Paulo Coelho quote

“Tell your Heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams.”

~Paulo Coelho

excerpt from “The Alchemist”

“Unmistaken Child” (2009)

A devoted disciple’s teacher passes away.  And now, he is charged with finding his teacher’s reincarnation.  This film follows the four year task of Tenzin Zopa’s search for his teacher reincarnated as a toddler.

A film about guru devotion and reincarnation.

I haven’t seen it yet, but the trailer is attached below.

Now playing in cities throughout the U.S.

Catch it when it comes through your neighborhood!

Opens in San Diego on July 24th, 2009 – Landmark Theatres

More info: http://www.unmistakenchild.com/

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Kundun

Some quotes from the film, KUNDUN, the story of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, his birth, his early years, China’s invasion, and his escape to India.

First, one understands that he causes much of his own suffering needlessly.
Second, he looks for the reasons for this in his own life.
To look is to have confidence in one’s own ability to end the suffering.
Finally, a wish arises to find a path to peace. For all beings desire happiness, all wish to find their purest self.

I rejoice in the awakening of the Buddhas and also in the spiritual levels of their sons. With folded hands, I beseech the Buddhas of All Directions to shine the lamp of Dharma for all bewildered in the gloom of misery.

With folded hands, I beseech all the Buddhas who wish to pass away to please remain, for countless aeons, not to leave the world in darkness.

My foes will become nothing, my friends will become nothing, I too will become nothing. Likewise, all will become nothing.

Just like a dream experienced, whatever things I enjoy will become a memory. Whatever has passed will never be seen again.

I will liberate those not liberated. I will release those, not released. I will relieve those, unrelieved. And set living beings in nirvana.

The Buddhas neither wash ill deeds away with water nor remove beings sufferings with their hands, nor transfer their realizations to others. Beings are released through the teachings of the Truth, the Final Reality.

Thus by the virtue that has collected through all that I have done, may the pain of every living creature be completed cleared away.

I think I am the reflection, like the moon on water. When you see me, when I try to be a good man, you see yourself.

Praktis ~ Tian Gong & Ancient Mayan Culture

Le Tian Da Shi and other teachers from Tian Gong visiting the World Beat Center and offering teachings and empowerments. I visited last Tuesday’s lecture on the Ancient View of the Soul and tonight, a lecture on the Ancient Mayan Culture from a 3rd Eye, Celestial Vision point of view. Intense, interesting and intriguing. I hope to learn more. And a kind invitation from the teacher to take other classes if it suits me. A blessing to have a chance to talk with the teacher tonight and receive a comment and a smile. It is a joy to see him talk and teach with such energy and always a smile to share.

This weekend, a weekend workshop on Healing Spirit Attachment and Bronze Bell Qi Gong.

I hope to attend both sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

And what a trip to hear that they are supporters of Thay’s work too! Yes to sangha friends from the ten directions! Yes, yes, yes!

They asked me if I was “Buddhist” and it was a moment for me to realize what I would say…

Funny, funny huh?

OFFERING UP MY TRUE HEART TO THE UNIVERSE!

PURIFICATION, CLEANSING, CONCLUSION!

THIS IS THE TIME!

Never say you can’t…

“Never say you can’t do,

because that is not the real you speaking…”

~Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

This quote also reminds me of the calligraphy from Thay…

and the energy and gift of Fearlessness.  The Awakened Nature within us, the aspect of pure compasssion and original wisdom shines forth, unstained and indestructible.  That is the real Me within all of these things I call me too.  The part of me that can, that is, that says YES and receives the completeness and fullness of being alive in this day, age, time, period.  I think I am receiving some communication upon the chance to meet Tsem Tulku Rinpoche this summer, aka LOCO LAMA!  I think I have a question to ask him…

Hmmm!?!

HA HA HA!!!

Here we go!

Gateway Freedom Release!

Enter fully!

Praktis ~ Gate of Freedom Through Renunciation

In the act of ordination, one blesses seven generations of descendants.  HE Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, a dharma teacher based out of Malaysia’s Kechara House, offers his thoughts on the ordination process of one of his long time dharma friend/student.  REJOICE!  May all favorable conditions arise for Mama Jenny’s ordination.  Gateway to Freedom Through Renunciation!

A Message from H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

Mama Jenny and the protocols of ordination

A Message from Rinpoche:

Dear everyone, Mama Jenny has lived a very ordinary life and I have known her for over 20 years. I have helped her and given her advice from family, husband, children, finances, moving, travelling, anger, Dharma, disappointments and in-laws. I have even helped her to save for her old age and explained why decades ago. She has travelled to India with me several times. I have been with her for every turn of her life’s ups and downs for two decades now. She is older and I am concerned. When I examine if what she has done would be enough for her future life, I gather it is not enough and I am very concerned. So I must find a solution. There is nothing left for her as there was nothing from the beginning anyway for her or any of us. We are under the illusion we want to ‘enjoy’ or experience life, when there is nothing new we have not experienced for so many lifetimes already and it has brought us nowhere. Do not waste another life on just making money and pretending you’ll be secure. It never happens. Stop believing in illusions. Do not encourage young people and your children to just go make money, money, money, and more money and all the efforts that go into it.. No matter how much you make or try to make, you will never never never never have security. Money is necessary, but should not be used as an excuse to postpone Dharma work, practice and endeavours. No matter how much you have in the bank, when the karma comes you can lose it and all your decades of hard work can disappear overnight making you angry, depressed, resentful, and asking why. Even pushing you to question your Dharma faith and the Three Jewels for money!!! All your life’s precious time spent to make money goes down the drain with a flick of karmic change. Since you have happened onto the Dharma, don’t waste this precious opportunity to make yourself useful and take life’s precious remaining time and do Dharma full time…And all the way. Inspire your partners, husbands, wives, inspire other people, inspire young people and inspire yourself. All that you have gone through is called life’s experiences to help you learn. That is great, but learn what? Have you actually learned?? By the time you ‘learn’, how much time do you have left? You have learned life’s lessons in so many lives already and you are still learning. This type of learning is not very helpful or useful in the bigger picture. Samsara learning gets you not far. To be skilled in samsara learning is to learn how to suffer more and create causes to take rebirth and suffer more. Don’t send that wrong message to others. Be compassionate and do Dharma all the way and set a compassionate example to others. There are more people in our group who should be ordained. But I will wait for the ‘right’ time to give them the holy and exellent news. It will be very beneficial for them to listen and follow. But even better is if they approach me sincerely to do so. I told Mama Jenny that I wanted her to be a nun when I first met her, and was waiting for the time. The time is here. So I sms-ed her and she has agreed. Good. When Mama Jenny becomes a nun: 1. She will use the remainder of her life in collecting merit. By holding her vows, even eating and sleeping she will collect merit. How else can she speed up merit collecting?? 2. I care about her and want her to have a good rebirth. This would be the best way for her. I rejoice for her. I have had no regrets re my own ordination. As I get older, I realize I am not missing anything. And there is nothing else to look forward to within these redundantly disappointing samsaric illusions we wrongly labelled fun. 3. She will bless seven generations of her descendents by taking ordination. How fortunate for her children that their mother has such love for them. To express her love in such an ultimate method. 4. She will be protected from taking rebirth in three lower realms although she has spent a lifetime of not collecting much merit as an ordinary householder. 5. She can focus more on retreats instead of ordinary activities that she has done so many times and brought not much benefits as life ebbs to a close. If we care about her and others, we should encourage them to refuge, practice and for some, to become sangha. This was holy advice from our Lord Sage Shakyamuni. So never make jokes regarding ordination. Never discourage others from ordination otherwise you disparage the Buddha’s direct advice. 6. She will inspire other normal householders. 7. Her mind will be more settled and start to let go more than before hence enhancing her practice and preparation for the ‘big day’. 8. Her attachments to others and some others attachments to her will be severed early on so her mind can focus on Dharma preparing for the big day that we all should prepare for. During our death, attachments that we haven’t severed are the biggest obstacle and number one enemy against a positive rebirth. Attachments cause tremendous fear, and anxiety triggering dormant negative karma to open bringing unhappy results. Some people arrogantly and ignorantly say they will practice more intently in their next life. How could they guarantee where they will take rebirth if they don’t even have control of their current birth and attachments??? Why boast of your next life, when your next opportune rebirth to do practice can be hundreds of lifetimes away while you take multitudes of negative suffering states of existence in between. To not take rebirth seriously is to undermine the very basis of all Buddha’s teachings which is cause and effect (karma). If you don’t take karma seriously, why make offerings, do sadhanas and propitiate deities? If you don’t have full conviction in karma, then even the deities, yidams, Dharma protectors and even Tsongkhapa cannot exist. Why? They exist on the basis of karma or the cessation of all negative karmas hence being enlightened. Look at what you have done in your life and where you are going to check your conviction in the pith of the Buddhist teachings, karma. If your life has been spent conquering attachment then you are in the right direction. If you are still making grandiose excuses to cover your attachments, all hope of good rebirth and practice are like seeing stars in the day sky. How can a lifetime of negative karma from attachments equal to positive results or good rebirth?? 9. To live and die with our robes is the most blessed thing we can do and inspire others to do. Our Lord Shakyamuni and Lord Tsongkhapa did that as an example for us. 10. Mama Jenny will start a trend in KH, in our area and in our region for others to also take robes. That would be a wonderful practice she leaves in people’s minds without even having to directly say anything to them. Just by being, we can inspire in this way without a lot of Dharma knowledge. 11. She will receive the vows from elder sangha members and be VERY BLESSED TO RECEIVE THE ORDINATION VOWS FROM THEM DIRECTLY. Which they received from their gurus, and their gurus, going all the way back unbroken to Lord Buddha from whence all the vows originally stem from!! She will have a direct connection to Shakyamuni planting innumerable blessed imprints in her mindstream for this life and future lives. 12. When we take ordination and hold our vows well, we have very little worries at the time of death. Death gets closer each day, what better preparation?? What better gift to ourselves? Above are some of the benefits for Mama Jenny and any person who takes on holy ordination. TKL should have many ordained people in future. How beautiful. Procedures: 1. I will let Mama Jenny know the timing of the actual ordination and she will go to India for this. I will arrange. More than four elder sangha members are necessary for this. 2. Before she takes ordination, I will give her pre-ordination instructions of which afterwards, she will wear pure white clothes and cut her hair very short. And remain in that type of preparatory dress and hair mode until taking of the vows after which she will wear the actual maroon robes and have her hair fully shaved. The style of white clothes I will show Su Ming to produce. 3. After ordination, staying place I will consider and let her know. 4. As Mama Jenny, due to my instructions, has a small savings, she will use those savings to support herself. Any extra donations to Mama Jenny may be directed to Ladrang and I appoint Liaison Su Ming (see contact info below) to oversee this Sangha fund. It will set a precedence for future Sangha offerings in this manner. I wish Mama Jenny to use her savings in this case fully for the Dharma by sponsoring herself. Each case in the future will be unique and different. 5. Already people wish to donate robes to Mama Jenny, that is wonderful. They may direct this donation to Liaison Su Ming of Tsem Ladrang. Mama Jenny will also need airfare to India (cost will be let known at a later date). Other expenditures I will inform at a later date and other people may contribute to the ladrang sangha fund. DO NOT CONTRIBUTE OR GIVE TO THE INDIVIDUAL DIRECTLY PLEASE. DIRECT IT TO KH SANGHA FUND through Su Ming. I will set up a system of Sangha support from Ladrang for those in genuine need. I thank you ahead of time to help the Sangha. Sangha in this region are like drops of rain on a arid desert. Let’s make more rain. Contact info of Chuah Su Ming: 012-2911178 03-77285188 suming@tsemladrang.com 6. After ordination we will address her by her ordination name only. 7. She should not go to any hawkers, eateries, or places of entertainment for one year. But after 6 months she may go to vegetarian restaurants with other females (vegetarian restaurants are acceptable for Sangha in this region). She may not go with another male alone irregardless of their relations to her as it will cause wrong image to the public and Sangha. If there is a male with her, she must have another male or female to accompany them. That goes same for monks except reversed of course. 8. Anytime a person becomes a Sangha, the remaining family members must be taken care of by other family members left behind. Sangha SHOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF LAY PEOPLE as it is negative karma for lay people to expect financial help from Sangha. It will also distract the Sangha members’ practice. Family members should give full emotional and financial support to their family member who has taken ordination. Family members should not expect financial support from the centres, temples or other members. That would be using the Sangha directly and indirectly. 9. Remaining family members should not call the ordained by their previous names or titles, but only respectfully by their ordained names, as it is a blessing for the new Sangha and all who hear it. 10. The above write up should serve as a procedure and protocols as it is our first in KH. Future Sangha may follow the same procedures. In time I/we may add or amend. Liaisons should know the procedures well to explain or talk when asked. I care about Mama Jenny and her future. As I have no power to save her, but by her personal practice she can find repose and release from samsara. I would be very happy for her and also have fulfilled my avowed duties. Mama Jenny is a close friend and student. Since she also considers me her close friend and teacher, she fully trusts me and hence is now ready to take on more meaning her life by pure and sacred ordination. I wish this for Mama Jenny as a culmination of our two decades Dharma friendship and it is the best gift I can give her. And her to herself. How beautiful. I wish this for others also the same as I wish for Mama Jenny. My sincere good wishes, and happiness for this sacred event in our kechara. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche Spiritual Director Kechara House & TKL Retreat Centre www.tsemtulku.com www.kecharahouse.com ‘Never say you can’t do, because that is not the real you speaking’.

Praktis ~ Tian Gong

For 4.5 billion years of Earth history, epochs of civilizations have risen and fallen. Only Qi Gong and various spiritual practices have persisted through these eons of upheaval to pass on the torch of human existence.

Every single tree and every blade of grass on our planet has a mission. Each person is born into this world with a mission. Similarly, Tian Gong has emerged on this Earth to guide those connected to it towards wholeness and Oneness with the Universe. The practice of Tian Gong helps students guide themselves and others along this path of spiritual evolution.

Oneness with Universe is both the primary source of ancient Chinese civilization as well as the final destination dreamt of by many peoples of the world. Since ancient times there have been numerous saints, philosophers and cultivators who have engaged in this sacred endeavor.

The physical and spiritual health of humans and of humanity is closely connected to the state of the Earth’s energy field. The crisis of the Earth demands that humans change their way of thinking and their way of life. Therefore, for some, spiritual work has begun to take precedence over all else.

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World Beat Center hosted a workshop/teaching/healing this afternoon by Qi Gong Master Le Tian Da Shi.  Fun, insightful and healing!  I hope to write about it more here, but in the meantime, am going through the website, downloading some of the mp3 talks and listening to a Celestial Sound Healing for Detoxification.  :-

PURIFY TO UNIFY!

UNIVERSAL UNIFICATION!

RETURN TO THE HEART OF ONENESS!

Praktis ~ “Teaching” English

Maybe this is part of my family of origin contemplation ~ meditation for this Full Moon in Leo? 

(Do I consider myself an English teacher?  Or an English Language Arts teacher?  Or a critical literacy & writing teacher?  I have to say the latter…I feel like my identity of knowing English arises from that place more strongly.  BUT, that’s not to say I wouldn’t like to explore this opportunity below to teach English in India!  Wow, Motherland Southeast Asia trip planning takin’ me in all kinds of directions!)

Enough.

I’ll return to this posting later on and let it just be for right now

Breathing in, I smile…

Breathing out, I receive the gentle signs of the Friendly Universe…

May the winds be favorable…

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Job Description
Volunteer English as a Second Language Teachers
Himachal Pradesh, India

We are seeking full-time male ESL teachers to teach monks at Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute (DKCLI), Chauntra (H.P.). The monks at the Institute are following a ten year traditional course of study in Buddhist philosophy. English has recently been added to the curriculum, along with computer skills.

Over 90 monks, aged 20 – 35, are currently enrolled in five beginner to intermediate level courses in the Institute’s English language program. The program’s five-year curriculum aims to give students a solid start in the language and includes both skills-based and grammar components. Popular Cambridge University Press course books form the basis of each class, supplemented by graded reading sets and CD-ROM based materials.

Responsibilities:
Under supervision and guidance of the principal English teacher, volunteer teachers will
•  prepare and teach  two one-hour classes per day, Monday – Friday
•  write and administer tests for each unit of study (approx two tests per month for each class)
•  record attendance and assessment details in database
•  prepare a small report on student progress in each class at the end of the work period, to assist transfer to the incoming  teacher.

Remuneration:
• Accommodation and meals are provided in the monastery; and
•  A stipend of 2,000 rps month to assist with expenses

Qualifications:
Preference will be given to people who have:
•  a teaching qualification or relevant degree, and/or
•  experience teaching English as a second language.
•  Teachers need to be native English speakers.

If you have relevant qualifications or experience, and would be interested in being involved in the English language program at DKCLI, please email Suzie Erbacher with your CV (please include two references).

Please note:  Volunteers will need to make a commitment to work with the program for at least 3 months, preferably longer. Commencement dates can be negotiated.

Useful web links:
1.    Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute –

http://www.siddharthasintent.org/Tibetan/Chauntra.htm

2.    Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Siddhartha’s Intent

http://www.siddharthasintent.org/about.htm

3.    Khyentse Foundation

http://www.khyentsefoundation.org

Full Moon in Leo (4th House)

A gentle message today about Motherland Southeast Asia explorations, especially this summer? Finding a new home with my career choice? New Joy of Being?  Talks with Makeda?  Sitting with the energy of knowing my family of origin more — what is this spiritual communication?   Look deeply.

My blood ancestors and my spiritual, energetic ancestors.  My land ancestors.  Memories and myths within to which I have an affinity.  Ancestors, I send prayers for your guidance and wisdom. I surrender and release, walking towards the gateway, taking refuge, embracing the path that has also chosen me. My family of origin, the place from where my soul has come, the memories that are arising, serving as reminders, gentle reminders of the Way to go.  Arriving, arriving, going, going Home.

Monday, Feb 9th, 2009 -– The Full Moon Eclipse in your 4th House of Roots can act as a lightning rod that attracts attention to your family of origin. Although travel isn’t necessarily indicated now, you might go somewhere far away in mind. You may want to learn about a foreign culture or become interested in your ancestral history. Remember, no grandiose gestures are needed; they’ll only distract you from the real work at hand.

(from tarot.com

Santi,

Jnaseh

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Praktis ~ On Blogging & Releasing Energy

When you bring forth that which is within you, what you bring forth will save you. When you do not bring forth that which is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you. ~Gospel of St. Thoma

I found this quote on the Manzanita Village website,  as part of the Writing & Creativity retreat offered by Susan Moon.   I’ve encountered this quote before from Susan Moon’s retreat announcements.  Somehow though, it was only today that I really understood, or perhaps re-remembered, how my on and off again bloggin’ these past few years — has, in some ways, been inspired unknowingly, by this awareness of releasing and giving word, language, form to that which is within myself.  A kind of releasing, decompressing, letting go sorta thing.

As I’ve migrated to wordpress (from blogger, to zaadz and all the other places I’ve wandered to online)…I know I’ve been realizing, in small moments of awareness, the wonderful possibilities in creating an “online identity”.  It allows me to reflect myself to myself.  “Know thyself — or else!” said Freewill Astrology’s Rob Brezner.  Additionally, it allows me to create the conditions to possibly connect with others.  And emotionally – psychologically – internally…I decompress and release.  I bring up that which is within, I allow for the known and unknown to arise.  And the Gospel from St. Thomas quote says, in not releasing, I hold onto things which have the potential to become toxic and destroy me.

I am feeling inspired to write something about how writing is a dharma door — of course!  To write it for my own self understanding, to remind myself and reflect to myself how I am coming to know what it means to type myself onto this here blog.

Breathing in, I blog

Breathing out, I release…

The dharma of bloggin’ writin’ and releasin’

When you bring forth that which is within you, what you bring forth will save you. When you do not bring forth that which is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you. ~Gospel of St Thomas

THANK YOU SUSAN MOON!   May favorable conditions arise and may I have the fortune to attend one of your writing retreats!