Mindfulness gives you time.
Time gives you choices.
Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom.
You don't have to be swept away by your feelings.
You can respond with wisdom and kindness rather than habit and reactivity.
- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English
If you’re going to try, go all the way.
Otherwise, don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind.
It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery — isolation.
Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.
If you’re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that.
You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.
Desperation called 18 times during the course of the day asking why, what changed your attitude toward me?
How did you arrive at this heartbreaking conclusion to release me, to reduce my sense of responsibility and neglect burning ashes of regret?
Calm thought considered desperation's plight.
Release. Let go of passion, desire and expectations. Serenity, clear focus, unconditional love. Everything dies. Dance behind your tears, your questions with heart-mind.
Be still. Sit with sensation and perception. Breathe deep. In-out. in-out. Be your breath.
once upon a time there was a continent, country, classroom
it looked like this
thousands of hungry children
hungry to learn and play with organic language
streamed through shuttered light
passing wood worn habitats of humanity
taking a seat
they opened their head
they opened their heart
they opened their mouth
In a remote Cambodian jungle village along The River of Darkness they carve images of their dead.
The Chunchiet animist people bury their dead in the jungle.
Life is a sacred jungle.
Animists believe in the universal inherent power of nature world. The Tompoun and Jarai, among animist world tribes have sacred burial sites.
The Kachon village cemetery is one hour by boat on the Tonle Srepok River from Voen Sai. It is deep in the jungle. Many go in. Few come out.
The departed stays in the family home for five days before burial. Once a month family members make ritual sacrifices at the site. The village shaman dreams the departed will go to hell.
In their spirit story dream the shaman meets LOTH, Leader of the Hell who asks for an animal sacrifice. The animist belief says sacrificing a buffalo and making statues of the departed will satisfy LOTH. It will renew the spirit and return it to the family.
After a year family members remove old structures, add two carved effigies, carve wooden elephant tusks, create new decorated roofs and sacrifice a buffalo at the grave during a week long celebration with food and rice wine for the entire village.
New tombs have cement bases and carved effigies with cell phones and sunglasses. Never out of touch. See your local long distance carrier for plans and coverage in your area.
The future is brighter than a day in a sacred jungle.
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