Monday 24 November 2014
Sunday 23 November 2014
Wednesday 19 November 2014
Tuesday 18 November 2014
Sunday 16 November 2014
Thursday 13 November 2014
Wednesday 12 November 2014
Thursday 6 November 2014
Wednesday 5 November 2014
Chasing Bliss - Jeff Foster
CHASING BLISS
For many, spirituality is still about seeking the next blissful, exciting, dramatic, transcendent, other-wordly experience, chasing the next 'high' promised by well-meaning gurus and teachers, running after the shakti, dancing and singing down the yellow brick road of enlightenment...
But you tire of chasing bliss, friend, and this is natural and to be expected and celebrated. And in the seeker's exhaustion, a deeper invitation reveals itself: the invitation to allow ALL experience, not just the 'good' or 'spiritual' or 'blissful' experiences. You come to recognise yourself as unlimited, undivided, nondual potential, capable of holding the pain as well as the bliss, the sorrow as well as the joy, the excitement as well as the fear. How vast you are!
~ Jeff Foster
Tuesday 4 November 2014
An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbæna - Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Amaro
In today's talk we mentioned this PDF - well worth a look :
Monday 3 November 2014
Sunday 2 November 2014
Bhavana
Below is a podcast by the Dharma Seed community that speaks a bit about Bhavana (cultivating heart-mind). I found it very interesting and wanted to share. Hope you get something from it too! Please feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or anything else in the comments :)
If you can't hear the audio below, click here to open it in a separate window.
If you can't hear the audio below, click here to open it in a separate window.
Friday 31 October 2014
Thursday 30 October 2014
Virtual Second Night Interview
We've been interviewed in the Virtual Second Night magazine on Issuu! You can fine some beautiful photography and snippets of info in the October issue. The full interview will appear in the November issue. A huge thank you to Virginia Lupindo for the wonderful opportunity and Edwardi Mosley for the beautiful photography!
Click here to read the October issue. The photos start on page 136!
Tuesday 28 October 2014
Shi Wayne Ren-Cheng (venerablewayne.slacker) Talks at the ashram
Shi Wayne Ren-Cheng
I am an American Ch'an Buddhist monk with a contemporary pragmatic practice- Engaged Dharma Insight Group - Practicing the dharma through engaging the SL community. Honored to be a teacher at The Buddha Center, Friday at 2pm SLT, Monday at 1pm SLT.
Sites mentioned :
Saturday 25 October 2014
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Listening to a raga in the garden with Lizzy ( of the culture and fun group ) and Terenaxo - the poem fits this raga so well :
Poem: Healing Voice by Terenaxo
So light, her voice would barely make to quiver
A spider's string and yet the stoutest shiver
And strain to hear her whisper like a river.
With melody surpassing words that speak
Yet fail to break the trance in which I seek
To stay within the closeness of her cheek.
The violin must envy, and surely so must birds,
The sweetness uttered by her cords through words,
Enchanted, I can swear an angel heard.
On hearing, unjust kings of lands repent,
while queens of scorn and wrath relent,
The war cries silenced, weaponed arms unbent.
She heals the world wherever she is sent.
Entangle me within her weave of tones
And there let me remain to call my home
Where distant echoes keep me not alone.
Monday 20 October 2014
Sunday 19 October 2014
Citta Bhavana Ashram Opening Speech by Chraeloos
The Ashram is officially open! Come visit us in world any time. Below you can read the speech that I gave after the guided meditation. Our opening address:
First of all, I’d like to thank everyone for coming and showing their interest and support today! None of this would be possible without each and every one of you. A special thank you must be given to Sunshine, Swami, Rhia, and Lyle for all of their amazing work and support in making this beautiful sim come to life.
I’m going to try to make this speech as short as I can. I know how much we all want to get to the food and dancing! But, I’d like to share with you a bit of what we’re about.
I am a yoga teacher in real life, and the community that grew between the people in the training inspired me to pursue deep, raw, and pure relationships in all aspects of my life. Over the years, SL has been a big part of life for me. I’ve been able to meet the most amazing people here and form some of the strongest bonds with people from all over the world. Despite our cultural differences, the distance between us, and our philosophical or religious beliefs, we were still able to connect with each other. This is what I’m looking to provide here; a space to learn from each other in a supportive and caring environment and community.
There is a quote from Osho that I’ve always held true to my heart. It goes like this:
“My whole teaching consists on two words, “meditation” and “love”. Meditate so that you can feel immense silence, and love so that your life can become a song, a dance, a celebration. You will have to move between the two, and if you can move easily, if you can move without an effort, you have learnt the greatest thing in life.”
“My whole teaching consists on two words, “meditation” and “love”. Meditate so that you can feel immense silence, and love so that your life can become a song, a dance, a celebration. You will have to move between the two, and if you can move easily, if you can move without an effort, you have learnt the greatest thing in life.”
I built this ashram with the purpose of having a space for these two concepts – meditation and love – to grow. Both of these things take effort to start, which can also be considered action (even non-action is a form of action). All action is composed of four things: intention, awareness, method, and manifestation. We must have the intent to pursue something, an awareness of what exactly that something consists of, a method of how to do it, and finally we will be able to manifest it.
For instance, you want to have tea. Your intention is just that, wanting tea. The awareness will be of what sort of tea and when, these sorts of things. The method is standing out of your chair, going to the kitchen, boiling the water, picking the tea, pouring the water, etc. The manifestation is when you actually follow through with this action.
You may or may not know that the word ‘karma’ literally means ‘action’. Many people think of karma as a factor of fate, or determinism. But, really, karma is creative. It is unbounded. The common interpretation is when someone has something bad happen, we call it “bad karma.” But this interpretation of karma is misunderstood. Karma is really human action composed of the four things I mentioned before. It does not control us. In fact, we control it with intention, whether consciously or subconsciously. When we utilize action (and remember, even non-action is a form of action), we are influencing karma.
The term ‘ashram’, which comes from the sanskrit root ‘srama’, means “giving the meaning of making an effort towards liberation (moksha).” Liberation, in some schools of thought, is liberation from the cycle of karma and dukkha, otherwise known as the cycle of suffering. At this ashram we ask you to invite into your life what you want to share with others as well as yourself since we are all connected. If any one of us suffers, all the rest of us suffer. It is through positive, intentional action which we are able to change our perspectives and lessen our suffering. I strongly feel that as a community, we can provide the support and friendship that we all wish for along our journey. And, because of our amazing diversity, there may be something for everyone.
The name of the ashram is Citta Bhavana, meaning ‘cultivating heart/mind.’ Bhavana on it’s own means ‘spiritual cultivation.’
All the events here are organized to support this inner growth in some way or other, whether it’s through meditation, yoga, discussions, dances, music, ritual etc. Our hosts and guests come from many traditions from around the world, and are not limited to one path or another. Instead, we believe that all paths are useful and that each person will find meaning in different perspectives. All things offered here invite you to examine your self and those around you rather than telling you how things should be.
All the events here are organized to support this inner growth in some way or other, whether it’s through meditation, yoga, discussions, dances, music, ritual etc. Our hosts and guests come from many traditions from around the world, and are not limited to one path or another. Instead, we believe that all paths are useful and that each person will find meaning in different perspectives. All things offered here invite you to examine your self and those around you rather than telling you how things should be.
All of us come from other communities in SL, some of whom have regular events. We are not here to replace them, but rather to supplement them. You may notice on our calendar we list some events from other communities. We do this so that all of our hosts are aware of events they should not overlap with, so all of our communities can exist together in harmony. All of us here believe that each individual follows their own unique path through life, and we hope to provide space for that to flourish even more.
There are a few main areas around the sim for you to explore. Lyle was kind enough to build this beautiful waterfall for us (huge thank you!)! This is the Music and Gallery Area, where we will have regular world-music events and an art gallery. If any of you are artists who would like to take part in the gallery please contact myself or Sunshine for details. There is a forest campsite meeting area, where Rhia and various others will host philosophical dialogues. Swami has a beautiful skybox set up with a library, a video screen, and a stage for performers. And up the hill you may be able to see the big building. That is the main ashram building, with space for meditation and yoga, casual discussions and many other things. Please feel free to have a look around at your own convenience.
The next thing I wanted to share with you is our private skyboxes. We have six skyboxes set up which you can rent free of charge at the main landing point. They are intended for those of us who are homeless and need a place to change or relax or whatever it is you want to do. The very last thing I will take your time with is our events for the next week. We have at least one event planned for every day this coming week. Sunday we have the beautiful and talented Sandia Beaumont playing her piano for us at 3:30pmSLT. Monday, Swami is starting a four day series on “Reflections of South Asian Spirituality” at 10amSLT (same time every day); as well as Rhia’s discussion on the Nature of Faith at 2:30pmSLT. Sunshine will play a dharma talk over the stream on Tuesday at 12pmSLT.
Unfortunately, my RL has demanded my attention this week so I won’t be around for all of these, but any of them will be here to answer any questions and act as hosts. I have complete faith in their abilities to manage this place while I am away.
You can join the group “Creativity; Karma” for notices.
You can find our calendar on the blog which I posted in local chat.
Once again, thank you all so much for your support today and hopefully for many more to come! There is pie by the deck, as well as games and activities scattered around the fire. I will be walking around with tea so please feel free to grab one off the tray if you’d like.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu…May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
Namaste _/\_ Thank you.
Form and Emptiness are the Same
( From : http://avastu0.blogspot.com/2014/10/form-and-emptiness-are-same.html )
It is critical to see the mistake we make about things and the nature of reality. In the Buddhist Heart Sutra, they say "Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness."
Look around you - you see lots of "things". What ARE those things? There is a cup, a piece of paper, a computer screen... are these things an independent existence? Did they come into existence independently, apart from all other things? Do they have their OWN existence? Does existence work that way?
If we look at the cup - it's ceramic or porcelain or styrofoam - so we know the shape "cup" - it's identifiable. But WHAT that cup IS, is really ceramic. So we may say "ceramic cup". But we really have it backwards. Isn't it actually "cuppy ceramic"? Isn't it really ceramic, shaped into the form of a cup? We say "cup" as if that "thing" stands alone, missing WHAT it is. It's ceramic, expressed in the form and concept (and function) "cup".
Look at the tree. Tree is the concept - it's an identifiable shape and function, given a name. But what IS the tree? It's bio-organic material, expressing in the form "tree". And what is that bio-organic material? Molecules - atoms - electrons... let's say there are hydrogen atoms there in the tree and hydrogen atoms there in the cup. At that level, where is tree and where is cup? We don't know the "thing" at that level, only the essential "stuff" from which those things are formed.
And the hydrogen atom - what is THAT? Well it's basically empty space with a few particles flying around - electrons (electric charge) - etc. And what are those particles? Quantum physics tell us the atom is of a dubious nature - with strings and quarks. At this level the atom doesn't really exist but is a product of how those quantum particles act.
So if we keep drilling down, into the cup and the tree, we still haven't found any independent, separate existence, but really just a soup of particles and empty space. We find "something" - something in motion - some intelligence in action. FROM that action, from those basic ingredients, we have both cup (ceramic) and tree (bio-organic material). If we continue to drill down, we would basically come to a point where we cannot identify anything else - we would really just have an emptiness with an infinite potential to BE any "thing". It is really an intelligent emptiness - with the capacity to "move" or swirl - from that movement the strings and quarks take shape - those formations are also atoms and electrons - those formations are also cups and trees.
So in essence, tree IS that essence - cup IS that essence. Simultaneously, tree is essence - cup is essence. Form is emptiness - emptiness is form.
So as we drink our coffee or tea, and look out at all the beautiful trees, we might see past the surface - past the formations and ask WHAT, in essence, are these "things"? We might ask - do those "things" really have independent existences? Do those "things" arrive as new existences, and when they end, does their existence end? Or does that "essence" just stop doing "cup" or "tree"?
Once we see this, our next question will be - what am I in all this? There is a mass of organic material, quite intelligent in fact - so much so that it provides a means of knowing - knowing all these other "things". But once we turn that spiritual microscope upon ourselves, once we see past the surface and look toward that root essence of WHAT we really are, we might realize that this formless intelligence is actually, right at this very moment, aware of itself through this mechanism, through this intelligent organism. Right now, the tree and the cup and this body are, simultaneously, the same IS-ness - and that IS-ness is aware of itself as tree and cup and body.
It is the mind which stays with the form and misses the essence - in that the mind identifies with that one form - body - and excludes tree and cup and universe. The only solution is to recognize one's mistake - once realized, nothing changes. WHAT you are is still that root essence, that intelligent emptiness, which is present at this very moment, both as the emptiness and the form.
( From : http://avastu0.blogspot.com/2014/10/form-and-emptiness-are-same.html )
It is critical to see the mistake we make about things and the nature of reality. In the Buddhist Heart Sutra, they say "Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness."
Look around you - you see lots of "things". What ARE those things? There is a cup, a piece of paper, a computer screen... are these things an independent existence? Did they come into existence independently, apart from all other things? Do they have their OWN existence? Does existence work that way?
If we look at the cup - it's ceramic or porcelain or styrofoam - so we know the shape "cup" - it's identifiable. But WHAT that cup IS, is really ceramic. So we may say "ceramic cup". But we really have it backwards. Isn't it actually "cuppy ceramic"? Isn't it really ceramic, shaped into the form of a cup? We say "cup" as if that "thing" stands alone, missing WHAT it is. It's ceramic, expressed in the form and concept (and function) "cup".
Look at the tree. Tree is the concept - it's an identifiable shape and function, given a name. But what IS the tree? It's bio-organic material, expressing in the form "tree". And what is that bio-organic material? Molecules - atoms - electrons... let's say there are hydrogen atoms there in the tree and hydrogen atoms there in the cup. At that level, where is tree and where is cup? We don't know the "thing" at that level, only the essential "stuff" from which those things are formed.
And the hydrogen atom - what is THAT? Well it's basically empty space with a few particles flying around - electrons (electric charge) - etc. And what are those particles? Quantum physics tell us the atom is of a dubious nature - with strings and quarks. At this level the atom doesn't really exist but is a product of how those quantum particles act.
So if we keep drilling down, into the cup and the tree, we still haven't found any independent, separate existence, but really just a soup of particles and empty space. We find "something" - something in motion - some intelligence in action. FROM that action, from those basic ingredients, we have both cup (ceramic) and tree (bio-organic material). If we continue to drill down, we would basically come to a point where we cannot identify anything else - we would really just have an emptiness with an infinite potential to BE any "thing". It is really an intelligent emptiness - with the capacity to "move" or swirl - from that movement the strings and quarks take shape - those formations are also atoms and electrons - those formations are also cups and trees.
So in essence, tree IS that essence - cup IS that essence. Simultaneously, tree is essence - cup is essence. Form is emptiness - emptiness is form.
So as we drink our coffee or tea, and look out at all the beautiful trees, we might see past the surface - past the formations and ask WHAT, in essence, are these "things"? We might ask - do those "things" really have independent existences? Do those "things" arrive as new existences, and when they end, does their existence end? Or does that "essence" just stop doing "cup" or "tree"?
Once we see this, our next question will be - what am I in all this? There is a mass of organic material, quite intelligent in fact - so much so that it provides a means of knowing - knowing all these other "things". But once we turn that spiritual microscope upon ourselves, once we see past the surface and look toward that root essence of WHAT we really are, we might realize that this formless intelligence is actually, right at this very moment, aware of itself through this mechanism, through this intelligent organism. Right now, the tree and the cup and this body are, simultaneously, the same IS-ness - and that IS-ness is aware of itself as tree and cup and body.
It is the mind which stays with the form and misses the essence - in that the mind identifies with that one form - body - and excludes tree and cup and universe. The only solution is to recognize one's mistake - once realized, nothing changes. WHAT you are is still that root essence, that intelligent emptiness, which is present at this very moment, both as the emptiness and the form.
( From : http://avastu0.blogspot.com/2014/10/form-and-emptiness-are-same.html )
Saturday 18 October 2014
Thursday 16 October 2014
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