The AWE of A Light Heart

Awakening With Exercise, AWE, is about attracting greater light upon my full being -mind/body/soul. Do I have a heavy or light heart? Mindfulness of the body gives me the opportunity to realize the full spectrum of my feelings from reactive fear-based emotions to more responsive, happier ways of being. 

The key is to remember I can decide my options and my body can act better ground me to be present whatever comes up.  Also this may help me not to be so identified with my mind.  Using my body sensations I can expand my awareness to whatever is happening so fully show up to my experience of the “now”.   Also this assists me to accept my negative emotions and best address them.   When I expand my awareness in the mundane things I do - walking, eating, talking, writing, reading, working, playing or whatever activity this enriches all my relationships.  Such engaged concentration opens the doors on new possibilities and greater consciousness.   Constantly intending to “be here now” allows me richer insights and life experience.

All great spiritual instructions teach about how we can lessen our suffering and increase our happiness.   Exploring how in my physical activity I can be relaxed while alert heightens my well-being.  Whether I am riding a horse, driving my car, cleaning my gutters or operating a chain-saw, a vigilant state of concentration is vital.  Maintaining a calm focus I function in a more secure and safe way.  Any stressful situation offers me an opportunity to be present, centered and grounded with each new moment.  

Just the simple act of breathing offers amazing opportunity to awaken to my most basic living function.  Observing how the air goes in and out of my nose, lungs and/or body gives me myriad of body sensory possibilities.  Also this simple exercise allows me to explore my senses; taste, touch, smell, sound, feeling, and mental state.  Such investigation opens new worlds of experience, and insight and adventure.

Attracting what makes me happy or calm versus what makes me unhappy and agitated is my aim.  Expanding my consciousness on how I best deal with distress and fear is invaluable for my growth. How I best take care of myself requires me to practice self-care.

Self-care prompts me to care for myself and the more expansive or higher self of all interconnected things.  Mindful awareness is all about discerning what this care is.  If I wish to exercise more wholesome emotional well-being then cultivating habits that reinforce increased wellness become vital.  Also as I awaken to my interconnectedness I see the root cause and effect relationships of my actions.   As I treat all things with greater care, and respect this same merit and virtue expands within me.  As I cultivate more care-filled relationships I attract greater kindness and love to my higher being and all beings.  Also I illuminate my heart and this light expands out in all directions. The challenge is the when I separate or disconnect I further my discomfort and disunity. 

When I forget and judge instead of observe I full back into my mindless mind.  While judging is a valuable skill when I exaggerated my discernment to point of feeling superior then I am exercising an inferior prejudice resulting in more disconnected thinking.   What happens when I become too judgmental with myself is that I spiral downward.  What is your experience?

Without clarity I will not know what is going on and where I am going.   Exercising a faculty of seeing things more clearly increases my vision and insights. When I observe the interconnection of all things this stimulates a more reinforcing way for me to better precede.  Working out what gives me greater happiness is the basis of my most fundamental intention.

I increase my present awareness when I see what is happening in the next moment.  Also I give greater attention to my body sensations with the “newness” they bring.  Mindful remembering results in a wealth of results attributes including greater calm, freedom and well-being. Training to exercise on this path comes when I observe all my body’s senses. Clearly concentrating on whatever sense arises in my body I can see them just as they are.  This examination also includes mental states since these are apart not separate from my body.   

Just as the Buddha instructed to see “the body as the body,” I explore the collections of parts of my body.   Not judging my body as myself, however, as another of the many interconnected physical forms.   For example my body is similar to the Earth.  My lungs process the air, my heart represents the sun or energy that pumps my greatest substance, water, around, and my bones, tissue, skin and teeth act as the land or Earth elements.  In the Buddhist teachings there are 32 parts- 20 Earth Elements and 12 Water Elements.   

One common thing for all these elements, each one arises and then falls.  In other words, everything in form is like a cloud in the sky – it dissolves or transforms given time.  Observing these patterns, and flow states awakens me to see things as my greater body.   I exercise non-judgmental awareness to widen my perception where the “my” slips away.  “I”, “me” and “mine” shift from the foreground into the background.   This is a profound and invaluable exercise for seeing what is true and freeing myself from being so self-consumed and preoccupied with my negative emotions. 

As I awaken with exercise this awe lightens my heart.  I see things with greater luminosity.  Paying attention to my intention to observe my body with a compassionate wisdom I enjoy in work out strengthening a beneficial interconnected way of being.  I exercise the opportunity of choice.  I can react with my past fears or respond with a kind loving presence to fully see what is happening now.  It is if I was visually challenged and now I have the right lens to see with.  

All actions come from the mind.  By using my body I can better master not to get so identified with my mind.   Employing my body sensations for me provides an anchor for a happier boat to rest.  Not a dream boat or a shipwreck but a boat that rises and falls with each moment of sensation. Whether my experience is pleasant, neutral or unpleasant, each moment I hope to cultivate a more peaceful mind.   When I remember I have a choice I can free myself to my higher self.   AWE is about focusing a new lens to see how the light strikes things even at times when it is very grey or even dark.  In every breath, light heart or darker one is our choice.

Loving Friendliness of Metta

Metta is a Pali word and when translated has the most beneficial meaning.  Metta is defined as friendly, happy, peaceful, well, calm, good willingness, benevolent, and other forms of compassionate states of mind. Pali was first written down in Sri Landka in the first century BC. It was the language of many of the earliest Buddhist scriptures (parahita-parasukha-kamana).

 

When I practice Metta I transform myself.  I unite my mind to become at peace when I deeply pay attention to my heart.  I spend countless hours practicing Metta.  In return I have enjoyed an immeasurable benefit that has transformed every facet of my life. Metta is gift that keeps on giving!

Metta is a mind-set of altruistic love and friendliness based on benefiting the greater good exceeding just being amiable. Metta is about selfless being one refusing to be angry, hating, jealous, bitter, and resentful.  I  lessen my suffering when I seek the well-being and happiness of others and all things. Metta is about the greater common interest with a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, empathy and compassion.  When I overcome my many social, religious, racial, political and economic hindering attitudes of greed, hatred and delusion. Metta liberates me with a universal, selfishness and all-embracing friendliness of unconditional love for all things.

One symbol for Metta is the mother caring for her baby. Treating other beings with such sacred attention returns this act of virtuous reverence to my greater and highest self.  Bringing attention to this intention of Metta I find benefits all.  Such loving kindness enhances my greater welfare since we are all interconnected to all things bringing us abundant, deep and intense peace and happiness.

When I go beyond concepts or common conventional truths I find more profound truths beyond my material world perspective.  My shift in consciousness frees me from my perspectives, and ideas, with a brilliant insight. Meditation allows us to develop this new lens of seeing all facets of suffering. 

For example, Vipassana  (Insight) meditation is one avenues to help assist me to see how to lessen my samsara (cycle of birth and death).  2600 years ago the Buddha answered questions posed to him as to the reasons for long life and so forth (the discourse to Subha). From his answer, I find that I can  prosper with good health, and well being thanks to  loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.

Metta acts to skillfully lessen destructive states such as anger and hatred.  As I increase my concentration I can benefit many situation since a greater loving wisdom emerges. Such wholesome exercise fosters more healthy relationships. Simply lessening my self-seeking, I  befriend greater well-being in the best possible manner.

Metta is a transforming attitude of greeting things as part of my greater self with universal love.  Cultivating this inner power stimulates, protects and heals both me and others. Today peace can overcome the constant challenges of anger and fear.  Metta is the tenor of the times.  Increasing destructive emotions necessitate such loving mutual understanding. Metta is an imperative skillful means to promote greater friendly, joyful well-being.

The Buddha's Words on Kindness (Metta Sutta)*

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.

http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/sutras/metta-sutra.html

Leading By Example – A Great Service

All my life I have been profoundly influence by those working to serve for the greater good. My father exemplified this tireless serving as a Congressional lawyer assisting the passage of Medicare and other laws benefiting others.  My father’s other great feat was helping start the Capital Hill Tennis Team.  Learning how to serve in the game of tennis is one the most important and difficult skills.  The act of “best serving” has a different meaning regarding how to best live.

How I best give to my world is how I perpetuate further happiness.  This is about me listening to my heart.  This humbling process is for me is about greater reverence and less righteousness.  Unfortunately key challenges and opportunities are not even being talked about.  For me my personal well-being is interconnected  how I can be a spark plug for future prosperity.  Taking care of myself also extends in how I can best care for all things on this Earth. I am interdependent compassionate human being. I have been a pioneer in resource conservation and I have enjoyed bountiful opportunities in profiting from numerous pollution prevention triumphs.  Showing by right example has been gift similar to appreciation that keeps on giving.  Such wisdom arrives when I alert my mind to exercise greater courage fully opening my heart.

Our greatest challenge is to prioritize what is fact and fiction about our prosperity. Addressing explosive national security issues not getting the national attention it deserves.  For example agricultural, water, and population are all rapidly depleting our natural resources.   Attracting people’s attention that our future depends on how we better care for our soil, food and water affects every living thing here.

I was just alerted to several amazing TED (www.ted.com) presentations regarding challenges and success stories. For example, Jonathan Foley presented,  “The Other Inconvenient Truth.” Agriculture is the number one human contributor (30%)  to  greenhouse emissions. Besides emitting the largest amounts of CO2, methane and nitrogen, agriculture uses 40% of the earth’s land and 70% of our fresh water.  Every year there is born a new population the size of Germany on this planet or 75 million additional people. So how are we going to deal with 9 billion people by 2040?

There are amazing other TED video showing ingenious leaders engaging communities and  implementing ingenious community solutions to our emerging challenges.  These visionaries share one common theme- leading by example and kindly working together. The tenor of the times is for everyone to come to the table.  Let us show not through words but deeds how we can best give back to this wonderful world what treasures that we have blessed with in our lives. People of all walks will benefit greatly when we unite together.  America is the greatest nation only when we generously assist our neighbors and help those in need.  Our full potential will arise when we show ingeniously ability to address our common threats.  We can all lead by actively making a difference just by a simple act of positive example.

As a trail blazer in the recycling and other tipping points I know firsthand the importance of virtue of leading and giving my best by example. Teaching tennis for four decades also helped me learn how to inspire improved play. Also I have been generous helping others and volunteered thousands of hours to diverse community and public service activities. I have been elected official and testified at every level of government.  Yet still I feel called to give much more back since I have been given so much by so many selfless Americans.

Our freedom is entrusted since we are interdependent not independent.  Calm yet alert to potential future perils we are endowed to give a hand and  give our best. Our liberation is rooted in our relationship with all things and our ability to respond by doing what is off benefit to all. There is no higher good or greater gift in life then to be of service. For me, leading by example benefits all things in including our collective well-being and happiness.

Nirmal’s Rose

Great teachers skilfully guide us to quiet our mind and expand our heart.  My Guru, Jivanjili, last Christmas in India gave me a new name reminding me of this wise teaching.  Nirmal, means pure heart. Actively caring for your sacred self is for me is the path of heart. This loving-kind act is about finding what matters the most, living from the center of our heart.  Below is a wonderful story by another one of my amazing teachers, Grandmother Lillian, who tells what self-compassion is all about.

“We have many teachings on the value of nurturance. When I was a child my father told us about the Rose Story. He said the Creator asked the flower people, “Who among you will bring a reminder to the two-legged about the essence of life?” The buttercup answered, “I will, Creator, I will.” And the Creator said, “No, you can’t, because you’re too bright.” All of the flowers offered their help. At the very end the rose said, “Let me remind them with my essence, so that in times of sadness, and in times of joy, they will remember how to be kind to themselves.”

So the Creator, the Master Gardener, took a seed of the rose and planted it in Mother Earth. The winds tilled the soil and the warm rains gave it water until a very small sprout came through the ground. Day after day it grew. The stem sprouted little thorns that were very, very sharp. After the thorns came the little leaves. As time went on, a little bud formed. After much care this little bud bloomed into a full rose.

And so life is like a rose. The thorns are our life’s journey; without them we would lack the hard won teachings that we need to in order to grow. Life’s experiences make us who we are. And like the rose, we too decay and die many times in a life time only to come back to fruition again and again, after reflection, meditation, awareness, acceptance and surrender.

My father told us the rose is both life and it’s gifts. So when I am making my own Medicine Wheel, I put the rose here in the centre as a reminder of my own life’s journey and it’s gifts*”.

Recently, I have ventured upon a radical shift for me.  Fully visualizing this rose growing in the middle of my Medicine Wheel, is how me, Nirmal, wishes best to go forth!

·          

**http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/transcripts/ojibwe.html

Wise Earth Teachings

Who better to understand the wisdom of our earth than indigenous people who live closest to the earth?  Native attitudes are interconnected and the sacred treatment of things, places and things.  Through keen observations and experience with natural phenomena, these indigenous being learned from letting go and allowing the process of observing the natural world.  Since our very beginning these wise teachers would share a story about earth relationships and landscapes.
 
These native teachings are about an “affiliation,” of being interrelated with all organisms, in a deep, personal and committed way. Kinship and receiving from experiences in nature are common themes.  Constantly reciprocity is a primary reoccurring virtuous them; you come from the earth you return to it. All things are done in a circle and observe how this symbol acts in all matters.  

Natives insightfully observed how all things care connected together and there was no true separation. Their outer world was aligned to their inner world. Native Americans viewed land as something to be shared communally, and respected it with that idea in mind. The concept of "owning" property was completely foreign to them, and this included land.  Europeans saw just the opposite to be true.

Two basic teachings arise from their wise earth teachings.  All things are related and connected where non-human things are recognized as being apart and not separated.  Thus all things are treated with respected. The American Indians believed that the lands were entrusted to them. They believed they had to maintain that trust by only taking what they needed.  Also the viewed the without the Western view of ownership; people are stewards of the land, thus land is usually not owned, traded, or sold.  

While there were bountiful diverse perspectives and observances Native people seem to agree upon certain values and ways of seeing and experiencing. They tend to have communal property, subsistence production, barter systems, and other practices.  Also these people operated under consensual processes, where they observed a “participatory” democracy, and laws embedded in oral traditions. From a social view point natives acted in terms of matrilineality versus patriarchy, extended versus nuclear families, and low versus high population density. Also native peoples almost universally view the earth as a feminine figure illustrating a relationship of the earth, as their Mother, is a sacred bond with the creation.

Native peoples viewed the earth by understanding the world from the natural order’s rhythms and cycles of life, and include animals and plants as well as other natural features in their conceptions of spirituality. Indians have lived communally with participatory democracy, a spiritual life based on nature as living and sacred. While this may exaggerated and idealistic, however, this appeals to many people, including most Native Americans today.  Native peoples viewed many of the products of the natural environment as gifts from the Creator. Humans, in the Native American conception of the world, were not created to “dominate” over other beings, but rather to cooperate and share the bounty of the earth with the other elements of the creation.

Various Indian leaders such as Chief Seattle and Black Elk support such views of Indian relationships with nature. This image persists as valid and meaningful to Native people even today. For instance, the famous speech by Chief Seattle is often cited. The image of nature as “Mother Earth,” has numerous positive influences with their, “a powerful respect for place, in the sense of an actual”

These wise earth teaching are all about living well.  Being in good relation to the earth, and all things in a good way is something that must be remembered and practiced once more.  The future of this planet requires a profound and compassionate realization of this sacred alignment and state of mind.  Living in close harmony with the land these stewards have the closest connection to it.  Thus native peoples cultivate the best possible relations with all things for they act in concert with not against it and show the highest respect to the source of their very well being.

Re-light My Inner Prosperity

When I visualize lighting a candle it allows me to place a match to my doubt and other harmful emotions.  In any moment I can celebrate re-creating or resisted and so re-wreck what comes up due prior negative experience. 

When I remember to bring light to whatever happens this allows me to kindly observe what new possibility may arise.

Re-lighting allow me to realize the "here and now" and not slip into future or past references so I can arrive in the present moment.  This “newness” opens the door to new creative possibility to see with a new perspective any given experience.

Re-lightening also balances me to not see things so heavy and dense yet with a weightlessness and sense of buoyancy.  

Even in my darkest moments a light shines if I am observant.  Re-lighting better aligns me with opportunities in any given crisis or conflict I come up against.  Finally such lightness reminds me that when I lessen my inner resistance I can touch greater freedom by an illuminating my beliefs.

Re-lighting celebrates my virtues and liberates self-punishment when I silence my inner self talk. Again this flame of concentration ignites any hindering thoughts.

Re-lighting is about realigning my physical and mental postures to invite a more tranquil flow that provide me alter quality of attention. This flow is a synchronized  mind/body practice.  This comes from a roundness of remembering I am the earth.  This unifying insight of no separation translates in the realization of oneness of all things.   Observing the sacred interconnection of all things brings me harmony. 

When my heart awakens this liberates me to a fearlessness beyond my deepest phobias.  Both a soft and tender expansive quality emerges within me as I gently experience a profound heartfelt shift.

Re-lighting this “hereness" reminds me of my constant journey and to ignore external outcome so to further cultivate my genuine being.    Such letting go of any personal agenda I minimize distractions cause by my lower self.

Cultivating this inner brilliance happens when I fully let go.   No clinging or grasping just radiating simple loving presence without any possessiveness. This delightful state of compassion skillfully balances any sorrow with joy. As I re-light my internal baggage and ignore my ego I truly free myself to celebrate my higher self.