Nearing the end of my five-week class at the JCC, I feel inspired to post a few gems of wisdom that I share over and over again with my meditation groups, words and inspiration from ancient and contemporary masters that I never tire of. If you’ve attended one of my classes, I’m sure you’ll recognize them. If not, I hope they help inspire you to get to your meditation cushion and/or join us for a future class.
I hope you are loving this gorgeous summer so far. Sending many blessings to all of you, near and far.
Someone once asked the Buddha skeptically, “What have you gained through meditation?”
The Buddha replied, “Nothing at all.”
“Then, Blessed One, what good is it?”
“Let me tell you what I lost through meditation: sickness, anger, depression, insecurity, the burden of old age, the fear of death. That is the good of meditation, which leads to nirvana.”
The Dhammapada
A Parable
Buddha told a parable in a sutra:
A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the vine sustained him.
Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted.
from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, by Paul Reps
Mindfulness is the energy that allows us to recognize our habit energy and prevent it from dominating us. -Thich Nhat Hahn
Fame or integrity: which is more important?
Money or happiness: which is more valuable?
Success or failure: which is more destructive?
If you look to others for fulfillment,
you will never truly be fulfilled.
If your happiness depends on money,
you will never be happy with yourself.
Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.
Tao te Ching – Lao-tzu
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