Gaia's Last Laugh

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

Don’t get mad, don’t get even. //
If we want to succeed in life and bring about a more peaceful world, we must learn to control our emotions and not to be affected by a moment of anger.

In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.

Let us all embody the virtues of the Bodhisattvas:

1. Compassion

2. Wisdom

3. Understanding

4. Peacefulness

5. Gentleness

6. Kindness

7. Fortitude

8. Steadfastness

9. Happiness

Striving to live these through our actions and words is to help all realize the true illuminating power of the Buddha-mind.

If we consider our practice to be “spiritual” only when it takes place in the context of formal meditations, we are missing how critical daily relationships are to our awakening. We are avoiding the disturbing, exciting and confusing emotions that are whipped up in relationships. We are avoiding facing how easily the loving, peaceful person at a silent retreat can turn into an angry and hurtful person when in contact with another human being.

Those who are devotional by nature might seek safety and refuge in the living spirit of the Buddha’s awakened heart and mind. Much like praying to Christ or the Divine Mother, we can take refuge in a being or presence that cares about our suffering. In taking this first refuge, I sometimes say, “I take refuge in the Beloved” and surrender into what I experience as the boundlessness of compassion. When I am feeling fear, I surrender it to the Beloved. By this, I am not trying to get rid of fear, but rather letting go into a refuge that is vast enough to hold my fear with love.

Equating spiritual purity with elimination of desire is a common misunderstanding I also see in students on the Buddhist path….if we push away our desire, we disconnect form our tenderness and we harden against life. We become like a “rock in winter”. When we reject desire, we reject the very source of our love and aliveness.