Best Of

I knew that being a Christian was beneficial. We started our Christmas in November. It has been less frantic and more relaxed for sure. Since doing more Christian style meditation and mealtime sharing, I am wondering what sort of Xtian-Buddhist I am.

I am reminded of a meditation used by a Christian desert mystic I met years ago. Sweeping away everything that was not God. This morning I was sweeping away meditation, all thoughts, mantra, prayer etc. Soon there will only be clear light or Nothing.

Seems good to me... as that slowly dissolves...

@Jeroen said:
I see that you’re grappling with the problem. For you, philosophy and the mind are a support for when your empathic gifts bring other people’s emotions too close. I hope this approach affords you peace and equanimity.

I wonder, have you ever approached a Buddhist teacher about your empathy? It seems to me an obstacle in the way of practice, and they may have a way of coping with it.

In some ways it is an obstacle, in other ways its helpful. I also take in emotions that are positive that may have taken work to develop. And once seen and experienced are easier to remember and train.

More importantly though it helps with non attachment and not identifying as strongly with what is occurring in the mind.

With internet communities there has been more information and help from others. And even more talk and recognition in the psychology sphere. But at least so far there doesn't seem to be a "cure" but there are plenty of strategies for adjusting and coping to manage the more negative aspects.

Happy Boxing Day!

I was with my aunt yesterday for a Christmas lunch, had planned to go together with mum but she wasn’t well, and so I went by myself to bring some flowering Helleborus plants and chocolates. We had a long talk of about an hour, about how to create social networks when you are older. She lost her husband to cancer a few years ago, and has just been pensioned from her work. So she has lost a circle of colleagues as well as daily occupation, on top of her husband.

I really liked that movie. Most people hate it. Too Hollywood-y, + the ending... but I thought it was one of the better sci-fi mysteries.

Tao bless us, every one!

I will be listening to Carols, watching a film. Eating whatever scraps we can scrooge together and I am finally gonna open the port for the Baby Cheeses mentioned by @Shoshin1 on choccy digestives (well it is Christmas)

I will be watching the Queen/Kings speech, hoping for abdication and selling of countless generations of thieving. What a great Xmas present that would be.

I will be sending whatever messages of goodwill I can muster to family and friends.

And hope to continue why mantraing to enter the Purelands to cause some wake up there...

Have as always a wonderfilled day...

It was an overcast Christmas morning, however the clouds soon dispersed

Season's greetings folks ...

Christmas is a special day, a day to remember Baby Cheeses.....and how nice they are on crackers

A very merry Christmas to you all… it is a chill morning here at -4 degrees Celsius.

This is the closest I got to the Jesus story this year, my selection of Christmas tree ornaments placed out on the window sill. Kinda a mini nativity play.