Wisdom in stillness

"Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things.

The Buddha meditated for six years, Bodhidharma for nine. The practice of meditation is not a method for the attainment of realization—it is enlightenment itself."

-Zen Master Dogen, "The Practice of Meditation"

From "Teachings of the Buddha," edited by Jack Kornfield, 1993. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.

To really appreciate this quotation, one needs to find a stillness in mind to be able to actually hear and become clear on the connectedness and unity to all things. It is well worth the effort of meditation however to find such a stillness, and in stillness from our lives that appear too busy, comes some sort of relief and vision for a better life.

My First Experience at Temple and the Medicine Buddha

A friend invited me to share in her experience on a very timely and moving spiritual experience at the Palyul Temple. It was amazing to attend a service where although the primary language was Tibetan, not English, I found the content deeply profound and moving, as if language was no barrier to the simpler truths.

The 8th day of the lunar calendar; Medicine Buddha sadhana

It seemed to be a practice of allowing well being and care of others to flow through and around you. The temple experience was a way of turning off from the routine, to set your vibrational focus on things of greater value and benefit to the self, and the community.. that we all benefit from this ability to choose to apply joy and remove the trees of resistance from our path.

The Medicine Buddha was an experience for removing the resistance and allowing healing empowerment to take it's place.