The Wise Man.

A wise man is one who studies,
Not only studies, but one who contemplates,
Not only contemplates, but one who meditates,
Not only meditating on that which is born, but on that which is unborn,
Meditating on that which is unborn is to realize suchness,
Realizing suchness one awakens to perfect wisdom.  

Is What You are Doing Meaningful?

You keep checking things off your to-do list, but does it matter?

Does what you are doing improve upon your situation, do you find any benefit?

Does it benefit others?

Struggling to stay afloat means you are always a moments notice away from being underwater.  If you are going to put effort into anything, cultivate bodhicitta.

Bodhicitta give your life meaning.
It gives you strength, fortitude.
It brings unimaginable benefit to others, it is the panacea.

If you are going to check anything off of your to-do list today, make sure you check off aspiring to bodhicitta. 

Treading Water.

Why does it always feel like we are treading water?  And juggling at the same time.

There is so much to do in a day-
work, special projects, manage your house, your family, all the commitments and appointments,
all the email, Facebook, Twitter trends and news to follow-
our day is so full of stuff to do that we rarely find any rest.

If we do find rest, or deliberately take it, sometimes we feel like we are sinking and giving up the ground that we fought so hard to gain.  Any progress that we had made is given back and we feel the need to work harder just to get caught up. 

If we are constantly flailing our arms and legs just to keep our head above water, when are we ever going to find the time for our own practice?  When are you going to find the time to share generously, to make an impact and to do something meaningful? 

To train on the path means that we change all of this.  It is not changing what you do but how you do it. 

You can learn a better technique.
You can change your habits.
You can be stronger.  Improve your endurance.
You might even be able to find a way out altogether. 

Shimmering on the Horizon.

Your dream job.  Or even a better job.

A nicer house.  Better neighborhod.

Less debt.  More money.

More time.

Less stress.

A new haircut.  Better abs.  Hell, abs.

To be loved.  To find your person.

What is it that you are hoping for?  Expecting to come true, or struggling to achieve?

What's out there that is preventing you from being happy, content and fulfilled?  You can see it in the distance, it's right there.

It's a mirage.

Go Back, and Learn.

Step back for a moment, from where you are, what you know.

Take a beginner's lesson in mathematics or programming at the Khan Academy.  Learn the proper technique used to row a boat.  Look up words you already know in the dictionary.

When you approach things you 'already know' with a beginner's mind, you discover all kinds of insight.  You see new connections.  You discover nuance, precision. 

The simplicity is refreshing.  The deliberateness humbling. 

What happens when we use this same mindset to approach our own anger, jealousy or fear?  Our preferences and perceptions?

If we deconstruct impatience, what does it look like?

What are the building blocks of anxiety and stress, is what we already know about them true?

Give yourself a chance to be a beginner again, with your self.

You may give rise to insight and understanding.  You may even feel refreshed. 

Remembering Your Teachers

The ones who taught us to learn.
The ones who taught us to love learning.
Those that taught us to love, to forgive, to care.
Those that taught us to stand on our own two feet,
And those that taught us to get back up again.

Remembering those who taught us to explore, 
to push past our limitations,
to break the mold,
and those that taught us to put it back together again. 

We really remember the ones who taught us to confront our fear,
and the one that taught us how to tame our mind.

You might not know who you are,
the impact you have had.
You don't remember the words you said,
or even how you said them.

But we do.  Thank you.