A debate on the most important questions in life???

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Where Did I Come From?   Who Am I? How much money is enough? What is love?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

I recently published a post containing, Tips on living a better life in 2008, which sparked some serious debate over number 28, “God heals almost everything”.  With over 12,000 views in one week and 30 comments, I was pleased this post had such a great response.  I allowed all the comments, both negative and positive, to fly as I watched the debate progress.  Very few chose the middle ground, but those comments happened to be my favorite.  What I loved most about the post was that I learned a little something from its publication.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Notably, the following comment seemed to strike a cord with me by JM, “It’s as though #28 ruined the day for everyone who read it. I’m agnostic or atheist or I don’t really know what, but it’s really irrelevant. I’m just blown away by the negativity that one comment can provoke in people who are logging on to a website based on “enlightenment.” My personal advice would be to “F&*$# lighten up.” But perhaps more sage advice would be what a Buddhist monk once told me when I struggled with one of the teachings: “Ignore that teaching. If it is a roadblock to accepting the good parts in the other passages, then you must discard it. Maybe one day you will feel differently about it, maybe not, but don’t let it get in the way of the parts which are helpful to you.” That’s my two cents. Feel free to get angry, I won’t.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      So as a follow up to this post, I am asking the following question and I hope that my readers will continue this debate and we can all learn a little something from each other. What are the most important questions in life?  Are they about religion, happiness, freedom, love, etc?  Can any answers satisfy everyone, or are the answers only personal ones shape by ones experience in life?  So what are the questions that are most important in life?  Have you found any answers? What answers?                                                                                                                                                                                                                     To start things off, I have listed some questions to get the ball rolling.  I hope you will share your knowledge, love, hate, wisdom, or whatever you feel like ranting about.  I will allow everything except personal attacks on others to be published.                                                What are the most important questions in life? Is it………………                                                                                               

1. What is the meaning of life?                                                              
2. Where Did I Come From?  
3. Who Am I?       
4. Where Am I Going?                               
5. How much money is enough?              
6. What is love?                                                           
7. Is there a Supreme Being and is his name really God?                                    
8. How far does space go?     Is there life on other planets?  
9. ”What is the meaning of life?  
10. How much is it?…Are you married?        Will there be an open bar?  
11. “What kind of job will I have in the future or even right now”?  “Where will I live?”  “Who will I marry?”  
12. “WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO DO WITH MY LIFE?”  “What do I want to do with my life?”             
13. “What are the most important questions I need to figure out to be happy?”       
14. “What is happiness and how do I achieve it?”  
15. “Why is an all-knowing God not naturally known by His human creation?”    
16. Is there real proof that God cares for you?”  
17. What is life all about?”  
18. “Is there life after death?”         
19. “Why does God allow pain and suffering?”          
20. “Can we know God?”  
21. Does God choose sides?”  
22. Does God want freedom?  
23. Why does God let war happen?  
24. Whom should we pray for?       
25. Is my life significant?                  
26. What really matters in life?             
27. Why should I get up in the morning?        
28. Is there life after death?      
29. DO I have free will?         
30. Why are we here?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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Tags: debate, important, Life, questions

   A Cup Of Zen, Healthy Living, Inspirational Vibes    16 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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Tags: , being, quote, relax, Zen

   A Cup Of Zen, Healthy Living    3 Comments

Deliciously Healthy Juice Recipes for the Heart and Soul

   By changing what you eat, you can enliven your heart and enhance your soul.  I found an amazing post this week containing some delicious healthy drink recipes. The article was so tasty that I left a comment for the writer requesting permission to share his work; luckily he agreed.  The post was written by Jaison, if you’re interested in reading more of his material, you can find his blog at the following address: http://iamjaison.blogspot.com/

The Body Cleanser

 Use 3 parts apple 1 part ginger and 3 parts carrot. The main benefits of this juice include revitalization of the body, good for cold and glowing skin. Beauticians usually prescribe this juice because of its extremely good effects on the skin. But the benefits are not limited to the skin. It has a cleansing and boosting effect to the whole body.

The Cholesterol Buster

 A juice made from Apple cucumber and celery is known to fight cancer and reduce cholesterol. It also improves any sort of stomach upset and headache. This juice is a must have once you have crossed your 30’s. If you have this juice every other day, then you will not have to worry about your cholesterol level any more.  Sample proportion - 2 parts apple, 1 part cucumber and 1 part celery

Super Breath

 This juice is specifically for people who want to improve their skin complexion. The ingredients are Apple, Carrot and Tomato. For better effect use Green apples. This juice also had an added advantage of eliminating bad breath. This is due to the Apple, Tomato combination.  Sample proportion- 2 part apple, 2 part carrot and 1 part tomato

Super Cooler

 A combination of Bitter gourd milk and Apple is used when one generates lots of internal body heat. This juice will instantly cool down your internal body heat and make you more comfortable. It also fights bad breath just like our previous recipe.  Sample proportion- 1 part Bitter gourd, 1 cup milk, 2 full Apples

Super Skin

 It is a very well know fact that orange and cucumber are the most vital things to have if one is concerned about the skin. A combination of these two combined with ginger will act as a supper supplement for your skin. Its combined effect will improve the skin texture and moisture content in the skin. It is also a body heat reducing drink.  Sample Proportion- 2 parts orange 2 parts cucumber ½ part ginger

The Wild Thing

  Now, this one is one of my favorites. Apple, Pineapple and Watermelon blends together to form a wonderful mouth watering juice which is excellent for you kidney and bladder. It also helps dispelling excess salts from your body. Some people use a tint of salt with this juice but I like to drink it as it is without the salt flavor.  Sample proportion- 2 Apples, ½ Pine apple and ¼ Watermelon (The seeds should be removed otherwise the taste will differ)

The Vitamin Juice

  This is an extremely healthy drink with loads and loads of vitamin content. It is made from Honeydew, black grapes, watermelon and milk. If you have kids at home, they will love this. Other than Vitamin C, it also has Vitamin B12.  It also increases the cell activity and strengthens body immunity.  Sample Proportion- Mix in equal proportions.

The Sugar Fighter

 This is a simple but very useful and easy to digest juice. It regulates the sugar content in our body. The juice is made of Pear and banana. Pear is good for an ulcer, constipation, and urination and also works for congestion, fever alleviation, and cough. Banana is good for people who have high blood pressure because it is low in salt. Banana contains tryptophan, a type of protein  that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that is known to make you feel happy and improve your mood.  Sample Proportion 3 parts pear and 2 parts banana.

Anti Oxidant

 A juice made by mixing mango, pear, carrot and apple will act as an antioxidant. It clears the body heat, counteracts toxicity and decrease blood pressure. Apple is a well known anti oxidant. The addition of mango makes this juice a very tasty drink.  Sample proportion- 3 parts mango, 2 parts peer, 2 parts carrot, 2 parts apple.

Purple Pine

  Purple pine is made from pineapple and grapes. A black grape is usually used. The drink is high in iron and pineapple acts as a Potential Anti-Inflammatory and Digestive agent. It is a good drink to have after your lunch or dinner. Grape juice is known to be good for heart.  Sample Proportion- ½ Pineapple and 1 full cup of grapes.

Pink Floyd

  This is an extremely tasty juice (Most of the times used as milk shake) which is made from a combination of banana and strawberry. The strawberries should be ripe enough and should be mixed or blend very well before using. Some people filter this drink but I like to drink it without filtering because I love those tiny strawberry pieces floating in the drink.   Sample Proportion- 8 medium size strawberries and 3 bananas with half cup milk

 

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Tags: cleanser, drink, health, heart, juice, recipes, skin, soul, vitamin

   Healthy Living    2 Comments