Uncategorized

How do I build better relationships with people?

by

Relationships are built upon inner worth. This inner worth is developed by us following what we know to be true and right for ourselves~ following our hearts and not being swayed or influenced off our paths.

Question for 12.08.09 was: How do I build better relationships with people?

Original hexagram is Thunder over Heaven; 34.
Expansion is Heaven over Heaven; 1.
The kernel is Heaven over Heaven;1 BY WAY OF Lake over Heaven; 43.

Relationships are built upon inner worth. When we feel “inwardly united with the fundamental principles” our inner power expands. That is, we feel confident and good about ourselves. When we possess this inner value then we are more likely to treat others well and with respect. This in turn offers harmony in our relationships with people. Furthermore, as we develop our inner worth, always cultivating it with compassion, we begin to have a deeper understanding in the meaning of all phenomena. In more practical terms, we have clarity about the overall picture of things.  In relationships, this means when there is conflict we have a better chance of understanding what is actually happening and we can have compassion for both ourselves and other.

This inner worth is developed by us following what we know to be true and right for ourselves~ following our hearts and not being swayed or influenced off our paths. When we are in harmony with what is right for us, then we feel worthy. This lends to good relationships with all living beings.

Cultivating inner worth poses tremendous power. This power can offer positive example for others. When people are around someone who has strong inner worth, then it influences that person to have direction for themselves; the old saying, lead by example comes to mind.

When one casts out what is degrading in their lives, and incorporates what is right, they feel good about themselves; they can have love and compassion for themselves, and in turn have love and compassion for others fostering good relationships with people.

Go forth today treating people well and with respect. Cultivate your inner worth by following what you know to be true and right for yourself, and you will find harmony in your relationship with others.

See the I Ching page for more!

How does one not overindulge?

by

Overindulgence generally comes from one who is not able to recognize the benefit of participating for the common good.  The laws of nature and the laws of people work best when there is understanding of each.  When we are not overindulging, an inner truth begins to rise.  See the I Ching page for more!

How does one progress on the Path?

by

Whether you are just starting on the Path, or a long time student, what is important to remember is that one can not progress without a qualified Teacher.  Accomplishment is achieved through thoroughness, perseverance, but also by acknowledging one’s “youthfulness” in practice.  See the I Ching page for more!

Cultivating Virtue

by

intergenerational_garden

The following teaching is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Happiness is a habit to be cultivated from within. Our minds are habitual but like a rider on a horse you must direct it.

Like a gardener we must cultivate good qualities. Why follow anyone with poor habits and bad qualities?

Good qualities and habits: attitude of gratitude, generosity, compassion, selflessness, right thinking, understanding of cause and result…

Don’t get caught in the trap of judgment – criticism, whining, neediness, selfishness, sloth, greed, and mindless unhelpful chatter.

What is your work? Is it in line with your morality, beliefs, conscience, does it help others? Is it honest work? These things really matter

The mind really is like a muscle to be used and developed. But so is the heart. Ethics are extremely important!

We make peace within ourselves, it does not visit, we cannot catch it. When our elements are in balance we are peaceful.

Anger, violence, grasping, fearfulness, ignorance, hatred, constant desire- these are some habits that keep us unbalanced.

If we have poor habits and qualities we also have no self esteem. And we go further into the chaos of falsity and lies. Crazy!

In short; be a proper gardener! Pull the weeds of bad habit and quality and plant the seeds of loving kindness! You will BLOOM!

Follow Jetsunma on Twitter to see teachings as they happen:

Follow ahkonlhamo on Twitter

Pray for Animals Being Sacrificed

by
Sacrificed Animals
Sacrificed Animals

On Tuesday, November 24th the Gadimai animal sacrifice festival will take place in southern Nepal.  It is said that 500,000 animals including buffaloes, chickens, goats, pigs, rats, and birds will be tortured and slaughtered during this Hindu festival.

This horrible event is being protested by numerous animal rights groups in Nepal and around the world.  Buddhists are also practicing for the benefit of these animals, and their auspicious rebirth. Please pray for these animals.  As the Buddha instructs, these beings once were our own kind mothers

How to Offer Prayers for the benefit of beings:

Set your intention – Begin your prayers or mantra recitation with the sincere intention to benefit these beings.

Recite prayers and mantras with focus and concentration.  Try not to let your mind wander.  If it does, bring it back.  You can recite the Mani mantra:  Om Mani Pedme Hung.  You can also recite the Du Sum Sangye prayer.

Dedicate the merit – Finish your efforts by dedicating the merit of having said prayers and mantra to the benefit of these beings.

Here is a dedication prayer by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

By this effort, may all sentient beings be free of suffering.  May their minds be filled with the nectar of virtue.  In this way may all causes resulting in suffering be extinguished.  And only the light of compassion shine throughout all realms.

Advice and Opportunities for Lha Bab Duchen

by
Children's Program liberating worms at KPC
Children's Program liberating worms at KPC

Jetsunma provided the following advice for today in her tweets:

Good morning and happy Lha Bab Duchen! May your day be filled with prayers, virtue, and good fellowship. May all beings benefit!

Recite Om Mani Padme Hung for animals. Om Ah Hung Benzar Guru Pema Siddhi Hung is good to recite too. Om Vajrasattva Hung to purify.

This is an excellant day to set free creatures meant to be eaten or killed, like bait fish and worms. And for animal rescue.

Today is good for virtous and kindly activities. But do not bring any harm to others, esp today. Everything counts 10 million times.

And dedicate your efforts to the end of suffering for all sentient beings! And pray for those you know are suffering now.

Today is also perfect to remember HH Penor Rinpoche‘ many gifts to us! How amazing His life and accomplishments. We long to see Him again.

We also must pray to HH Karma Kuchen, and be mindful of his kindness. This young Throneholder has accepted a huge burden gladly. E MA HO!

He and the Heart Sons will kindly guide us and we are grateful. HHPR will surely return, and we are grateful and at peace. Dharma prevails!

For those who are in the office or otherwise unable to liberate creatures personally today, you can still generate the merit of saving lives by supporting one of these Rescue Programs:

The Garuda Aviary Bird Sanctuary

Taras Babies Animal Welfare

Virtual Circumambulation

by

For all those who can’t make it to a real Stupa today, we wanted to offer you the opportunity for a “virtual circumambulation.”

How to use a stupa

Aspirations with a stupa

“When you circumambulate a stupa , say fervent prayers in your heart and mind that you will be able to benefit beings and end their suffering and that in all future lifetimes you will be reborn in a form in which you can benefit beings so that they might achieve enlightenment and be free of suffering. “ Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Benefits of Visiting Stupas

Since stupas represent the Buddha, they are objects of refuge and pilgrimage.Traditionally, pilgrims prostrate, circumambulate and make offerings at Stupas for short-term goals such as longevity, prosperity, health and the success of an undertaking as well as for the ultimate goal of enlightenment.They are also used to make potent prayers for the sake of others in the world so that they may be free of suffering.

Walk clockwise around a stupa

Circumambulation is a very powerful practice, and the very root of practice is to circumambulate with strong devotion with an undistracted mind.”There are extensive teachings on the benefits of walking clockwise around a stupa , for example:“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result:you will be as pure as snow; you will be good, radiant, and wise; and you will lead a happy life.”  Buddha Shakyamuni

How to use a stupa
Aspirations with a stupa
“When you circumambulate a stupa , say fervent prayers in your heart and mind that you will be able to benefit beings and end their suffering and that in all future lifetimes you will be reborn in a form in which you can benefit beings so that they might achieve enlightenment and be free of suffering. “ Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
Benefits of Visiting Stupas
Since stupas represent the Buddha, they are objects of refuge and pilgrimage.  Traditionally, pilgrims prostrate, circumambulate and make offerings at Stupas for short-term goals such as longevity, prosperity, health and the success of an undertaking as well as for the ultimate goal of enlightenment.  They are also used to make potent prayers for the sake of others in the world so that they may be free of suffering.
Walk clockwise around a stupa
Circumambulation is a very powerful practice, and the very root of practice is to circumambulate with strong devotion with an undistracted mind.”  There are extensive teachings on the benefits of walking clockwise around a stupa , for example:  “Circumambulating a stupa will have this result:  you will be as pure as sow:; you will be good, radiant, and wise; and you will lead a happy life” Buddha ShakyamuniHow to use a stupa
Aspirations with a stupa
“When you circumambulate a stupa , say fervent prayers in your heart and mind that you will be able to benefit beings and end their suffering and that in all future lifetimes you will be reborn in a form in which you can benefit beings so that they might achieve enlightenment and be free of suffering. “ Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
Benefits of Visiting Stupas
Since stupas represent the Buddha, they are objects of refuge and pilgrimage.  Traditionally, pilgrims prostrate, circumambulate and make offerings at Stupas for short-term goals such as longevity, prosperity, health and the success of an undertaking as well as for the ultimate goal of enlightenment.  They are also used to make potent prayers for the sake of others in the world so that they may be free of suffering.
Walk clockwise around a stupa
Circumambulation is a very powerful practice, and the very root of practice is to circumambulate with strong devotion with an undistracted mind.”  There are extensive teachings on the benefits of walking clockwise around a stupa , for example:  “Circumambulating a stupa will have this result:  you will be as pure as sow:; you will be good, radiant, and wise; and you will lead a happy life” Buddha Shakyamuni

Hallelujah and Amen

by
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo teaching at KPC
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo teaching at KPC

I demand the poetic! And decry the
profane-
And I never never ever want to see
The day
When the artist is forbidden to dance
and sway
And the Goddess is prevented from
having her say.
Yeah, I’m really gonna hate that day.
Really don’t wanna see the day.

This may be a song or maybe a poem-
But I just can’t leave this thought alone.
See I don’t wanna see my people sick
and fearful
Only makes our suffering so tearful. Hard
to heal
Hard to be the Hero. Being here with you
Is all I have.
See, I don’t wanna leave, don’t wanna let
you down.

Here’s the church and here’s the steeple
Inside and all around stand my people
This is no lie and it’s not just ego-
They’re mine to love, and mine to live
for!
So here I’ll stay.

Maybe there will come a day when
All the people learn to pray and
We will turn our minds to Truth and Light
No one will ever doubt what’s right. No
never again.
And we can trust both enemies and.
friends.
Hallelujah and Amen.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Wildlife, Quiet Mind

by
Jetsunma's Wildlife Habitat sign
Jetsunma's Wildlife Habitat sign

The following are tweets by Jetsunma about caring for wildlife.  Her home is a designated wildlife sanctuary.

I am creating a sacred grove as an animal refuge. We put in fruits, berries, wildflowers for the critters.

I have bee plants and bees, butterfly plants and bird plants. Also water, birdfeeders. My offering.

Wherever I am the wild ones are well cared for. Including bird houses for nesting.

I collect wildflower seeds. How the butterflys love wild nettle! Finches too. I am an official wildlife sanctuary!

We plant forage for deer and offer corn n apples. When I see animal friends I sing OM MANI PADME HUM for them.

How lovely to see the critters happy. Don’t forget p’nut butter for squirrels n Jays! Esp when cold.

Om Mani Padme Hum. Try to give the heart some room to LOVE. Chant OM MANI PADME HUM every day.

Today I saw a praying mantis stalk, capture and eat his pray. Never doubt that samsara is filled with suffering

In the future the hunter will be hunted. The pray will be the hunter. Karma is exacting

How fortunate the being who strives to do no harm and gather virtue. This is the cause of happiness.

How pitiful that the cycle of cause and result continue, and we are ignorant of the equation.

But the real Karma here is I always provide habitat, food, forage and housing for all wild beings.

I believe that is the cause of this kind result. I am never without a lovely home and my family is fed.

How could I accept these gifts if I did not pay it forward with kindness toward all beings? I bow down to the Buddha in all.

It’s really fall! The air is sweet and crisp. I notice salt blocks for deer and other critters need changing up- down to the nubs now.

The deer know me and allow me to sing Mantra to them. We also have a great blue heron who hangs out here. Magnificent wingspan! And posture.

Took a long walk today. The colors and fall sunlight- like precious jewels. I offer all to my Root Guru for the sake of sentient beings.

I feel grateful to live with such splendor. Wildflowers, giant trees, lush fields, fruit bearing trees and bushes for the animals! Very cool

I am watching local birdies set up roosting for the winter cold. Cute- and busy. We have dozens of bird houses. Always getting more.

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com