Buddhist Thought for the Week

"Emotions reflect intentions. Therefore, awareness of emotions leads to awareness of intentions.
Every discrepancy between a conscious intention and the emotions that accompany it, points directly to a splintered aspect of the self that requires healing."

Gary Zukav

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Buddhist Thought for the Week

How to reach Enlightenment in this lifetime

Many sects and traditions will have different practices to complement the Eightfold Noble Path laid out by Shakyamuni Buddha, but all have these as their basis:

Right Views: i.e., Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths:

The world is full of suffering and stress.
The cause of this suffering and stress is desires of physical instincts.
If desire can be removed, and suffering and stress will be ended.
Desire can be removed by following the Eightfold Noble Path: Right Views, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
Right Thoughts: Aspire to attain realization of Nirvana, i.e., perfect wisdom, the ultimate true permanent reality.
Right Speech: Abstain from all lying, falsehoods, evil, abusive and frivolous speech.
Right Conduct: Keep the Five Precepts:
Abstain from taking life,
abstain from taking that which is not given,
abstain from misconduct done in lust,
abstain from lying,
abstain from all forms of intoxication.
Right Livelihood: Abstain from all evil living and all manner of ill-gotten gain or means of livelihood.
Right Effort: Abstain from all evil states of mind; foster and maintain virtuous states of mind; compassion, pity, sympathy, calmness and tranquility
Right Mindfulness: Regard everything as being impermanent, ill and corrupt: i.e., all feelings, perceptions, inclinations, consciousness, thoughts, mental states, mental images and mental activities.
Right Concentration: Foster dispassion, detachment, and revulsion for the things of the world as being decaying and impermanent. Practice aloofness from evil states of mind, from the senses and all sensations. Practice dwelling in solitude and seclusion, meditating and reflecting with singleness of mind.

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Good Monday Morning

First and foremost, I apologize for the random nature of this post. It's been a while since I took the time to write out my thoughts but here we go!!

After a great night of sleep I woke feeling refreshed, happy and thankful for another day on Planet Earth. I did have some weird dreams (which I can't remember). Upon seeing the dogs and my husband this AM the weird feeling vanished! Because of the beautiful smile and waging tails that greeted me today it's easy feeling great about life and all that I'm dealing with.

Not sure what to write about but damn Tom Cruise is a handsome man...He's on the Today Show promoting his new film Valkyrie.

This will be my first Christmas in a long while that will be spent with a partner. Married life is an all at once tough, awesome, humbling, trying, easy and hard expricance. That reads crazy even to me so imagine how it is for Geo and I!! There isn't a thing I'd change tho. I love him and working together in our marriage is of the highest importance so we can ensure we 'll remain happily together.

School looms closer and closer. EEEEEK!

The weather here in SF has been great also. Rain is needed in dry California and when the sun does decide to show it's face there's no other place I'd rather live!!!

Time for the morning walk with the pups and I've run out of things to write. I could go on but it would be me only complaining that Bush is still in office and that he wasn't hit by the bold Iraqi reporter who hurld his shoes at him yesterday during a press confernce. Damn ...how funny and poinaint all at once.

Signing off for now!!

PeAce!!!!

buddhist thought for the week

Be wise, disciplined and non-violent and you will find peace. Be aware both night and day, continue your practice, and you will attain Nirvana. - Buddha