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Lessons on Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior

Today, I will begin a new series on Shambhala; The Sacred Path of the Warrior.  Each week I will post 5 new Warrior Slogans on living a life of bravery and gentleness taken from Chogyam Trungpa book Shambhala.  The Slogans are posted for your contemplating pleasure and will present the basic principles and wisdom of Shambhala.                                                                                                   Don’t be afraid of who you are.

• Examine your experience to see what it contains that is of value in helping yourself and others.  Warriorship is the opposite of selfishness.   Even in the face of great problems, we can be heroic and kind at the same time.   

 Goodness is the ground of all.

• You are exposed to heaven above and earth below, sandwiched between heaven and earth.  You can’t reject your atmosphere, the sun and the moon, sidewalks and skyscrapers, the landscape or the sea.  This goodness is that basic, that unconditional.  It is not good versus bad.  It is not a “for” or “against” view, just as sunlight is not “for” or “against”.

 Goodness dawns like the sun.

• The human potential for intelligence and dignity is attuned to experiencing the brilliance of the bright blue sky, the freshness of green fields, and the beauty of the trees and mountains.  We have an actual connection to the reality that can wake us up and make us feel basically good.

 Never give up on anyone or anything.

• In the wakeful vision of Shambhala, which we call the vision of the Great Eastern Sun, no human being is ever a lost cause.  We are always willing to give things a chance to flower.

 To overcome uncertainty is utterly good.

• When you don’t punish or condemn yourself, when you relax and appreciate your body and mind, you begin to contact goodness in yourself.  Existence is wonderful and precious.  We don’t know how long we will live.  While we have our life, why not make use of it?  Before we even make use of it, why don’t we appreciate it?

                                                                                                                                This is  a continuing series on Shambhala.  Click here for Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, or Part 5.

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   A Cup Of Zen, Inspirational Vibes    1 Comment

Wonderful Proverbs complimenting Beautiful Photos

 
     

Those who wish to sing always find a song. - 

The Swedish

The great mantra that cures all suffering:

HA HA HA!!!!

Brett Breitwieser

There is nothing you can see that is not a flower;

there is nothing you can think that is not the moon.
Basho

If you want to tell me that the stars are not words, 

then stop calling them stars.

            - Jack Kerouac

 
 
The point is not to understand life, 
The point is to love life.
          Dostoevsky
 
 
Everything is perfect, it just needs a little improvement.
            - Suzuki Roshi



 
Pride ... is the enemy of love.
 - Karen Horney
 
 
Sit
Rest
Work.
Alone with yourself, 
Never weary.
On the edge of the forest
Live joyfully,
Without desire.
- The Buddha
 
 
Abjure the why and seek the how.
            - Sir Richard (Francis) Burton
 



 
If I shake off this sad world, 
put it aside,
what lies in store for me,
what note will I sound?
            - bj




 
You put your foot on a path and walk.  
One day, you look back, 
maybe fifty years, and say 
"That's what I gave my life for."
            - Bishop Daniel Corrigan

To a mind that is still, the whole universe 

surrenders.  Chuang-tzu
   

   

 

A man is not old until his regrets take 
the place of dreams. -
Yiddish proverb

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   Beautiful Artistry, Inspirational Vibes    3 Comments

Timeless Relaxing Zen quotes to soothe your being

I have compiled a list of timeless relaxing Zen quotes for your reading pleasure.  Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy these terrific quotes from Zen masters and artists alike.  Please feel free to add any comments or quotes you would like to share below.

• “Tension is who you think you should be.
  Relaxation is who you are.”
  Chinese Proverb

• “When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.”
  Francois de La Rochefoucauld

• “Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
  Etty Hillesum
• There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
  Gandhi
• “Nothing is permanent in this wicked world - not even our troubles.”
  Charlie Chaplin

• The tighter you squeeze, the less you have.  Ma-Tsu

• The quieter you become, the more you can hear.
  Baba Ram Dass

• It is better to practice a little than talk a lot.
  Muso Kokushi

• “A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.”
  Aesop

• “Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”
  Ovid

• “For fast-acting relief try slowing down.”
  Lily Tomlin

• The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.
  Robert M. Pirsig

• “The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.”
  Dogen

• “Whether talking or remaining silent, Whether moving or standing quiet, The Essence itself is ever at ease.”  Daishi

• “This is the Zen approach: nothing is there to be done. There is nothing to do. One has just to be. Have a rest and be ordinary and be natural. “  Osho

• “Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand - relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.”  Osho

• “God is a synergetic experience. Science can never reveal it, philosophy can never come to it - only a poetic approach, a very passive, very loving approach, can.”  Osho

• “Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.”  Alan Watts

• “Zen is not a philosophy, it is poetry. It does not propose, it simply persuades. It does not argue, it simply sings its own song. “  Osho

• “No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax for at least five minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.”   Dr. Joyce Brothers

• “He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul’s estate.”
  Henry David Thoreau

• “Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.”
  William S. Burroughs

• “If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.”
  Doug Larson

• “This art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it all care and worry is probably one of the secrets of energy in our great men.”  Captain J. A. Hadfield

• Ten thousand flowers in spring
  the moon in autumn,
  a cool breeze in summer,
  snow in winter.
  If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,
  this is the best season of your life.  Wu-men
• “To what shall
  I liken the world?
  Moonlight, reflected
  In dewdrops,
  Shaken from a crane’s bill.”  Dogen
• The wind has settled, the blossoms have fallen;
  Birds sing, the mountains grow dark —
  This is the wondrous power of Buddhism.

  Ryokan

• “Calm in quietude is not real calm. When you can be calm in the midst of activity, this is the true state of nature. Happiness in comfort is not real happiness. When you can be happy in the midst of hardship, then you see the true potential of the mind.”  Huanchu Daoren
• “Sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.”
  Douglas Pagels
• Before I had studied Zen for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and waters as waters.  When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and waters are not waters. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest.  For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and waters once again as waters.   Ching-yuan

• Said the river to the seeker, “Does one really have to fret about enlightenment? No matter which way I turn, I’m homeward bound.” Anthoney De Mello

• Surfing soothes me, it’s always been a kind of Zen experience for me. The ocean is so magnificent, peaceful, and awesome. The rest of the world disappears for me when I’m on a wave.
  Paul Walker

• And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
  T.S. Eliot

   

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   A Cup Of Zen, Healthy Living    3 Comments

Use the power of positive affirmations to change your life

Using affirmations is a way to create positive change in your life, but just as important; they feel good to say.  Affirmations are one of the easiest, yet most overlooked meditations in the world.   I will once again refer to a little book called Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain as the source of inspiration for this article.                                                                                                                                                               Definition:  “To affirm means ‘to make firm.’  An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so.  It is a way of ‘making firm’ that which you are imaging.”  Shakti Gawain                                                                                                                                                                                 Try saying my personal three affirmations in life, and see how they make you feel:                                                                                                                                                                   “I am capable of anything and bound by nothing”“                                                                                                                                                              “I love like I have never been hurt, and work like I don’t need the money”                                                                                                                                                                               “I strive for love, Seek knowledge, Find happiness, and Yield not to Fear”                                                                                                                                                                                They feel good to say, don’t they?  When we practice using affirmations, we replace the old bad programming that blocks us from moving forward in life.  Our mind defines us, whether we like it or not.  Filling it each day with positive affirmations will have an immediate impact on how we feel and think about our present situations.  It is such an easy practice contrary to the difficult meditations that push us to quiet our mind.  Creating your own personal list of affirmations is a fun and positive exercise.  I suggest making the Affirmations as personal as possible, don’t simply rely on someone else’s list for your life, make your own and start today.                                                                                                                                                                              Shakti gives the following 7 tips for you to follow: 

1. “Always phrase affirmations in the present tense, not in the future.”
2. “Always phrase affirmations in the most positive way that you can.”   
3. “In general, the shorter and simpler the affirmation the more effective.” 
4. “Always choose affirmations that feel totally right for you.” 
5. “Always remember when doing affirmations that you are creating something new and fresh.” 
6. “Affirmations are not meant to contradict or try to change your feelings or emotions.” 
7. “When using affirmations, try as much as possible to create a feeling of belief, an experience that they can be true.” 

Here are some great examples take from Creative Visualization to get you started: 

• “I am dynamically self-expressive.”
• “It’s Okay for me to have everything I want!”
• “I feel happy and blissful just being alive.”
• “I am a radiant being, filled with light and love.”
• “I am an open channel of creative energy.”
• “The light within me is creating miracles in my life here and now.”
• “I love to love and be loved.”
• “Infinite riches are now freely flowing in my life.”
• “Everything I need is already within me.”
• “Abundance is a natural state of being.  I accept it now!”
• “I love and appreciate myself just as I am.”     By Shakti Gawain

 NOW, doesn’t that just feel good?  The present moment is all we have in life, so take this moment to write at least one affirmation to share with others in the comment section below.  Begin changing you inner-self with positive thoughts today. 

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   A Cup Of Zen, Meditations    5 Comments

Great lessons and a little Zen I have learned on Stumbleupon

I believe you can find Zen anywhere you look.  So today, I thought I would share a few lessons and a little Zen from the pictures I have found on Stumbleupon.  Help enlighten someone’s day by giving this the thumbs up, a review, or send it to a friend.   Thanks, I hope you enjoy.

All children are Zen Masters, because everything is an eye opening experience to a child.

“Your eyes show the strength of your soul. ” Paulo Coelho  
The Alchemist

Sometimes It is Hard Being Different

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   A Cup Of Zen, Beautiful Artistry, Inspirational Vibes    4 Comments

Funny Zen story of two monks and a lovely girl

Two monks were once traveling together dow