroscientist. He explains in a very easy to follow way the functions and inter-relations of the different parts of the brain and how to stimulate those parts that are most identified with mental health. I hope that you can find the time to watch the video and maybe let me know what you think.
At the end of the lecture, there is Q & A. The one question the I felt he was unable to answer satisfactorily was how the brain and mind can be considered as different entities. My own feeling is that it is because he doesn’t fully understand himself. Also, his depth of understanding of meditation techniques is very limited. Having said this, I am very happy to see someone with his credentials moving people towards meditation practice. If people start to practice for “mental health” reasons, they just may go beyond to discover that which is beyond the individual mind.
An Interesting Twist in Cyberspace
Hi All:
Well, the blogosphere is abuzz with analysis of the quote attributed to Martin Luther King that I sent to you. Apparently, it should have read thus:
I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
The difference is the placement of the quotes. The story goes that except for the first sentence, it was a quote from a speech by MLK. The original author of the posting, wrote as you see above. It went viral. Then, someone tweeted it and to save space, because of tweeting limitations, removed the quotes. It makes one smile at how these things happen.
However, I still consider the whole to express an important message. I also would bet that old Martin Luther King would have agreed with the additional opening sentence.
Here is my explanation why I felt it was important to pass on the above. There is no mention of whether Osama Bin Ladin or any other man should be killed or not. This is not really about that question. What it is about is our reaction to such an event. I can understand why those people were dancing in the streets, however, I feel that there is a much better way to respond to this event.
We may feel relief that a danger has passed or been reduced. However, if one believes that a person has committed an act that people believe requires his killing, my own perspective is that we should be saddened that the world is in such a state that such an action is necessary. Rather than rejoicing, we need to look for the source of this malignancy and take responsibility for those parts that are our doing. There may be things that we can not change but there are many ways that we can make this a much more humane and just world. And, they come through the heart.
Love, Kundan
A Conscious Consumer
Dear Friends:
Below is an email that was forwarded to me. It is aimed at people in the USA and most of those that I am writing to are living outside the US. I am sending this on because it is important to me to be a conscious consumer and this is a simple example of a difference a little bit of conscious consuming can make.
I have to say that I am not against international trade. It is a healthy human interaction. I am for supporting local economies when possible. So often, we only look at the price of a product without considering the cost of the product. In the example below, they mention how there would be an increase of 200,000 jobs in the US if people bought USA made. There would also be other consequences, such as, a decrease in the amount of oil used to ship and distribute said goods.
Though supporting local is, I feel, very important, there is more to conscious consuming. When I shop for a product that I am not familiar with, I read the ingredients as well as where is was produced. I compare. The first time may take a few extra minutes, however, I only need to do it once and I know what I am getting.
There is another level that I find even more important. Is consumption our prime reason in life?
There is an exaggerated importance that consuming has in our lives. The obvious example is the role that credit buying was involved in the current economic upheaval. There is also the glaring “must have the latest version” that pushes so many people into wasteful spending. I came to California with the intention of buying the latest iPad 2. It’s a very impressive device. I could afford it. Yet, do I really need it? There is a big debate going on in my mind. I have a very capable Macbook that, though it is heavier and bigger, can do more than I need. I already have an iPod touch as a portable device that still amazes me. Yes, I do travel often, however, it is usually in a way that the extra size and weight of my Macbook is not a hindrance.
There is a need to bring our awareness to ourselves and our own inner dialogue and resulting actions. I have watched this dialogue within myself and been a bit shocked and red faced. “Shopping therapy” is more than a cute comment. It is very much built into our minds. The belief that buying something will somehow make us feel better is so deeply ingrained that we don’t notice it.
When was the last time that you were downtown and didn’t buy anything? How often have you said, “Wow, that’s beautiful but I don’t really need it” and walked away?
Following is the email that I forwarded to my “bloggies” list:
MAY 1 – JUNE 1
Did you see that Diane Sawyer has a special report coming up this week? They removed ALL items from a typical, middle class family’s home that were not made in the USA. There was hardly anything left. Literally. During the special they are going to show truckloads of items – USA made – being brought in to replace everything and will be talking about how to find these items and the difference in price etc..
It was interesting that Diane said that if every American spent just $64 more than normal on USA made items this year, it would create something like 200,000 new jobs!
For instance, at Walmart you can buy the “Our Family” Brand of madarin oranges from China or for a few more cents you can buy the Liberty Gold or Dole brand from California.
Why are Americans buying without thinking while the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior and even toxic products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets?
70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.
Why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges? DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA!!
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says ‘Made in China’ or ‘PRC’ (and that now includes Hong Kong), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.
Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example. The point is, do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.
THINK ABOUT THIS: If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that’s a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor…fast!!
Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning on implementing this on MAY 1st and continue it until JUNE 1st.
Remember, MAY 1 TO JUNE 1st !!!!!!
START NOW.
The Jim Experience of Life 