Tibetan Buddhist Altar

Astrology

April 28, 2011 by Norma

This is an especially important day to consolidate your position. Stabilize what has been accomplished. The times favor forward motion, but be sure to secure your catch before you chase something new: tie it down, give it a place. Be sure it doesn’t escape or wander off as you rush away in pursuit of something else. If you’ve caught a fish, put it in a barrel. If you’ve made a deal, be sure all the papers are signed. Tend to the boring parts as well as the exciting parts today. Be as interested in finishing the job as you were in starting the job. G.K. Chesterton said “There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person.” An emotional connection is very satisfying.

The daily astrology post affects everyone. Because individual charts vary, the circumstances outlined in the post will affect people differently. Some will feel this energy in the personal arena, some in finances, some with children or family, some in work and so forth. There are many departments of life. Look to see where the dynamic affects you!

Astrology

April 27, 2011 by Norma

Still feeling hurt? Don’t look back. Go shopping for someone who really appreciates being remembered. Even if it’s just a card, the thought is what counts. Visit a sick person, and remember those less fortunate than you. Music is a strong influence, and you are touched by sentimentality. Still, five planets are passing through the sign of “go for it!” If you aren’t going for it, you are missing the boat. This is the time to begin a new venture, not the time to mourn the past. If you’ve recently gone through difficult times, it is important to let go of that experience. Don’t spend time reviewing or reworking your difficulties. You must make the choice to move ahead. Broken relationship or friendship? If you’ve done your best, move on. Business problems? Ditto! The time to regret your losses is over. Epictetus said “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

Meaning and Purpose of the 8 Auspicious Offering Bowls

January 9, 2012April 26, 2011 by anisonam

The following was prepared by Ani Lucia Latimer:

At the time of the Buddha in ancient India, it was the custom of the day for devoted Buddhist households to make offerings to the Buddha and his monks and nuns as they traveled. Typically they would be offered clean water for drinking and bathing, flowers, incense, light or a lamp, perfume or fragrance and music. These offerings eventually became known as the 8 Auspicious Offerings and symbolize the coming forth of the Buddha’s precious teachings into the world. These same offerings are still used today on Tibetan Buddhist altars as a way to express gratitude and respect for the Buddha.

Typically on a Tibetan Buddhist Altar there are seven offering bowls and one light. They are arranged on the altar in a straight line close together. The distance between each bowl is about the width of a grain of rice. The water bowls are filled left to right and filled full but not overflowing. The water is poured evenly and steadily with smooth, regular movement. If the offering is poured in the correct way then it is said that beneficial outcome occurs and obscurations are dispelled. The closing of the altar is done in reverse, from right to left.

Deeper symbolic meaning and purpose has arisen for these offerings that correspond to a significant Buddhist prayer called the Seven Limb Puja or Prayer. Below is a list of the traditional offerings and what they represent.

First Offering Bowl: WATER for drinking “ARGHAM”

Pure, clean water offered to the Buddha for drinking and to cleanse the mouth or face. “The purity of the water has 8 qualities: crystal clarity, coolness, sweetness, lightness, softness, freedom from impurities. It is soothing to the stomach and makes the throat clear and free”. This offering symbolizes the auspicious results of all virtuous causes and conditions. In the Seven Limb Puja, it represents Homage & Prostration.

Second Offering Bowl: WATER for bathing “PADHYAM”

Pure, clean water offered for bathing our object of Refuge, the Buddha, and our precious Teacher. Typically the water was offered to bathe the feet and the water was scented with sandalwood or other sweet scent. This offering symbolizes purification of our negative karma and obscurations. In the Seven Limb Puja, it represents Offering.

Third Offering Bowl: FLOWERS “PUSHPE”

This offering represents all the various types of beautiful flowers in the entire universe that can be offered, as well as medicinal flowers, fruits and grains. It symbolizes the beauty and flowering of Enlightenment and signifies the opening of one’s heart. In the Seven Limb Puja, the flower represents Confession.

Fourth Offering Bowl: INCENSE “DHUPE”

Incense makes an offering of beautiful smell to the Buddha and symbolizes morality, ethics and discipline which are the basic causes and conditions from which pure enlightened qualities are cultivated. In the Seven Limb Puja, incense represents Rejoicing in all the virtue in the world both ordinary and extraordinary.

Fifth Offering Bowl: LIGHT “ALOKHE”

This offering comes in the form of light that includes all natural light such as the sun, moon and stars, as well as all types of man-made forms of light such as lamps and candles. The light symbolizes the dispelling of all darkness of the mind, all ignorance. Ignorance here means being ignorant or unaware of one’s true inherent Buddha Nature. Light is offered to the eyes of all the Enlightened ones who see with pristine clarity. In the Seven Limb Puja, light represents Requesting the Buddhas to always offer Dharma teaching.

Sixth Offering Bowl: PERFUME “GENDHE”

This offering represents all beautiful fragrance or perfume that one can smell or put on the body. Perfume is offered to the Buddha’s mind and symbolizes the perseverance and joyful effort that is the heart of Enlightenment. Without perseverance all the other enlightened qualities could not arise in the mind. In the Seven Limb Puja, perfume represents Beseeching the Buddhas to remain in the world.

Seventh Offering Bowl: CELESTIAL FOOD “NEVIDHYA”

Excellent, delicious food of all kinds and various tastes is offered to the Three Jewels. This offering symbolizes the clear and stable mind of Samadhi, or meditative absorption. In the Seven Limb Puja, food represents Dedication of all merit for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Eighth Offering Bowl: MUSIC “SHABTA”

Musical instruments such as cymbals, bells, lutes, and string instruments that create beautiful sound is offered to the ears of the Buddha. Sound symbolizes the Buddha’s Wisdom nature and the extraordinary Compassion that arises naturally from the Wisdom mind.

References:

The Stanzas of Offering Water from the Pure Vision, An Ocean of Blessings by Dudjom Rinpoche

The Significance of the Eight Offerings from a talk given by Khenpo Karthar in May, 1993 at Kunzang Palyul Choling

Astrology

April 26, 2011 by Norma

A friendly gesture comes from someone who cares for you. It’s time to strengthen your ties to family, friends, groups and those who share your views. Generosity is especially prevalent today. Be careful in how you speak and respond to others. The potential for emotional distress or wounding is here. Be especially kind to young, enthusiastic or artless people who express warmth to you. Just because affection doesn’t fit your picture, there’s no reason to shoot it down. If you’ve done this, double back and apologize. Recognize good will for what it is. Break a heart today, and it’s your turn to be hurt tomorrow. James Michener said “An age is called Dark, not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.” Recognize the light that comes your way. On another note, a consensus is growing on how to resolve an authority issue. An excellent resolution is near.

What Will You Do?

January 9, 2012April 25, 2011 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is from a twitter conversation between Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and two other twitter users:

Questioner: My heart is with the future. These are not the end times but times of a new beginning.

Jetsunma: Good, but there is transformation going on. If you can’t see the shadow of that (Japan!) How will you help? Many suffer now! The Earth suffers. Will you make passionate statements from your chair? Or face it and help others? For us to survive, and Earth too, we must join hands and hearts. What will you do? Must be part of the solution, or if not, you are part of the problem. Dead in da head! Use the heart! Oops, looks like I just got unfollowed. Nobody wants to hear we must do something. No one wants to change.

Peeps: People should be inspired to help initiate change, but resentment is mostly the reaction I see…

Jetsunma: It’s true. And so sad! We need all of us!

Astrology

April 25, 2011 by Norma

Energy, action! Go for it. A group is solidly on your side and friends appear who like what you are doing. A friendly force is able to mediate between a persistent querant and a holdout. Things are looking up! A business deal is bubbling along, and something can come to fruition in the next couple of days. Speed is of the essence nowadays. If you find yourself urging others to slow down and smell the roses, you’re just a roadblock to them. Assess yourself, and if you are tired or unable to function well, say so. Do not slow down activity because of your own limitations. Distinguish between yourself and the cause. There’s a time to stop and a time to go, and it’s go time! Thomas Merton said “The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.” Expand your aspirations, and either charge or get out of the way!

Re-Connecting

April 24, 2011 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

A few days ago I mentioned a new wind I felt coming. Well, today, metaphorically, it kinda blew the house down! In a good way. Sometimes one needs that. I do. We get too burdened, tired, weak, and often because we are out of balance, stagnant. Stress can also do that.

So it is good to shake things up a bit and see things with new eyes and a refreshed heart. Not in the sense of a vacation, but a deepening. As in re-connecting with one’s higher power, Buddha nature, “all-that-is,” each of us have a guiding spirit nature. Also to re-connect with Earth while recognizing again the “Primordial Ground of Being” we all share.

The whole world is out of balance, mostly because we are that way. We have forgotten who and what we are and we have forgotten all living things, as well as our Mother Earth. So I have been calling out for all sentient beings to awaken. And I am calling to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for help and healing. Finally, I am getting some knowing help is on the way, and change on its heels.

Since Wednesday is Dakini day I will do some retreat although I have appointments I must keep, I will spend as much time in prayer and meditation and chant as much as I possibly can. Wednesday is the perfect day to start, Sunday stop. But after that I will be focused on Dharma more than usual. It is time to put one’s body, speech and mind in order and open one’s heart to “the Way,” and to all creation. Anyone wishing to retreat at that same time will be helped and helpful. There is power in the prayers of those with pure intention especially when we all join together. I’ve been so happy to see so many join with us in Prayer at 7:00pm. Now let’s ramp it up a notch and rock the world with respect and love! You are invited! Please join!

Astrology

April 24, 2011 by Norma

Forward energy is here again. You can move ahead; please do. Look to yourself, and don’t worry about agreement for your cause. The voice you are waiting for still isn’t answering or else you hear “no.” Negotiations drag on and on, but if you look in a different direction for inspiration you will find it. It is possible to look at one door so long that you forget there are other doors. Sudden love may have entered the scene yesterday, and you were so busy doing other things you didn’t notice. You are attractive or appealing to a surprising person or group. Well, ok, check it out. Something novel is building up steam. Life is changing fast, change with it. G. K. Chesterton said “There is one thing which gives radiance to everything. It is the idea of something around the corner.” Stay open to the new.

Live From the Heart

January 9, 2012April 23, 2011 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is extracted from a twitter conversation between Jetsunma and a young student:

Student: Precious Teacher, what do you think of micronationalism? http://tinyurl.com/3jhywnb

Jetsunma: To be completely honest, sounds like a bunch of white guys pushing things and their boundaries around again. And breaking stuff like reefs and shoals, wrong. We need more caretakers, not buyers of Earth.

Student: It’s a hobby of mine and one that I try to operate by using the dharma, and a political stand for the poor and environment.

Jetsunma: How so?

Student: I try to be compassionate to all there, and help all the people I know from it, especially those who have problems in their lives.

Jetsunma: You could do that anyway…do you have lots of resources? Do people already live there? If so and you would only “help” them if you are President or King it is an ego trip and you have no right to put others in your personal domain. That would be a baby dictator on a huge ego trip. Do your subjects pay taxes? Do you? This seems silly. Maybe build a virtual world you can control. Had to be honest.

Student: No, it’s nearly just me and another once in a while. No taxes, no money is spent and virtual worlds cost money to own – money I don’t have or can use.

Jetsunma: As long as you don’t inflate your ego or hurt anyone (you can’t buy a video game?) Then let your time be better spent. Plant a tree.

Student: I can’t buy the ones used to build virtual worlds, I’m 16. And, that sounds like a good project for us to do, yes. Thank you, Jetsunma, Precious Teacher.

Jetsunma: Didn’t realize you were a teen. OK I get it. You are feeling around for your world. OK. Better to cleanse and re-plant the world. Feed birds. Just help! You sound smart, look around and see what needs doing. Plant, pick up trash, pray for the earth. Help homeless animals, find no kill centers. Collect blankets and tarps for homeless. Cans of food for hungry. You have a good heart, you can do so much good if you don’t do “la-la land.” Get out of your head, live from the heart! Be a community angel. You know, a few nails and a hammer just might fix your neighbor’s fence. USA government does not take proper care of her people. You can help!

Student: Thank you, I will do exactly that! All that which you have said, I will work to do.

Jetsunma: Hugs and big smiles!

Astrology

April 23, 2011 by Norma

A disappointment must be absorbed, or else you “woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Blah! An edgy, tired energy is floating about. Go slow until it passes. Someone may push you, and this is a mistake. If you feel like applying pressure, don’t do it! You’ll just annoy someone. You are still trying to get a message to someone who isn’t answering. Accept the lack of response as related to the times and let go of your quest for the time being. If you back off, the party you’re trying to reach may come to you. Now is a time for self-development, for making more of your self. If you’ve always meant to do something and never gotten around to it, this is the time to do it. Get going. Benjamin Franklin said “The U.S, Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.” These days, the ball is always in your court.