“There is One Holy Book, the sacred manuscript of nature,
the only scripture which can enlighten the reader.” ~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

 

 

Open Road Meditation & Mindfulness Dialogue

 

March 15, 2022

 

(These are some excerpts from Michel’s meditation journal. The numbers refer to sections from Your True Home by Thich Nhat Hanh.) (JS)

 

February 15, 2022  #239  Peace Permeates

 

It’s true! Whatever we cultivate in mindfulness will permeate the life and body. It is also true that physical states (feelings) can affect the mindfulness. This is why I believe there is value in any type of mindfulness practice. Currently I strive to practice during moments on the exercise bike, and do nothing else while I sit there. Maybe formal sitting isn’t for everyone—(it is the easiest and quickest path I’ve learned)—but learning to find some idle time to focus on the breath, while not attending to every thought whim arising each moment, can be helpful. Lately, I’ve referenced recollections of childhood: those times on sunny summer days, laying on a lawn beach, etc., watching clouds pass by. Thoughts can become the clouds. Let them go on.

 

February 16, 2022  #240  Rest Naturally

 

I would take Thây’s allusion one step further. I would imagine myself as that pebble sitting down to rest in sleep. These images sound like a very restful contemplation for meditation practice, or sleep—which can be a form of meditation, I’ve heard.

 

The beauty of this image, to me, is the pebble does nothing. It is acted upon, and eventually comes to a state of rest, all without any self effort. Once at rest, more nothing; it still doesn’t do. It just is.  I like allowing thoughts to be like water, flowing by with no affect or input. I think emulating the small stone is valuable.

 

I wonder: how far this allusion-metaphor-image can be interpreted and applied before the analogy breaks down? Still, I like this idea of imagining myself (my mind?) as the small stone resting as clouds, air, rain, water, a river, living beings (various forms of thought?) simply pass by, while I continue to rest unaffected by all the passersby, or the melee of thoughts passes on without my interaction or attachment.

 

February 23, 2022  #245  The Sangha Body of Peace

 

It has been over two years since we last gathered, here at TRCI, for our weekly dialogues and since we’ve been able to function for each other as a sangha. We’ve been doing so remotely. In this two years, several have moved on to their next phase, whatever and wherever that may be. All of us, I’m guessing, look forward to meeting with those of us remaining, and for our dialogues to resume. I wonder what this may be likened to and how we, the remnant or those departed, may feel about being where we are when that happens. Will everyone experience unity of sangha, or some, maybe? I don’t know; it’s a personal experience.

 

I trust if we remember Thây’s teaching on mindfulness—“I am here for you”—and apply it to be mindfully present wherever we are at the reunification of our weekly “love feat,” then those present (and hopefully those afar, lending their light) will give/receive the most from that meeting of our sangha again. I look forward to that day myself.

 

With love, be well!

 

—Michel Deforge

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in my old age

i have become a connoisseur

of perfect moments

 

Some people say, “No one’s perfect,” or “Nothing is perfect,” but, if you look at it a certain way, everyone is perfect and every thing is perfect. We’ve all drunk a lot of water in our life, but sometimes we stop and notice that the glass of water in our hand is the most beautiful thing we have ever seen. We are amazed by water. It’s impossible. It’s wet. We are made of water. Without air, without water, without the sun, there could be no life on this planet. Without our body, without our eyes and brain and skin and nervous system we couldn’t see or touch or taste water. We couldn’t know or imagine. When I was young, I knew everything. The older I get, the more bewildered I’ve become. I’m dumbfounded by the beauty and unlikelihood of absolutely everything.

 

(After writing the above, I asked Mr. Google: “What percentage of the human body is water?” Here is the reply:)

 

60%

 

Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.

 

(From the U.S. Geological Survey website article: “The Water in You: Water and the Human Body.” The article is highly entertaining. Here’s the link:)

 

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-you-water-and-human-body

 

—Johnny Stallings

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#302  No Ideas

 

“When we look deeply, we see that all our ideas about our body and about our mind are inaccurate. We have to practice no ideas…”

“When we can stop every idea in our mind…”

“When we can see the emptiness of each thing…”

 

But aren’t ‘looking deeply’ and ‘when we can see’ just other ways of saying ‘thinking,’ and having ideas about? Isn’t the very practice of “practicing no ideas” an idea? An act of thinking? A conscious process of the mind? Do you acknowledge that it’s an idea to “practice no idea,” and that it is a necessary step to get beyond to get to emptiness? 

 

We might use a mantra in order to go beyond no idea? But the derivation of mantra goes back to Sanskrit – sacred counsel, formula; and back to Latin – mens: mind. From manyate: he thinks. Hmmm, that sure sounds like mind>thinking>idea to me…

 

Am I overthinking this no idea/emptiness…idea? Sheesh. I have no idea….Hey! I think I’m getting somewhere with this. 

 

—Jude Russell

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In life I have done things that were detestable. And in life we have all at times been faced with choosing the path. But which path do we take—not knowing where any of them lead? I had been lost for so long, and lost so much, and so many of those things can never be replaced. But some of them will never fail, and that is the love I have for them—lost and found and kept. Unconditional love is there for those that need it. People are the real treasure in love, and those relationships are what is most important. Love is free and we should always freely give love unconditionally. It is a simple seed and if it is allowed to grow unchecked it is gladly evasive.

 

—Rocky Hutchinson

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Old Spruce Sets the Clock

 

I’ve been running daylight saving time

since I was a sprig, a sprout, a sapling

hoarding every filament of illumination

that made it through these shadows

to find my reaching hands open wide.

Don’t ask me about frenzy–I’ve been

slow-timing for a hundred years, and

look where that has got me, rooted

deeper, yearning higher, greener,

older, thick and sturdy, easy with

root and bud, snow and starlight. 

In this war, one could do worse.

 

—Kim Stafford

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My meditation lately consists of viewing what I look like by someone else’s eyes and mind. How do I act, talk, walk, sit, eat? How do I treat others? This gives me self awareness. It is sometimes uncomfortable to view myself outside of myself, but it does bring me perspective. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and writings.

 

—Brandon Gillespie

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For a joyous and heart opening experience, spend a few breaths looking closely at these spirals (on page 1) of nature’s energy unfolding. 

 

March has many celebrations—International Women’s Day, Spring Equinox, Earth Day, Candlemas and Nancy Scharbach’s Birthday!

 

As Spring approaches I am delighted by the polka dots of nature—soft rain drops on the pavement, along with pink petals from the cherry trees. Pussy willows in bud, raindrops clinging to the leafless twigs after a rain. But there is also the spiral when I look closely at the ferns sending out their new shoots.

 

It is also the time of Fasting after a last winter Feast. “Carnival” means going without meat, or food in general, until the gardens are producing once again. Through eons and within all cultures and religions, the need for Lent (or sacrifice, and changing one’s habits to survive) has been a Spring ritual. Blessing the Earth for sustenance.

 

In Buddhist practice, rather than a forty day fast, the Five Precepts are recited once a week, to help change unkind and unhealthy elements of our “habit energy,” as Thay calls it, with the intent to live a happier and ethical life.

 

Rather than making these sound like commandments, Thich Nhat Hanh over the years has rewritten the precepts so they help us focus on practicing awareness and kindness, for ourselves, for others, and for the planet.

 

Here are Thay’s latest rendition with his commentary. You may want to take one to heart for a week or two, then reflect on your own habit energy, and what changes you might see from paying attention. Maybe there is something you want to give up and you would like your community to support.

 

In peace and love, 

 

—Katie Radditz

 

The Five Mindfulness Trainings are one of the most concrete ways to practice mindfulness. They are nonsectarian, and their nature is universal. They are true practices of compassion and understanding. All spiritual traditions have their equivalent to the Five Mindfulness Trainings.

 

The first training is to protect life, to decrease violence in oneself, in the family and in society. The second training is to practice social justice, generosity, not stealing and not exploiting other living beings. The third is the practice of responsible sexual behavior in order to protect individuals, couples, families and children. The fourth is the practice of deep listening and loving speech to restore communication and reconcile. The fifth is about mindful consumption, to help us not bring toxins and poisons into our body or mind.

 

The Five Mindfulness Trainings are based on the precepts developed during the time of the Buddha to be the foundation of practice for the entire lay practice community. 

 

I have translated these precepts for modern times, because mindfulness is at the foundation of each one of them. With mindfulness, we  are modern times, because mindfulness is at the foundation of each one of them. With mindfulness, we are aware of what is going on in our bodies, our feelings, our minds and the world, and we avoid doing harm to ourselves and others. Mindfulness protects us, our families and our society. When we are mindful, we can see that by refraining from doing one thing, we can prevent another thing from happening. We arrive at our own unique insight. It is not something imposed on us by an outside authority. Practicing the mindfulness trainings, therefore, helps us be more calm and concentrated, and brings more insight and enlightenment.

 

The Five Mindfulness Trainings

 

The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are a concrete expression of the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and true love, leading to healing, transformation, and happiness for ourselves and for the world. To practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance, anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we are already on the path of a bodhisattva. Knowing we are on that path, we are not lost in confusion about our life in the present or in fears about the future.

 

Reverence For Life

 

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and 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 support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.

 

True Happiness

 

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and stop contributing to climate change.

 

True Love

 

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. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends. 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. Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love – for my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.

 

Loving Speech and Deep Listening

 

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.

 

Nourishment and Healing

 

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 will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.

 

—from Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices by Thich Nhat Hanh (pp. 35-38)

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Some quotes on Jeff K’s mind lately:

 

’’Be patient, your future will come to you and lie down at your feet like a dog who knows and loves you no matter what you are”

 

—Ted Chiang Stories of Your Life and Others, p. 278

 

”Found a dollar and had a slice of pizza… One day closer to death’’

&

”We come into this world alone… Then we die alone… But, in the meantime… Snacks.’’

 

—Adult Swim

 

Our universe might have slid into equilibrium emitting nothing more than a quiet hiss. The fact that it spawned such plenitude is a miracle, one that is matched only by your universe giving rise to you. Though I am long dead as you read this, explorer, I offer to you a valediction. Contemplate the marvel that is existence, and rejoice that you are able to do so. I feel I have the right to tell you this because, as I am inscribing these words, I am doing the same. 

 

—Ted Chiang,  Exhalation, p. 57

 

”Artists are magical helpers. Evoking symbols and motifs that connect us to our deeper selves, they can help us along the heroic journey of our own lives.” 

 

—Joseph Campbell

 

—Jeff Kuehner