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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Religions & Faiths > Buddhism

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  #11  
Old 06-12-2017, 08:47 PM
Shaunc Shaunc is offline
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Nature in general has a very calming, almost meditative effect on the mind. Many Buddhist traditions incorporate nature into their practice, the Thai forrest monks and I think a type of Japanese Zen incorporate gardening into their practice which are just two that come to mind.
I keep poultry and a vegetable garden as a hobby and I honestly believe the world would be a much more peaceful place if more people did the same thing.
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  #12  
Old 06-12-2017, 11:29 PM
Shivani Devi Shivani Devi is offline
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Something happened to me yesterday in regards...

I had just came home from shopping...pulled into my driveway and was about to alight from my vehicle, but I was stopped dead in my tracks.

Just outside the driver's door, in the garden beside the driveway, was a little bird, foraging for its afternoon meal.

It was obviously oblivious to my pulling up beside it, yet I knew that if I opened the door, it would fly away still hungry.

So, I stayed within my car, just watching it through my window...I watched it toss leaves hither and yon with it's beak, picking up the tasty seeds and bugs it had found underneath...scraping the soil with its feet to do likewise...

The bird, of course, knew I was there because every so often, it would stop doing what it was doing, look directly at me for a few seconds, perhaps anticipating my motives, before going back to searching for its meal.

Now, I was in a rush...and yet, did not want to disturb my little birdie friend from its industrious efforts in search and pursuit of sustenance. I just sat there, watching it...and allowed myself, as Buddha did to become the 'observer' of what was going on.

The bird looked at me again and said "yeah...I know you have things to do, so do I...but if you give me five, I'll be outta your way" and I mentally said "It's okay, take your time oh befeathered one".

Suffice to say, after 5 minutes, it flew away after obviously having its fill and I exited my car smiling and chiding myself in spite of myself.
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  #13  
Old 07-12-2017, 12:29 AM
Gem Gem is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Australia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaunc
Nature in general has a very calming, almost meditative effect on the mind. Many Buddhist traditions incorporate nature into their practice, the Thai forrest monks and I think a type of Japanese Zen incorporate gardening into their practice which are just two that come to mind.
I keep poultry and a vegetable garden as a hobby and I honestly believe the world would be a much more peaceful place if more people did the same thing.

Yes, indeedy. You work the soil, and not the plant.
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  #14  
Old 07-12-2017, 12:37 AM
Gem Gem is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shivani Devi
Something happened to me yesterday in regards...

I had just came home from shopping...pulled into my driveway and was about to alight from my vehicle, but I was stopped dead in my tracks.

Just outside the driver's door, in the garden beside the driveway, was a little bird, foraging for its afternoon meal.

It was obviously oblivious to my pulling up beside it, yet I knew that if I opened the door, it would fly away still hungry.

So, I stayed within my car, just watching it through my window...I watched it toss leaves hither and yon with it's beak, picking up the tasty seeds and bugs it had found underneath...scraping the soil with its feet to do likewise...

The bird, of course, knew I was there because every so often, it would stop doing what it was doing, look directly at me for a few seconds, perhaps anticipating my motives, before going back to searching for its meal.

Now, I was in a rush...and yet, did not want to disturb my little birdie friend from its industrious efforts in search and pursuit of sustenance. I just sat there, watching it...and allowed myself, as Buddha did to become the 'observer' of what was going on.

The bird looked at me again and said "yeah...I know you have things to do, so do I...but if you give me five, I'll be outta your way" and I mentally said "It's okay, take your time oh befeathered one".

Suffice to say, after 5 minutes, it flew away after obviously having its fill and I exited my car smiling and chiding myself in spite of myself.

Having that awareness of what's happening around is like yesterday I walked through town and pigeon was in my path. There was a little girl with her mother beyond that, and I could tell the girl wanted to chase the pigeon, so I walked in a way that wouldn't disturb the bird to allow the child's game, and the child knew that I knew. The moment was 'connected' and the bird flew away, and that was a joyous moment in the life of the child in us both.
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  #15  
Old 07-12-2017, 05:28 PM
BlueSky BlueSky is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shivani Devi
Something happened to me yesterday in regards...

I had just came home from shopping...pulled into my driveway and was about to alight from my vehicle, but I was stopped dead in my tracks.

Just outside the driver's door, in the garden beside the driveway, was a little bird, foraging for its afternoon meal.

It was obviously oblivious to my pulling up beside it, yet I knew that if I opened the door, it would fly away still hungry.

So, I stayed within my car, just watching it through my window...I watched it toss leaves hither and yon with it's beak, picking up the tasty seeds and bugs it had found underneath...scraping the soil with its feet to do likewise...

The bird, of course, knew I was there because every so often, it would stop doing what it was doing, look directly at me for a few seconds, perhaps anticipating my motives, before going back to searching for its meal.

Now, I was in a rush...and yet, did not want to disturb my little birdie friend from its industrious efforts in search and pursuit of sustenance. I just sat there, watching it...and allowed myself, as Buddha did to become the 'observer' of what was going on.

The bird looked at me again and said "yeah...I know you have things to do, so do I...but if you give me five, I'll be outta your way" and I mentally said "It's okay, take your time oh befeathered one".

Suffice to say, after 5 minutes, it flew away after obviously having its fill and I exited my car smiling and chiding myself in spite of myself.
Thank you for sharing that. It was nice to read and it shows how selfless you are as a result of being aware of how connected you are to everything.
That connection, that selflessness, is what I have found to be the essence of who we are.
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The cessation of identifying with the fluctuations arising within consciousness
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