#iwtv#interview with the vampire#the vampire armand#assad zaman
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You know those type of people, the reaaaaallly old ones. Those ancient uncle Iroh type mfs. Those guys.
They dispense the best wisdom.
Listen to them.
Listen to those ancient ass mfs so that they may impart their wisdom on you.
Para Weerasuriya bows his head at the end of the guided meditation class at The Washington Buddhist Vihara in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)
How to face life’s challenges through the temple of the heart
by Khenpo Samdup
Many causes tug at our heart and call us to action. Recently we saw the gun violence in Florida and the way our youth are standing up for change, the constant political strife and children dying in Syria. In our personal lives, too, we struggle with challenges and ways to overcome them.
How do we change and become part of much-needed change?
The Dalai Lama echoed Pope Francis’s thoughts when he said, “There is no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple.”
To create change, we can take four steps:
1) Develop a deeper compassion
Compassion begins with awareness. To cultivate awareness, we must pause amid our nonstop activities to understand how life is changing around us through quiet moments or extended retreats.
There are diverse settings in which we can experience a quiet atmosphere. Individually, we can create those moments through meditation, contemplation, prayer and study. In a community, we can find calm at temples, churches, synagogues, mosques and secular centers.
When we pause, we can concentrate on our breath, deepen it and be calm. This allows us to access our feelings and open our hearts. A calm mind and open heart is more receptive to understanding the self and others, creating space for compassion.
2) Identify the action
Through a practice of contemplation, awareness and compassion, we can prepare ourselves to meet situations with clarity and conviction. We can then take meaningful action in our personal lives and in our communities.
A smile or a simple act of kindness can brighten someone's day. Or we can be part of an organization that is dedicated to doing good in the world.
3) Connect to the bigger world
We thrive when we come together as a community for a common cause. By collaborating with like-minded individuals and groups, we can create far-reaching change.
D.C.’s own, chef José Andrés, arrived in Puerto Rico last year after Hurricane Maria and began feeding people. He worked with local chefs and used local kitchens and supplies. Andres created something different in very difficult circumstances — he created a community. With more hands, he was able to reach many more victims, and increase the impact of his work.
4) Commit to a path of action and be the vehicle for change
We are vehicles for transformation. Our thoughts, words and actions, individually and collectively, create the change our world urgently needs.
My own teacher, Garchen Rinpoche, was immersed in a life of monastic study and meditation in Tibet from the age of 7, until everything drastically changed when he was a young man. Like many high Lamas, he was imprisoned. During those 20 years, he witnessed the deaths of many friends. Now free, he speaks of the need for us to help everyone, by acting for the benefit to all beings though living a life of love and compassion. On April 13, he will give an address in Fairfax, Va., on compassion and other topics.
When you feel a tug at your heart, take action. I invite you to join in the conversation and find ways to engage the temple of the heart to be and live true change.
Khenpo Samdup is a Tibetan Buddhist monk and scholar, and a student of His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche. He is spiritual director of two Buddhist temples Drikung Dharma Surya Center, in Fairfax, Va., and Gar Drolma in Dayton, Ohio, and host of monthly meditations with the Four Cups in Washington.
looking back
Ever thought back to a moment in your life and wished you could have done something differently. Taken that leap of faith. Told that special someone how you felt. Called your mum or dad more often. Taken that extended holiday. Not worried about what others thought of you. Trusted in yourself. Reflecting back to these moments we often wish we could extend the knowledge we have now and enhanced self confidence that comes with life’s experiences on to our past selves. Well here is your chance to do just that. Welcome to “What i would i tell myself”. A platform to share your inner wisdom’s with the younger you, the less confident you, the more naive you. Wisdom you may also share with the world, in hopes that someone reading your reflective insight may possibly see themselves in the same situation and taken on that advice in the present moment.
So the question remains…“If you could tell yourself something you wish someone would have passed on to you, what would you say?”
If you're gonna fight, you fight like the third monkey on the loading ramp to Noah's Ark... And, it's starting to rain!
Unknown (via @arthuralmassy)
Don't miss where you are now because you are anxious for the future.
