Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
~ Unknown source
Yesterday Evie and I spent the day at the Vajralama Center for an empowerment given by our teacher Gen Jangsem. It was a moving experience and, for me, the fulfilment of my new year’s resolution. I took bodhisattva vows, recieved blessings, and spent a sun-filled day with our sangha. A characteristic feature of Vajrayana Buddhism is the requisite ritual for participating in the worship, service and practice (sadhana) of a deity or bodhisattva, in this case, Avalokiteshvara. This is the process by which a lama with experience in the particular practice confers on others the description, explanation, visualization and order of the practice, along with appropriate offerings and specific mantras. It is more than the sum of its parts though; it is a lineage transmission of blessing and energy. I do feel different and the challenge now is to work on maintaining this feeling throughout the days, weeks, perhaps lifetimes, ahead as I work toward enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I now know what this life’s purpose is and have been granted perhaps the most important aspect for this work, thespecial blessings of the Buddha of compassion. Later in the evening we gathered with many members of the local Burningman community at the ‘Stronghold’, a cooperative living environment, and enjoyed good company, food, music, and the warmth of a fire on a cool, full-moon night. All in all, a very inspirational day and night!
Today I admire your beauty, courage, strength of will, and compassion.
Tomorrow, I will join you in a walk of lifetimes until all suffering has ceased.
My heart is ready for this journey.
From his eyes come forth the sun and moon; from his brow, Mahesvara, the great god who creates life with a thunderbolt from his third eye; from his shoulders, Brahma and other gods; from his heart, Narayana, the soul of the universe; from his thighs, Sarasvati, the wife of Brahma and the goddess of wisdom, music, and science; from his mouth, the winds; from his feet, the earth; from his stomach, Varuna, an emanation from the sun initiating the cycles of nature and the embodiment of truth. He is a lamp to the blind, a parasol for those devoured by the heat of the sun, and a stream to the thirsty. He takes away all fear from those who are afraid; he is a doctor to the sick, and he is father and mother to the unhappy.
A friend sent this link to the Party Matchmaker, which proports to reveal which political party you should support based on your answer to 25 questions about “what you would do if you were in charge”.
No suprise with my results here.
1) Reform Party 76%
2) Green Party 71%
3) Libertarian Party 65%
4) Democratic Party 47%
5) Constitution Party 47%
6) Republican Party 41%
7) Natural Law Party 41%
Powered by WordPress
