Zen Anybody

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

I'd say love is the highest level. Some people are naturally loving and kind, humble giving etc. Others, are naturally selfish, prone to anger etc. Most are just a certain mix of such. I'm not sure if that is due to "our level" or just our bodies and brains conditioning, what we went through growing up, or even a result of a combination between our conditioning and brain chemistry. As a reader of Michael Newtons book, Journey Of Souls, there is another possible cause, some bring down less "soul energy" into this life time and body, leaving the majority of energy in the non-physical dimension. The less "soul energy" one brings into the body, the harder time they will have with the animal nature of this animal life and form.

But then whatever the cause of us not being full of divine unconditional love (all the time), and the cause of how unloving we may be at times, it's up to us to find the best way for us to get back to that, to represent that, to embody that, to experience that.

There is no best religion or practice, all can work. All that matters is the love, the path we use or don't use to get there does not matter. I don't think there is a one path fits all. What's good for one may be bad for another.

This reminds me of the different paths described in Hinduism's Yoga. Like Karma yoga is the path of unselfish action. It teaches that a spiritual seeker should act according to dharma, without being attached to the fruits or personal consequences. So like picking a job or life where one unselfishly helps others... that is the Karma Yoga Path.

Then there is bhakti yoga or a path of devotion, that is about worship and surrender, like in the life of a monk or nun who devotes their life to loving god, then gnana yoga, a path of intelligence or intellectually understanding the self, and kriya yoga, which deals with working with energies in the body and in others.

Different paths for different types of people, though we can work out some hybrid form of all of those as well. Little bit of this or that. The right medicine for the right ailment. Also writing about one's path is different from living it, so there is that too. So take what anybody says or writes with a grain of salt, it's what is carried in ones heart moment to moment is all that matters.

I remember in that book on past lives, Journey Of Souls maybe, not sure where I read it, but a person was between lives and going over their past life, and they were explaining how they gave so much money to charities, (they were rich) but the spirit guide said none of that was very important, and pointed out the one day he was late for work and hurrying to their car, and passed a person crying at a bus stop, and stopped to ask them if they were ok... that little act of caring, compassion, love, was worth more than the thousands given to charities.

That is a really nice post and I am curious how you define the word "love" as it means so many things to so many different people.

My definition of the highest LOVE is acting in the best interests of the Totality with no expectation of a reward. To me, this seems to require some connection with the transcendent so that one can see the "Big Picture" and thus act intuitively "without thinking".

Your points on the different paths is well worth repeating.

By the way, I too LOVED the Michael Newton Book, Journey of Souls. It's excellent.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

acting in the best interests of the Totality

We are a part of the totality so we are also acting in our own best interests when we act in the best interests of the totality.

It's hard to say what the highest love is because it also is the source, and we are a part of the source. The highest love already exists, as us, and as the source or totality.

But then we don't manifest or perceive the highest love, or our true nature, because we are associated with and involved with other energies.

That could be said to be what our journey is, to learn or understand or discern what of all the energies that surround us, is best for our attention or identification. All energies have an effect, incarnations are meant to teach this. Then the more we understand, the more we can choose our involvement and association and relationship with the various energies we encounter on earth and in a human body.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

We are a part of the totality so we are also acting in our own best interests when we act in the best interests of the totality.

It's hard to say what the highest love is because it also is the source, and we are a part of the source. The highest love already exists, as us, and as the source or totality.

But then we don't manifest or perceive the highest love, or our true nature, because we are associated with and involved with other energies.

That could be said to be what our journey is, to learn or understand or discern what of all the energies that surround us, is best for our attention or identification. All energies have an effect, incarnations are meant to teach this. Then the more we understand, the more we can choose our involvement and association and relationship with the various energies we encounter on earth and in a human body.

Absolutely. The Totality most assuredly includes one's Self.

Sometimes, I actually write it that way by saying: LOVE is acting in the best interests of the Totality with no expectation of a return where the Totality includes one's Self.

[Joe Mc]

I thought I would try to say something about Bodhi. Bodhi is a Sanskirt term which means awakening, often used in conjunction, for example, The Bodhi-Sattva, is a being who is awake. I scribbled down a couple of lines in the form of a poem perhaps. I had a feeling I needed to do that. :)

Bodhi

Bodhi
Is the fullness
And emptiness of things
Ever present awakenness
Ordinary human beings !!

Show me your original face
Before your parents appeared
Before you were part of the
Serious parading
Of fixed views and identities
To which we cling !

A glimpse is all takes
A quiet recognition
That death hunger
And suffering
Cannot show their faces
Here !

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[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Joe Mc

I thought I would try to say something about Bodhi. Bodhi is a Sanskirt term which means awakening, often used in conjunction, for example, The Bodhi-Sattva, is a being who is awake. I scribbled down a couple of lines in the form of a poem perhaps. I had a feeling I needed to do that. :)

Bodhi

Bodhi
Is the fullness
And emptiness of things
Ever present awakenness
Ordinary human beings !!

Show me your original face
Before your parents appeared
Before you were part of the
Serious parading
Of fixed views and identities
To which we cling !

A glimpse is all takes
A quiet recognition
That death hunger
And suffering
Cannot show their faces
Here !

"""""""""""""""""""""""""
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

NICE POEM!

Thanks for sharing.

[Joe Mc]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

NICE POEM!

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for reading John

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[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Joe Mc

I thought I would try to say something about Bodhi. Bodhi is a Sanskirt term which means awakening, often used in conjunction, for example, The Bodhi-Sattva, is a being who is awake. I scribbled down a couple of lines in the form of a poem perhaps. I had a feeling I needed to do that. :)

Bodhi

Bodhi
Is the fullness
And emptiness of things
Ever present awakenness
Ordinary human beings !!

Show me your original face
Before your parents appeared
Before you were part of the
Serious parading
Of fixed views and identities
To which we cling !

A glimpse is all takes
A quiet recognition
That death hunger
And suffering
Cannot show their faces
Here !

"""""""""""""""""""""""""
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

That is an awesome Zen poem which I recall from the past. What once sounded so cryptic now is much clearer.

My favorite two lines focus on restoring one's original nature.

"Show me your original face
Before your parents appeared "

[Joe Mc]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

That is an awesome Zen poem which I recall from the past. What once sounded so cryptic now is much clearer.

My favorite two lines focus on restoring one's original nature.

"Show me your original face
Before your parents appeared "

Thanks for popping by. Yes, that Koan, Show me your Original Face before your parents were born, works very well. What is already there is seen, there is a hope of course from time to time especially in the past lol..of eliciting some kind of answer to the Koan. There is an answer of course !!!!!! but what kind of answer is it !!!!!

Ps. Just an after thought having meditated a little, what that Koan does is introduce you to your own thoughts, ego etc. etc. :)

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[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Joe Mc

Thanks for popping by. Yes, that Koan, Show me your Original Face before your parents were born, works very well. What is already there is seen, there is a hope of course from time to time especially in the past lol..of eliciting some kind of answer to the Koan. There is an answer of course !!!!!! but what kind of answer is it !!!!!

Ps. Just an after thought having meditated a little, what that Koan does is introduce you to your own thoughts, ego etc. etc. :)

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I didn't catch that phrase. That phrase puts much more depth into the poem which makes me want to re-read it again for more insight.

[Joe Mc]

The Ensō is a mandala in Zen usually made with one brush stroke of ink on paper, the same as the image in my avatar. The image suggests several important themes. Firstly, perfection and imperfection. The imperfect expression is perfect imperfection that kind of thing. It also leads into the idea and teaching of, Form is only emptiness Emptiness only form, taken from the Heart Sutra. And importantly, it is often seen as an image or reflection of the moon. The moon itself holding a special place as it does within Buddhism in general as a symbol for enlightenment or awakening. So often in the past and present it has seemed to me that we strive as a species for linearity, straight lines, A to B thinking ..It is pertinent for Joe to remember that one of the major if not the major ideas of the universe is A to B to A to B thinking ad infinitum. Also it might be pertinent to add, that straight lines are particularly important when it comes to
driving but so are circles lol.

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