1. Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone killing in the world, in my thinking and in my way of life.
2. Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing and oppression, I am committed to cultivating loving kindness and learning ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I will practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.
3. Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.
4. Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am determined to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy and hope. I will not spread news that I do not know to be certain and will not criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
5. Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I am committed to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Shambhala Training
Last weekend, I attended the first level of The Sacred Path. This level is entitled "The Great Eastern Sun." I must say that I have been able to recognize the various changes that have taken place in me as I have journeyed through the various levels of Shambhala Training. Our teacher was Kunga Dawa, the first student that Trungpa Rinpoche taught mediation in the West. Kunga guided us gently and very wonderfully though an explanation of the Great Eastern Sun and through the practice associated with it.
One thing that I learned over the weekend was that, for me, sitting meditation is probably the best to do first. When I was called upon to Umdze we sat for twenty-five minutes and walked for five. I have found that it takes my mind twenty-five minutes sometimes to become focused and placed correctly in shamatha. This might not be the case with others, but it is for me. So, we did our usual meditation sessions with alternating walking and sitting. I was also one who set up for the speaker in one of the sessions and the one who lit the charcoal on the shrine. This was a new experience for me, but one that I loved to do as a service to the community and to the teacher.
There is a basic human wisdom that can help solve the worlds problems. I am not always sure that we want to let go of our neurosis long enough to find that wisdom. As I reflected some about my life, I realized that there were actually times in the past when I enjoyed my neurosis. I think I actually found ways to do things that supported it. It was a comfortable place to be because I was hidden from the real world and didn't have to deal with anything, because my neurotic habitual concepts already had it figured out. When I realized this, I remembered the Shambhala teaching about the cocoon.
One thing that seemed to "be driven home" to me this past weekend was how afraid I have allowed myself to become of space. Stepping out of the neurosis and into the world, living in the present moment, requires a lot of space. I remember in Level 4 how we started lifting our gaze outwardly and taking in more of what was really there. You would think that would be an easy practice. I built up a comfortable comfort zone that did not include being who I really am. Who I really am is not scary to me, but being who I am in the context of a larger space was a bit scary. I found that I loved to hid behind certain facades because that is what I thought would make me happy. However, it did not, and it has taken the Shambhala Training to make me realize that.
Viewing things as the are, instead of how I have always tried to "think" they were is refreshing. Sitting helps me break down those concepts that I love to place on everything. Just focusing on the breath and letting the thoughts go by, labeling them as thoughts and letting them go, is a wonderful practice. I think Shamatha is probably the basis to all meditation for me and it seems like I alway go back to the practice even if just for a few minutes. It helps me center and relax and focus.
Kunga said in last weekends training that "by developing luminosity there is no possibility of confusion or petty mind. Clarity and luminosity free us from conceptual overlay." The Dorje Drodul likened meditation to taming a horse. The horse kicks and kicks when you first try to tame him, but after awhile, with continued practice, he becomes tame. I have found that to be true of my meditation practice.
One thing that I learned over the weekend was that, for me, sitting meditation is probably the best to do first. When I was called upon to Umdze we sat for twenty-five minutes and walked for five. I have found that it takes my mind twenty-five minutes sometimes to become focused and placed correctly in shamatha. This might not be the case with others, but it is for me. So, we did our usual meditation sessions with alternating walking and sitting. I was also one who set up for the speaker in one of the sessions and the one who lit the charcoal on the shrine. This was a new experience for me, but one that I loved to do as a service to the community and to the teacher.
There is a basic human wisdom that can help solve the worlds problems. I am not always sure that we want to let go of our neurosis long enough to find that wisdom. As I reflected some about my life, I realized that there were actually times in the past when I enjoyed my neurosis. I think I actually found ways to do things that supported it. It was a comfortable place to be because I was hidden from the real world and didn't have to deal with anything, because my neurotic habitual concepts already had it figured out. When I realized this, I remembered the Shambhala teaching about the cocoon.
One thing that seemed to "be driven home" to me this past weekend was how afraid I have allowed myself to become of space. Stepping out of the neurosis and into the world, living in the present moment, requires a lot of space. I remember in Level 4 how we started lifting our gaze outwardly and taking in more of what was really there. You would think that would be an easy practice. I built up a comfortable comfort zone that did not include being who I really am. Who I really am is not scary to me, but being who I am in the context of a larger space was a bit scary. I found that I loved to hid behind certain facades because that is what I thought would make me happy. However, it did not, and it has taken the Shambhala Training to make me realize that.
Viewing things as the are, instead of how I have always tried to "think" they were is refreshing. Sitting helps me break down those concepts that I love to place on everything. Just focusing on the breath and letting the thoughts go by, labeling them as thoughts and letting them go, is a wonderful practice. I think Shamatha is probably the basis to all meditation for me and it seems like I alway go back to the practice even if just for a few minutes. It helps me center and relax and focus.
Kunga said in last weekends training that "by developing luminosity there is no possibility of confusion or petty mind. Clarity and luminosity free us from conceptual overlay." The Dorje Drodul likened meditation to taming a horse. The horse kicks and kicks when you first try to tame him, but after awhile, with continued practice, he becomes tame. I have found that to be true of my meditation practice.
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