Best Of
Re: Ploggers of the world...unite!
@marcitko said:
The only problem was that I would get very scared of being noticed doing it! Fear of potential judgment, ridicule, others possibly thinking I'm off my rocker...
Any tips from more experienced ploggers? Just time and habituation and it goes away?
In Plogging, like in formal meditation, all manner of phenomena visit. The basis of sufferings diminishment here lies in letting go of our inclinations to manipulate those visitors.
While not grasping after, rejecting or ignoring these visitors, the teaching that you've been searching will be present.
Cheers
H.
how
Re: "Buddha's Teachings" - in 1,000 years, how will they know?
Sad truth.
[WARNING: May contain spoilers]
As we may know many chav churches, mosque masks and buddy sangha
are just for show, occasional rituals and habitual culture remnants.
However some of us are made of happier universal truths from whatever the source.
Some might say we even like platitudes... 
https://practicalpie.com/platitudes-examples/
lobster
Re: Being mindful of our actions
@RobinH
As someone whose art is writing, even though I do it rarely, I have found:
... that when I write from a place of trying to tell people what they 'should' or 'ought' or 'would be beneficial' to think and feel (according to me), this never works and I only get pushback.
... that when I write honestly and vulnerably from the perspective of having aroused in myself something positive, or have induced in myself a catharsis, only then do I get positive feeedback, and sometimes - when the muses visit - tremendously positive feedback.
The 'trick' is that arousing something positive in me arouses something positive in the reader and arousing a catharsis for me arouses a catharsis in the reader and everyone wants and is benefited by that.
Just some thoughts that came up for me.
marcitko
Re: I'm Thankful For...
Thanks @Shoshin1
That level of gratitude is a blessing 
I am thankful for:
- Muelsi which I am going to have shortly
- Mindful eating, which I will be practicing
- Heating which we have
- A sunny day ahead, which the weather forecast predicts
- Nearby greenery, which I will visit
- Ability to practice thanksgiving everyday. I haz plan!
lobster
Re: I'm Thankful For...
When I asked my young American friend how her Thanksgiving was, she told me she had a video chat with friends in the US, and the first thing they did was recite this prayer.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)) Prayer of Gratitude to the Natural World
The People
Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people. Now our minds are one.
The Earth Mother
We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks. Now our minds are one.
The Waters
We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms- waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water. Now our minds are one.
The Fish
We turn our minds to the all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks. Now our minds are one.
The Plants
Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come. Now our minds are one.
The Food Plants
With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks. Now our minds are one.
The Medicine Herbs
Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines. Now our minds are one.
The Animals
We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We are honored by them when they give up their lives so we may use their bodies as food for our people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so. Now our minds are one
The Trees
We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty and other useful things. Many people of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life. Now our minds are one.
The Birds
We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds-from the smallest to the largest-we send our joyful greetings and thanks. Now our minds are one.
The Four Winds
We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help us to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds. Now our minds are one.
The Thunderers
Now we turn to the west where our grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We are thankful that they keep those evil things made by Okwiseres underground. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers. Now our minds are one.
The Sun
We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun. Now our minds are one.
Grandmother Moon
We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night-time sky. She is the leader of woman all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon. Now our minds are one.
The Stars
We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to the Stars. Now our minds are one.
The Enlightened Teachers
We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring teachers. Now our minds are one.
The Creator
Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator. Now our minds are one.
We have now arrived at the place where we end our words.
Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way. Now our minds are one.
Perhaps some food for thought for those descended from colonial settlers on Turtle Island.
There's a lot to be grateful for...each and everyday.
Shoshin1
Re: No Buddhist Quotes
“One of the mystics, one of the greatest, was Kabir. He has written... when he was young, he wrote two lines: ”My friend, I was searching and searching for the truth. I never found the truth; on the contrary the seeker, the searcher disappeared – just as if a dewdrop had fallen into the ocean.”
When he was old, he corrected his statement. He said, ”My friend, seeking and searching the truth, I have not found the truth; I have lost myself. The seeker is gone as if the ocean has disappeared into the dewdrop.”
The second comes from a more mature, from a more conscious, more alert Kabir. But whatever way you see it – the dewdrop disappearing into the ocean or the ocean disappearing into the dewdrop – it means exactly the same.
The real and authentic religious search is not of finding, but of losing – the idea of finding is still greed. The idea of finding the truth or God or the ultimate still carries something of greed.
The true mystic, the true religious person, is finding a way to lose himself, how not to be – because those few chosen ones who have attained to the state of ‘not to be’ have experienced the greatest ecstasy possible. From ‘to be’ towards ‘not to be’ is the pilgrimage.”
Jeroen
Re: What do you think of modern movies?
I liked The Hobbit trilogy. Sure, it was far from perfect even by the standards of someone like me who never read LotR and is just generally not a fan of fantasy, but it entertained me. That something the LotR movies never really managed to do. I know people love those. I know they're extremely popular and in their own ways probably great movies as well, I just never really understood the appeal of a fantasy world that takes itself so seriously. In contrast The Hobbit was silly and filled with CGI and drawn out, sure, but all those adventures and the dragon and the character development made me feel like a child in a world that's filled with strange and exciting things. LotR is not the kind of fantasy that's supposed to bring out your inner child, it's the kind of fantasy I think that is meant to be a more immersive, unforgettable experience for those who make a sport out of escapism and also a gateway to such in case anyone is interested in exploring a detailed fictional world with the analytical mindset of an adult. That's how I see it, I might feel differently about it once I read the books, but long walks, big battles and heroic protagonists were never really my thing.
RobinH
Re: Meditation and mental health
@silent (welcome!)
Watch video on YouTube Error 153 Video player configuration error
To avoid the above message when posting from youtube hosted videos
Just post everything before the ? from the share part of the youtube source
so your post becomes https://youtu.be/Nu5N5rxpdTA
lobster
Re: From Seeker to Scholar, and Back Again?
Exactly so @Lionduck
Buddhism is a wisdom tradition but we bring all the things you mentioned to it.
Not all Buddhists are awake or even wise. Yet the tools and potential is there.
We distill, question, seek, realize - awaken
https://brainwisemind.com/which-spiritual-path-is-right-for-me/
lobster