Zero

I never thought life could be so blissful in emptiness.
Freedom from thoughts
of fears, dreams and doubts.
zero

We take in breath,
and all the flavors of that
which surrounds us.
and then
we let that breath go
letting it all go,
only to take it in again and again.

And the cycle continues
round and round it goes.
We suffer - we move on,
we succeed - our success dissipates,
we love - we hate,
we're hungry - then we're full.

Our breath is our holy reminder
of life's impermanence.
Nothing can be frozen.
It is in the nature of the universe
to continue in motion.

Even the silent hum of zero
moves along
in it's transcendent neutrality.
With the ebb and flow of existence,
it permeates through all
of the negatives and positives of matter,
free from judgment and impact.
Free from our space,
free from ourselves.

Equanimity.... say it again, equanimity.

" One approach to developing equanimity is to cultivate the qualities of mind that support it. Seven mental qualities support the development of equanimity.

The first is virtue or integrity. When we live and act with integrity, we feel confident about our actions and words, which results in the equanimity of blamelessness. The ancient Buddhist texts speak of being able to go into any assembly of people and feel blameless.

The second support for equanimity is the sense of assurance that comes from faith. While any kind of faith can provide equanimity, faith grounded in wisdom is especially powerful. The Pali word for faith, saddha, is also translated as conviction or confidence. If we have confidence, for example, in our ability to engage in a spiritual practice, then we are more likely to meet its challenges with equanimity.

The third support is a well-developed mind. Much as we might develop physical strength, balance, and stability of the body in a gym, so too can we develop strength, balance and stability of the mind. This is done through practices that cultivate calm, concentration and mindfulness. When the mind is calm, we are less likely to be blown about by the worldly winds.

The fourth support is a sense of well-being. We do not need to leave well-being to chance. In Buddhism, it is considered appropriate and helpful to cultivate and enhance our well-being. We often overlook the well-being that is easily available in daily life. Even taking time to enjoy one's tea or the sunset can be a training in well-being.

The fifth support for equanimity is understanding or wisdom. Wisdom is an important factor in learning to have an accepting awareness, to be present for whatever is happening without the mind or heart contracting or resisting. Wisdom can teach us to separate people's actions from who they are. We can agree or disagree with their actions, but remain balanced in our relationship with them. We can also understand that our own thoughts and impulses are the result of impersonal conditions. By not taking them so personally, we are more likely to stay at ease with their arising.

Another way wisdom supports equanimity is in understanding that people are responsible for their own decisions, which helps us to find equanimity in the face of other people's suffering. We can wish the best for them, but we avoid being buffeted by a false sense of responsibility for their well-being.

One of the most powerful ways to use wisdom to facilitate equanimity is to be mindful of when equanimity is absent. Honest awareness of what makes us imbalanced helps us to learn how to find balance.

The sixth support is insight, a deep seeing into the nature of things as they are. One of the primary insights is the nature of impermanence. In the deepest forms of this insight, we see that things change so quickly that we can't hold onto anything, and eventually the mind lets go of clinging. Letting go brings equanimity; the greater the letting go, the deeper the equanimity.

The final support is freedom, which comes as we begin to let go of our reactive tendencies. We can get a taste of what this means by noticing areas in which we were once reactive but are no longer. For example, some issues that upset us when we were teenagers prompt no reaction at all now that we are adults. In Buddhist practice, we work to expand the range of life experiences in which we are free.

These two forms of equanimity, the one that comes from the power of observation, and the one that comes from inner balance, come together in mindfulness practice. As mindfulness becomes stronger, so does our equanimity. We see with greater independence and freedom. And, at the same time, equanimity becomes an inner strength that keeps us balanced in middle of all that is."

adapted from a talk by Gil Fronsdale




“How many moments are our minds are tripped off on what other people are thinking, or what’s going to go wrong, or what has gone wrong? And those are moments that we’re not here, that we’re devided against ourselves and devided against others. Our beliefs that something is wrong or something is missing create our behaviors… and our behaviors then produce exactly the experience that reinforces our belief.”

What Being a "Buddhist" Means to Me.

I sit and breathe, and listen to my heartbeat. I sit and breathe, and collect the passion that oozes from my pores to generate love.
for myself
for the people in the room
for the floor beneath me
for my family so far away

and for you. I am using the gift of passion for you.

I sit and breath, and sooth myself when my mind wanders. It’s okay. You were thinking again, and now you’re awake.

…

It’s okay. You were thinking again, and now you’re awake.

…

You’re aware now, but you were just fine for thinking.

…

and I repeat this, over and over and over again. I practice, and practice, and find the will for patience in my devout faith. Faith that awareness, and compassion will save the world. I practice, and practice. I work on myself, so that I feel enough motivation to touch somebody else. Anybody. I believe – no, I know – with my entire mind and heart that I am saving the world. That I am healing suffering. I know that in caring and loving myself, I am reaching out to others. I know that in caring and loving others, I am reaching out to myself. The two come hand in hand, neither one more superior to the other.

But the patience, and the love are not always there.
And so I continue to practice - the passion of my will power comes out stronger in the end.
But this power does not win every battle…
And so sometimes, I am left absolutely terrified. I am left lonely. I am left to fester with my own anxieties. I am left to be critical of others and myself
And so I practice, and practice.

This is what being a Buddhist is.