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Tonglen

Absolute Teachings - the nature of mind, thoughts, and emotions Whatever arises in the mind is fresh; the essence of realization. When you are in the throws of shenpa how to realize its emptiness nature, its freshness, its openness. like labelling thinking is an absolute instruction in away- it's like pointing out that it's just ineffable, it's just words that aren't even being spoken, but we hear it, and it's very convincing but just thoughts, just like touching a bubble with a feather, or clouds in the sky. when you are in the throws of the shenpa Tonglen is Tibetan for 'giving and taking' (or sending and receiving) and refers to a meditation practice found in Tibetan Buddhism. In particular, to care about other people who are fearful, angry, jealous, overpowered by addictions of all kinds, arrogant, proud, miserly, selfish, mean—you name it—to have compassion and to care for these people, means not to run from the pain of finding these things in ourselves. In fact, one’s whole attitude toward pain can change. Instead of fending it off and hiding from it, one could open one’s heart and allow oneself to feel that pain, feel it as something that will soften and purify us and make us far more loving and kind. The tonglen practice is a method for connecting with suffering—ours and that which

The Secret to Achieving Spiritual Serenity in the Midst of Chaos

Living life in today's high-speed society has its good parts, but it can also be a huge source of stress for those of us who can't seem to keep up with its crazy rhythm. If you are the type of individual who feels the urge to find peace and quiet in the midst of this chaotic living, there are numerous tips to help you achieve spiritual serenity. Start balancing your daily life right now with these simple and achievable methods. Identify and try to eliminate stress factors We are all subject to some type of stress at a certain level, although many times we are not even aware of it. Most people admit to feeling stressed in their professional lives, as demands are constantly increasing. When the job is not a problem, it's our family life. If that's OK too, we tend to feel tensed because we need more money, or strive for more recognition. If you want to reach spiritual serenity, start by finding out which are the stress triggers in your life. Then start managing them by either eliminating them or, if possible, by reducing the pressure they expose you to through self-awareness and acceptance. Disconnect by practicing meditation One of the most effective means to achieve spiritual serenity is constant meditation. It has also been scientifically proven that people who practice a form of meditation

3 Myths That Are Ruining Your Spiritual Journey

Embarking on a spiritual journey is making a commitment to discover who you truly are, and live life more openly and more in sync with your deeper self. It's a journey that will give you the strength you need to understand and overcome the challenges that might come your way with grace and dignity. However, the idea of being on a spiritual journey is sometimes misunderstood by certain people, something that, over time, has led to certain myths being born. In this article, I wanted to share some of the most common myths that might hinder your progress when it comes to this important journey. 1. The destination is the only one that counts Many people focus on the destination rather than the journey, but this is a common pitfall that usually makes them feel bitter and overwhelmed. The reason why you shouldn't look at enlightenment simply as a goal is that spirituality should be a part of your essence and not something that exists outside of you. It's important not to become fixated on achieving enlightenment at the end of your spiritual journey, and instead, center your whole attention on what each stage of the journey can teach you. This way, you'll make sure you learn valuable lessons and make real progress. [ Image Credits: Emily's Flickr ] 2. Being on a spiritual journey

Bodhicitta

Bodhicitta is a spontaneous wish to attain enlightenment that is motivated by great compassion for all sentient beings. This wish for enlightenment is accompanied by a falling away of the attachment we have to the illusion of an inherently existing self. We awaken this bodhicitta, this tenderness or kind caring love for life when we can no longer shield ourselves from the vulnerability of our human condition. Where the only certainty is that one day we shall pass, and the time we have to live is unknown, this is the basic fragility of existence. It tends to be when we feel defeated, at the end of our rope or hopeless that we lose inspiration for living. When we feel this way, ready to give up, we are presented not just with the hopelessness of our being, but with the opportunity to tap into the healing that can be found in the tenderness of pain itself. This is the time to touch the genuine heart of bodhicitta. In the midst of loneliness in the midst of fear, in the middle of feeling misunderstood and rejected is the heartbeat of all things, the genuine heartbeat of sadness. At these times we are also able to touch at or feel the pain of all beings, not just our single life, but life itself. In so doing it is

Ace Swords

The Ace of Swords wields an almighty force - one that changes lives, starts revolutions, and if in the right hands can truly change the world. Whether on a global or a personal scale, this Ace has immeasurable power... combined with the emotional detachment of the swords suit, this is one card that can have chilling implications. Who wields its power? That is the question that comes to my mind when I'm presented with Rider Waite's Ace of Swords in a reading. This sword smacks of power and force and strength in the hands of one who is unseen. Is it a weapon, or is it a protector of the people? The sword serves evil with as much valor as it does good. Therefore we need to ascertain, as quickly as we can, whose hand it is that grasps this mighty sword? The sword is a statement in duality - the further you scratch the surface the further you will see this applies. On the most basic level the sword is a man-made weapon, yet, it is a symbol of justice. It is made of steel yet represents thought. It wields power, but is signified by air... and this is just the surface layer.   The greater the strength of she who wields the sword the more powerful it shall become. In the wrong hands,

White Light Healing; Tapping Into Universal Energy

Here is Melanie Tonia Evans' white light healing visualization technique (© 2005) for self-healing in its entirety: Lie down, and have your eyes closed, and feel relaxed. Do some deep slow breathing until you feel that you are in a peaceful state. Meditation music, candles, and incense, or the smell of oils can be very helpful. It is imperative that this time is free of distractions. I often advise people to do this early in the morning whilst lying in the sanctuary of their bedroom, or late at night when the house is quiet. Make sure the phone is off. Imagine an enormous light over the top of you (like a large billiard table light), make sure in your visualization that the light is longer and wider than you are, and that it is about two feet above you. In your mind's eye switch on the white light healing light capacity of the light, and “feel” a powerful warmth and “see” a blinding white light coming out of the light. Feel the sensation of the light on you. Know that this light represents Universal Healing and that there is no greater power of “perfection”, and that no earthly disease is immune to such power and perfection. Feel the light enter your body, and know that it energises your killer T Cells into action. “See” and

Splitting

Splitting, written by Bill Eddy, helps you protect yourself during a separation or divorce from a high-conflict personality. This book was written as a guide to help people protect themselves from being manipulated, the subject of false accusations, and abuse. Divorce is difficult under the best of circumstances. When your spouse has a high conflict personality, borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), or is manipulative, divorcing can be especially complicated. While people with these tendencies may initially appear convincing and even charming to lawyers and judges, you know better-many of these “persuasive blamers” leverage false accusations, attempt to manipulate others, launch verbal and physical attacks, and do everything they can to get their way. Splitting is your legal and psychological guide to safely navigating a high-conflict divorce from an unpredictable spouse. This book includes all of the critical information you need to work through the process of divorce in an emotionally balanced, productive way. Turn to this guide to help you: Predict what your spouse may do or say in court Take control of your case with assertiveness and strategic thinking Choose a lawyer who understands your case Learn how e-mails and social networking can be used against you - Harbinger Press Biography: Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, has been a family lawyer for over eighteen years and a therapist for over twelve years.

Affirmative Meditation

It is so important to remember that we choose our paths, this affirmative meditation enables us to focus our energy towards creating our desired reality. Affirmative meditation also focuses on self-empowerment. Owning our choices, seeing that these choices created the reality we live in, gives us a great sense of control over our destiny. It makes us believe in our ability to create our reality and future reality. Affirmative Meditation - I Choose "I choose to live by choice, not chance to be motivated, not manipulated to be useful, not used to make changes, not excuses to excel, not compete I chose self-esteem, not self-pity I choose to listen to my inner voice not to the random opinion of others..." This is a great little meditation to print out and use also as an affirmation. Print it out and keep it with you, on your desk, or place it somewhere you'll see it daily.

Emotional Healing – Letting Go Of Negative Feelings

We have all experienced loss, heartache, and sorrow. Nobody wants to go through emotional pain, but it is an inevitable human experience. As the Buddha taught, we are each given ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows. The challenge lies in not getting mired in either the joy or the pain, keeping our hearts open and soft instead of closed and constricted. If we hold on to the hurts and wounds of the past, we start to accumulate emotional baggage—the dead weight of old experiences. Freeing yourself from this emotional baggage is crucial because dwelling on the past prevents you from participating in the present, which is the only place in which you can experience love, happiness, fulfillment, and miracles. Many people are hesitant to approach their inner pain and afraid to open old wounds. Yet it isn’t necessary to charge into a minefield, and you don’t have to brace yourself for a second round of hurt. By following the seven steps to emotional freedom, the healing process can unfold naturally, and when it does, you will experience relief and a surge of wellbeing Take your time with each step, and don’t move on until you feel satisfied that the current step is working for you. For most people, it helps to have someone else join you in the exercise. Their presence provides reassurance that you

Three Pentacles

Keywords Expression, production, work, contribution Range of Meaning Light: Finishing a project. Setting and meeting standards. Performing according to specifications. Making something others value. Creating something new. Doing your part in a group project. Delivering exactly what others have asked for. Shadow: Pandering to the tastes of others. Failing to deliver what you've promised. Not delivering your best work unless closely supervised. Ignoring or breaking agreements with those who have invested in you. Refusing to do your part. Failing to abide by a clearly-outlined agreement with yourself or others. Correspondences Numerology: 3; The Number Three (3). The result; expression, productivity, output. Astrology: Mars in Capricorn Affirmation "My work produces results." Story: The Main Character achieves a result that no other characters have been able to attain. Advice Relationships What are the terms that govern your relationship? What have you agreed to do? What roles and responsibilities fall to your partner or friend? The health of any relationship is directly related to the effort both partners make to fulfill their obligations. If you haven't discussed terms, do so. Work It's time to review contracts and agreements. To what extent do you deliver an honest day's work? To what extent is this fairly compensated? If you agreed to work for a certain price, you should fulfill that agreement, even if you underestimated the time and effort involved

Two Pentacles

Keywords Evaluation, decision, budgeting, diagnosis Range of Meaning Light: Weighing options. Comparing prices. Determining the value of one option over another. Juggling resources to make ends meet. Making difficult choices based on what's best for your body or your bankbook. Looking at the bottom line. Asking for a second opinion on health issues. Shadow: Engaging in endless price comparison. Putting off a buying decision for fear of finding a slightly better value later on. Buying something without regard for value. Breaking your budget with unnecessary expenses. Engaging in behavior with no regard for how your body or bankbook will be impacted. Correspondences Numerology: 2 The Number Two (2); duality, division, debate. Astrology: Jupiter in Capricorn. Affirmation: "Before taking action, I consider costs." Story The Main Character weighs the impact his or her course of action will have on everyone involved. Advice Relationships What does this relationship cost you? If this relationship were an investment, how profitable would it be? This card extends an invitation to consider the pros and cons of your relationship. Before taking action, consider what you have to gain ... and what you have to lose. Work How well do you balance demands of work and life? Remember: you should be working to live, not living to work. If the job is dominating your schedule, press back. If unfettered playtime is ruining

Ace Pentacles

Keywords Health, wealth, practicality, receiving Range of Meaning Light: Outlining a plan for achieving prosperity. Becoming aware of opportunities to improve income or health. Realizing you have everything you need. Appreciating everything the Universe has given you. Receiving the perfect gift at the perfect time. Shadow: Indulging in relentless consumerism. Wanting more, no matter how much you have. Obsessing on your account balance. Suffering from hypochondria. Consuming blessings without expressing gratitude. Taking what you want without concern for the needs of others. Correspondences Numerology: 1 The Number One (1) is the origin, the starting point, the seed, opportunity. Astrology: Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo Affirmation: "I am open to and thankful for my blessings." Story: At the last minute, the Main Character stumbles on a resource that will enable him or her to triumph. Advice Relationships While money and sex can be used to "buy" attention, they cannot purchase true love. An opportunity to have what you've always wanted (at least, in a physical sense) may or may not satisfy your craving for genuine affection. The motive behind a gift means more than the gift itself. Work An opportunity to earn more money or work in better conditions may come your way. As always, though, you must balance this against the requirements and constraints of such a position. Money is important, but not all-important. Weigh all your

Navigating Your Spiritual Path

4 Mistakes You Might Make on Your Spiritual Path There's no shame in admitting that you sometimes face difficulties on your spiritual path. We all face such difficulties. Also, it's something normal and to be expected, since overcoming all the challenges you face is what achieving spiritual balance is all about. However, knowing what mistakes you need to avoid making can also help you out a lot. Overcoming difficulties is nice, but learning how to avoid them altogether is even better. So make sure you avoid making these 4 common mistakes on your spiritual path: Not spending any time in nature You don't have to be a psychic to know that nature has a lot of power when it comes to influencing our spiritual side. After all, most spiritual masters of our time achieved their inner balance by spending a lot of time in nature. The raw power of nature simply cannot be equalled by the simple act of just reading a few books or meditating. You will see that taking a quiet walk in the park or forest will help you clear your mind and find a solution to whatever inner turmoil you are facing. Being arrogant when starting out on your spiritual path This is a huge mistake a lot of people are guilty of making on their spiritual paths. I know it can be

Healing Heartbreak: Healing Your Heart

Healing Heartbreak We've all been through heartache, but heartbreak is in a category all of its own. It is one of the worst kinds of pain that we experience. When heartbroken you literally feel as if you will never recover from the pain of loss you are experiencing. It becomes impossible to picture a future for yourself as you truly do not know how you will get through the day ahead of you. You actually cannot imagine going through an hour of the day, without thinking about or wishing for the person you have lost. Nothing takes away this sadness, it is as if you could drown in it. More than anything I have put these thoughts down to try and help a little bit. There is no magic cure-all but there are some ways you can try and manage yourself through this painful and desperate time. Please when you are reading through these suggestions try and keep in the mind the idea that the recovering from heartbreak is a journey. It is not a life-sentence, or an interminably revolving door. Seeing it as a journey will empower you and help you survive it.healing heartbreak Accept your state of being. Acknowledge to yourself that your heartbreak is one of the most incredibly devastating pains you have experienced, and respect your suffering. You need to do this

Ask The Cards – Best Tarot Questions

The only way to get meaningful answers that deliver real clarity and useful information is by asking good tarot questions! Use these questions to get the best possible answers from your Tarot Readings. Good Tarot Questions: Love For those who are single or dating and want to focus on bringing the right person into their lives: What actions can I take to bring love into my life? What actions do I need to stop participating in, in order for a new love to come into my life? How do I sabotage my relationships? What understanding will help me stop sabotaging and, or testing the people around me? What about me attracts new partners to me? What about me, puts other people off, or makes them feel that I am not someone they will ultimately pursue? What changes can I make that would be of benefit to me, and assist me in finding a new love? What are the qualities I value most in a partner? What are the qualities I absolutely do not want my next partner to have? How can I heal myself from previous romantic wounds? What behavioral patterns do I need to work upon and heal before I enter a new relationship? Good Tarot Questions: Relationship Insight For people who are in relationships and are seeking to strengthen and understand themselves, their

DeadBeat Parents Are In The News – Everyone’s Talking

RePost - Courier Mail, DeadBeat Parents Watch Out. Too Good. Repost Required. Boys' toys in their millions are being seized from daddy scrooges who are snubbing their legal requirements to pay child support. Boats, property, cars and other luxury items worth up to $4 million were seized last year from 172 parents, who had claimed they could not afford to pay child support or just did not want to fork out the cash for their children. And the latest data obtained by The Courier-Mail shows the second-highest debt belongs to Queenslanders, who are owed almost $288 million. Nationally, more than $1 billion is owed. But money recovered by court orders and other measures do not come close to what is owed. Last financial year, more than $25 million in outstanding child support payments were recovered through tax lodgement enforcements, $116 million was seized from intercepting tax refunds and almost $7 million was collected from departure prohibition orders - whereby parents are refused to leave the country unless they pay what is owed. The rising debt puts pressure on Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews to reform the system, which can leave some parents, who are owed money, turning to welfare for help. More than 5 million Australians receive welfare in some form. Mr Andrews refused to buy into the issue on Monday. But tough-talking Human Services

The Hermit – Meaning and Interpretation

The Hermit Hermit - a person living in solitude as a religious discipline. Alone, not lonely. By understanding yourself you can better understand others. A teacher or wise-man in a humble (dis)guise. Seeking inner truth. Connection thru disconnection. Opposites, intellectually challenges social norms and values. Accepts nothing as fact, all is questioned. Complete acceptance. Lack of need.   Once simply The Fool, The Hermit retreated from life, tired and worn down and in search of something more meaningful than his life offered. This journey into solitude has lead him to discover the layered meanings and complexities of the universe. Everything is far more complex and magical than he ever realised. Whilst the hermit walks upon the earth as all humans do. However, he also treads the periphery of the spirit world. He holds his lantern up as a beacon in the night sky, illuminating not only the seemingly empty barren world around him, but also the shadow lands of the other realms. He accepts and welcomes both worlds however he chooses to remain alone in a state of seeking and enlightenment. The lantern or the ‘light’ he holds in front of him symbolises the inner glow of his spirituality, the other world that he knows exists (the spiritual plane) and the belief he has in own life purpose. The hermit can see things the unawakened

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