Philosophy 04 (Jan 25 - Dec 26)

[winston]

The Spirits That Protect You

There are times we feel guided and protected by beings beyond our sight.

Recognizing this as a kind of grace is a source of serenity.

Whether it’s literally true or there is some other energy that gives us this sense of guidance and protection, it's included among the benefits of practicing loving-kindness.

- Henepola Gunaratana

[winston]

The Conditioned Self

By contemplating our sense of craving and grasping and finding a way to be with it but not in it, the sense of self also diminishes.

In this way, we can see the sense of self as something conditioned rather than a fixed, certain, continuous self.

- Laura Bridgman, “Seeing the Emptiness of Self”

[winston]

Pure Nature Beneath the Surface

Beneath the surface of our perceived limitations, suffering and unhappiness, lies a pure, clarified nature.

By connecting with this essence, we can blossom into limitless compassion, love, and skillful action, interacting with others and the world in a more free, open and fluid way.

- Scott Tusa, “The Power of Recollecting”

[winston]

Life Reflects the Mind

Life is a reflection of the quality of the mind.

If you really understand the mind, you understand the world.

- Sayadaw U Tejaniya, “The Art of Investigation”

[winston]

What Is Happiness

The search for happiness, is not about looking at life through rose-colored glasses or blinding oneself to the pain and imperfections of the world.

Nor is happiness a state of exaltation, to be perpetuated at all costs;

It is the purging of mental toxins such as hatred and obsession, that literally poison the mind.

- Matthieu Ricard, “A Way of Being”

[winston]

Truth Is in Our Experiences

Truth isn’t found by merely connecting logical dots or filling gaps with preferred beliefs, in the immediate layer of analysis.

Instead, it resides in comprehending the formation of our widest spectrum of experiences, acknowledging that nothing exists independently and that everything remains within the realm of conditions.

- Primoz Korelc Hiriko, “Relinquishing Preference through ‘The Silent Sages of Old’ ”

[winston]

Sitting Is Rebelling

In a world that tells us we should always be doing more, sitting still can be an act of rebellion, the ultimate rejection of a culture that tells us our value is tied to our productivity.

- Christopher Rivas, “I Think the Clock Is Broken”

[winston]

Nothing Is for Sure

We depend on change in order to live, so just acquaint yourself with the fact that it’s all inconstant.

Pleasure isn’t for sure; pain isn’t for sure; happiness isn’t for sure; stillness isn’t for sure; distraction isn’t for sure.

Whatever arises, you should tell it: “Don’t try to fool me. You’re not for sure.”

- Ajaan Chah, “Make Your Practice a Continuous Stream”

[winston]

The Process of Transformation

In the overall context of the spiritual journey, it is important to remember that self-transformation is a continuous process, not a one-time event.

One cannot say, “I used to be a nonspiritual person but now I have been transformed into a spiritual person. My old self is dead.”

We are constantly being transformed when we travel on the path.

- Traleg Kyabgon, “Letting Go of Spiritual Experience”

[winston]

Be Willing to Commit

Calming and stilling, are the willingness to commit to just being wholeheartedly present in one moment at a time, to commit to one breath, to commit to the sense of our feet touching the ground.

To know this, we begin to train the mind.

- Christina Feldman