Musings

“Blessed are those who stay indoors, For they have protected others. Blessed are the unemployed and self-employed, For their need of help is great. Blessed are the corner shopkeepers, For they are purveyors of scarce things. Blessed are the delivery drivers and the postal workers, For they are the bringers of essential things. Blessed are the hospital workers, the ambulance crews, The doctors, the nurses, the care assistants, and the cleaners, For they stand between us and the grave, And blessing is surely theirs.

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Fulfillment Prayer May all those who offered me food & nourishment this year attain the sublime happiness of total peace and contentment. May all those who offered me drink and dessert, who served, who received, who honored me, who helped or collaborated and co-created with me, or who made offerings to me and my altruistic spiritual mission--- May they attain happiness and well-being, be well and joyful, and enjoy complete fulfillment, peace, & harmony. With love and blessings, Lama Surya Das

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  So much to face lately, or is it always that way? I thought the old adage was that as you age, you worry less- so they lied, huh? Is this what my late mother called "The illusory promise of the Golden Years and Happy Hereafter?" I recently saw an entire article dedicated to helping us sort through, and deal with all of this worry, anxiety, and uncertainty. While there were many sane rebuttals and remedies, what I realized, as a seeker and questioner myself-- is that what I've come to truly trust is my own common sense, inner discernment, and bullshit detector too---educating myself...

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Times of transition and challenge can prove to be extraordinarily important to the inner alchemy of spiritual transformation. Tibetan Buddhists, including the Dalai Lama, often quote from the ancient Mind Training & Attitude Transforming wisdom texts: "The enemy, the crisis, the difficult to bear can be one's best teacher, catalyst and inspiration." Through such difficulties we can learn the necessity and benefits of letting go of your old identity, encrusted with mind-forged manacles like seaweed and barnacles on an old ship's hull, thus laying the groundwork for a new sense of self...

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May you know the boundless love radiating from the Divine, the eternal living flame of Love present within your heart.   May you know freedom from pain and suffering through the wisdom born of directly knowing the truth of who you are.   May you feel the living presence of the Divine within you as you, and know your senses to be messengers of the Divine presence.   May you live in harmony with yourself and bring peace, compassion, patience and kindness to all that you do.   May you know the unity of all within the body of the Divine and live with love for the earth and all her inhabitants.   May...

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Lama Surya's AWAKENING NOW Podcast Ep. 55 "The Middle Way: Life in Flow" "There is Nirvanic peace in things left just as they are.” Lama Surya Das explores the philosophy of the middle way and the idea of existing in a state that is not resisting or pulling towards desire but in constant flow. From this state of flow, we are able to rest in naked awareness.

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These agitated days, when black lives and people from “shithole countries” don’t seem to matter much, I am inspired to remember as a boy seeing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the tv news marching in Alabama, surrounded by faith leaders and actively committed citizens of many creeds and breeds— practicing non-violence and truth-power, as Mahatma Gandhi called it. The social activist, serene and sage Dalai Lama of Tibet often mentions these two pioneering peace-warriors as among his greatest inspirations, and most of my friends and colleagues and I aspire to further these important message...

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1. Practice generosity in the form of donating, gift-giving, volunteering, and reaching out by making phone calls and writing. This cultivates cheerfulness and the spirit of mutual reciprocity, without foster overindulgence in consumerism or the intemperate habits of many holiday revelers. 2. Share a prayer or inspirational poem, film recommendation, book or wise quote with someone. 3. Give yourself a gift, whether material or a gift of time and space for some reflection, noble silence, and solitude. Get a massage or take a nature walk.

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The mind is not always The best friend to spend all your time with. For a change of pace, try to find a spiritual exercise or mindful hobby That naturally takes you out of your thinking mind and into your body, breath and beyond., Try walking, jogging, swimming, a musical instrument or gardening. My ex-wife used to swim her prayers: one hundred laps, one hundred prayers. Some teach Dancing Your Prayers. I enjoy cultivating this full connection meditation on a treadmill or while walking outside along a river, lake, or forest path. As a daily-ish contemplative practice: Just get wholeheartedly...

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I just returned from our 24th annual summer weeklong Dzogchen retreat, held again on the Hudson River bank in Garrison, NY, where hundreds of acres have been reserved in their sylvan beauty and natural grace. We meditators rejoiced in and enjoyed the delightful presence of so many different kinds and types of people---- colors, professions, ages, genders, nationalities; for all breeds and all creeds are heartily welcomed at our Dharma Dog-House! Bow wow! Along with all variety of characters, Paris-based singer-songwriter Ben Beirs, a long time Dzogchen student, played classical guitar on two evenings...

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