DESIRE

Posted on June 21, 2013 by tony

Desire.

The human realm is one of desire.

Desire leads to frustration,

that maintains the desire,

which becomes an addiction.

That’s how we get stuck!

 

Desire fills emptiness – our essence.

Desire is the neurotic aspect of the wisdom of emptiness.

The opposite of emptiness is desire.

Through attraction, empty space is filled.

Our pure sacred empty essence acquires adornments.

which fill that space.

Essence becomes preoccupied, forgetting itself.

Space becomes excited, and that very action creates ego.

 

Desire is very precise. Its enlightened quality is Discriminating-Wisdom.

I desire tomatoes on toast (I normally do!). This thought brightens my mind. Now, I can have tomatoes on toast if it’s available, or just let it be. I don’t have to hunger for it at all costs. I know precisely what I would like, and if it causes no harm and is available, that’s okay…and I have to eat! Either way, I am satisfied.

We are not vegetables! We have emotions! These emotions can either create suffering, or redirect awareness to recognising its true nature. The desire to know one’s true nature is a tool, and once realised, the tool is no longer needed.

If we fear our emotions, or think we shouldn’t have them, we will be troubled by guilt. Or even worse, we will accuse others of having them. In this way we go round in circles, lost in Samsara.

Now, here is an important point! Be very careful to whom you talk! There are those whose temperament may not be the same as yours. They may fear emotions, or claim that you need an antidote for your affliction, as the emotions are something to be removed. For them, this is their way of coping with their mind. These people can easily project fear – their fear – on to you. 

It’s the same when people project their ego on to us.

There is a traditional story: Two monks were walking along a road. They see a girl who cannot pass, as a big muddy hole is in her way. One monk lifts her up and carries her over the obstacle and puts her down. When the two monks arrive at the monastery, one monk said to the other, “You should not have touched that girl.” The other replied, “I put her down at the mud hole.”

Buddha in the mud is all about the secret life of emotions, revealing their wisdom aspect. So be careful, as others may not see it that way. Merging Dharma with life means living Dharma, not separating life and Dharma.

 

 

 

 

 

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RECOGNITION IN THE KALI YUGA

Posted on June 20, 2013 by tony

Recognition in the Kali Yuga

 The Kali Yuga is the dark age of strife.

Its hallmark is confusion and despair,

created by our own likes and dislikes.

 Mara/demons lies in ambush,

feeding on this confusion and despair.

 We have two natures of dark and light

and need to recognise both, constantly.

Shakyamuni’s final helpers were Mara –

so it’s not all bad news!

Spiritually, we know that all appearances are mere illusions, but if we knock our shin on a metal bar it will hurt, for a while. Ouch! Many of our brothers and sisters are not so spiritually inclined (too busy or vacant) and their pain will last for a lifetime or longer. The pain we share is the same: that is the root of our empathy and compassion.

In this The Age of Strife – the Kali Yuga – the world is in a very dark place. Strife is profitable.Wars are happening now, and people are suffering and dying – they’re saying more than ouch. There is but one enemy…us.

Here, ‘us’ has two meanings: us as a collective, and us as individuals. We ourselves have created an illusory identity and there are those who use this illusory identity to keep us as a collective, enslaved through materialism and fear. There is an elite in this world, who want to maintain their wealth and power, and use manipulation in order to do so.

Laws are changing. Surveillance is increasing. The police are becoming military. The media distracts. Food is of poor quality, so we need drugs (chemicals). This creates uncertainty and instability – the age of strife! Strife pits people against one another: does anyone you know actually want war?

A word creeping into usage is “sustainability”. Remember that word! Words and phrases can enter our languages to justify something, and here, “sustainability” means “austerity”. This shows a subtle use of psychology and neurolinguistic programming (words that makes me laugh and cry are those such as “collateral damage” and, “Things go better with a certain soft drink”…better for whom?!)

Strife is a double edged sword, just as all emotions are. Strife can work as a catalyst for change, clearly revealing the pointlessness of clinging to our material way of life.

This Age of Strife can brighten our minds (if our brain haven’t had too many chemicals!). The manipulators lack wisdom: they do not realise that they actually enhance the realisation of our true nature. Remember – the last helper to the Buddha was Mara!

 We have within us two natures,

Buddha nature and Mara nature.

Light and Dark.

We need to recognise both constantly

as they are the two truths.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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TO EGO OR NOT TO EGO?!

Posted on June 19, 2013 by tony

To ego or not to ego?!

For years, I’ve had a problem with western spirituality, especially in Buddhism. When at retreats, people walk around as if ‘they’ are not there, head to one side and slightly vacant. How did we get to that state? I once actually put a sign up on the notice board saying, “A silent retreat doesn’t mean you are a Zombie!”

People adopt an air and become insular, separating themselves off from humanity, compassion and…fun! Humans are constantly fitting themselves into a state, and are in danger of falling into a group mind set, and leaving our brains outside.

We are unique individuals with egos. It is a matter of how to work with this ego that can either free us, or keep us enslaved. The ego is the mud!

If we are practising in a cave on our own, then there is no point to ego. Ego is consciousness clinging to an identity. However, in order to function in society as a good, healthy human being, we need a little ego…it’s fun.

If ego clinging takes over our being, then we are off with the fairies, totally controlled by mental images and concepts. If we deny ego, we are still in a fantasy world, controlled by mental images and concepts!

 When ego clinging takes over

we become lost and confused.

Above all,

we lack love.

Likewise,

if we pretend we have no ego,

we become lost and confused.

Above all,

we lack love.

We need a ‘mere I’ to function with others, to be playful. However, we have to know the difference between resting in essence (no ego) and expression essence (playful ego). It’s the expression that reveals love, empathy and compassion.

To put others at ease, we have to act a little (“No! Your bum doesn’t look too big in that!”) We just don’t have to believe that our act is a permanent fixture. In acting, we are playing a part for another’s benefit, not separating ourselves so we cannot be contaminated. Love is fearless: Chogyam Trungpa coined the phrase “Spiritual Warrior”.

All I’m saying is, smile more – and mean it. Don’t lose your humanity! It’s very precious. And above all, be welcoming.

Love is not puffed up:-

Corinthians

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profit me nothing.

Love suffer long, and is kind; love envy not; love vaunt not itself, is not puffed up,

Does not behave itself unseemly, seek not her own, is not easily provoked, think no evil;

Rejoice not in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth; Bear all things, believe all things, hope for all things, endure all things.

Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 

 

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CHOOSING THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS OVER ‘BEING’

Posted on June 18, 2013 by tony

Choosing thoughts and emotions over ‘being’?

 Here we are, potentially enlightened beings, and all we do is remain trapped in our thoughts and emotions, which merely creates suffering for ourselves and others!

Spirituality is about liberation – freedom from these emotions – but we still choose strife. It’s like ‘being’ trapped in a dream-prison, where there are no bars, no doors, no chains, and there is sunlight coming from somewhere…but we choose to stay where we are, festering.

What is keeping us from enlightenment? Habit! That’s it! We are so familiar with our prison surroundings, that we know nothing else. Some of even aspire for a better cell than others, which only makes the situation worse. A few prisoners have mentioned there is an outside (in spiritual terminology, that would be an inside!) but we think these are just stories and theories.

Meditation practice is becoming familiar with ‘being’, and cutting through the habits. However, we choose to wander off into some fantasy. I know I do!

Maybe, just maybe, it’s getting worse. Now that would be fortunate: “The thoughts and emotions are getting worse… and that’s better?” Yes…they’re being noticed! It’s not getting worse – we are noticing more.

How’s that for being positive?!

In meditation we may try to prolong moments of pure awareness…but don’t! The instruction is, “Short moments many times.”

An instant of recognition is all that is necessary. The dream-prison will want to appear again (habit): just re-recognise. It’s like banging a gong once (recognition) – the sound continues and fades (forgetfulness). Re-recognise…and so on. Don’t hold on to anything, neither the recognition nor the fading. Just be aware.

Gradually those instances of recognition become more frequent. What is actually happening is that forgetfulness reduces – the mud is clearing. First we have to recognise the fading, and the thoughts and emotions arising. First recognise…

E s s e n c e  does the  r.. e… s……… t !

In meditation, what needs to be dropped naturally drops away, and what needs to shine naturally shines.

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DEPRESSION AND DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted on June 17, 2013 by tony

Depression and Disappointment

What I love about the Buddha’s teachings is that they are so logical, so reasonable, so complete, so provable …everything links up!

We are human, and governed by three negative emotions (desire, aversion and ignorance/indifference) and the three wisdoms (kayas).

We are human, and so we’d like a little more of this, and a little less of that, and we’re not really interested in them over there…

We are human, and so we desire.

We don’t get what we want, and so get frustrated.

We get frustrated and so get disappointed.

We get disappointed and so get depressed.

This depression affects our subtle body,

and so we carry around this weighty residue.

We may have to diet…

 Most of the time, life does not pan out as we expected. How can it? Was there supposed to be a master plan? How do we know what to expect? Are we judging by what’s around us? Most of that is confused! When young, we were indoctrinated with so much, so quickly, that we didn’t realise there are other options in life.

If we are depressed and disappointed, maybe what was expected wasn’t for us! If we are not fitting into the norm, did we really want the norm?

Essence cannot be depressed or disappointed. It’s enlightened! It has only empathy and compassion. So it’s the ego – that clinging mind – that has the expectations, and so gets the disappointments and thus, the depression…that’s logical.

But does this help? Not really, because we still feel this way.

No, we don’t! That feeling is a residue in the subtle body, which leaves us feeling a constant anxiety. We pick up on this residue and continue the feeling, and around we go, heavy hearted (I should know!).

We have to use logic, reasoning and…gratitude. If you haven’t got your limbs hanging off, or you’re hanging from a cliff by a tuft of grass, or you’re being eaten by piranhas…you’re okay! Of course, we don’t have enough. We never will.

We may feel lonely, in despair, fed up, worried about something. Look, you can only do what you can do, and complete that. Don’t react, as this is merely karma playing itself out. Just say, “Hello, good-bye!” Any reaction on our part merely deepens the karma and creates even more suffering. It stops when we stop!

It’s a matter of making friends with, and accepting, who we are and our lot, and then doing the same for others. We need confidence, and that comes from knowing awareness of our true nature. That’s the important thing, for without that, nothing would be known. So, recognising awareness is the start of waking up from the duality of awareness’s projections.

Recognising awareness of awareness, merely look, see, and drop everything. That very emptiness of dropping everything is essence. Know that, know confidence! This is not a feeling of being empty: quite often, we feel ’empty’ inside, and could mistake this for depression. It could be that we have a moment where desire is lacking, and we feel it should be filled with ‘something’. Ego feels uncomfortable when it doesn’t have anything to cling to. Just become familiar with that.

With this true confidence, joy is guaranteed. Knowing this, and that there is nothing else but your true nature and pure essence, be at peace. This worldly existence has no reality: just a seeming reality…an illusion.

Once we get a glimpse of joy, we will know that this is the true nature of all sentient beings.

Then compassion and empathy naturally arises. That is when love starts. Love is the expression of reality.

So you are happy, and have always been so…for no reason other than knowing essence. Disappointment is merely karma dripping away what is no longer needed. It’s time to give up holding on, and let go. Depression is being weighed down with likes and dislikes. People continue like this day in and day out, because they can afford to keep covering up their depression and disappointments with the acquisitions of this material world. But it’s there, in everyone.

We have nothing but that which ego is holding together.

For those who are happy, have compassion.

For those who are unhappy, have empathy.

Being is beyond happiness and unhappiness.

It’s time to look more closely at our life, and take responsibility. Whatever suffering we have experienced will give us the empathy to help others, even just by listening. In helping others, we will find happiness. It’s the same with devotion. Devotion is taking to heart, and having a deep appreciation for the teachings, because they work.

The Buddha’s teachings really do work, as they are logical and complete in every situation.

 

 

This a short video on the subtle body practice.

 

 

 

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RIGHT SPEECH

Posted on June 16, 2013 by tony

Right Speech.

Speech is a very profound subject.

 

We humans are a problem, when we speak.

We humans are a problem when we ignore.

These problems are also our teacher.

 

Speech may be used to bring about harmony or separation, by disturbing the natural inner peace of our mind, and that of others. In the normal run of life, talk is cheap, and our mouth just runs away with assumptions. In the spiritual life of inner awareness, the use of speech is a direct expression of our inner state, and this can teach us everything about our own obscurations, or spaciousness.

 Speech can easily and frequently bring us into conflict. It all depends how responsible we are.

 Talking dharma to another student (we are all students) can be a delicate matter, as we can easily talk at cross purposes. The outcome can set an opinion for life, or become our greatest teacher.

 Even though we may receive teachings from the same teacher at the same retreat, we may see things differently from others. To just take Buddhism, there are several sects with slightly different approaches and within those sects are nine levels or vehicles. Each one is complete and correct in itself. The same words are used at each level, but the meaning changes as we proceed. So one has to tread very carefully in discussions, as I have learnt to my astonishment.

 I’m writing this because, when talking to others who are, let’s say, strong minded, we may assume that we are wrong…which may not be the case. We may get disheartened at this ‘put down’ or by being ignored, but as in ordinary life, there are many who make assumptions, and dismiss others, especially if they consider themselves more learned. My astonishment comes from this lack of compassion!

 The dharma considers awarenesses of body, speech and mind as equally important.

 Here is a case in point:

 At the end of an intensive month-long silent retreat with 10 hours of meditation a day, a fellow student asked me what I had learnt. I was enthusiastic to reply, as I genuinely realised an answer to a inner question regarding the “Yidam” practice I was doing. This was that the three Kayas (empty essence, cognisant nature and unconfined compassion) were in fact the three poisons (three negative emotions of desire, aversion and ignorance). This is a essay in itself…and the basis of the creation of this blog.

 He merely replied, “That’s a bit far fetched,” and dismissed me…forever, it seems. He is a very diligent, serious, intelligent man, yet we could not communicate, so we just drank tea. I so wanted to explain this to him, but it would only have sounded like lecturing and would have caused an even greater gap between us.

 Sometimes wanting to be right can be wrong!

 Never lose inner peace through wrong speech. We can recognise this by the inner wind rising to the gut, heart, throat or head areas, and we feel anxious and tense…we become hot headed, just in time for the emotions to explode! 🙂

 When speaking, be aware of the inner wind, and take the breath down to below the navel. In the enlightened activity of pacifying, speech is not about gossip or projection: it’s about dissolving the activity and involvement of the ego.

 It is only when we are advanced practitioners, and feel responsible, that we can use the other three enlightened activities of magnetising, enriching and destroying ego’s activities. These four are varying degrees of compassion. However, caution is needed if applied to the wrong person at the wrong time – it can backfire!

 

Right speech is right compassion.

 

 

 

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ANGER

Posted on June 15, 2013 by tony

Anger.

If life isn’t how we want it, we get frustrated and angry.

There are two aspects here. One is that our fixed picture is being disturbed. The other is that we recognise that our fixed picture isn’t right, and so we get angry.

Our picture is our obscured view. Here we have a problem with a clear essence seeing through the fog of mind – our concepts. The clear light is our pure view, which is translated by our afflicted mind, producing a projection.

If essence gets bound up in the projections of the mind, and comes into contact with another’s projections, we may get angry. This is logical!

The antidote to this fixed projection, this view, is recognising the presence of mirror-like wisdom of essence. Essence merely reflects, and does not get involved. It is mind that causes confusion about the whole affair.

This mirror-like wisdom of essence reflects exactly whatever appears. It is one of the five qualities of our true nature.

The object of mirror-like wisdom is to remind us that all reflections are merely temporary appearances.

The reality is the mirror, merely reflecting. The reflections are temporary appearances.

Anger is recognition of a distraction, a bright distraction. Anger illuminates the mind for an instant. This sharp brilliance is wisdom, which can either create more suffering or realise/ remember pure awareness.

Anger can either run amuck, or express love.

Increase the problem, or restore balance.

 

 

 

 

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THE TERMINOLOGY OF THE THREE KAYAS

Posted on June 15, 2013 by tony

The Terminology of Three Kayas

If you are like me and get confused about terminology, this may help your confusion…I mean, clarify your confusion!

The traditional names for our three enlightened qualities are dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmankaya. These are known as the three kayas.

This is described on three levels: Ground, Path and Fruition.

At the level of Ground (being our basic nature), dharmakaya is empty essence, sambhogkaya is cognisant nature and nirmanakaya is expression.

At the level of Path (where we are now: our being is confused about its basic ground), dharmakaya is bliss, sambhogkaya is clarity and nirmanakaya is non-thought.

At the level of Fruition (where we realise that the path never existed and we have been the ground all along), the three kayas are seen as Buddhahood. Dharmakaya is free from any constructs. Sambhogakaya is Light. Nirmankaya manifests as form, to benefit all beings.

NB Expression, non-thought and physical manifestation are levels of nirmanakaya, revealed as compassion. In the moment of non-thought, compassion is stillness. Depending at what level we are working, we may use any of the six paramitas, or the four enlightened activities to suit a situation.

Six paramitas: patience, generosity, discipline, perseverance, meditation and transcendent knowledge.

Four enlightened activities: pacifying, magnetising, enriching and destroying.

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PRIDE

Posted on June 14, 2013 by tony

Pride.

 

Pride is a two-edged sword.

Ordinary pride is a feeling of being better than others.

The funny thing is,

everyone feels the same way!

 

Whatever we achieve,

so can others.

It’s just a matter of time.

 

And that’s the antidote for pride:

the wisdom of equality.

This shows compassion and understanding.

 

Ordinary pride ensures

conflicting emotions, illusions and suffering.

Divine pride

is realising one’s true nature.

In that, there are no

conflicting emotions, illusions and suffering.

 

Identifying with the Lord of Love

manifests

clarity, purity and divine pride.

 

The divine sword of wisdom

cuts through

ordinary appearances and claiming.

 

 

 

 

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FEAR

Posted on June 13, 2013 by tony

Fear.

If something is so strong
that it cannot be broken,
then there is no fear of it being broken.

If something has no sides
and cannot be found,
then there is no fear of it being broken.

If we realise that this thing
that is so strong,
that has no sides,
and that cannot be found
is our own essence,
then there is no fear of it being broken.

We only fear because
we think we are not strong,
have sides,
and can be found.

Our essence is unbreakable.
Indestructible.
Undeniable.
Unimaginable.

PS I still carry a residue of fears from my childhood – don’t we all? – which makes me doubt everything I do… it’s something we have to live with…

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HOW DO I KNOW, I KNOW?

Posted on June 13, 2013 by tony

How do I know, I know?

Language plays tricks. If we remove the word ‘I’ from this question, it now asks, “How does knowing know?” We then realise that there is only knowing that knows. There is no need (or time) for an ‘I’ to know. Knowing is our nature: without it, nothing could ever be known. We are knowingness, or rather, there is just knowingness…we come into the picture a moment later!

When an ‘I’ comes into the picture, consciousness/mind wants to categorise everything. That categorising and claiming is ego activity, and in doing this, knowingness separates itself from knowing, to a thing known. The knowing is transferred to an object, and knowingness is distracted – it forgets itself. It now sees the thing known as a reality, which it isn’t.

Our true nature is knowingness/awareness. When this knowingness/awareness becomes aware of itself, it finds nothing. This nothingness is uncontaminated space = emptiness. That is essence. That is pure being. That is holiness – or wholiness. When knowing/awareness recognises its pure empty essence, that is called the unity of the two truths.

The ultimate realisation of this unity is compassion: knowing what we all are. From this, the expression of love naturally arises.

For convention’s sake, we use the words ‘I’ and ‘we’, as, without these, it will sound a bit dry. It’s just a matter of knowing that the ‘I’ is not a permanent fixture: it comes into the picture a moment later, and that is how dharmakaya (our essence) became desire. In this way, emptiness becomes filled.

There is nothing wrong with an I. Just know its place…a moment later!

 

 

 

 

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WHY DO THINGS HAPPEN?

Posted on June 12, 2013 by tony

Why do things happen?

 Do things just happen? Are they created by causes and conditions? Or do things happen by design?

 Buddhism says, everything is created by causes and conditions: everything depends on something else. Our present moment of self-identification depends on a previous moment of self identification.

Anything that is created can be traced back to a cause, even a leaf randomly falling on the ground. In spirituality, everything can be traced back to the creation of an “I”.

 Are there accidents? Maybe…maybe not. Certainly, the karma (our mental filters) we carry around with us has an effect on whatever happens. It will ripen in the near or distant future, when conditions are ‘right’: this is cause and effect. For example, if we hold on to anger, and the ‘right’ person comes along and pushes our button, we will explode again…and again…

 But what of things happening by design – unseen design? This must still come under the heading of karma, but it is interesting to look into this, as there are influences that seem to be creating problems for us at times. In our religious books, these problem would be termed ‘the devil’s work’. In Buddhism, it is called Mara.

 There are entities that do not wish us well: they hate compassion, and try to disturb pure practitioners, feeding off our emotions. Our emotions are the key – Mara are attracted to our likes and dislikes. If we drop these, Mara cannot lie in ambush to cause us trouble!

 We are all weak, and are governed by our own likes and dislikes. But there those with heavy karma, who are greedy, ambitious people, easily swayed and influenced by the promise of power. As we know, power can corrupt because it must be maintained. These people are easily controlled by Mara, not realising (or realising!) that they are doing the devil’s work.

 Mara plays with ego! As we all have egos, Mara is busy in this world.

 There are some who are heavily in debt to their karma, and so desire more power than most. These are very dangerous people, who are so controlling because of their desire to maintain this power and wealth that this becomes an addiction; “A rich man has as much chance of entering heaven, as a camel passing through the eye of a needle” (there is no inherent problem with wealth – it’s the clinging to it that causes the problem!).

 Their actions affect others’ lives. One could say that ‘they’ are part of our karma, and I know this may not be easy to accept. However, it’s important to be aware of this, and not over-react, thereby creating more karma for ourselves. Tricky isn’t it?!

 Just knowing what is going on can release us from complying, and being corrupted. This therefore frees us from unwittingly becoming involved in another’s karma. Ignorance is no excuse…claiming “I was only following orders,” still generates karma, bad karma. We have been corrupted by association. The implication of this is that we have a duty not to ignore.

 There are those who have a long term plan for control, which may not be easily seen. The big spiritual problem for us all is that, if we can realise the frailty of human nature…so can others! In this way, they can gain what they want, without us noticing it. Tricky, isn’t it?!

 Just take a look at the world. Is it one of openness and love? Or is it one of constantly changing manipulations and control, and above all, a tendency to blame someone else? Even parents use ‘bogeymen’ to control children!

 Is it possible that people’s karma is being used against them? Is our frailty being exploited? To do this requires sophisticated thinking. Could a few people control the many? It’s easily done, if one thinks long term, and if many disciplines work together.

 So, do things just happen? That is up to you to decide.

 Just consider one scenario: manufacturing is being moved from one country to a cheaper country. Wouldn’t that have multiple effects on the culture of the country that no longer makes things? Then, thirty years later, a mass of problems occurs as a result. Did that just happen, created by causes and conditions? Or was it by design?

 It appears to just happen, but was there design involved, utilising causes and conditions that naturally occur in frail humanity? If so, very clever, but unwise…

 

A word to the wise…Karma never fails!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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YOU ARE WHAT YOU SEEK

Posted on June 11, 2013 by tony

You are what you seek.

 

!

 

Just to elaborate.

That which is looking

is that which you are looking for.

 

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BUDDHISM AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER

Posted on June 10, 2013 by tony

Buddhism and the New World Order.

 If the New World Order is controlling and manipulating the world population as suggested in the sustainable “Agenda 21” and the gathering of the world Elite at the Bilderberg meetings, then the Dharma is all about taking that control back, and seeing through the manipulations.

Even if the Elite Bilderbgers did not exist, there would still be people trying to control and manipulate others. We see this all around us, and if we look closely we will even find we are part of it! It’s like sitting and complaining in a traffic jam – we are part of the problem 😉

It is obvious that there people in high places trying to maintain their high places, just like the ‘God realms’. They will eventually descend to the ‘Hell realms’ as illustrated in the ‘Wheel of life’.

 The Buddha said, “Do good, do no harm, and tame the mind.”

 There are many who fall short of “Doing good, doing no harm, and taming the mind” by coming under the control of desire, hatred and ignorance. They need our compassion, but this does not mean we have to comply, or consent.

Don’t get drawn into their web. They only control consent of our ignorance of the many laws (secret codes UCC, Uniform Commercial Code) with which we unwittingly comply  = New Word Order!

We are naturally free, but our own short comings of desire, hatred and ignorance keep us trapped in the traffic jam.

Natural law has one law: ”Do no harm.” The Buddha went a little further…“Do good, do no harm, and tame the mind.”

When a recent President who mentioned the New World Order saying, “We will govern by the rule of Law, not the rule of the Jungle” he seemed to be suggesting rule by the ‘secret’ Uniform Commercial Code, and not natural law.

All you have to do is know the difference.

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GOOD DHARMA, BETTER DHARMA

Posted on June 10, 2013 by tony

 

Good Dharma, Better Dharma

The word “Dharma” has many meanings: one is “teachings” and another is “action” (sustaining).

The teachings are the theory, and the action is putting them into practice – taking the teachings to heart. So there is Dharma – and there is real Dharma. We may do many practices of meditation, chanting, study and reflection on meaning, but the real Dharma is what is going on in the mind – now!

I meet lots of Dharma students who can reel off names of teachers and teaching (I think they like the exotic words!) but our minds never meet – they are too busy being ‘buddhists’.

If we keep putting off real investigation and experience, and rely instead on books, attending teachings, and merely repeating words and phrases (including blogs like this!), we will never be ready for death. If we keep putting off real practice – recognising essence and the obscurations – we will become weak, and karma will rule the day.

For yogis, death is a joke, as there is no difference from one moment to the next: they live in the gap all the time (‘gap’ translates in Tibetan as ‘Bardo’, and Bardo means the so-called death experiences we can recognise from moment to moment…but may not notice).

Most of us don’t know what to expect at death. We either prepare or not. The foolish say, “Bring it on!” It’s true! I’ve read it many times on forums…

The achievement of obtaining a human birth is a very rare occurrence in this universe. It’s even rarer to be a practitioner. We got here by good karma, as we acquired merit. So far so good! There are two reasons for being here as practitioners: one is to realise our true nature, which is emptiness, cognisance and compassion. The other is to exhaust karmic effects.

Now, here’s the rub (problem)! We can use up our good karma mucking around in this existence, and, as a result of this, may not acquire a human body next time. There are countless beings who do not achieve a human body, spending their next incarnation scavenging for food, without access to the Dharma, or any intelligent thinking. As relative time is infinite, this type of existence can go on for a very long time…it has already!

As we get older, we get more tired, sick and frail, and then it may become too late to practise clearly. That’s why it is important to understand the mind now, dealing with that which is habitually obscuring our pure view.

We all need a routine for practice, but our time is mainly spent mingling it with daily life, moment to moment. It is in our own actions that good luck manifests, and that good luck (good fortune, good karma) is a bonus for further practice and experiences. So why waste it?

 

Complete everything you start = good karma.

Putting things off becomes a habit = bad karma.

Resting in pure perception = no karma.

 

Everything…everything!…is noted in Yama’s (the lord of death) book.

White pebbles

Black pebbles

No pebbles.

 

 PS If you’re reading this, count yourself fortunate 😉

 

 

 

 

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WHY DO WE HESITATE TO LOVE?

Posted on June 9, 2013 by tony

Why do we hesitate to love? 

Is it because we want to be loved…unconditionally…that we hesitate to give love? We don’t love unconditionally, so how can we expect others to love that way? Is it a fear that our love won’t be accepted? And what is love anyway? Is it accepting others unconditionally, when all the time we want them to accept us unconditionally?

Loving is difficult. We have a problem separating the person and their actions: we even have a problem separating ourselves from our own actions (reactions). The ‘being’ is not its ‘actions’: actions are merely the result of a mistaken view.

We have to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff – the juicy seed from the dried up covering.

Love must come from confidence in understanding our, and others, true nature. We are not loving the chaff, the actions, the mud, but we are loving the attempts to work through the chaff, actions and mud, however clumsy those attempts might be – because that is precisely what we are doing too!

This world is just full of hesitant love.

Showing or expressing love is not a weakness. It shows, or expresses, generosity, patience, discipline, concentration, and wisdom knowledge. These are expressions of our true nature.

If we all gave others what they wanted, and what we wanted – unconditional acceptance – the world would be a pretty nifty place. Of course this is not going to happen outwardly, it can happen within us, and that makes a huge difference to our view.

This is not without its challenges…or gut-churning-mind-exploding-poke-their-eyes-out-inner-conflicts as ego is still hanging around! However, the very recognition of this emotional reaction (the mud) is the catalyst, or cross-road, to changing one’s chaff – or even getting rid of it.

Of course we all want to be ‘one’ with each other. Maybe this happens once in a while, in a meeting of minds, but we are definitely not going to do this altogether, all at once. We can easily jump up and down and chant “Love! Love!” together…but that is not love. That is a commonplace projection, as found in books and songs and films: it is only distraction from the genuine experience.

Buddhists chant pujas to engender compassion, but this is still only loving from afar. There again, we have to start somewhere!

Love is losing oneself, and having genuine empathy for the predicament of others. Therefore…love is fearless.

 May all beings find love and the causes of love.

May we never be separated from the causes of love.

May we dwell in great love.

May this love extend to all those far and near.

 

No one’s perfect…there is always perfection in imperfection…

Hence, Buddha in the Mud!

 

 

 

 

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FUTILE DILIGENCE CREATES KARMA

Posted on June 8, 2013 by tony

Futile diligence creates karma.

 

The more we concentrate, the more we can concentrate.

The more we can concentrate, the more we can focus.

The more we can focus, the more we are aware.

The more we are aware, the freer we are.

The more we are free, the more confident we are.

The more the confidence, the more the love.

 

We have incredible abilities!

 

So, how are we spending our precious time? If we recognise truth, and know it to be our true nature, why are we still involved in futile diligence? We spend most of our lives building a karmic bank of filters, through which we see everything. This creates scenarios for the future, that we must then live through. It makes life more complicated, and it’s thus harder to concentrate!

 Exhausting karma dissolves the filters.

 We have to make a decision on how much of our time we waste reacting, and how much time we spend being aware. It’s not a matter of being aware of this and that and this: it’s a matter of awareness itself.

 Getting angry can not change the world, but the energy and wisdom of that anger can. The mutual support of good will, based on intelligence, learning and compassion, can do much to make this a better world.

 The way in which we spend every moment of our time either closes our view or opens our view. We need to recognise our incredible abilities, which are unlimited.

 

 

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BUDDHIST TO BE HAPPY

Posted on June 7, 2013 by tony

You don’t have to be Buddhist to be happy.

Buddhism is just a way of expressing the path to happiness, and identifying what is obstructing it. Theists and atheists also have their own ways of expressing happiness, and what is obstructing it. However, when experiencing it … there is nothing to say.

The only reason to look at this topic is because we need to differentiate between pure happiness, and self serving happiness. Pure happiness expresses unconditional love. Selfish happiness expresses desire, aversion and ignorance.

Interestingly, that very ‘self serving happiness’ – desire, aversion and ignorance – has enough manure to make this a better world, and us, enlightened! This is because the very nature of desire, aversion and ignorance is the wisdom qualities of Emptiness, Awareness and Compassion.

You won’t hear that very often 😉 !

 

 

 

 

 

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PRACTICAL NON-DUALITY PURE AND SIMPLE

Posted on June 7, 2013 by tony

Practical Non-duality Pure and Simple.

 

Being…is non-duality.

Being…distracted…is duality

 ~~~~~~~~~~

 Losing oneself in thoughts

is duality.

 

Being aware of thoughts

is duality.

 

Purely being aware

is non-duality.

 

Resting in pure awareness,

thoughts can arise,

but now they are not in control.

They are merely an expression of pure awareness.

 ~~~~~~~~~

 When Essence (pure awareness) is caught up in thoughts, it is distracted, misdirected and can be manipulated. It has learnt to believe in what it sees as real, when it is merely a distraction from the only reality – our pure awareness. Of course, we oscillate between these two states – duality and non duality – but what is most important is to be able to recognise these different states. This is why we practise.

 ~~~~~~~~~

 Why is this so important?

 In non-duality we are free. In duality we are a prisoner – we are caught and held. That is what letting go is all about. We are either caught up or free: at every moment we have that same choice.

 

There are things going on in the world.

There will always be things going on in the world.

When we die, these things will still be going on.

They will never stop until everyone recognises

that this world was created by our collective confusion.

 We are not here to distract ourselves! We are here to realise our true nature – constant, pure awareness. What we do with that pure awareness is up to us, either to rest in pure awareness, radiating love, or express love for the benefit of others.

 

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SENSITIVE MINDS

Posted on June 6, 2013 by tony

Sensitive minds.

 Our minds are filters between our Pure Empty Essence and the outer world. The mind is a sensitive tool, as it can reflect, analyse, perceive, store memories and discern. It can join up the dots…that’s if we have the right dots!

 The mind is the perceiving instrument for Essence to recognise its true nature…WOW!

 Unfortunately, we use this sensitive mind to create extra filters – fantasies, speculations, and fears – for the purpose of entertainment. If the mind is not looking at its true nature, what else is it doing?

 If we get stuck in these filters, they become addictions, like furniture bolted to the floor. Through these filters, the sensitive mind has programmed itself to live in a world of based on fantasies, speculation, and fears.

 That is not using the mind as a perceiving instrument for Essence to recognise its true nature …WOW!

 Be aware of what you read and hear. Those with whom you talk may have more addictive, fixed furniture than you! We hear politicians, and those in the inner corporate circles, justify everything they do. They believe in their filter so strongly that they do not even notice they are lying anymore.

 Believing in our addictive filter closes the mind down into its fixed patterning. People play their chosen programming well that we know what they’ll say even before they open their mouths!

 Be aware of filling your mind with someone else’s mind.

 Some people try to run away from these fantasies, speculations and fears, not realising that they are still believing in them and that they take these fantasies, speculations and fears with them.

 The mind is well suited to recognise and understanding the truth. It can be very creative in that direction, but unfortunately it can also be creatively distracted.

 We take care of our bodies through exercise, good food, rest, supplements. We watch out for signs of disease: we need to do the same with our minds.

 Be careful with your mind!

 

 

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THE CHOICE OF SPIRITUAL REFINEMENT

Posted on June 5, 2013 by tony

The choice of spiritual refinement.

 If there is such a thing a divine, holy, sacred…it’s us! These are pretty words, and it’s easy to mistakenly think that we therefore do not have to do anything. To recognise this purity is not as easy as you might think. So we have to become more accurate about what is going on within our minds. We are sleeping Buddhas in the mud: this is a very nice, and easy thing to say, but we still have to recognise the obstacles in our way – the mud.

This is a very difficult subject as we can be ‘near’, but not quite ‘there’. We all want to feel ‘good’, be ‘happy’ be ‘right’. In the pursuit ‘feeling good’ etc. we are subtly distracted from recognising our true nature, which is already present – and which is good, happy and right!

 It’s a choice of either wanting to ‘feel good’, or recognise and rest in our true nature.

 ‘Feeling good’ is temporary, and has to be maintained. This desire for ‘feeling good’ leads to frustration, and so we become addicted to ‘feeling good’: it is a self-perpetuating cycle, as, if we are not ‘feeling good’, we are ‘feeling bad’. We think there is something wrong with ourselves and our situation, when it’s merely karma, maybe having a good or bad day. Recognition is merely noting the awareness of one taste, in response to whatever happens. And, in that recognition, happiness, goodness and rightness are seen clearly. All temporary events and experiences come to pass.

Tibetan Buddhism describes our situation as Ground, Path and Fruition. The Ground is our real nature. The Path is our confusion about that real nature. The Fruition is realising that the confusion about our real nature never existed in the first place. An acquired “I” just got in the way!

It’s like having a white piece of paper = Ground. Covering the white paper with a coloured piece of paper = Path. Removing the coloured piece of paper = Fruition.

These are good words, but we really do have to be precise with ourselves, in order to be free from this dungeon of existence – this coloured paper!

Be intelligent

not intellectual.

Know rightness

instead of trying to be right.

The moment we want to be happy, or feel good, or be right, we distract ourselves from happiness, feeling good, rightness. The very wanting obscures our natural state.

 This is a deceptive world

and we are easily deceived.

As long as we cling to our personal ideas

we fall into self deception.

I’m not really sure how we progress: it may be sudden or it may be gradual, like cutting through a net of confusion. There may be a lot of stops and starts.  

Essence is not confused,

but the translating mind distorts.

We need to clarify, through repetition and recognition.

The only thing I can say is

repetition and recognition,

repetition and recognition,

repetition and recognition.

In that, we refine.

 

 

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SPIRITUALITY IS REALLY ANNOYING.

Posted on June 4, 2013 by tony

Spirituality is really annoying!

🙂

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TAKING TIME OUT FROM THE ILLUSION

Posted on June 4, 2013 by tony

Taking time out from the illusion.

An illusion is something created

through causes and conditions.

It has elements.

It comes and goes.

Now you see it, now you don’t.

It all depends on our perception.

We spend much of our time

organising these illusions,

because we believe them

to be solid, and true.

In recognising the illusion

there is no fear of threat.

Only those who believe in the illusion fear.

The only real truth is

that which is aware of the illusions.

Taking time out

from this bewilderment

is meditation.

In taking time out,

there is nothing to construct.

In taking time out,

there is no time.

Only pure awareness.

Bodymind, worldly events and off-world

are all created by

causes and conditions

and have no

inherently true existence

of their own.

Everything depends.

Therefore every thing is dependent.

Taking time out to recognise the illusion,

life becomes more workable

and understandable.

It’s amazing!

It’s amusing!

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MEDITATION WITHOUT FREEDOM

Posted on June 3, 2013 by tony

Meditation without Freedom.

 We may be great meditators, but still not be free. I spent years meditating and not recognising my true nature: my present teacher suggested I had spent twenty five years in idiot meditation! This, as you can imagine, made me grumpy for a while… 😉

 I have spoken to many practitioners who meditate, both face to face and on forums: they probably do very complex practices, but have not recognised their true nature, as they still get grumpy or spaced out in their own de-light.

 They will argue about this sutra or that correctness of doctrine, but cannot communicate in a friendly way. Teachings can produce great pride and conceit, hence the article “Live it, don’t learn it.”

 It’s very easy to ‘talk’ about coming from the heart, but this is still generally ego’s feelings. Being able to wave a bell and vajra correctly does not necessarily make you a nice person – someone who can show intelligence and compassion, and genuinely listens. All they want to do is ‘correct’ you! Their energy is directed to the outer form – ritual, organisation and the study of philosophy.

 Meditation is of utmost importance, but it’s all about being free – gaining liberation from the emotions of pride, jealousy, anger, fear and ignorance. If we get stuck in meditation, we might be stuck in ignorance.

 Freedom is confidence in being. It reveals itself in generosity, patience, concentration, discipline and transcendent knowledge. Not uptight at all!

 If you are displaying symptoms of intolerance and impatience, have a look at your lung (pronounced “loong”, which is subtle body wind)… it’s too high!

 

 

 

 

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The Altruistic Attitude.

Whether we progress or not, spiritually, will depend on our motivation. This of course is true of everything we do.

Having the correct attitude of, “May I rid myself of all ego-orientated negativity such as attachment, aggression and stupidity, for the benefit of all sentient beings,” together with, “May whatever merit I have accumulated be of benefit to all sentient beings,” will protect our practice and safeguard our journey. This is called the Bodhicitta attitude.

Of course, we are not enlightened yet – but we can act that way. Put it this way: we are acting anyway, so why not act with an altruistic attitude? Acting in this way safeguards us from selfishness, and moves us towards compassion. And that will be challenging!

We have been acting (reacting) for a very long time …for countless life-times! Because of our ego-orientated-self-centred clinging to ideas and fixated concepts about ourself, we act out on the world stage. Of course, the world doesn’t help as it too is acting out…and acting up as well! We all run around, blaming everyone else, and trying to show ourselves in a ‘good’ light. It’s called righteous anger. We have written our own script and damn anyone who contradicts us!

We hear many who say, “I do not need a path or system. I am my own master, and everything I need to know is within me.” Pity! With that attitude, one will go on acting selfishly, holding even stronger concepts about oneself.

We are our own masters, but we also need clarity, knowledge, wisdom, empathy, love and compassion…for the benefit of others. Having compassion to benefit others means that we are devoted to them…and not ourselves. This is very challenging!

Our greatest teacher is our own reaction in our own minds. This is the mirror of our behaviour. As a painter, my greatest teacher is the mirror, as it bypasses my habitual concepts and allows me to see things from a different viewpoint: it shows all that is out of harmony.

Ho!

To establish every single being, in numbers vast as space,

In the state of enlightenment,

I will realise the self-knowing awareness, the Dharmakaya,

Through the instruction of Dzogpa Chenpo.

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Posted on June 2, 2013 by tony | Leave a comment

THE OTHER REASON WHY WE ARE HERE

Posted on June 1, 2013 by tony

The other reason why we are here.

As sentient beings, in addition to realising our true nature, we have to transcend certain fears or obstacles in our attitude. This is to do with what are called klesa – afflictive emotions. In order to function in our Samsaric life for the benefit of others, we need to face our own fears on a relative level. We are talking about the psychology of being human.

It may be that we cannot communicate well: perhaps we are fiery, or we hesitate. We may have low self esteem, look down on others, isolate ourselves, keep our feeling locked in. We might be easily led, or too suspicious. Perhaps we want to please too much, wanting others to tell us what to do, or we see things only in black and white. It may be that we are so eclectic that we cannot focus on one point. The list is endless: in Buddhism, it is said that there are 84,000 types of afflictions.

If we live in isolation, it doesn’t matter how grumpy we are, but if we live in communities, this brings out our angst and anxieties. Alternatively, it can also work as a catalyst to accelerate our progress, by shining a brilliant light on our faults. We need the courage to step into the light!

This is why the Kali Yuga is right for Dzogchen/Mahamudra teachings. This period of heightened emotions charges our being with brightness. When this age has passed, there may not be such teachings – people will be too content!

This is a great time to feel the mud!

All that glitters is not gold. Means we can easily be mistaken, about what easily attracts us. In feeling the mud we are bound to feel dirty.

All that glitters is not gold is a well-known saying, meaning that not everything that looks precious or true turns out to be so. This can apply to persons, places, or things that promise to be more than they really are. The expression, in various forms, originated in or before the 12th century and may date back to Aesop.

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APPRECIATE YOURSELF

Posted on June 1, 2013 by tony

Appreciate yourself.

How many people are born and die everyday without having an inkling of their true nature? I know this is an obvious thing to say, but sometimes we can take knowledge and wisdom for granted.

Even if we have just heard the words compassion, awareness and emptiness for the the first time, we know we have started the process to enlightenment. How truly fortunate!

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are two methods. One is to practice compassion and kindness, and through these we accumulate merit and gradually realise the view of emptiness. The other is being introduced to the Great Perfection – our true essence and nature of emptiness and awareness – and from there, compassion naturally arises. 

When you have this sort of understanding, life is very different, as you know why you are here.

Don’t take anything for granted! We are only here a short while. To even be in the ‘virtual’ company of fellow aspirants makes our live fruitful, as it is a karmic connection.

If you ever feel you lack confidence in life and experience doubts, this is merely an inner conflict with habitual pattern. It shows intelligence and awareness: appreciate your intelligence and awareness – they will lead to enlightenment!

 

It’s good to know ‘virtual’ friends.

Enlightened beings are ‘virtual’ friends.

‘Virtual’ can be more real than real.

 

 

Virtual: adjective – We drove to the cottage in virtual silence: effective, in effect, near, near enough, essential, practical, for all practical purposes, to all intents and purposes, in all but name, indirect, implied, implicit, unacknowledged, tacit.

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All things must pass.

Posted on May 31, 2013 by tony

 

The second video was probably George’s last appearance.

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YOU ARE

Posted on May 31, 2013 by tony

You are

The Buddha in the Mud.

The Jewel in the mud.

Wisdom in confusion.

Knowing in unknowing.

Intelligence in chaos.

Compassion in aggression.

Light in the emotions.

You are not here in the pursuit

of feeling better

about the

Mud

Confusion

Unknowing

Chaos

Aggression

Emotions

You are here

to recognise you are the

Buddha

Jewel

Wisdom

Knowing

Intelligence

Compassion

Light.

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MENTAL FIXATIONS

Posted on May 30, 2013 by tony

Mental Fixations.

 Mental Fixations. What are they?

 I have loads of fixated ideas wandering around in my brain. We are told that fixations come from our own likes and dislikes – the two universal poisons of Hope/Fear and Repulsion/Attraction – together with the third, which is Ignorance/Indifference/Inertia. This is true.

 However, there is a more subversive aspect. These fixated ideas generally sound like: “You ‘should’ paint like this!” or “You ‘shouldn’t’ be like that!” “You ‘shouldn’t’ write about this!” and “You ‘should’ act like that!”

 You ‘should’…You ‘shouldn’t‘….is a subtle pressure to conform, of being told (through neurolinguistic and symbolic programming) to be like ‘us’. These ideas are contrived conventions.

 We all like to be liked, and not disliked, and so we comply with these ‘shoulds.’ We go along with the ‘act’. Of course, to be kind and spacious, we should (!!) respect others’ ways, but we don’t have to have our lives weighed down with their expectations.

 These memes (an element of a culture or behaviour that may be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, esp. imitation) are like whispers that enter covertly into the brain and mind through social programming. There are phrases and sayings that we hear in early life, which can infest the mind with doubts that comes to the fore in later life. This can interfere with spontaneity, and causes fixation, uncertainty and lack of confidence.

 We are expected to make the ‘right’ noises. Even in Buddhist retreats and Monasteries, we are expected to behave in a certain way – a certain exaggerated way – which goes beyond intelligent respect. I’m amazed at the uniform, over-positive responses and sweet smiles: it didn’t go down too well when I suggested that we can’t be honest, and don’t have an original thought in our heads. Why do we so readily imitate one another? Is it out of fear of being seen not to conform?

 We have to be skilful in treading in conventional reality…not too tight, not too loose.

 

“To thine own self be true,

then thou canst not be false to anyone.”

 

We have enough problems

dealing with our own nightmares,

Let alone the nightmares of others!

 

 

 

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DON’T LEARN IT – LIVE IT

Posted on May 29, 2013 by tony

Don’t learn it – live it.

 The Buddha dharma is not a belief system: it is a description of our true nature, which can be experienced. It is a complete system that can be clearly understood from beginning to end.

In fact, it is said, “In knowing one, one knows everything.” That ‘one’ is Essence.

 Even if you prefer to call it God, you still need to recognise your own awareness first in order to recognise Essence/God. Without this, nothing can be known. And that is not a belief, it’s a fact!

 At present, we live in a bodymind prison. It may be a harsh prison, or a comfortable prison…it’s still a prison. This is not what we truly are, so we have to find a way out, and we need a key.

 There are Buddhist paths/methods to liberation to suit all temperaments: this blog leans towards Vajrayana-Dzogchen…with Compassion thrown in (Mahayana).

 There are three requirements to being a suitable vessel: the accumulation of merit, purification of obscurations, and blessings. Simply put, merit is good intention, purification is practice and blessings come from an authentic teacher.

Merit is having a spiritual attitude to everything.

Purification is the practice of effortless effort.

Blessing is the virus we catch from the teacher: it is likened to a flame. A flame needs a candle, which is created by our merit and practice. Then our candle can be lit by the blessings from the teacher. If our merit and practice is not strong, the light will flicker and not last.

 First we have to recognise we are suffering and in prison. We can get carried away with how wonderful life is, but we need to get out of this temporary, mistaken, illusory existence! Our true nature is not to be a prisoner. We have the key, and we are the jailer. All beliefs create bars. The key is dropping all beliefs. Unlock the bars and go into the bright light.

 In Dzogchen, there is the pointing out instruction = passing on the flame.

In the Vajrayana, there are the preliminary practices = the accumulation of merit, and purification These are called the Ngondro and consist of 4 x 111,111,111 practices – whether these work on not, depends on the individual. I’ve completed them: I can’t say one way or the other, but it does focus one’s commitment to a state of non-commitment where you just do them.

 

To get to enlightenment

one merely clears away

the obstacles.

 

Slowly or quickly.

 

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OVER STIMULATION

Posted on May 28, 2013 by tony

Over stimulation.

 

!——$$—??—&&—-çç—ΩΩ—√√√—∂∂∂∂—∫∫∫—%%%—ßßß—ååå—–!

 

Life is like a washing line.

It’s full of serious washing

that is constantly added to,

and has to be reviewed and renewed.

 

The line is our awareness

The washing is our collection of

precious ideas.

 

From the moment we are born until now, our Essence has never changed. It’s just there. It is the same Essence that looked out of our eyes at birth, and will still be there at death.

 The washing is our collection of fixated ideas. We spend our lives arguing about our washing – our acquired washing – and forget about our line…Timeless, Uncreated Essence.

 We are all in conflict with others about our treasured washing – so much so, that we rarely take the time to appreciate the lines of others !———–! which are the same as ours, but expressed differently.

 

Spirituality is recognising Essence.

We don’t have to do anything, but recognise.

So why isn’t this happening?

We are over-stimulated by our washing.

Continuously and obsessively over-stimulated.

 

It is interesting that, at any moment, we can wake up from this over-stimulation, but we are too busy. Why? Because the world around us is also over-stimulated!

 So, our choice of belief keeps us in conflict with others, who are in turn trying to prove their beliefs.

Our real conflict is not outside. It’s within. Clinging to our washing, when we know (in the back of our minds) that there is something we are missing.

 

 It’s not a matter of getting rid of this…

!$$??&&ççΩΩ√√√∂∂∂∫∫∫%%%***ßßßååå!

 

And just having this……

!———————————————-!

 

It’s a matter of realising the valuing both…..

!——$$—??—&&—-çç—ΩΩ—√√√—∂∂∂∂—∫∫∫—%%%—***—ßßß—ååå—–!

 

 The washing is displayed by virtue of the line.

The line allows everything to be displayed.

In that recognition, there is no conflict.

 

 

 

 

 

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Taking time out.

 There are two aspects to this phrase: one is to take time out of our busy day to be kind to ourselves, and the other is beyond time, to take time out of the equation altogether.

We need time just to be. A quiet moment to allow the senses and mind to come to rest.

See without looking.

Hear without listening.

Be without being.

Just stay still and enjoy.

 If it turns into serious shine practice, that’s okay, but the important thing is to take some time to relax in your own way. Note that all the senses are open, and thoughts will come…just say…“Later”. This is the start of taking your life back from all those things expected of you.

 One really strange thing I have found is that, even in a busy day of being there for others, we are given time to ourselves…marvellous!

 Now we come to the other aspect of timelessness…beyond time. The concept of time only relates to things that change: planets, seasons, bodies, and consciousness. There are two non-things that do not have time: space and essence. Outer space and inner space. And neither of these alter: they are permanent in their non-thing-ness!

It doesn’t matter what you do to the space in front of you – nothing can disturb it. It’s the same with essence. Essence is uncontaminated cognisance, pure sacred open spaciousness. It’s where love comes from!

You may want to call this God. That’s okay. But without your own loving awareness, God would never be known!

Take time out to love once in a while…if not more often.

 

 

 

Posted on May 27, 2013 by tony | 2 Comments

Deceptive laws

Posted on May 26, 2013 by tony

1st Video simply explains common law and civil commercial law – which is the law of the sea! natural law is superimposed by deceptive laws.

2nd Video admitting that Britain polices by ‘consent’.

3rd Video revealing the truth about American prisons…that may come our way! Please excuse the jokey comments, this is very serious.

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IT’S NOT ALL YOUR FAULT

Posted on May 26, 2013 by tony

It’s not all your fault.

 It’s not all your fault because you have been deceived, and it is all your fault because you allowed it to happen, due to ignorance.

 Demons are anything that creates an obstacle to our understanding of reality: these are inner and outer obstacles. The inner demon is our own ego-fixed bias of likes and dislikes, which therefore creates fear and suffering. This happens because we ignore our true nature – primordial purity.

 So what about outer demons? Well, this is anything that creates an obstacle to our understanding of reality. Anything that distracts us, anything that deceives us from knowing our true nature.

 It’s not all your fault, because of mass hypnosis! I suspect the only people in this world who are not hypnotised are indigenous population. They are not glued to the TV, media and computers – but they have been suppressed in terrible ways (genocide) because they had their own traditions. We were all indigenous at one time but we learnt (were deceived) to conform.

 Today – 26 May 2013 – is “SORRY DAY” in Australia: sorry for all the wrongs committed against the Aboriginal people, including that of stolen children. Just look around the world at how many traditional ways have been attacked and destroyed. This new world wants us all to conform, hence mass hypnosis.

 I won’t go on too long, as you know what is going on. But many do not. You only have to overhear conversations all over the world to see everyone is distracted by trivia. What you may not understand is how the ‘laws’ have been changed, and therefore affect our whole way of life!

 There is ‘common law,’ which states “Do no harm, or threat of harm.” We have Freedom, Responsibility and Liability, and so we make amends for wrong doing…simply put, we all know right from wrong. That is the natural law of the person. But this mindset of dignity and respect has been degenerated.

 What has been introduced is ‘civil law’ or ‘commercial law’: this concerns your admitted name in CAPITAL LETTERS…and results in thousands of laws to generate money.

 Nearly 3 million Americans work as slave labour private prisons for the arms industry. In the US, they police by force: “Three strikes and that’s life imprisonment!”

 However, in other countries like Britain, what you may not know is that you are policed by consent. Your consent. ‘They’ say ignorance of the law is no excuse, but this law is in code to deceive you.

 My main sadness about Buddhism is that the lamas only concern themselves with formal practices to generate awareness, but we must have empathy and compassion – in a literal sense. We have to know the created causes for people’s suffering. If people are ill, stressed, worried and frightened in the daily life, they will not be able to meditate properly. This commercial world is exploiting and compounding the frailty of the human condition, and we cannot ignore this.

 

Videos to follow.

 

 

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Terror generating machine.

Posted on May 25, 2013 by tony

Continuing as you sow so you reap. But here it seems they want conflict, and we realise that this has happened throughout history.

People do not want wars, manipulators do!

“Naturally, the common people don’t want war. Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor America. Nor for that matter, Germany. That is understood. But people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to danger.
It works the same in any country.” 

 -Herman Goering, during the Nuremberg trials. 

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OUR BELIEFS SENTENCE US

Posted on May 25, 2013 by tony

Our beliefs sentence us.

 Our beliefs sentence us to see the world in a certain way, and that in turn has an effect on us. This is the law of interdependence: situations are created by a series of links comprising of causes and conditions. This means that the links in this chain of events can be broken! Once this is understood, we see everything as an illusion, as everything is created by causes and conditions. However, if we dismiss this relative truth, we can end up in the extreme of nihilism, and a fake ’emptiness’. We really do have to understand how relative and absolute truth work together.

 We mustn’t be careless, otherwise we will create more karma – a mental store house through which we see everything – and in turn, this will have an effect on us. That is the vicious cycle of interdependent existence – Samsara. Crudely speaking, we get back what we give. I’m sure that is the real meaning of, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Translations can be a manipulative art!

 Our fellow ‘convicts’ have also sentenced themselves through a set of beliefs. Wherever we, as sentient beings, find ourselves – in the world, family, work or leisure – we will always find conflict. Whatever harm appears in the world is a result of our own ego-clinging. The ego-clinging-demons are in our own mind – that’s hell. Our true nature – pure awareness – is heaven. However, if we cling to either of these, this clinging turns purity into impurity. We have both natures, and the ‘impure dark’ will help us right up to the very last moment!

 As we progress, we see more. We become more accurate in translating what is experienced. It isn’t easy to develop the right vocabulary to express real experience. We all need help!

 This is where devotion and blessings come in to play. If we try to express ourselves using the conceptual mind, it is always bound by ego (consciousness clinging to fixated ideas about itself). So we stay in prison of our mental beliefs, and it’s hell!

 If we can get the feeling of pure awareness – just being – then through devotion, blessings come: this is spiritual influence. Then, whatever thought arises is merely an expression of pure awareness. It is here that we have to be very careful, and not careless. Neither accept nor reject: what comes, comes.

 We recognise essence as primordial purity – one taste. When this one taste is directed to the benefit of all sentient beings, inspiration arises – spiritual influence. Any clinging will attract those demons, which are our own likes and dislikes.

 

Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche 1st.

 

Don’t wander, don’t wander, place mindfulness on guard:

Along the road of distraction, Mara lies in ambush.

Mara is this mind, clinging to like and dislike.

So look into the essence of this magic, free from dualistic fixation.

Realise that your mind is unfabricated primal purity.

There is no buddha elsewhere; look at your own face.

There is nothing else to search for; rest in your own place.

Non-meditation is spontaneous perfection, so capture the royal seat.

 

 

 

 

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FEAR OF DEVOTION

Posted on May 24, 2013 by tony

Fear of devotion.

 In some cultures, devotion exists naturally. In others, it doesn’t. We all have this feeling of devotion, but are afraid of it – or rather, we are afraid of our feelings about it. It is a hidden longing that is innate in us, and has to be enhanced. However, who wants to admit to experiencing goose pimples and tears?!

 Devotion is a feeling of finding home – a sense of relief in finding what you have been looking for. And sadly, and with joy, we realise it’s been there all the time… “What have I been doing?”

 When one starts to understand and realise the main point of the Dharma teachings (and that’s in any tradition), the joy and appreciation that arises is devotion. There is sense of recognising relief, and one simply melts. Hence happy for no reason, and love for no reason…goose pimples, tears and all!

 This is not a sticky, sentimental devotion: rather, it is one of clarity, intelligence and knowledge. Of course, we will experience the sticky kind that becomes conceptual from time to time, but that soon vanishes when the pain starts!

 Devotion is a feeling: a good, emotional feeling. Emotions are generally negative (desire, envy, anger etc) whereas devotion is a good emotion, when it is pure.

 What is the advantage of experiencing devotion?

 We can receive blessings (spiritual influence) in our subtle body and basic consciousness. We have a lot of bonds that tie us up, and devotion melts away this bondage and opens up our subtle body, and we feel right – there is a feeling of well being. Love for no reason.

 In our present state, we have to express what we feel through words and actions, and this creates consequences, and binds us. Devotion is a healthy type of expression without the side effect of binding us.

 We are human. We are not vegetables, and it is part of our nature to express. There are the foolish who like to repeat, “Those that know do not speak.” This is idiotic, and lacks compassion. We have a mind and we think: we can direct our thinking in a positive or a negative way, and it’s the same with emotions.

 In the Dharma, both negative and positive are addressed: since we have to express ourselves because of our emotions, there are guidelines to follow in order to help us. These refer to our conduct and compassion.

 In order to open up,

we have to express.

If we don’t express

we cannot open up.

 Emotion of devotion is the antithesis of other emotions: usually emotions make us more uptight, but devotion releases. If we don’t know what the essence of devotion is, then there is some danger of becoming fanatical. That’s why in the Dharma, it is said that devotion has to go along with intelligence, knowledge and love.

 Many things block the arousal of devotion – in the body there may be physical tiredness or stress, or imbalances in the subtle body, and the mind may preoccupied with hopes and fears. These things will prevent the expression of devotion.

 If we want devotion to arise, this can only happen if our subtle body is free and balanced. We may have trust, faith and confidence at an cognitive level, but at a deeper level, we may not have a heart-felt feeling in our subtle body.

 There has to be trust, faith and confidence, and we probably already have those. We may become hyped up by chanting, recitation, music etc which may make us cry or give us goose pimples. We may feel warm, loving and great afterwards – but is that devotion? Devotion is wisdom, which can ignite compassion.

 We can be great Awareness practitioners but be numb to expression.

 There is a practice of sending Light from one’s heart to the hearts of all enlightened beings: that Light then returns to one’s heart with blessings, and one immediately sends that Light out again to all sentient beings. This repeats in a continuous cycle.

 

 

 Our fear can be a ‘cultural inheritance’.

 

 

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World Food Corruption.

Posted on May 24, 2013 by tony

World Food Corruption.

Spiritual people can no longer stick their heads in the sand, ignoring what is happening to their brothers and sisters.

Listen to this video very carefully, it describes a company that is unkind to mankind – and government protected.

This company is a company the ordinary media do not talk about – it seems they are not allowed to. WHY?

Tomorrow the 25 May 2013 there will be protests in forty countries.

The company also formerly manufactured controversial products such as the insecticide DDT, PCBs, Agent Orange, and recombinant bovine somatotropin.

They also make LEDs – California lists gallium arsenide as a carcinogen.

They also own Aspartame – Under the trade names Equal, NutraSweet, and Canderel, aspartame is an ingredient in approximately 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide, including (but not limited to) diet sodas and other soft drinks, instant breakfasts, breath mints, cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, cocoa mixes, frozen desserts, gelatin desserts, juices, laxatives, chewable vitamin supplements, milk drinks, pharmaceutical drugs and supplements, shake mixes, tabletop sweeteners, teas, instant coffees, topping mixes, wine coolers and yogurt. It is provided as a table condiment in some countries. Aspartame is less suitable for baking than other sweeteners, because it breaks down when heated and loses much of its sweetness. Aspartame is also one of the main sugar substitutes used by people with diabetes.

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DHARMA AND THE FAMILY

Posted on May 23, 2013 by tony

Dharma and the Family!

Now here’s a real challenge for practice, and for keeping one’s sanity! Whether the family is quiet or noisy, there is always a collective attitude – a collective mind – ‘the hive’. Families do have certain traits. I suppose this is based on the law of attraction, but remember, there is also the law of repulsion and the law of indifference.

I have absolutely no credibility in this area: my family gets irritated as soon as I walk into the room. As much as I want to love them, and have a heart-to-heart with them about things…that’s the last thing they want! Families – like people – don’t like change.

To be honest, we can’t do much about other people’s minds, but we can do much about our own. Trying not to be irritating, or irritated, is a tricky business. Still, we can be there for them, to listen to them, as we are part of their karma, and they ours. Arguing only makes a sticky situation even more sticky!

When we grow up and move away from the collective mind – the hive mentality – this can be disconcerting for the family, as anything that does not agree with the status quo is a threat. That is merely collective ego-clinging. Most cling to the corporate ideal…a larger TV, another exotic holiday, or various other status symbols.

Mind you, Buddhists are just as bad…have you seen the size of some of their Buddhas, tantric paintings, shrines, special cushions and mats, bells and whistles?!

For some of us, families can a messy business. If you want to search for the truth and they do not, it is bound to cause conflict, and so tenderness and courage are needed. We all make mistakes in our partnerships, and karmically, we have to see it out – accept it. It is the practice of giving space or expanding love

However, this can also seem to make things worse, or perhaps bring the situation to a head. Once one has decided to know the truth, there is no going back into a dream – someone else’s dream. That person then has a choice to join in the search for reality, or leave. This is why spirituality is tough.

My first wife hated me meditating. If I was in the toilet too long, she’d bang on the door and turn the radio up. I used to go to a local church early in the mornings to meditate, and she’d follow me, sitting behind me chanting, “Mantra mantra mantra!” One of her favourite retorts was, “Of course there’s a God – but you don’t have to bring him into every conversation!” I must have been truly irritating: she couldn’t stop herself, and neither could I, even though I felt sorry for her. That’s karma for you.

She eventually left, taking our daughter away, back to her home country. This was forty years ago, and now, as a consequence, I do not see my three grand children. Spirituality is tougher than we think. However, life has a way of working itself out: I was given space and time to practise.

 

Families press our buttons.

Those buttons make us extra sensitive.

It’s a good way of judging our progress

…or not.

Until enlightenment,

there will always be buttons!

 

( I’ve just come back from a family funeral which prompt these thoughts!)

 

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LIFE IS TOUGH

Posted on May 20, 2013 by tony

Life is tough.

 

 No one lives our life for us.

Our senses, mind and spiritual friends

are our tools.

 

Most things we learn

are from those who want us chained

to their life of illusion.

 

Through fear, we rely and comply.

Wake up, and know the nature

of this mistaken reality.

 

We have wonderful senses and mind.

We have wonderful reasoning and logic.

We have wonderful spiritual friends.

 

However, it comes down to us,

using reason, logic and love,

to share our precious gifts with each other.

 

The world is not what we think.

It is so much more.

Trusting in your next step

means leaving the one you’re on.

 

Life is tough.

 

 

 

.

 

 

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Lack of zest or vitality?

Posted on May 20, 2013 by tony

IF YOU DO NOT FEEL RIGHT, IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO MEDITATE AND MORE EASY TO BE CONFUSED.

“Smart Meters” & EMR: The Health Crisis Of Our Time – Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt. “New diseases with no names.”

The second video is a Commons Select Committee Meeting UK (Clip 1 of 6) being told about “Smart meters”.

The representatives from Stop Smart Meters! (UK) share their concerns about adverse health effects from wireless smart meters due to the pulsed microwave radiation that is emitted 24/7 by these meters, up to 190,000 pulses a day – acute effects (insomnia, headaches, nausea, anxiety and depression, fatigue and memory/concentration problems) and chronic effects (including increased risk of cancer, infertility, dementia, immune system dysfunction, damage to fetuses); environmental damage from wireless smart meters – RF radiation affecting bees, plants, trees, birds etc and the inherent energy-inefficiency of wireless technology: cybersecurity problems – leaving homes and communities vulnerable to hacking of their smart meters; privacy issues – concerning the masses of real-time data on energy usage collected by the utility company which gives a detailed picture of family life inside a home with a smart meter, who will have access to that data, and how that data will be used; and the specter of higher bills resulting from smart meters – as has been the experience in Canada where 80% of Smart Meter users complain of higher bills within a year of installation, often more that 50% higher.

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ADVICE FROM PADMASAMBHAVA

Posted on May 19, 2013 by tony

Words from Padmasambhava

Ten Signs of Progress

Master Padma (Padmasambhava) said, “When you take the Dharma to heart, there are ten signs.”

The lady (dakini/yeshe/tsogyal) asked, “What are these ten signs?

The master replied,

 “When your grasping decreases, that is the sign of having dispelled the evil spirit of fixation on concrete reality.

 “When your attachment grows less, that is the sign of being free from ambitious craving.

 “When your disturbing emotions decrease, that is the sign of the five poisons being pacified from within.

 “When your selfishness decreases, that is the sign of having dispelled the evil spirit of ego-clinging.

 “When you are free from embarrassment, and holding no reference point whatsoever, that is the sign that your deluded perceptions have collapsed.

 “When you are free from concepts of meditator and meditation, object and never lose sight of your innate nature, that is the sign that you have met the mother of dharmata (the ground luminosity of the natural state, inherent as the enlightened essence of all beings).

 “When any perception arises as unbiased, individual experience, that is the sign of having reached the core of view in meditation.

 “When you have resolved samsara and nirvana as being indivisible, that is the sign that full realisation has arisen within. In short, when you have no clinging to even your own body, that is the sign of being totally free from attachment.

 “When you remain unharmed by suffering and difficulties, that is the sign of understanding appearances to be an illusion.

 “When you have only a minor degree of the eight worldly concerns*, that is the sign of having recognised the nature of mind.

 “In any case, when your inner signs show outwardly, it is like a tree that has sprouted leaves. When the outer signs are noticed by other people, it is like the fruits of the tree that have ripened and can be eaten. 

 “There are many Dharma practitioners without even a single virtuous quality. People with realisation are extremely rare, so it is essential to exert yourself in meditation practice.”

 

*The eight worldly dharmas that seduce the mind are pursuit of gain, praise, eulogy, and joy as well as fear of loss, defamation, ridicule, and sorrow.

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There are still some good people around!

Posted on May 19, 2013 by tony

Mike Kelly is one of them.

You can deceive some of the people all of the time, but not all the people all of the time!

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THIS IS A VERY DECEPTIVE WORLD

Posted on May 18, 2013 by tony

This is a very deceptive world.

 There are two aspects to our being; essence, which is our pure being, and embodied essence caught up in the temporary, material mindbody. We have to respect this mindbody and keep it healthy, as it is our work place, and the work place of others.

 The mindbody is a deceptive existence, as consciousness clings to mistaken concepts about itself: this is known as ego. It’s just like watching a film or the news, and believing what we see is real, when it is merely an image, as in Socrates’s example of shadows on a cave wall believed to be the real experience.

 If we are practitioners, we train step by step – uncovering the deception of this seemingly solid self and world. We know why we are here, and by taming the mind, we create good karma.

 Of course, this moment-to-moment awareness will not suit everyone: we might find it too much, and so choose to live in a halfway house. We may be interested in truth, but feel we would like to function better in this world. Of course, we should do the best we can, as this creates some good karma. However, our journey will be slower, and may even be counter productive – creating bad karma!

 Our age-old problem is Ego claiming everything. Ego claiming an identity, can be manipulated by others.

There are two reasons why I write this blog. One is to help prepare for the Dharma world, while the other is to be aware of those who try to deceive us, consciously and unconsciously. Unless we know how the mindbody works, we will not notice the subtle deceptions being played on us.

 Excitement and dullness are experiences that happen in the mind, which we can counteract. These states of our minds are generally governed by hope, fear and indifference. If our mind is filled with excitement or dullness, we will not cope so well. If our body’s immune system is low, then it will not cope so well. To follow a spiritual path, we need to be a healthy human mindbody.

 If we are not coping, we may find ourselves relying on drugs or pastimes to cope, and these can be addictive. This is a clue to the way in which society is being engineered, and we are being distracted, spiritually.

 One would have thought that, as so much has been learnt in the world, it should be a better place…it’s not! Our quality of life is poorer, we are sicker, and less able to think logically and creatively. Of course, any individual can say, “Oh, I’m okay!” but that is not looking at the bigger picture…or having any compassion.

 The point of this blog is to see through the deceptions, both internally and externally, and really see that everything is actually okay, when we are aware. This awareness can then extend to kindness, and warmth towards others. We cannot be blind to what is going on, but there are those who hope we don’t notice. It is all about control: there are external forces that are trying to direct our minds into thinking a certain way – to get us caught up in all sorts of machinations and intrigue within this mistaken reality. Control is power. Power is control. Make sure you own your own power and have control. Do not let someone else do it for you! Reacting is conforming to a type.

 We are fed daily news preparing us for coming actions. We are being programmed, and that is generally creating a fear of terrorism. There is so much news about it that the programming is doing the terrorising!

 There are key people in every walk of life taking part in public control, marketing an agenda. The media is just the mouthpiece for governments, who are, in turn, the mouthpiece for the controlling corporations with massive agendas.

 

If we just analyse one incident, we can get a view of the large picture.

 The public are heavily surveyed, and we are told, “If you are innocent, you have nothing to be afraid of.” Fair enough. But now, if the public films a brutal police attack, they could be arrested. Of course, this does not stand up in court…yet! What happened to, “If you are innocent, you have nothing to be afraid of”?

 Many things are happening here. One: the police are seen as dangerous. Two: they are allowed to over-react. Three: the police have no empathy. Four: the law is protecting them. Five: the government knows this is going on. Six: it is only reported on alternative media. Seven: it creates fear when the police come to the next incident. Eight: the public is losing their trust. Nine: they want this information to spread. Ten: the police are acting more like the military every day: bullying and tasers are used too frequently. Videos to follow!

 It is no longer a matter of keeping the peace. It’s about control and money! Private prisons in America are being used as cheap labour…labour camps for the corporations. Is this the way life should be going?

 The quality of food is deteriorating with the spread of dangerous GM crops which the corporation has genetically engineered in order that they can own them, when they used to grow naturally. Because of this bad food, people need more drugs, which they wouldn’t have needed if the food and water were healthy.

A wonderful web-site is Second Opinion by Barry Groves it’s full of important information. He wrote a book called “Trick and Treat”. The food industry trick us with poor quality food , and the pharmaceutical companies treat us… and we pay for it!

 Education methods keep changing, and standards are getting worse. The list goes on, with each political party blaming the other. It is all pre-arranged to control the public, changing common law into UCC law (Uniform Commercial Code – Commercial Maritime Law).

 What can we do about this? Be aware, and do your own research. But don’t get involved with the fear mongering that is compounding the problem. When sheep are spooked, they are easier to control! It is all about the psychology of marketing taken to the finest degree. They are clever, but unwise. The corporations want you think you are just a mindbody entity to serve and pay, thus putting you into more and more debt.

 Two books describe the violence and media-drug control: Brave New World and 1984, which were written as if blueprints for today. They are both all about conformity: the EU is but one example of this, and is putting us into debt, big time.

 

We are free, untouchable essence, playing a part for a short while. We can play our part but not conform to a commercial type, both worldly or spiritual.

 

We always need a reality check.

To check our reality,

we either have Love

or lack of Love.

 

 

PS. I apologise that this is so  long- I’m feeling a bit passionate today!

 

 

 

 

 

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THE PATH

Posted on May 17, 2013 by tony

The Path.

 

The spiritual path is that

which removes our confusion.

Our confusion created the path.

The path is our confusion.

 

Although our essence is clear,

mind and brain have confused wiring!

It takes time to ‘fire and wire’*.

 

Keep logical and simple to suit.

Too many texts

can confuse the mind.

If you like complicated,

go deeper.

 

 

 

 

.

*http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/11/25/use-it-or-lose-it-and-cells-that-fire-together-wire-together/

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A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION 2

Posted on May 16, 2013 by tony

A little more information 2.

 Images and ideas from the past will also arise. Treat them the same way: they are merely images from the past, and they all come to pass. Quite often, we think that meditation should be perfect…it’s not…and it is!

Whatever appears is merely a mirage. The reality is in the knowing. Some days, karmic images are quiet, and somedays days they are noisy – but the knowing, the pure awareness, is always the same.

If we keep this up, someone could get enlightened!

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A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION

Posted on May 16, 2013 by tony

A little more information.

 It’s like, instead of looking out of the eyes*, the scene merely comes in as a whole. One isn’t looking for, or at, anything: there is just seeing, and the seeing is not held onto. Everything becomes brighter.

The eyes are merely a surface upon which images rest. This connects directly to the mind, and the mind is still. Then, awareness can either be aware of being aware, and therefore stay in relative reality, or completely let go, realising the empty quality – absolute reality.

We can notice that we can oscillate between these two states. One is holding on, and the other is completely letting be.

Best is short moments many times, as it so easy to get caught, holding on. So, see drop, see drop, see drop. Gradually, those moment join up!

* it’s the same with all the senses.

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NO DIRECT EXPERIENCE

Posted on May 16, 2013 by tony

No direct experience.

 Of course, we may not ‘get it’. We just have to be in the right place at the right time. We also have to be aware of our own obscurations – conceptual ideas and emotions, called klesha, that cloud our view. The direct experience is a glimpse of the end of the book. Now we have to look at our own fixations and attitudes that obscure clarity, so we can sustain the clear view.

This is why we have to do purification practices such as, breathing meditation, insight meditation, chanting, analytical meditation, and supplications.

Now we know what to look for, we can be open to the whole book!

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DIRECT EXPERIENCE

Posted on May 16, 2013 by tony

Direct experience.

 Although we may know philosophies, and able to repeat the words and experiences of others, they are not a substitute for direct experience. When you ‘know’, then no one can ever lord it over you, or try to pull the wool over your eyes again.

 When one goes to Dharma centres, there are often some strange unspoken rituals going on. It’s mainly westerners ‘being’ spiritual! Newcomers might feel that they have to follow along…they don’t, although of course, one respects others’ formal expression. All you need is direct experience of the nature of mind, and then whatever others do, is up to them. Direct experience will put you in the right place at the right time, with the right conduct.

 Direct experience gives you confidence in realising that’s it: there is nothing more. Others will have different ways of describing the same thing, which, in the final analysis, is beyond description.

With direct experience, compassion wells up, and one can let others be the way they want to be.

So what is direct experience? It is shockingly simple!

 You are aware of reading these words. —-Take a moment to be aware of this awareness. —-The eyes and senses are wide open. —-One does not interfere with this awareness. —-Just let it be. —-One becomes aware of spaciousness. —-In this space there is nothing happening. —-That ‘nothing happening’ is the empty quality of pure awareness – pure perception – essence. —-Do not try to hold onto it, as that conceptualises it. —-Practise short moments many times. Whether you are tired, drunk, sick, full of mental chatter, this pure awareness is always there. —-Just notice and let be.

This primordial purity, this wisdom – this luminous awareness free from elaboration – is your true nature. Pure and simple. Its expression is Love, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity.

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