Deep discussions on Buddhist philosophies

[JustBe]

Originally Posted by Gem

I find it hard to seperate how self aware I am with how well aware I am with others - maybe because to be present is to know what's going on with me right now. My awareness of others is also the awareness of how I am affected by them and it all comes down to the feeling I feel in such relating, but I'm not naturally talented at relating and forming the closeness or rapport. That is a skill I work on.


The meditation is great because it helps one see all things as an opportunity. For example, if things are pretty rough then it's an opportunity to practice keeping an even keel in a stormy sea... and if things are going great... then it's a reminder that it won;t last long, so you don't get too carried away. Hence the ups and the downs start to even out a little rather than going in wild swings.


A more deliberate practice can be purposeful in going to the subtler levels of experience, and as far as I'm concerned it should be for that purpose. Then you can be with the experience as it is, but in a more acute way, be aware of the finer nuances and intricacies of it... at the feel level. This translates to regular life enabling a deeper self-awareness. You can remember to retune to the balance of mind that is deliberate in formal meditation practice.



I'm not saying that it's all perfect and there is no stress, because life is stressful, and as long everything is pretty smooth sailing it seems easier to be 'spiritual-like'. When it gets tough it's harder to maintain the 'facade' and you become more the person you are, show your real face, so to speak. To me spiritualism is mostly just being. Being as you 'already are'. Then you can 'look and see' instead to trying to be some other way.

It’s through self awareness you begin to understand, full presence in self is really the reflection received through ‘others’, so in this way all separation falls away, when ‘staying present’ in yourself. So I understand, how it is for you, in this way.
Rapport and natural ability to be open and connect with people is a skill I’ve gained slowly from allowing myself to shift through barriers and walls I’ve had in myself. It’s through staying present it’s deepened as myself. In ending my own perceived seperation and wounds in this way, it’s now much easier to be open, warm and friendly to others. Even as the ‘other’ might have their own difficulties in this way, I still try to maintain my own. I think our ‘exposure’ to differences in others, brings about our own unified energies, so naturally people ‘feel’ comfortable in this way of our own being illuminated as such.

Nothings perfect and of course those subtler nuances is where I work on in myself to clear things out. I call these resisting points, where feeling or mind may still have some lingering threads in me. I observe closely, it might just be to clear out old sensations or just a momentary revisit to notice I’m in my head, not dropping into my whole being. Little things only, but I see them as great catalyst’s to transmute old remnants. I then notice I’m no longer attached next time and it’s that ease of flow in me that signals, I’ve cleared out what no longer needs to contain me. When I flow with everything moving outside me, I’m very conscious of that clarity in me, at peace, so relating settles into this.

[utopiandreamchild]

Originally Posted by Gem

Lets start with the primary tenets of the 4 noble truths (4NT). These are: 1) there is suffering; 2) suffering is caused; 3) suffering can end and; 4) there is a way to end suffering.


"Birth is suffering, old age is suffering, (sickness is suffering), death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and distress are suffering, the association with something that one does not like is suffering, the disassociation with something that one does like is suffering, not to get what one desires is suffering"


Discuss.

Suffering is a state of mind. Love is the healer which we are all blessed with no matter what species we are Love gives life meaning and one a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Only love can end suffering. Love for self and others. Amen

[sky]

Originally Posted by utopiandreamchild

Suffering is a state of mind. Love is the healer which we are all blessed with no matter what species we are Love gives life meaning and one a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Only love can end suffering. Love for self and others. Amen

Love will help others who are suffering but it will not end all suffering....

[utopiandreamchild]

Originally Posted by sky123

Love will help others who are suffering but it will not end all suffering....

Love is the path to healing and the only way to enlightenment. Only love can end suffering. Physical suffering will end when there is a unity with the spiritual. Then people like Jesus will openly walk the earth.

[sky]

Originally Posted by utopiandreamchild

Love is the path to healing and the only way to enlightenment. Only love can end suffering. Physical suffering will end when there is a unity with the spiritual. Then people like Jesus will openly walk the earth.

As this is a Buddhist Thread you will find that Buddha's Teachings are very different to Christianity's.
The Four Noble Truths might help you... In the Pali Cannon which is recognized by Buddhist Scholars as his earliest Teaching the word ' Dukkha ' is used which if translated into English as ' Suffering ' is similar but not perfect.
One example is....
Happiness is also Dukkha, if you say to someone that Happiness is Suffering that would be really confusing if they didn't understand Buddhism so Dukkha is different to the English translation of Suffering...

[Gem]

Originally Posted by utopiandreamchild

Suffering is a state of mind. Love is the healer which we are all blessed with no matter what species we are Love gives life meaning and one a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Only love can end suffering. Love for self and others. Amen

It's pretty much the Buddhist teaching to suppose that a mind filled with greed and hatred generates a great deal of suffering, and mind infused with loving-kindness generates 'good will' and brings about happiness, and benefits everyone. It is a worthy aspiration, which we would call 'right effort', to rid the mind of negative tendencies and cultivate virtues like kindness and compassion. I think it fair to say these virtues are 'born of love', indeed, the infinite wellspring of our own true nature.