I have been practicing detachment, and have been focusing on the food aspect becuase it is a struggle today. But I begin to question it. I was faced with a box of chocolates, and it was past 12pm, and I had already had a wonderful meal earlier. It was a new kind of chocolate, very tempting. And yet, I was stead fast in my decision to abstain from taking food at innapropriate times. But as time went on, I thought "I may or may not end up having one, but when it comes down to it, I would enjoy one."
This brought me to a conflict, do I have one, or don't I? My decision was to have one, because I knew that I was not attached to the idea of getting one, but it would be an added bonus if I could have one. If they were gone by the time I got there, my dissapiontment would be nonexistent, because, I knew that it was not important to have one. I was unnatached.
It was a nice chocolate, I enjoyed it, and after I had had one, I did not desire another. I feel this means that the practice of non-attachment is less rigid, because you have to be unnattached to the rules.
One thought that resounded in me today is "Not so." I feel this is a good teaching, and the one that I shall keep in mind while becoming ever more mindful.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I have decided to follow the 10 precepts for 3 days a month. Theses are:
- Refrain from killing living things.
- Refrain from stealing.
- Refrain from unchastity (sensuality;sexuality;lust).
- Refrain from lying.
- Refrain from taking intoxicants.
- Refrain from taking food at innapropriate times (after noon).
- Refrain from singin, dancing, playing music or attending performances.
- Refrain from wearing purfume or decorative accessories.
- Refrain from sitting in high chairs, or sleeping in soft luxurious beds.
- Refrain from accepting money.
Now, considering i already follow the first 5, the jump to 10 is not so huge. Also, I already sleep on a thin mattress in the lounge which I roll up and put away already, and I generally sit on the floor means another rule is already taken care of. I rarely wear make-up or perfume, so all I need to loose are some ear-rings which I barely wear anyway, so there is another so easily taken. I do not eat much, for I feel it unnesesary, and I do not feel comfortable eating much, so having one meal in the morning is fine by me.
That leaves just money and sex. I do not accept money every day, but this may be a difficult one to adhere to considering this whole world (sadly) is based on money now, but I can refrain for 3 days. Sex, well, it is no problem to go 3 days without that.
I find these are basically a good moral code to live by. And although theres rules seem dated, they are just as relevant today as ever. If you look at the meal one for example; If you were to ask someone to go a day with just one meal, they would refuse most commonly. And considering the oboesity epidemic, people seem to be addicted to food. Eat to live should be the rule as per the excpetion, but it seems to be less and less common. People are eating too much, or too little. I feel specifically this excercise would help a person maintain a healthy relationship with food.
Also, when you look at the singing one. It is not so you may not be entertained. I feel it is to help you let go of the attachment to entertainment. Many people look to outside sources to be entertained. T.V. is the worst cuplrit. It lures you in with pretty pictures, and then it sells your subconcsious. How often do you watch television? Most people watch it too much. It is the same with the internet now, or cellphones.
Buddhism is the mid-way path. Letting go of attachment, and ending suffering. All on the mid-way path. For that is where the Buddha walked. Let Siddhartha, the first Buddha, show you the way.
- Refrain from killing living things.
- Refrain from stealing.
- Refrain from unchastity (sensuality;sexuality;lust).
- Refrain from lying.
- Refrain from taking intoxicants.
- Refrain from taking food at innapropriate times (after noon).
- Refrain from singin, dancing, playing music or attending performances.
- Refrain from wearing purfume or decorative accessories.
- Refrain from sitting in high chairs, or sleeping in soft luxurious beds.
- Refrain from accepting money.
Now, considering i already follow the first 5, the jump to 10 is not so huge. Also, I already sleep on a thin mattress in the lounge which I roll up and put away already, and I generally sit on the floor means another rule is already taken care of. I rarely wear make-up or perfume, so all I need to loose are some ear-rings which I barely wear anyway, so there is another so easily taken. I do not eat much, for I feel it unnesesary, and I do not feel comfortable eating much, so having one meal in the morning is fine by me.
That leaves just money and sex. I do not accept money every day, but this may be a difficult one to adhere to considering this whole world (sadly) is based on money now, but I can refrain for 3 days. Sex, well, it is no problem to go 3 days without that.
I find these are basically a good moral code to live by. And although theres rules seem dated, they are just as relevant today as ever. If you look at the meal one for example; If you were to ask someone to go a day with just one meal, they would refuse most commonly. And considering the oboesity epidemic, people seem to be addicted to food. Eat to live should be the rule as per the excpetion, but it seems to be less and less common. People are eating too much, or too little. I feel specifically this excercise would help a person maintain a healthy relationship with food.
Also, when you look at the singing one. It is not so you may not be entertained. I feel it is to help you let go of the attachment to entertainment. Many people look to outside sources to be entertained. T.V. is the worst cuplrit. It lures you in with pretty pictures, and then it sells your subconcsious. How often do you watch television? Most people watch it too much. It is the same with the internet now, or cellphones.
Buddhism is the mid-way path. Letting go of attachment, and ending suffering. All on the mid-way path. For that is where the Buddha walked. Let Siddhartha, the first Buddha, show you the way.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Suffering is eternal
Shimmering depression ripples accross a puddle. The puddle is not big, it is not important, yet it may ripple the same as a river or ocean, because they are the same. It does not make the ripples any less. Yet there is hope the puddle may cease to ripple, even if, in the ocean there is none. A puddle will slowly drain away, and become nothing, but an ocean is always an ocean.Yet, in a puddle, a small ripple seems great, and in an ocean a ripple seems small yet there are a million of them. The size of the puddle or the number of ripples are relative. A ripple in a puddle is equal to that of an ocean. If the puddle is fed for years, it will grow to be like the ocean, and if an ocean is let be it will shrink to a puddle. But a puddle and ocean they remain.The infinity is eternal
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Ip man
Today I went and saw the movie 'Ip Man', it was very satisfying. The movie was about a Wing Chun artist, who was the strongest fighter in his city, and faced many opponents, and with each new opponent, there was a new victory. I think this was a bit of a one sided movie, but since it was based on the true story of Pi Man, the wing chun grandmaster, who had taught many succesful wing chun users including Bruce Lee, there may have been a fact to the theme of wing chun being one of the greater styles of kung fu.
Wing Chun, next to Tai'Chi is a great martial art, it utilises once again close combat, and is very fast, but is less of a gentle fist style than Tai'Chi. It uses the same principles of conserving energy and balance. It is powerful and I do suggest it, for I am going to begin it myself in a year or so after I have fully steadied my skill in Ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu is also similar, albeit a Japanese form, it is based on close combat, in all forms. I find it quite useful in learning about your self in the physical and mental sense, I feel personally more grown as a person from taking it up, and stronger.
In the end, when choosing a martial art it is best to find the very best, find those that other succesful martial artists use like Bruce Lee, or from other peoples personal experience. This is because you do not want to start learning a martial art like Karate, which will inevitably teach you bad fighting habits. Choose not soft fist, nor hard fist, choose balance, and a range that suits you.
Here is a list of my top three martial arts (in no particular order):
- Tai'Chi (Chuan/Yang)
- Wing Chun
- Ninjutsu
-
I have tried to keep this short, once again, if this is helping please do mark it so.
Wing Chun, next to Tai'Chi is a great martial art, it utilises once again close combat, and is very fast, but is less of a gentle fist style than Tai'Chi. It uses the same principles of conserving energy and balance. It is powerful and I do suggest it, for I am going to begin it myself in a year or so after I have fully steadied my skill in Ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu is also similar, albeit a Japanese form, it is based on close combat, in all forms. I find it quite useful in learning about your self in the physical and mental sense, I feel personally more grown as a person from taking it up, and stronger.
In the end, when choosing a martial art it is best to find the very best, find those that other succesful martial artists use like Bruce Lee, or from other peoples personal experience. This is because you do not want to start learning a martial art like Karate, which will inevitably teach you bad fighting habits. Choose not soft fist, nor hard fist, choose balance, and a range that suits you.
Here is a list of my top three martial arts (in no particular order):
- Tai'Chi (Chuan/Yang)
- Wing Chun
- Ninjutsu
-
I have tried to keep this short, once again, if this is helping please do mark it so.
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