Best Of
Re: Thoughts about ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’
I’m now on chapter six, on reincarnation, karma and rebirth, and one sentence I came across which echoed in my understanding was ‘karma can be both a friend and a teacher.’ It is so that a lot of people see karma as something to be escaped, or a bringer of suffering from previous lives. But in reality karma teaches you goodness, and can also bring blessings from previous lives. Namaste and a good morning to you.
Jeroen
Re: Experience of mantra practice
Experience of mantra practice
Thus have I experienced:
In practical terms, mantras and chants are used to clear mental clutter and then focus the mind.
When I used to attend Dharma talks, our Geshe came to the island once a month to teach. We always began and ended with a chant or mantra. The visits stopped a few years ago.
I start each meditation with a greeting to the universal wisdom and compassion the mind opens to, and I end with gratitude for the experience.
Shoshin1
Re: Noble Eightfold Path versus 6 Paramitas
They are essentially two sides of the same coin. From what I’ve learned, the Noble Eightfold Path is the foundational methodology, while the Six Paramitas are the perfections a Bodhisattva develops to reach the "other shore." You’ll notice a lot of overlap—for instance, "Right Effort" in the Eightfold Path is basically the same as "Virya" (Diligence) in the Paramitas.
Here is an article: The Six Paramitas: Six Ferries Across the River of Life and Death, which explains the Six Paramitas as "six ferries" across a river. It really helped me visualize how these qualities work together as a complete system to deal with daily life and suffering. It might help clarify the relationship for you too
IAMFINE
Re: Thoughts about ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’
I was just reading chapter five, on ‘bringing the mind home’, which is about meditation and builds on previous sections on the nature of mind. I found it useful, to gain a clearer understanding of what to do with the mind while meditating on the breath.
Jeroen
Re: What documentary are you watching?
@person said:
Anyway, something about watching these I find really calming. People comment about how they're crazy to do it or it makes them nervous, but a part of me feels deeply that I would have loved for this to be my life. The focus and joy of the physicality of it moves me.
Climbing docs, especially high mountain ones, are my favorite docs. For me, what draws me in is the sport/endurance aspect, but also the philosophical one, which is nearly always present, and to an extent not really there with other sports. Life/death, risk/safety, human capability, meaning of life, family vs risk... If you've not watched Meru, I highly reccomend it, it's my favorite one.
marcitko
Re: The AI tsunami
@person said:
A nice short with some easy tips to help sort out AI videos from real ones.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3Vwkg4Z_cAs
I’ve found that a lot of videos which are AI generated and include famous actors or speakers now say “inspired by” such and such a person in the description of the video, instead of giving a source for the clip. Today I had a spate of AI Jim Carrey videos pop up in my feed which were tagged like this, for example.
Jeroen
Re: For the coming year
For the coming year
A practical resolution is to refrain from self-reproach when a resolution is broken. The discipline lies not in perfection, but in how the mind is trained to respond to failure.
Shoshin1
Re: Ploggers of the world...unite!
I have continued but am limited by my back. Today I will try to buy the telescopic thingy and enough accesories so that I am ready should anyone want to join.
It continues to be a most relaxing but also illuminating activity. It's like my mind relaxes since it's a very simple activity but then I actually notice more than usual what my mind is doing without trying to interfere too much, as @how suggested. Meditation, basically, but more effective than formal sitting for me at this time. I benefit from the monkey having something to do while I observe or just focus on the activity.
The unexpected or unpredicted happened! Of course everyone went to the large open public space to fire New Year fireworks!
I attach a photo of today's 1 hour effort. As you can see, I found a supermarket trolley which greatly improved my efficiency. I had no trash bags today so left the trolley by the big dumpsters.
The main noticing today was on the power of perspective/refraiming. It rained so everything was wet and I only had running shoes. 1) 'Oh no, everything is wet, how miserable, and my shoes will get wet!' 2) 'Actually, what a blessing, at least none of the unexploded fireworks will explode in my hand + things are pretty much clean!'. 
marcitko