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Astrology for 9/14/2015

September 14, 2015 by Norma

9/14/2015 Monday by Norma

The ability to see both sides of an issue is a huge asset today, and success is dependent on how well everyones’ needs are met. A balanced attitude is important and a conversation generates happiness all around. Michel de Montaigne said, “The clearest sign of wisdom is continued cheerfulness.” A leader inspires others but detailed work is critical to success. Be very aware of hidden, potentially troublesome factors lurking in the shadows, watching and looking for an opportunity. Vigilance guarantees safety today. What’s good? Partnership, love, work and a new beginning!

The astrology post affects each person differently depending on individual horoscopes.
Look to see where this message impacts your life!

The Nature of the Teacher

August 30, 2015 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

An excerpt from the Mindfulness workshop given by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo in 1999

The most important thing you can do to develop spiritual discrimination is to elevate the Root Guru. The Root Guru is the source of how you have come to the path, is the root teacher who gives you the preliminary teachings, is the one who hooks you onto the path. For these reasons you elevate your teacher in such a way that you begin to awaken. You are not awakening to the appearance of the teacher, but to the nature of the teacher. Again, eventually, you will be able to see, not your own appearance, but your nature, and that’s the goal here. That is the point of practicing Guru Yoga. Otherwise no one else would care, because certainly the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas don’t need it. They’re happy the way they are. The Lamas offer themselves to be used in that way. We have this extraordinary opportunity. So it behooves you to accept that offer and use the Lama. It behooves you to take the opportunity to see that this is the appearance of Dharma in your mind, of Dharma in your life, and to lift it up within you in your mind. Lift it up and see it differently from the other ordinary things that are in your life and be able to distinguish that. You want to be able to get past the point where you say, “Well now, I like this about the Lama; I don’t like that about the Lama; I do like this about the Lama, I don’t like this about the Lama, blah, blah, blah.” That’s what you’re doing about everything. That’s what we do about each other and, most of all, about ourselves. This mind training is meant to wean us away from that kind of conceptual proliferation. It is meant to allow us to begin to taste the nourishment of pure View.

Those who have known me for any length of time know that my practice is all about Guru Rinpoche. There are many reasons for that. One is that I have a strong connection with Guru Rinpoche. That’s my great fortune and my great blessing. In my mind and in my heart, there’s nothing else. I don’t see anything else. I’m not saying that I’m a great practitioner, but I’m giving an indication as to how this could work and what kind of formula we can develop in our own practice and in our own quest for mindfulness. When I think about my practice with Guru Rinpoche, I look for him everywhere. I look for the speech, for the method, for the intention of the Guru everywhere. My experience has been that when I ask Guru Rinpoche for help, for receiving strength, receiving health, receiving whatever it is that I need in order to be strong enough to be of benefit to others, it is always there. Even though I haven’t had the training from childhood that many other Lamas have had, when I ask Guru Rinpoche for help, it is always there. There have literally been times when I have not known what my class was going to be about until I got there to teach, and sometimes those are the best classes, because I know that I am nothing but a vessel that Guru Rinpoche’s blessing simply pours through.

We are not talking about being falsely humble. Remember that when you do prostrations, you always get up. We don’t lie on the floor for hours! We get up, and the reason why we get up is because that’s what’s supposed to happen. Through prostrating the body, through practicing this with body, speech and mind, it is our nature that rises up. The ego gets laid down. We lay that down, and the nature is what rises up. Symbolically that’s what’s happening with prostrations. It’s all about learning to have View in a different way.

Astrology for 2/16/2015

February 16, 2015 by Norma

2/16/2015 Monday by Norma

Take a trip of some sort, go for a swim, hang around with people you love. A combination of strength and sensitivity prevail today. If you are strong, take good care of those who need help; and if you’re on the receiving end, be grateful. This is an excellent day for multi-generational interactions. Older folks and those with a wise approach to life are of tremendous assistance to people who are troubled or need a friend. Take advice from those who have gone before, they know what they’re talking about! Order and rules matter today. In any situation, follow the rules: stand in line, take your turn, read instructions. Lewis Cass said, “Men may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” This is a surprisingly satisfying day that ends with a high five and a “Well done!” What’s good today? Love, fun, following the rules and healing what ails you.

The daily astrology post affects everyone. Because individual charts vary, the circumstances outlined in the post will affect people differently. Some will feel this energy in the personal arena, some in finances, some with family or children, some in work, and so forth. There are many departments of life. Look to see where the dynamic affects you!

Astrology for 2/15/2015

February 15, 2015 by Norma

2/15/2015 Sunday by Norma

A startling event transpires today, one that alters your sense of how things are. The solution is to organize the situation, whatever it may be, to assign roles and move ahead. Strong feelings are expressed and the temptation to obsess is powerful. Don’t bother, the situation will pass. A friendly group energy is helpful, and this is a good day to discuss sensitive issues with others. People are easily moved by emotion and sympathy, particularly if compassion is shown toward their issues. Organization facilitates relaxation today. The more your schedule is planned, the more at peace you feel. Surprising confidences are shared and friendship blossoms.Richard Dehmel said, “A little kindness from person to person is better than a vast love for all mankind.” Spend time with friends, have fun, and give everyone the benefit of the doubt today.

The astrology post affects everyone. Because individual charts vary, the circumstances outlined
in the post will affect people differently. Some will feel this energy in the personal arena,
some in finances,some with family and children, some in work, and so forth. Look to see where you are affected!

Eternal Fountain of Blessings

November 12, 2014 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Take Control of Your Life”

We have an amazing thing here. We have an opportunity to participate in something that you don’t have almost anywhere else—I don’t know of anywhere else—and that’s the 24-hour a day prayer vigil. I don’t know of another place, and there may be one, but I don’t know of another place where prayer for sentient beings goes on 24hours a day. This place is like a giant merit machine. To participate in that and the satisfaction of knowing that you have participated somehow in alleviating the suffering of the world is a thing that we should contemplate with joy. And we’re beginning to win over other people. Apparently, there are some non-Buddhist preachers locally that want to know how we did it. How did we motivate our people to practice 24-hour a day prayer for all beings?

Well, we taught what the Buddha taught: that all beings are equal in their nature, that they are all suffering horribly, that they all wish to be happy, that enlightenment is the [end] to suffering, and here is the method. So we have the means by which to understand how to change the worldnot only how to change our personal world, but the world at large. Can you imagine if we had even a dozen major cities around the world with this same effort?

Can you imagine? Stupas and 24-hour a day prayer. This is my dream, my hope. That the field of joyful practice, virtuous activity and enlightenment will swallow up the world and bring us all blissful contentment. That’s what I want to do. I want to make stupas everywhere. I want to make prayer vigils everywhere. I know you want to help. I know you want to join me. It’s the only game in town. There’s nothing else that you can do that will bring so much joy. Nothing you can eat, drink, have, do, that will bring you that much happiness.

Here’s where we start, right here, to change our lives into vehicles that bring happiness to other beings, to practice every day to attain a virtuous peaceful calm mind and to offer that as food and drink to those who are so locked in their own phenomena and confusion that they don’t know that they are. To offer our practice as an eternal fountain of benefit, as eternal as this world anyway, for all the beings of this earth and for all the three thousand myriads of universes, because we should be impartial like the sun. We should pray for all beings equally.

Astrology June 17, 2014

June 17, 2014 by Norma

6/17/2014 Tuesday

An important conversation or message is satisfying and resolves a problem. The goddess of love and the king of generosity are working together, so make a gift of love today. Decide who or what matters most to you and put your money where your mouth is. Anonymous said “I loved her so much it took all my strength to keep from telling her.” Don’t be like that! As the day progresses, artistic pursuits and creative activities are favored, along with medical treatments. Water is your friend today: drink it, swim in it, think about it! Everybody’s talking to everybody, and everybody’s on the road re-doing what they did before- returning things they bought that didn’t fit, etc. The past is important, you’re working on things from the past. If something or someone leaves the environment don’t be sad: this needed to happen.

Astrology for June 16, 2014

June 16, 2014 by Norma

6/16/2014 Monday

A sudden inspiration or message galvanizes people into action. This is a two-way winner and leads down a path you want to take. A door opens and closes today. It’s important to act quickly and then stop as soon as things turn difficult: make no attempt to keep going once the energy passes. If you’re pushing, you’re losing. Shopping and financial matters don’t go particularly well today, so skip these things if you can. A debt may come due, and you must pay. Happiness comes from home, loved ones, food, emotional generosity and conversations with friends. W. H. Auden said “In those whom I like, I can find no common
denominator; in those whom I love I can: they all make me laugh.” Don’t forget that you’re continuing to fix things from the past.

Lord Guru, Dharmakaya Buddha, to you I pray.

Grant blessings to cleanse the darkness of ignorance.

To the Sambhogakaya guru, I pray;

Grant blessings that meditative absorption will develop in my mind.

To the compassionate manifestation body of the Guru, I pray;

Grant blessings that experience and realization may arise in my mind.

To the body of the Guru, Gyalwa Gyatso, I pray;

Grant blessings to accomplish the two purposes of teaching self and others.

I pray to the Lama’s body;

Grant blessings that bliss and heat may blaze in my body;

Bestow the siddhi of immortal life.

I pray to the Lama’s speech;

Grant blessings that the power of my speech may increase;

Bestow the siddhi of purity of speech.

I pray to the Lama’s mind;

Grant blessings that realization may arise in my mind.

Bestow the siddhi of the Great Mahamudra;

Bestow upon me all pure qualities and miraculous activities;

Grant blessings to fully receive the four empowerments;

Bestow the siddhi of accomplishment of the four concerned activities.