Response to a Muslims Attack on Hinduism

Response to a Muslims Attack on Hinduism

When I used to practice Islam I purchased a book by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo titled: “Purification of the Soul: Concept, Process and Means”

 In this book Mr. Zarabozo starts with beliefs of religions other than Islam and their means of spiritual purification. He presents the views and then bashes them (at the same time bashing Islamic groups he disagrees with aswell). Then he goes on to present the Islamic way of Purification and why Islam is the true way of purifying the soul. My concern is responding to his objections to hinduism and slander of it. So this will be the focus of this article.

 Quoting from his work on pg 13

“Hinduism is a strange combination of seeking to please a number of gods while at the same time believing there is actually only one reality called Brahman. Again, The Encyclopedia Britannica states,

  The pervasive force lying within all being, Brahman is conceived as the “self,” or atman, of all forms of life, and many Hindu traditions portray the conscious realization of the identity between the individual self and the cosmic principle as the final religious goal.”

  Firstly let me respond to his criticism that hinduism is trying to appease different gods while believing in One Reality which is Brahman.

Quoting from “Dancing with Siva: Hinduism’’s Contemporary Catechism” by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

“God Siva is the Supreme Being, the Lord of lords. He alone prevails everywhere. Not an atom moves except by His will. Ganesa, Karttikeya, Indra, Agni and all the 330 million Gods of Hinduism are beings just as we are, created by Lord Siva and destined to enjoy union with Him. The Gods are souls of high evolution. They are very old and mature souls, mighty beings who live in the Sivaloka. Though neither male nor female, they may be popularly depicted as Gods and Goddesses.”

 Zarabozo just like other muslims are quick to condemn what they see as idolatry, yet they do not really understand at all what they are dealing with. Firstly, we wonder if Islam is free from what they are accusing others of. According to Islam there are angels of different types that are charged with different task.

 For example: there is an angel of death that takes the souls of the living.

There are angels who send down rainfall and move the clouds.

Angel Israfeel blows a trumpet to announce the day of judgement which kills those who are alive.

Angels Munkar and Nakeer question the dead in their graves.

There are angel guardians of hell and heaven.

Its strange that Zarabozo and others would criticize the gods and goddesses of Hinduism, yet not reflect that there are Angels created by Allah to move the clouds, make it rain, take souls at death, and bring punishment upon people. This reminds me of the ancient greeks and romans who believed in god of rain, god of death, and gods that punish people. Who really is the polytheist? The Muslim may argue that, “We dont worship angels and the angels are only given power by Allah and not of their ownselves”

 In response I say that a fundamental of faith in Islam is belief in angels. One must believe what Allah says in the Quran and what Muhammad has said. This includes the belief of Angels being in charge of taking souls, making it rain, bringing revelation, punishing people in the grave, blowing trumpets to cause destruction to the earth and its inhabitants, and other such tasks. Secondly if you say it is Allah who gave them this power, than I can just as well defend the Hindus that may invoke different deities by saying it is the SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS, the Infinite that has manifested those highly evolved souls and thus they have their power within the Infinite.

 Zarabozo should really contemplate deeper before jumping to conclusions and using The Encyclopedia Britannica as a reference on a religion.

Now concerning Brahman.

“All this that we see in the world is Brahman”

“Brahman is absolute existence, consciousness, and Bliss”

 Brahman is that Primordial Being whom we have our existence in. This Spirit manifested all things. When the Spirit expanded it condensed into what we call matter. Matter is mostly empty space as it is 9.999999999999 which means it is filled with Conscious Energy. E=MC squared demonstrates this. This consciousness expanded and more matter formed. The Reality of all things is within the existence of Brahman.

“OM is the whole of this Universe”

 All energy is being given from the boundless Cosmic Intelligence. It is the Tao of the Taoist, Ultimate Reality of the Buddhist, and Brahman of the Hindus.

 Since all beings are manifested from this Supreme Consciousness all have their existence in It. That means that all those Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism actually exist within Brahman and are essentially Brahman at the deepest level. Unfortunately, we cannot expect Zarabozo to understand this, because he follows a very literal view as is the norm of Islam. He follows a puritan branch of Islam that wishes to bring TRUE or original Islam to live in the world. This brings a lot of baggage with its literal interpretations. One must believe Allah is some outside being that is beyond this Universe. This Deity exist above a Throne that is above 7 heavens. He rules like a monarch midevil King. He is very picky and awards and punishes. According to a saying of Muhammad, Allah actually punished a man who did not purify himself from urine, so the man due to his finite uncleaniness experienced harsh torture by Allah’s angels.

 In otherwords Allah is a King like God that is happy sometimes and Angry other times. You can only rationally believe in Allah through puzzled thinkings, but no experience of this monarch king, because it is heresy to the likes of Zarabozo and others. However, Brahman can be experienced in the Here and the NOW. This is something Islam needs to evolve into, fortunately there has been many sufi groups that have experienced this, to which Zarabozo shows displeasure to.

He states:

“This belief is essentially the same belief as that of wahdah al-wujood or monism that is found among many Sufi groups. What this means is that everything that occurs and all creatures-the evil, the despicable and the devilish-are nothing but part and parcel of that one entity that Hindus are trying to discover they are all part of. In sum, the whole of the experienced existence is nothing but illusion without any real substance save being a ’projection superimposed on the one Reality, the Brahman.” In the history of Sufism, this belief system, not surprisingly, had a horrendous effect as, when one truely claims to believe in this, all things become permissible to the person. There is no distinction between good and evil. There is no distinction between what is lawful and what is not lawful. There is not even any distinction between the object of one’s worship and adoration and the most viole part of the universe. In fact, all of those things become meaningless since everything is one and the same in the ultimate reality.”

 My response to this is that it is absolutely silly to suggest that one who has a realization of Brahman or Wahdah al-wujood of the sufis (Oneness of Being) would begin to do dispicable things. A yogi or sufi who has God Realization is not going to start raping, killing, and having sex with slaves (as Muhammad himself allowed). Instead these are people who awaken into the wisdom of the Divine.

 A student of the famous yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda was asking concerning Oneness and Brahman. The student was mentioning that all beings are part of God therefore why does one bother to live a good holy life. Paramhansa Yogananda mentioned to the student that in a way that is true that we are all One with God, however if you play the role of a villian in God’s cosmic dream then you will have to experience the villians punishment in the play of God’s cosmic dream.

 The famous Chinese Yogi, Lao Tzu once said: “With virtue and quietness one may conquer the world.”

 It is through God realization or perception of Ultimate Reality that one truely becomes what they truely are. They merge back with the Infinite, though in reality there was no merging back because they were never separate.

 Yogis that have Self Realization never preach harmfulness, indulgence in sex, drinking, and other such things. Zarabozo really has no argument here.

Zarabozo later goes on to say:

“Furthermore, these are gods that are often times depicted in their scriptures as warring against each other and hating each other.” There is a footnote which says “For example, Brahma (the creator god) argued with Vishnu over who was greater only to discover that Shiva (a third god) was the supposed greatest, supremely powerful god-even though Shiva is not the creator god.”

 This statement by Zarabozo just shows his ignorance of Hinduism. He should rely moreso on the words and explanation of Hindus than readeing Briticanna and writings of Ludwig. Brahma is essentially the same as Shiva and so is Vishnu. These are methporical writings. Scripture in Hinduism is not to be always taken literal as it is in Islam.

 Zarabozo goes on to quote the Quran which is to be used in refutation to “polytheism”

“Allah puts forth a similitude: a [slave] man belong to many partners disputing with one another [like those who worship more than one god] and a [slave] man belonging to only one man [like those who worsihp only Allah]. Are those two equal in comparison? All the praises are to Allah. Yet most of them knwo not” (al-Zumar 29). “From an Islamic perspective, there is no way for a person to please more than one god as, by the Islamic definition of the word “God”, God must be the thing that is formemost in one’s heart. But what must be even more frustrating is the attempt to please various gods with different needs while claiming to believe that those gods and oneself are actually all one and the same reality.”

 In response to this I ask the reader to read again my response concerning the Gods and Goddesses and in particular the quote by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.

 Also see the discussion on Brahman. Zarabozo does not understand that the Supreme Consciousness is expressed through all things. Essentially worshipping a particular aspect is worshipping the Infinite. Some Hindus don’t even do outward worship, but instead tune inward through Raja Yoga.

I will again quote Sivaya Subramuniyaswami from the same book

“The stone or metal Deity images are not mere symbols of the Gods; they are the form through which their love, power and blessings flood forth into this world. We may liken this mystery to our ability to communicate with others through the telephone. We do not talk to the telephone; rather we use a telephone as a means of communication with another person who is perhaps thousands of miles away. Without the telephone, we could not converse across such distances; and without the sanctified murti in the temple or shrine we cannot easily commune with the Deity. His vibration and presence can be felt in the image, and he can use the image as temporary physical-plane body or channel. As we progress in our worship, we begin to adore the image as the Deity’s physical body, for we knwo that He is actually present and conscious in it during puja, aware of our thoughts and feelings and even sensing the pujari’s gentle touch on the metal or stone”

 These different images and icons that the Hindus use in their devotions are different aspects of the same Brahman. Through this type of worship the worshipper may perceive that there is no difference between the worshipper and the object of worship. The ego dissolves into the Divine Embrace of the Divine Mother. 

Paramhansa Yogananda mentioned a devotee of Bhakti yoga (the type of worship that Zarabozo is criticizing) who was offering flowers to the Deity in form of an image, but instead of offering it to the image he fell into Samadhi (A state of nonduality in which the perceiver and that which is perceived are One) and he threw the flowers on himself offering to himself as he saw that he alone was that worthy of worship.

 This seems blasphemous or even silly, but in such a state one realizes the Truth of Existence that ALL IS BRAHMAN. So even worship of different aspects of the Infinite or Supreme Consciousness in idols and forms of Gods and Goddesses can also lead one to total liberation from ego consciousness, and into the endless Supreme Consciousness.

Lastly Zarabozo mentions:

“The vedas, a collection of Hindu writings, stress the torture of the body and the denial of anything that the soul be inclined to. They present the belief in the transmigration of the soul. Thus, Hindus put their bodies through extreme challenges and tests to remove what they have done in the past and what they may do in the future life. Even death is not a rescue or an escape as it simply implies the moving to another body and going through the same tpe of process over again.”

 Unfortunately Zarabozo is just not getting it. It is true that some ascetics go through extreme asceticism in self denial of the body, however one cannot paint all hindus with the same brush. It is true that Yogis teach students how to close themselves from the senses that feed ego consciousness. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. This is what religion is suppose to be teaching us. It is suppose to teach us how to reach our Highest potential. The reader is urged to read my articles on “Was Muhammad Enlightened?” a set of five articles which demonstrate that Muhammad was more concerned with teaching people to fulfill their desires instead of transcending them.

 Many yogis teach westerners and others alike the classic science of Kriya Yoga to obtain union with the Infinite, and do not subject their students to body torture. Zarabozo is just being true to the Salafi Sect of Islam in disparaging other groups without knowledge.

 As far as reincarnation, through meditation, karma yoga, raja yoga, and other ways one can obtain liberation from it. He is wrong to think that one is forever bound by it. If he finds reincarnation to be a little silly, one may think also that the Islamic view that one is basically dead in their graves being tortured by angels or shown paradise if they are believers, and then on some day in the far future Allah will ressurect mankind in their body (we wonder why they have to return to their physical bodies, which shows that Islam teaches attachment to the lower self) and are judged. Reincarnation a belief that many around the world hold, is not so silly if you realize that we are not bodies with a soul, but we are soul’s with a body. If we are not our bodies, than the body is just like a piece of clothing that we change.

 In conclusion I would really urge Mr. Zarabozo to do more studies on Hinduism and some of the other faiths that he bashed in his works. I would also suggest the reader to check out once again my series of articles on “Was Muhammad Enlightened” to see the reality of Islam and that of Muhammad.

OM

What is Meditation?

What is Meditation?

 Meditation is the focusing on the Infinite or an aspect of the Infinite. It is relaxing body and mind so that deeper levels of concentration can take place. One concentrates on the Infinite or an aspect of the Infinite until there occurs an experience in which there is no self and Other. The Other becomes the self. Thus the ego is annhilated in the glory of the Lord, which is your Ultimate self.

 Meditation is not to deal just with the conscious mind, nor is it to dwell in the subconscious. The reason being is that in the subconscious we may have many dream like visions that are only illusory. So, the way of meditation is to bring us to Superconsciousness. This is where the Greater Self Dwells and can be experienced.

 Much of our lives are run by the habits that come from the subconscious mind. Many of us are unaware of this and so we repeat the same fallacies each time. If we learn how to form new habits that can replace the habits formed in the subconscious we can rewire our thinking. If we even go further than this and devote much time to meditation as to enter the superconscious we can transcend the subconscous.

 In meditation we learn to relax the body and the mind, concentrate upon the point of the meditation (be it the third eye, or some other object), and expanding ourself and our awareness until we realize that we are One with all that exist.

  I have just recently signed up for Ananda Course in Self Realization which can be found at this link:  http://www.ananda.org/meditation/course.html

 The teaching is on establishing a meditation habit, working with prana (lifeforce or Qi), and expanding the awareness. The reading material is a great introduction and text to guide us deeper into meditation. I really suggest those who are interested to take the course (there is also an online version of the course).

 The more we can understand meditation by doing meditation, the more benefit we will get.

 The definition of meditation in the book (Man’s Eternal Quest- Collected Talks and Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life by Paramhansa Yogananda) states:

“Concentration upon God. The term is used in a general sense to denote practice of any technique for interiorizing the attention and focusing it on some aspect of God. In the specific sense, meditation refers to the end result of successful practice of such techniques: direct experience of God through intuitive perception. It is the seventh step (dhyana) of the eightfold path of Yoga described by Patanjali, achieved only after one has attained that fixed concentration within whereby he is completely undisturbed by sensory impressions from the outer world. In deepest meditation one experiences the eighth step of Yoga path: samadhi, communion, oneness with God”

 If we really want to experience the fruits of meditation we must make time and effort. The important part in the beginning is to make sure you establish a meditation practice. It can be just 15 minutes to start with. But if you do it consistantly (no matter how many times your mind wanders) you will deepen your practice. You will start wiring yourself to be used to meditating so you will continue with your practice.

 Later through concentration techniques as taught in Ananda Course in Self Realization you will be able to deepen your focus on the Third eye (the eye at the point between th eyebrows or the frontal lobe of the brain). You will be able to see the Divine Light and realize your oneness with it. Soon our sensory perceptions will be rested and we will dwell in the superconscious state.

OM Shanti

Words of Wisdom on Ganesha

 

Quotes on Lord Ganesha taken from Ganesha Podcast By Vanamali Mathaji

“You alone are the invisible manifestation of the essence of the words, THAT THOU ART. You alone are the doerl you alone are all this, because you are Brahman. You are the eternal Atman in bodily form.” (Ganapati Upanishad)

I bow to Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of all afflictions, Who is the Supreme Brahman according to Vedanta,

Who is known as the foremost being or the root cause of the creation of this universe. (Sri Ganapati Stotram)

Bow to Lord Ganesha, the son of Gauri (Parvati), Think constantly of Him who dwells in the heart of his devotees, And you will get good health, long life and the fulfillment of all desire.

Ganesha Mantra

Ganesha Mantra

 Lord Ganesha is the revered heavenly divine Elephant-headed Deity of the Hindus. He is also revered in some mahayana buddhist circles. He is considered to be the son of Lord Siva and His consort Parvati. He is considered the Lord of Dharma and the Remover of Obstacles. It is said that the entire universe is contained in his belly. From a literal point of view this may all seem so silly. However, from a deeper perspective it demonstrates that Lord Ganesha is the overseer of the physical world. He resides in the innerworlds and is also manifested within the physical creation.

 People of western faiths or of scientific understandings may find it laughable that millions of people put their faith in an Elephant Headed Deity. On the contrary the religion of Sanatana Dharma (The Eternal Truth-also refferred to as Hinduism) is very scientific. There have been many findings in quantum physics that have been explained and taught by Hindus for thousands of years. Not only this, but Ganesa has been experienced by countless yogis and lay devotees.

 Many of us may remember the milk miracles in which statues of Lord Ganesha around the world were actually absorbing the milk offered to it throughout the whole world. Many others have had many experiences to clarify for their own minds that Ganesha does exist.

 Perhaps you may not think of him as a High God being, but you may also think perhaps he is a Highly evolve astral being. Whatever view you take there is nothing really to prove His existence or is there?

The best way to truely prove the existence of Lord Ganesha to yourself is to actually experience him. I can tell you that the mantras associated with Lord Ganesha are very powerful. Chanting them in devotion certainly can cause you to experience this gentle Deity.

 The mantra I would love to recommend is a very famous one associated with the Elephant Headed Deity.

It is OM Gam Ganapatye Namaha (if you need pronounciation there are plenty of Youtube videos).

 What is very significant is OM is started just like it usually is when it comes to Hindu mantras. OM is also associated with Lord Ganesha himself.

“Aum is the one Eternal Syllable of which all that exists is but the development. The past, present and future are all included in this one sound, and all that exists beyond the forms of time is also implied in the word Aum.-Mandukya Upanishad” (Taken from Loving Ganesa Hinduism’s Endearing Elephant-Faced God by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami).

 OM or Aum is a very significant syllable. It is the vibratory sound of creation. In deep meditation one can actually perceive the sound of AUM.

Gam Ganapatye Namaha

is praise to Ganapati (Ganesha).

This mantra can be used to allow our finite self to dissolve in the Eternal Self that is beyond the illusionary egoic self. It is full union with the Cosmic Being Lord Ganesha. 

 Recite this mantra 108 times a day. I simply like to recite it throughout the day or if I am waiting in a line I will breathe in conscious that Lord Ganapati is breathing in and feeling his peace as I breath in and breathing out I mentally recite Om Gam Ganapatye Namaha. I feel a sense of peace overcome me and I visualize the peace of Lord Ganesha filling myself and all in the room. It is such a soothing experience.

  In conclusion one can truely experience the exotic deities of the Hindu faith, if  you work to have direct experience of the Divine. Be patient and ever persistent. Remember Lord Ganesha is not a judgemental father, He is a Loving Cosmic being of the Devic realm. OM GAM GANAPATYE NAMAHA.

Concentrate on the Light

Concentrate on the Light

 Many a times, especially here in the west, we have self hatred and self criticism. It is as if our own worst enemy is the tormentor in our head as Eckhart Tolle says. There is constant chattering of our failures, shortcomings, and mistakes. We are quick to blame ourselves and feel that we are hopeless.

 This is not a good way to live. The more we dwell on certain thoughts, the more neural pathways are wired in our brain which sends chemical messages to cells in our body. Our cells act in respond to that and so we keep reinforcing the ideas of our failures and shortcomings. Hence, the self fulfilling prophecies.  The good news is you can change these neural pathways and change the cells in your body. Many experiments have proven this.

 Paramhansa Yogananda has said a lot in his talks that we should focus on the light. Don’t dwell too much on your mistakes. Realize the faults you have done and learn from them, but do not dwell on them. Our mistakes and faults can be the fuel for our enlightenment. When you are angry and you see and witness your anger simply recognize it. You may want to take some breaths mindfully in and out. Do not start self criticizing about how you are always angry. Instead remember times in which you showed exemplary patience. Recall that these good times were the Soul’s manifestation in the present reality.

Parmhansa Yogananda said:

“Remember: No matter how much you are accustomed to being unhappy, you must adopt the antidote of happiness. Each act of being happy will help you cultivate the habit of always being happy. Pay no attention if your mind tells you that you can never be happy. Just remember to start being happy now, and every moment say, “I am happy now!” If you can continuously do that, then, when you look back, you can say, “I have been very happy.” When you look at yourself now, you will say, “I am happy,” and when you look ahead, you will say, “I know I shall be happy.” All your future happiness depends upon how happy you are now, so start being happy NOW” (From “How to Be Happy All the Time” by Paramhansa Yogananda).

 It is significant that Yogananda and many other Yogis of many traditions have said that happiness is found here and now. As we have seen Thich Nhat Hanh says that the Pure Land is found here and now. So if we want to deal with our sadness, anger, lusts, and negative traits, instead of criticizing ourselves we need to act in the now. If we see an unwholesome trait we may say, “this is conditioned egocentrity acting, but I am the Changless Pure Soul”.

Yogananda and others calls us again and again to remember that we are Souls with a body, not bodies with a soul. There is a difference, because many of our mental afflictions and what not manifest because we are attached to form. If you notice the arising of unwholesomeness take some deep breaths slowly and turn inward and affirm that you are a child of God. Not God as some monarch King on a throne, but GOD as INFINITE CONSCIOUSNESS that is FULL LOVE.

 I find a good technique to simply detach, even if only pretending, from the body and affirm the power of your Soul which is unconditioned. I like to sometimes stop for a moment and breath in and out and tell myself that my Soul is flooding this body with happiness and this happiness is manifesting out to all around me.

“Our soul is God Siva’s emanational creation, the source of all our higher functions, including knowledge, will and love. Our soul is neither male nor female. It is that which never dies, even when its four outer sheaths-physical, pranic, instinctive and mental-change form and perish as they naturally do.” (Taken from Dancing with Siva: Hinduism’s Contemporary Catechism” by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami)

“The Essence of our soul, which was never created, is immanent love and transcendent reality and is identical and eternally one with God siva. At the core of our being, we already are That-perfect at this very moment. Aum.” (Taken from same source as above)

 Just remember when you dwell on your bad traits you are just strengthening your self criticism. Remember always that you are the Changeless soul, you are ultimate Reality. Remember your emotions, body, and mistakes are not your true nature. You are God but you have forgotten. You are truely the manifestation of Divine Mother. You are infinite in your core. Do not forget this, and if you do forget it, then remember again and again. Because this is all God’s play, and he pretends to forget his true nature, and pretends to remember. Don’t take life too seriously.

We are Souls in a Body

We are Souls in a Body

 Many times in eastern religions we learn that we have unlimited potential. We are exactly like Shunyata or emptiness, which is not empty like an empty cup, but open and spacious to endless possibilities. Usually this falls on deaf ears (mine included), but what if we could truely experience or atleast taste just a small bit of our unlimited potential.

 Throughout the years we have been conditioned to believe that we are our bodies. This is do to Maya, or illusion, we have become identified with tihs body. Our body though changes constantly. Every seven years we have a different body as cells change in our body. We have learned that matter is mostly empty as most things are 9.999999999999 empty, which leaves only a small bit of what we call solidity. This ofcourse the Hindus and Buddhist knew long ago.

 With religions like Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, we are brainwashed to believe we are limited beings and that God is outside of us. It is blasphemous to search for God within in these religions. Atleast for the most part these religions believe that we have souls. Which brings us to an important point. We are not these bodies. We are as Robert Moss (a Shaman and dream teacher) has taught that : “We are a SOUL with a body, not a body with a soul”

 I unfortunately am a spiritual seeker who fails many times over. A lot of times all that I read and learn are just intellectual learnings and not applied. Can I possibly believe we are more than our limited finitude? Perhaps in theory, but In reality how can I accept our unlimited potential, when all I know is this body that is so limited?

 Well recently I have been consciously trying to have OUT OF BODY experiences or Astral Projection. I have done so in the past but only got a little bit out of my body. The past week I have been experiencing getting out for a little bit longer. What is significant about this, Is I am starting to truely feel what the Hindus talk about when they say we are Unlimited in our Soul. We are greater than our bodies. When I detach from the body as the astral body floats out of my body it is a feeling of complete freedom. It is as if I have been locked away in this body for all these years, and then suddenly I am given a get out of jail free  card and I can soar out.

 I have not been able to perfect this, and just to let everyone know, this doesn’t mean I am spiritually advanced, because everyone astral projects when they are sleeping. I am simply sharing my experience because I feel it can give us great freedom if we experience our Soul.

Paramhansa Yogananda says:

“Our soul intuition is a faculty of God. He has no mouth, yet He tastes everything. He has no hands or feet, yet He feels the whole universe. How? By intuition, by His omnipresence.”

“Man ordinarily relies upon his senses to supply with information about himself and the world in which he lives. His mind doesn’t know anything except that his five senses tell him. But the superman relies upon intuition , his “sixth sense,” for knowledge.”(Taken from Man’s Eternal Quest)

 Yogananda and other Yogis again and again call us to remember our True Self which is beyond this body. It is that which has changed many bodies throughout eons of time. It is the Soul that is indestructable, unborn, and beyond time and space. If this is true, then this is absolutely marvelous. Nothing can stop us from knowing our Higher Self.

Amida Consciousness

Amida Consciousness

Dr. Taitetsu Unno a shin Buddhist priest says that at first (the beginning of our practice) see see Amida basically as an outside object. But when our practice ripens, we see that we are one with Amida. This is found within the nembutsu (the Name that calls) itself: “Namu Amida Butsu”

Namu is our foolish self or our self stuck in egocentricity. We are always lusting, angry, sad, greedy, etc. Our ego even uses our religious practice as a method to build itself up. We may say “I am doing so well, I meditate everyday”. Soon we see ourselves looking at others and saying “How could such a person think like that/ They are so unmindful”. This false self will stop at nothing to strengthen itself.

On the other hand though, this false self is being worn down. Being worn down to submission to Other Power. Other Power is none other than Amida Buddha. Amida is the Infinite. Buddha is the Enlightened, it is used interchangably with Thathaghatha or as Taitetsu Unno translates as:

“Thathagata, a synonym for Buddha, is the “one who comes to us from the world of Reality-as-it-is” and whose sole purpose is the illumination of our darkness and its transformation.”

Namu Amida Butsu is our Finite self and the Infinite Self from the world of Reality as it is becoming one. The truth of the matter is it is already one, it is only our foolish desires that obstructs our sight, as Shinran Shonin says in the Shoshinge:

“The person burdened with extreme evil should simply say the Name:

Although I too am within Amida’s grasp,

Passions obstruct my eyes and I cannot see him;

Nevertheless, great compassion is untiring and illumines me always.”

This compassion has already embraced us. A matter of fact is that we are swimming in the ocean of Amida. We are beings that are longing for further evolution in our consciousness, that which is waking us up is that One Reality or Reality as it is which is none other than Amida that is pervading all things.

Taitetsu Unno says:

“According to Pure Land masters, there are two paths to the mountaintop of liberation and freedom from the fetters of samsaric life. Traditionally, they are called the path of Sages and the path of Pure Land, a distinction first made by the Chinese master Tao-ch’o in the early seventh century.”

 The path of sages are the path of the monastics who take vows and precepts and live as monastics. It goes through many hard stages until they reach liberation.

The path of Pure Land is for monastics and non monastics, for all people to sail on the waterways of easy practice. In this path Amida Buddha which is all consciousness, the Enlightenment mind works to liberate us in each moment. Second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, the Illuminating light of Amida is never tiring. It is showing us our limitations and our ego nature. It is waking us to seek deeper answers in life and to see the inerrelations of all things. It is waking us up here and now.

Out of gratitude we say Namu Amida Butsu. Even as we practice on the pure land path we find ourselves commiting the same mistakes, of lust, anger, greed, etc, but this is all fuel for our enlightenment. It is already promised. One is grasped never to be abandoned by Amida.

Taitetsu Unno says:

“In the course of deep hearing, a transformation of body and mind, conscious and subconscious, take place in subtle and unknown ways. The understanding of the teaching moves from the cognitive level to the subconscious level, where the sedimentation of the Buddha’s teaching occurs in the deepest layers of the psyche. This ultimately leads to the rigid self becoming supple, flexible, and open. In the words of Shinran, “That all have their bodies touched by the light is due to the working of the ‘Vow of softness and gentleness of body and mind”

Deep hearing is the hearing of the call of the world of the Uncreated, the Pure Land, from the call of the Dharma, from the call of Amida. It is deeply hearing of the vow of Amida Buddha, that He will save all living beings from delusion and ignorance. Suffering will be no more. Listen deeply and you will see Amida Buddha smiling at you everywhere. Our Noble Mother nurtures us in the rays of her Compassion.When one deeply hears, it is the hearing of the ENTIRE BODY. There is no duality, the Nembutsu becomes us. Amida manifest into us and shows us all of our delusions and gives us the gift of Shinjin, which is deep entrusting or the awakening into giving one’s ego self to the Greater Self of Amida Buddha.

Amida Buddha and the Pure Land: In the Here and Now

Amida Buddha and the Pure Land: In the Here and Now

 In Buddhism there are many Pure Land sects that revere Amida Buddha. Also there are many sects in which perhaps the Pure Land practices are not so much emphasize on their own, but are an additional secondary practice. With these many sects there are many different opinions about what or who Amida Buddha is and what the Pure Land is as well as where it is.

This is a very interesting topic for myself. I am very attracted to Jodo Shinshu, which is a much later school of Buddhism, only about 800 years old, founded by Shinran Shonin a student of Honen Shonin. This particular school of Buddhism and in particular Pure Land Buddhism, interprets Amida and the Pure Land a bit different than other schools.

 In Jodo Shinshu it is said that Amida Buddha is not some deity, or Buddha being for us to praise and supplicate, but that Amida Buddha is much greater than this. It is beyond God, beyond duality. Amida Buddha is seen as Ultimate Reality experienced here and now.

Jeff Wilson in his book, “Buddhism of the Heart: Reflections on Shin Buddhism and Inner Togetherness” says:

“Essentially, Shinran says that the Dharmakaya, the ultimate interconnected reality of all things, is so incredible that human minds have difficulty understanding it. We might call this aspect of the Dharmakaya “Amida of ultimate reality.” It has no form or name and though we can perceive it after a fashion, it is beyond any possible full conception by human beings. But then there is a second Dharmakaya, the form which reality takes on in order to graciously awaken us to the interconnectedness within which we live and love and have our being. This is Dharmakaya for us: it is Amida as a form (Buddha), a view (shinjin), a name (Namu Amida Butsu). These two Dharmakayas, the two Amidas, are the same, but they appear different to us because one is accommodated to our level of understanding.”

Amida in Jodo Shinshu is not just a Buddha being in a far off western pure land type paradise that guides us to enlightenment. Amida Buddha is seen as a force of compassion here in now in this life. In this moment Amida is working unceasingly to liberate us. It is our greater self, and the greater self of the Cosmos.

Thich Nhat Hanh in his great work on pure land buddhism called: “Finding Our True Home: Living in the Pure Land Here and Now” says:

“The Eminent Master Tue Trung was the elder brother of General Tran Hung Dao, the ehro who saved Vietnam from Mongolian invasions during the thirteenth century. Tue Trung wrote a gatha of four lines, which goes as follows:

The original reality of Amitabha (Amida) is our own Dharma body,

It shines out brightly everywhere, in the South, North, East, and West,

It is like the autumn moon that lies in the high, vast sky,

In the silence of the night its brilliance shines far over the ocean.”

Parenthesis are mine. As we can see masters of the different Pure Land sects have taught not of just an experience of Amida in the next life, but in this life. In the here and now. Amida’s true home is in our minds and hearts. When we awaken to reality as a result of the Dharma (eternal truths) that liberate us, we realize the body of oneness of the cosmos. We find that the flowers outside are the same flowers described about the western pureland of Amida. When our mind is correct and we have right views we see all things as manifestations of the Buddhas. When the birds chirp outside, we hear songs of the Dharma.

 Thich Nhat Hanh says a lot of times that he does not think you have to die to enter the pure land or the kingdom of God. He says that actually we have to be alive to be in the pure land.

Taitetsu Unno in “Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn into Gold” says:

“Awakening is dynamic,

Constantly evolving with life’s realities-

Unfolding from ego self to compassionate self,

From enclosed self to open self,

From Foolish self to enlightened self.

The ultimate realization for limited, karmic beings awaits to be fully and completely realized in the Pure Land.”

Tiatetsu Unno throughout this great book talks about experiencing Amida, or Infinite Light and Life here and now. He talks of experiencing the Infinite Compassion that embraces all which is embodied in Amida and manifested in the nembutsu: “Namu Amida Butsu”

Going back to Jeff Wilson in the above quoted book, he quotes from the Contemplation of Amida Sutra:

“The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, “After you have contemplated thus, next visualize yourself as being born in the Western Land of Utmost Bliss sitting cross-legged upon a lotus-flower. Visualize this lotus-flower as closed; as it opens, five hundred rays of colored light illuminate your body; then your eyes are open and you see buddhas and bodhisattvas filling the sky and hear the sounds of water, birds, and trees, and the voices of the buddhas all expounding the wonderful Dharma in accord with the twelve divisions of the scriptures. When you rise from meditation, keep those things in mind and do not forget them. Seeing them thus is called the visualization of the Land of Utmost Bliss of the Buddha Amida. This is the comprehensive visualization, and is known as the twelfth contemplation. Innumerable transformed bodies of Amida, together with those of Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamapraprta, will always accompany those who contemplate thus.”

This great passage is not just speaking of some future event. Buddhism is a way of life for the Here and Now. It is not for us to wait until some great future. But the great future is here and now in this moment. With each inbreath we can touch the Pure Land. The Buddha states in the sutra for us to continue to contemplate this even after you rise from meditation. He instructs us to keep this visualization in mind. If we act in such a way we will see all with the eyes of compassion. We will be able to see the dharma all around us. The raindrops will be the dharma teaching us. When troubles and anxieties attack us we can embrace them and be greatful. Our finitude will be transformed into the Infinite.

Throughout the day just be mindful. Be gentle and compassionate to yourself. Naturally this will spread to others since we are all interconnected. Change yourself and you will see the changes in the world that you want to see. Amida breaths in with you as you are breathing in and breathes out with you as you are breathing out. The main practice of Jodo Shinshu is namely the Name that Calls: “Namu Amida Butsu”. It is not to chant so that you can acquire merits for some future lifetime. It isn’t even you calling out. It is Amida or Ultimate Reality penetrating into the core of your nature which is Itself and liberating you. So Relax, say the Nembutsu once, twice, or as many times as you want, no matter what we are all grasped by this Reality here and now.

Was Muhammad Enlightened? Part 5

Was Muhammad Enlightened? Part 5

 Thus far we have spoken about Muhammad’s lust for many women and refuted the claims that he married solely for political purposes. We showed that Muhammad himself could not treat all his wives equally as the Qur’an commands.  We see the suffering his caused many of his wives for his favortism towards Aisha. We also shed light on Muhammad’s anger and failing to even follow his own advice that he gave to his companions on controlling Aisha. Muhammad clearly struck Aisha on her chest in anger as we proved despite the claims of local apologetic Imams stating that Muhammad never hit a woman. We showed that Jihad is not just defensive as apologetic Muslims might have you believe, but also can be offensive. We saw how Muhammad allowed the execution of over 700 jews, some of which were considered adults only because they had pubic hair. We even showed that Muhammad allowed killing people who disrespected him such as the woman in the hadith in which she was stabbed by a believer for insulting the Prophet Muhammad.  We showed how Muhammad allowed wife beating as long as it did not cause bleeding or bruising. We even showed a hadith concerning a woman who had a bruise on her from her husband, yet Muhammad did not rebuke the man for beating his wife. Then we investigated Muhammad’s initial revealations in which he was frightened of the spirit or entity that visited him. We saw how Muhammad had suicidal thoughts and actually went as far as to climb ontop of a mountain MULTIPLE times in an effort to throw himself off.

 There is much more that could be showed about Muhammad’s behavior. Even him allowing mutiliation of disbelievers who mutilate believers. We could go deeper into his life of Jihad and the atrocities that he has committed. But I want this to be very brief and so I end with refuting the belief that the Qur’an has never been changed.

According to Muslims Allah has been preserving the Qur’an and does not allow it to be changed. This is taken from the verse of the Qur’an:

We have sent down the Reminder, and We will preserve it 15:9

This verse has been used by Islamic missionaries in their attempts to convert non muslims into Islam by claiming the Qur’an has not been changed like the Torah and bible. However, we will see if we look objectively without a bias mind that this is actually a lie.

In Islam there is also the doctrine of Abrogation. This is in which Allah revealed some verses of the Qur’an, but later caused them to be forgotten or excluded from the Qur’an.

Such of Our revelations as we abrogate or cause to be forgotten, we bring (in place) one better or the like thereof. Knowest thou not that Allah is Able to do all things? 2:106

This is supported by early Islamic scholars and still to this day.

Al-Bajy said: “All the Muslims are on the view of the possibility of abrogation” (Ahkam Al-Fusool p. 391).

Now Muslims may argue as a fellow friend has with me, that the abrogations are only certain rulings. For an example: It was allowed to drink alcohol as long as you did not pray while intoxicated. The ruling was later abrogated by a verse forbidding alcohol. The Muslims say the reason is that the arabs were used to drinking so it would be a great difficulty for them to quit cold turkey, so Allah out of his All-Knowingness allowed gradually some time until he abrogated it and replaced it with a verse prohibiting any drinking of intoxicants.

 To this I say that is fair enough. But did Allah only abrogate verses such as these? Or did he abrogate other verses that do not fit that particular argument?

The act of Stoning the adulterer is a common practice in Islamic state. It is usually women who are stoned (emphasis added) as it is more difficult for women to convict men of this crime without a certain number of witnesses. The stoning of the adulterer has been practiced for 1400 years. This has been passed down by Muhammad himself. In the Sunnah he clearly approved of it. Not only this, but Allah had revealed a verse concerning stoning, but later removed it.

Saheeh Muslim

Book 017, Number 4194:

‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas reported that ‘Umar b. Khattab sat on the pulpit of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Verily Allah sent Muhammad (may peace be upon him) with truth and He sent down the Book upon him, and the verse of stoning was included in what was sent down to him. We recited it, retained it in our memory and understood it. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) awarded the punishment of stoning to death (to the married adulterer and adulteress) and, after him, we also awarded the punishment of stoning, I am afraid that with the lapse of time, the people (may forget it) and may say: We do not find the punishment of stoning in the Book of Allah, and thus go astray by abandoning this duty prescribed by Allah. Stoning is a duty laid down in Allah’s Book for married men and women who commit adultery when proof is established, or it there is pregnancy, or a confession.

The argument that Allah only replaced verses of the Qur’an in which rulings were null (such as drinking alcohol) does not fit in this scenario. Imam nawawi also commentates on this:

“And the companions of the Prophet abandoning the writing of this verse is clear evidence that the abrogated should not be written in the Quran and that Umar’s statement about the stoning as he is on the pulpit and the silence of the companions and other than them from who were present from opposing him is evidence about the ruling of the stoning (still being implemented) (Imam Nawawi, Sharh Saheeh Muslim, Kitab: Al Hudood, Bab: Rajam Al Thayb fil Zina, Commentary on Hadith no. 3201)

I have heard from scholars myself that the reason why the verse of stoning was removed from the Qur’an is because Allah wanted to test the believers to see if they follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (ie. the hadith). This is a very rediculous response. Here we have muslims claiming that at one time the verse of stoning was recited as part of the Holy Qur’an, but now it is no longer recited, but the ruling of stoning still applies because of evidence of Muhammad himself.

We wonder truely why the verse was taken out. If the Qur’an has never been changed, then how can you claim there was a verse concerning stoning and then later it was taken out? This is obviously a change. No matter if you think it is because Allah wanted to test believers, it still means the Qur’an is changed. It makes us wonder, was Muhammad truely a prophet of God? Or did he and his followers fail to preserve the Qur’an?

How about we turn towards the fountainhead of Islamic knowledge, whom is Aisha herself as Muslims claims thats why Muhammad married her so young so that she could be a great propagator of his way of life since she would know much of his lifetime because she was with him when she was young.

Aisha says:

The stoning verse and another verse were revealed and recorded on a sheet (sahifa) which was placed for safe-keeping under her bedding. When the Prophet fell ill and the household were preoccupied with nursing him, a domestic animal got in from the yard and gobbled up the sheet.

(p. 86, Burhan al Din al Baji, “Jawab”, MS Dar al Kutub, Taimur “majami`”, no. 207, f. 15)

 

 We wonder if this is truely what happend.

 

Anas reported in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that

“There was revealed concerning those slained at Bi’rMa’una a verse which we recited until it was withdrawn”

Can we truely claim that the Qur’an has been unchanged?

We now turn again to Sahih Muslim

Abu Musa al-Ashari invited the Quran readers of Basra. Three
     hundred ( 300 ) readers responded to his invitation. He told
     them

     You are the readers and the choice of the People of
     Basra. Recite the Quran and don’t neglect it. Other
     wise a long time may elapse and your hearts will ne
     hardened as the hearts of those who came before you
     were hardened.

     We used to read a Chapter from the Quran similar to Bara’ah in length and seriousness, but I forgot it. I can remember from the Chapter only the followingwords :

     Should a son of Adam own two valleys full of wealth, he should seek a third valley and nothing would fill Ibn Adam’s abdomen but the soil.
 

     We also used to read a chapter similiar to the Musabbihat and I forgot it. I only remember out of it the following:

     “Oh you who believe, why do you say what you do not do? (which is
     now in another place in Quran 61:2) Thus a testimony shall be
     written on your necks and you will be questioned about it on the
     day of judgment.” (which is a little different than what is in
     another place in Quran 17:13)

I would like to remind the reader again that Sahih Muslim very authentic next to Sahih Bukhari. Muslims have no way around this.

In Sahih Bukhari it states:

Narrated Alqama:

  I went to Sham and was offering a two-Rak’at prayer; I said, “O Allah!
  Bless me with a (pious) companion.” Then I saw an old man coming
  towards me, and when he came near I said, (to myself), “I hope Allah
  has given me my request.” The man asked (me), “Where are you from?” I replied, “I am from the people of Kufa.” He said, “Weren’t there
  amongst you the Carrier of the (Prophet’s) shoes, Siwak and the
  ablution water container? Weren’t there amongst you the man who was
  given Allah’s Refuge from the Satan? And weren’t there amongst you the
  man who used to keep the (Prophet’s) secrets which nobody else knew?
  How did Ibn Um ‘Abd (i.e. ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud) use to recite
  Surat al-Layl (The Night; ch. 92)?” I recited:–

  “By the Night as it envelops By the Day as it appears in brightness.
  And by male and female.” (92.1-3) On that, Abu Darda said, “By Allah,
  the Prophet  made me read the Verse in this way after listening to
  him, but these people (of Sham) tried their best to let me say
 something different.”

 There is no way around this. If Muslims want to claim abrogation was simply concerning laws that were later abrogated and replaced, perhaps we can accept that, but not with these other verses.

In Sahih Bukhari we read again:

Narrated Ibn Az-Zubair:

  I said to ‘Uthman, “This Verse which is in Surat-al-Baqara:

  “Those of you who die and leave widows behind…without turning them
  out.” has been abrogated by another Verse. Why then do you write it
  (in the Quran)?” ‘Uthman said. “Leave it (where it is), O the son of
  my brother, for I will not shift anything of it (i.e. the Quran) from its original position.”

 Why are these verses not found in the Qur’an if they are still part of it but simply abrogated in terms of the ruling?

 Without a doubt the claim that the Qur’an has not been changed is a total lie. We have investigated how the verse of stoning was once recited as part of the Qur’an and then taken out. It is still practiced due to hadith supporting stoning. Why did Allah cause it to be forgotten? Is it as the muslims say that he is testing the believers to see if they follow the Sunnah? Even so can we say the Qur’an has never been changed? If at one time in history people recited certain verses, and now those verses are COMPLETELY taken out of the Qur’an then that constitutes a change in the Qur’an.

 

 We see that Muhammad wasn’t just inconsistent with his character but also with the divine law itself. Can we truely trust the claims of muslims now? I have only given traditions that I know without a doubt are AUTHENTIC. There are many other traditions that are accepted, but for the sake of laymen and women I want only those that the laymen know are authentic (mainly from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih muslim). There could be many pages filled on this topic.

 In conclusion it is very difficult for us to have trust in Muhammad. After all his character though sometimes noble, had ugly traits of lust, anger, rage, lack of compassion, and inconsistancies. Is the Qur’an really revelation from some Divine source? Or is it simply the work of a poet and mandman? After all the arabs were widely known for their poetic nature and oral traditions.

 All may judge however they wish. Keep an open mind always. And for muslim readers out there please dont wish my death or me to be killed by one of your own, but if you truely believe I am on falsehood then pray for me instead of wishing death upon someone.

May all be peace

Breathing Calms the Mind and Body

 In my research into Hinduism and Buddhism, I have found that there is a good emphases on breath. This is also true for Taoism. The breath has been used in yogic paths to direct energy throughout the body. Breathing in certain ways are used in Taoist Yoga to heal the body. In Buddhism, the Buddha expounded a beautiful teaching on awareness of breathing.

 Awareness of breathing is quite simple. We should not make it a rigid practice. If you forget your breathing and then later remember your breathing, then that is fine. Do not be so hard on yourself. Simply watching the inbreath as it comes in and watching the out breath as it goes out is not so difficult. To sustain this awareness is the difficulty.

 The Buddha gave us great techniques to try. The great Vietnamese Zen Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh has revealed the wonderful teaching of the Buddha in his book called “Breathe! Your Alive: Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing”. Thich Nhat Hanh translates the wonderful sutta (sutra or teaching) of the Buddha in the Anapanasati Sutra.

 If you notice throughout many works of Thich Nhat Hanh you find the same simple teaching of awareness of breathing. It seems so simple, yet watching your breath throughout the day is very liberating. You begin to find your mind calm and that constant chatter calms. The body becomes very serene and peaceful. A very simple technique is “Breathing in a long breath, I know I am breathing in a long breath. Breathing out a long breath, I know I am breathing out a long breath.”

 If you notice your breathing is short and shallow just be aware of that.  “Breathing in a short breath, I know I am breathing in a short breath. breathing out a short breath, I know I am breathing out a short breath.”

 Another technique is awareness of calming the body with the breath. “Breathing in, I calm my whole body. Breathing out, I calm my whole body.”

 These are simple techniques the Buddha gave and translated by Thich Nhat Hanh.  There are actually sixteen techniques in the Anapanasati Sutta that the Buddha taught. Thich Nhat Hanh explains this well inthe above book. You will also find these sixteen techniques throughout most of Thich Nhat Hanh books. I never get bored of it because this practice actually does calm you.

 Thich Nhat Hanh in a lecture stated that we breathe mindfully in order to enjoy breathing. He said we do not do mindful breathing to become a Buddha. He did say however, we could become a buddha as a by product of Mindful breathing. I believe he is simply emphasizing that we are simply enjoying the present moment. So in the present you are aware and enjoying your breath as one technique is “Breathing in, I feel happy. Breathing out, I feel happy” or “Breathing in, I feel joyful. Breathing out, I feel joyful”.

I believe Thich Nhat Hanh is teaching us not to be so rigid and militant about focusing on our breath. As Thich Nhat Hanh has mentioned elsewhere that when we meditate we should enjoy it and not see it as a chore. I so many times find mindful breathing or meditation as a chore. But when I remember Thich Nhat Hanh’s advice I realize how simply joyful it is to be mindful of the breath or just to sit with presence. If you just mindful breath for the sake of mindful breathing you will indeed enjoy it!

 In the Pure Land teaching of Japan (in particular Jodo Shinshu) self powered practices are discarded. For an example as above:  there are no practice of meditation in order to become enlightened. Jodo Shinshu doesn’t say you cannot meditate, but it does not use meditation or any other technique to give us enlightenment. Why? Because Jodo Shinshu Focuses on OTHER POWER or the Power of Amida Buddha, which is the Power of Infinite Light and Infinite Life our truest deepest nature and the nature of the cosmos. So when one recites Namo Amida Butsu it is not to become enlightened, because Amida gives us enlightenment quite naturally. When the calling of Amida is natural we spontaneously say Namo Amida Butsu effortlessly and without our egotistical desires (such as our desire for enlightenment or the desire to get rid of desires). So I think this is quite similar to what Thich Nhat Hanh is saying. You just breathe naturally and allow yourself to be aware of it and enjoy it. Don’t make it goal oriented. Just breathe to enjoy breathing.

 Simply throughout the day, if your sitting at the computer typing, working, lying down, going to sleep, walking, cooking, driving, or any task simply be aware of your breathing. You may say: “Breathing In I know that I am Breathing in. Breathing out I know that I am breathing out.” Thich Nhat Hanh also suggest that we can shorten it to simply “In” as we breathe in and “Out” as we breathe out.

 Thich Nhat Hanh says in “The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation” translated by Mobi Ho:

“Breath remains the vehicle to unite body and mind and to open the gate to wisdom. When a feeling or thought arises, your intention should not be to chase it away, even if by continuing to concentrate on the breath the feeling or thought passes naturally from the mind”

 We are not even using mindfulness of breathing to chase away the thoughts or emotions. If a feeling of sadness arises  you simply notice it and allow yourself to mindful breathe. You may say: “Breathing in I am aware of Sadness in me. Breathing out I am aware of Sadness in me” as Thich Nhat Hanh suggest during a talk of one of his retreats.

 If Anger arises simply note it and say: “Breathing In I know that I am anger right now, Breathing out I take good care of my anger”.

 You will naturally calm down both mind and body because mind and body are one. You only experience sensations in the body because of the mind. The Mind does not feel the body without the presence of the body. Emotions are also felt in the body. So mind and body are not two they are one. When you do mindful breathing throughout the day you are uniting body and mind and naturally because of this you become calm and collected.

 In conclusion no matter what you are doing you can enjoy your breathing. Just simply enjoy your breathing. You will find that you are more mindful and more loving. Compassion will rise out of you quite naturally.

Gassho