Tibetan Buddhist Altar

Astrology

November 27, 2010 by Norma

11/27/2010 Saturday

Today is an excellent day for action and thought. Your instincts are accurate, and your thinking is canny. Activity initiated today can have a positive and far-reaching outcome. The big picture of life is clear to you, and you can correctly predict the long-term results of what you are doing. It isn’t often that outcomes can be so clearly seen. Luckily, you aren’t plagued by doubt. Act, and let the chips fall where they may. George Washington Carver said, “Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” Today is the exact opposite of that statement.

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!

Excerpts from “The Spirit of Peace” by the His Holiness the Dalai Lama

November 26, 2010 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Some excerpts from The Spirit of Peace by the Dalai Lama:

To be cruel is tantamount to stopping in the middle of the path. It is like renouncing the attempt to go deeply inside ourselves. It is being attached to the surface reality and becoming irritated or exasperated by it. And yet harmony does exist. We have all experienced it at times. It resides in the depths of our being. It is our primordial nature.

On slander: It is more useful to be aware of a single weakness in oneself than to be aware of a thousand weaknesses in someone else. Rather than speaking badly of other people, or talking in a way that promotes conflict or problems in their lives, we should adopt a purer attitude toward them.

If your mind is dominated by anger, you will lose the greatest part of your human intelligence: wisdom, that is, the ability to discern between good and evil. Anger is one of the greatest problems that we have to face in the world today.

In the course of our daily human relations, if we speak straightforwardly and in a reasoned way, anger is not necessary. Any points of difference can be discussed. Whenever we cannot justify ourselves through reason, that is when anger arises. It is when reason ends that anger begins. In my experience, even if anger gives us the strength to react or to respond in the event of conflict, the energy it gives is blind and difficult to control. The only advantage that anger has is the energy it brings us, but we could find this energy just as well from other sources without having to harm ourselves or others. Anger is a sign of weakness.

Four Seals of Buddhism: All composite phenomena are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are by nature unsatisfactory. All phenomena are empty of self-existence; and Nirvana is true peace!

The Dalai Lama

WOW! The extraordinary wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama – who can argue with that? Thank You! Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Astrology

November 26, 2010 by Norma

11/26/2010 Friday

Confidence! You have it. Men and women get along extremely well. Dress up; look good! How you do today depends on how you present yourself, so pay close attention to externals. Your appearance is your gift to the world. Make it a good one! George Washington Carver said, “When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” Be aware that the spotlight is on you. Don’t shirk it or try to run away. Important people are open to you, so ask your question, press your cause. Be like the sun and shine today!

Thanksgiving Message

November 25, 2010 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (@jalpalyul) on November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Whatever your life is like, let’s take this time together in gratitude for all the blessings we have. Even if this year has been difficult, still let’s leave trouble at the front door and celebrate the good with family and friends!

Thanksgiving really isn’t about food. It is about learning to live together in community and kindness, to respect one another, and share bounty. I pray we all feel connected in unity and love, and come to realize we are one essence, non-dual, always.

Astrology

November 25, 2010 by Norma

11/25/2010 Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving! What a nice day! Happiness is present, and everyone is willing to be agreeable. Still, you are talking too much, but the overall mood is friendly and fun. Something lucky or favorable just happened. It’s good to remember the past and to count your blessings. Reminiscence and gratitude is in order. Spend time with dear ones; spend time reviewing the past. You feel sentimental. A visit to a cemetary or remembrance of those who are departed is in order. Confucius said, “Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.” Make a decision to repay all the kindnesses you have received and to forget all the injuries you have suffered, and this day ends happily.

Thanksgiving Memories

November 24, 2010 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Tomorrow is a day for gratitude and Thanksgiving. And people eat. We used to stuff pumpkins with chestnut and fresh bread (homemade) spinach etc instead of turkey as young vegetarians. All grown or bought locally. I had a hand turned flower mill, ground cornmeal, wheat flour soy, etc from flour to grits. Even pastry flour!

I once LOVED cooking. But making the kitchen functional, shopping, saving vegetable stock for healthy soup, the profound connected part was my favorite. I always looked for ways to put a little wheat germ or soy flour a la Adelle Davis in everything. Picked wild greens, gardened, we ate healthy for nothing!

Mmmmm – we made wild huckleberry pie and cobbler. I made my own jams and jellies. In particular, our own Cherries with one or two pits put back. They give a complimentary almond flavor.

We had a dairy cow, made yogurt, butter, cheese, soft and wheels of hard. Like parmesan I learned so much! We cut felled wood for heat.

Those were such beautiful days. I could go on…. Those were the happiest days.

Goodnight, that was your bedtime story, Beloveds! Sweet dreams!

Feeling Down? Advice for the Path

November 24, 2010 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Feeling depression is a sign to stop, look, and listen, evaluate, also a sign that one has become too self-absorbed. Give to others!

No matter how one rationalizes, rage and anger are another way to say hate. Begin change by loving!

My main focus on twitter is to teach Dharma, to connect with friends, and enjoy the many different cultures. I don’t care for argument and fighting. I do care to discuss in a calm way with the intention that all parties walk away with a gift.

Put on your boots and gloves and weed your Spiritual garden. You may not like what you see there! Pull it up by the root.

Astrology

November 24, 2010 by Norma

11/24/2010 Wednesday

Beware of talking too much, of letting the cat out of the bag, even of innocently incriminating yourself with your own mouth! This is a day for unfortunate speech, so stay as silent as possible until you are 100% sure of the situation and of what you are going to say. Be careful driving, something is making people inattentive, and unexpected situations can occur. You are easily triggered, emotionally. In the evening a cranky child, a troubled person, or you, can feel moody and miserable. The solution? Use your head, think things through, and you’ll be on solid ground again and happy. Take control of those emotions, or they will control you. Rene Descartes said, “Except for our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power.”

Don’t Remain Trapped by Habitual Tendency

November 23, 2010 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

BeeInJarTBA — From http://www.polyvore.com/best_2009/collection?id=41015

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Looking forward to Khenpo Tenzin Norgay’s visit and teaching. I admire and like him so much! He is not into politics and is pure. He seems to have no ego issues and is not one to climb on other’s backs. He is very kind, much Bodhicitta, respectful, never rude. I don’t like rudeness at all. I never have. And if I myself am rude (mostly accidental) I really take myself to task, examine my view. It is best to do that quickly before habit sets in. Anyway, why waste one’s time yammering if one has nothing useful to say? Shut the old pie-hole and practice kindness, and do no harm.

There are so many versions of Dharma now. We have tasters, who sample and take only what they like to heart. Thus they make up their own religion. There are those who talk day and night about how enlightened they are, thus demonstrating they are ordinary. Then the ones who collect Dharma as one collects stuff. Mainly to strut and fluff up their resume, showing they have a very shallow understanding of the point of Dharma.

And there are those who in a sociopathic way like to destroy; people, lineages, Sangha, method and result. No reason, other than they enjoy the power and the drama, the calamity, the pain – it makes one feel potent, important. Sad to say they will have an awful bardo and rebirth experience. One then continues wandering through the realms and suffering of samsara endlessly, as crazed as a bee in a jar.

Why smash your head on the jar over and over again? Better to work the path with character, purity, kind intention devoid of pride and anger. Then there will be actual progress, and depth.

Letting Go of Ego

November 23, 2010 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

One’s ignorance really runs the show. When one acts like they will never face the karma they have made, they do not know what the Buddha taught. In fact they do not understand the Guru’s teaching on good motivation, and taking care of one’s own poisons, living the life of a true Buddhist by giving rise to Bodhicitta, and preparing for death. If it were me and I were dying, I would be in final retreat, not puffing up ego.

I am weary of lies but my skin is thicker. I wonder if it will ever stop, and allow me to do my work, my spiritual vocation. I’ll keep plugging, and I have the confidence of His Holiness Karma Kuchen, as I enjoyed with His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche, and will be content as a Palyul Lineageholder to uphold my Lineage and her people, as well as dharma. So I will teach and learn. I am reminded that when you are up to your neck in alligators, it is hard to remember you came to drain the swamp.