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Practical spiritual growth
To gain an understanding of the totality of your being, you have to look compassionately at your negative characteristics as well as your positive ones, and NOT try to cover them up, sweep them away, or ignore them.
And yet, if you have a bad opinion of yourself, it’s not a true picture, and you will only make your life difficult. As soon as you start accepting yourself as you are, you begin to transform-but even so, be aware of areas of unskillfulness, and room for growth.
In a reasonable way, bring your good qualities to mind and try to develop a positive attitude toward life. With this as your foundation, you will be more successful, more positive, and more realistic.
This leads to spiritual growth. It’s a very practical way to be.
Try to be reasonable in the way you grow-and don’t ever think it is too late.
— Lama Yeshe
Vastmind
Re: Joy, Blissfulness, Silence
Then what makes you consider your “more raucous” expressions as authentically religious, @how? How would you describe the feeling?
Jeroen
Wild Flowers
This is certainly an opinion coming from my perspective, so I don't want to claim that this is the ultimate, best way for everyone at all times, etc.
I've held this view over the years that there is a spectrum of a view on how to live in the world.
On one end you have people who want to be hearty and resilient to life's challenges but don't put much stock in the beauty of the individual. I think of this sort of attitude as like lichen (the thing that lives on rocks). Lichen can grow and live in very harsh conditions, you can walk on it and it will be fine, etc.
On the other end of this spectrum are people who want to be beautiful people but don't put much stock in being hearty and resilient to life's challenges. I think of this sort of attitude as being like a hot house orchid. Orchids are incredibly beautiful flowers. But if you change the humidity or temperature by a few degrees will wilt and die.
I prefer being more like wild flowers (or maybe for myself more like day lilies). They are also beautiful, but thrive in the open, wild spaces. They can stand up to fluctuating conditions and bounce back if trodden on.
person
Re: An authentically religious man
I would suggest that as long as your search for a truly authentically religious person is subject to your own conditioned ideals and is limited to something outside of yourself, you are unlikely to meet what you claim to be searching for.
how
Re: Letting go of games
Letting go of games
Hmm.....shouldn't the thread title be "Lets play games" ...
How many of you players are now ex-players ?
Shoshin1
Re: lasting presence in the shortest time possible without going through a "dark night of the soul"
If I need to go thru rebirth again then there must be something I need to learn before I can go home.
My cousin + partner, have spent their health, monies and even at times, sanity, on building and rebuilding a house and garden. They have a lovely home, garden, visitors, family and lifestyle.
They feel they have built this. In one sense, their house and garden etc has built them. In other words, our roles and efforts, maintain our life and dictate the results of our path.
You want to go home? You are. Now, walk the walk and talk the talk. Mostly be the Bodhi not the bondage.
lobster
Re: Letting go of games
@Shoshin1 said:
Letting go of games
Hmm.....shouldn't the thread title be "Lets play games" ...
How many of you players are now ex-players ?
It’s become quite a wide-ranging discussion, that’s true, in which we’ve contemplated playing a number of different games. I’m still staying away from computer games though, so I count myself as an ex-player, and @person and @marcitko are also mostly clear of the woods.
Jeroen
Re: Buddhist quotes
“When you are deluded, there is a world to escape.
When you are aware, there is nothing to escape.”
— Bodhidharma
Jeroen
Re: Buddhist quotes
Kind of a Buddhist quote:
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
~Carl Jung~ (honorary Buddhist)
Shoshin1