We can quite safely say that hope, or a sense of promise, is a hindrance on the spiritual path. Creating this kind of hope is one of the most prominent features of spiritual materialism. There are all kinds of promises, all kinds of proofs. We find the same approach as that of a car salesman.... Continue Reading →
Purpose of spiritual life
You cannot find any peace by escaping human suffering.You have to find peace and harmony right in the midst of human pain. That is the purpose of spiritual life. Dainin Katagiri
Gaps of awakening
"There’s a myth that if you could just get it all together, you could have permanent pleasure. That’s a complete myth, but everybody kind of buys into it emotionally and psychologically. So it’s said that the human realm is the very best place to spend time. And why is that? It’s because in the lower... Continue Reading →
Allowing ourselves to be disappointed
We expect the teachings to solve all our problems; we expect to be provided with magical means to deal with our depressions, our aggressions, our sexual hangups. But to our surprise we begin to realize that this is not going to happen.It is very disappointing to realize that we must work on ourselves and our... Continue Reading →
Experience of wonder
The initial function of spirituality emerged from questioning the human condition and also from deep experiences of wonder. The word religion itself, initially meaning to “reconnect,” seems to have come from direct experiences of something larger than just a set of fixed ideas. It marked a return to something essential that we just failed to... Continue Reading →
A path with heart
In undertaking a spiritual life, what matters is simple: We must make certain that our path is connected with our heart. In the end, spiritual life is not a process of seeking or gaining some extraordinary condition or special powers. In fact, such seeking can take us away from ourselves.In beginning a genuine spiritual journey,... Continue Reading →
Path with heart
In undertaking a spiritual life, what matters is simple: We must make certain that our path is connected with our heart. In the end, spiritual life is not a process of seeking or gaining some extraordinary condition or special powers. In fact, such seeking can take us away from ourselves.In beginning a genuine spiritual journey,... Continue Reading →
Wisdom must serve as medicine
Even if we know a lot about Dharma, we still need to integrate our knowledge with our experience or we won’t be able to reduce our habit of me and mine. Wisdom must serve as medicine; it’s ineffective if it never counteracts our poison or illness. An intellectual knowledge of Dharma is not enough; we... Continue Reading →
Running away from discomfort
It is so basic in us to feel that things should go well for us, and that if we start to feel depressed, lonely, or inadequate, there’s been some kind of mistake or we’ve lost it. In reality, when you feel depressed, lonely, betrayed, or any unwanted feelings, this is an important moment on the... Continue Reading →
Dharma practice
The real dharma practice does not happen while meditating on the yoga mat, rather once you get off the yoga mat & go about in your day to day life - in everyday struggles. The essence of teaching is to stop yourself from closing down every time something goes against your wishes & expectations -... Continue Reading →
Permanent happiness
In almost all spiritual traditions, renouncing the world is regarded as one of the first steps in spiritual practiseSpiritual practise is often regarded as a means of salvation. According to that conception, spirituality should provide a permanent shelter where we can be happy and free; and since our daily living situation does not provide permanent... Continue Reading →
A different way of being
According to the Buddhist tradition, the spiritual path is the process of cutting through our confusion, of uncovering the awakened state of mind. When the awakened state of mind is crowded in by ego and its attendant paranoia, it takes on the character of an underlying instinct. So it is not a matter of building... Continue Reading →
Remove brick by brick
A problem arises when we tend to become too ambitious in terms of dealing with emotions--particularly those involved with spiritual practice. We've been told to be kind, gentle, good people. Those are the conventional ideas of spirituality. When we begin to find the spiky quality in ourselves, we see is an anti spirituality and try... Continue Reading →
Opposite of samsara
The opposite of samsara (the cycle of suffering) is when all the walls fall down, when the cocoon completely disappears and we are totally open to whatever may happen, with no withdrawing, no centralizing into ourselves. That is what we aspire to, the warrior's journey. That is what stirs us: leaping, being thrown out of... Continue Reading →
Finding a way to true refuge
The great gift of a spiritual path is coming to trust that you can find a way to true refuge. You realize that you can start right where you are, in the midst of your life, and find peace in any circumstance. Even at those moments when the ground shakes terribly beneath you—when there’s a... Continue Reading →
Ceasing to struggle
We can stop struggling with what occurs and see its true face without calling it the enemy. It helps to remember that our spiritual practice is not about accomplishing anything - not about winning or losing - but about ceasing to struggle and relaxing as it is. That is what we are doing when we... Continue Reading →
Letting be
Letting go is only possible for short periods. We need some discipline to bring us to “letting be.” We must walk a spiritual path. Ego must wear itself out like an old shoe, journeying from suffering to liberation. The truth of the spiritual path, the practice of meditation, is the Fourth Noble Truth taught by... Continue Reading →
Be honest with ourselves
Many people try to find a spiritual path where they do not have to face themselves but where they can still liberate themselves - liberate themselves from themselves, in fact. In truth, this is impossible. We cannot do that. We have to be honest with ourselves. We have to see our gut, our real shit,... Continue Reading →
Happily everafter?
In almost all spiritual traditions, renouncing the world is regarded as one of the first steps in spiritual practiseSpiritual practise is often regarded as a means of salvation. According to that conception, spirituality should provide a permanent shelter where we can be happy and free; and since our daily living situation does not provide permanent... Continue Reading →
