The Road to Suffering: Cravings, Desires, And Attachment

We breathe, we touch, we see, we get thirsty, we get hungry, we have emotions, and we have desires. Some of these are necessary for life. Others maybe not so much.

The Buddha tells us that desires or 'cravings' are the source of our suffering. It's not that humans can't 'want' or 'desire' food when we're hungry, water when we're thirsty, or companionship when we're lonely. These are necessary conditions for us to sustain life.

But what about the desire for the large home or the expensive automobile. Most may realize that owning a Bentley or Lamborghini, or the ocean cliff home are out of reach but the craving is still there. 

One reality some don't realize is that it's both the wanting and having that causes suffering. The suffering of wanting and then the suffering of keeping is self-perpetuated. So often with any possession, a dwelling, an automobile, various clothing, many books, and more, we allow inanimate objects to posses us which increases our suffering. 

Recall if you will, a time when you were looking forward to eating at a new and exciting restaurant. Maybe it was the new Korean barbeque restaurant or the new pizza parlor friends have been raving about. Whichever, you had but an expectation of how wonderful this meal would be, how succulent each morsel of food would taste.

You order, wait patiently for your food to arrive, and the joy on your face is palatable when it arrives. The server places each plate directly within your reach. You bite into your first bite and find it tastes OK. Not great, but OK. You have experienced suffering due to a future you built about how this experience would be. This future never manifested into fruition.

You become angry, disappointed, saddened as a result. Your mind is now agitated. It never occurred to you that your cravings would not be met. And now that your mind is agitated you hold on to attachment of the unfulfilled expectation and money you spent.

My wife, who is Cambodian, has a saying that fits well here and with most of life's circumstances, 'don't care too much'.

This may seem passive or nonchalant but it really exemplifies 'The Middle Path', not too much, and not too little. Accept what life gives you as it gives you without too much expectation and with gratitude. 

When something goes your way, great. Enjoy it while it's there because it will pass. This passing may be to something more joyful, or unfortunate, or to something indifferent. 

When something unfortunate arises know that it too will pass. And this passing may lead to something joyful or to something indifferent. 

That's the beauty of life, it's always changing. It's impermanent. And it's this impermanence that allows us to appreciate what we do have, life, in that very, singular moment. We know that that moment will never, ever, come again. 

Remember that cravings and desires are future wanting and not in the here and now. And attachment is the unacceptance that all things, good, bad, or indifferent, must pass.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

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Calming The Mind During Times Of Anxiety

There seems to be always something occurring either in the world or our personal lives that we allow to agitate our minds. Perhaps we wake up only to find an expectation of ours has been altered, not met, or even abandoned. Regardless of the specific situation or circumstance our expectation lies from wanting to control the future, something we know is not possible. Remember, the future does not exist and therefor we cannot control what does not exist. And this may result in the mind becoming agitated or filled with anxiety.

But we do exist, you and I, in this very moment, are in existence. The future, we'll it does not exist, and most likely the future you're envisioning will not manifest itself as badly as you imagine. 

When our mind is agitated or unsettled we are not able to think or rationalize clearly. It's as if we are looking at life while driving through a heavy rainstorm uncertain if we're even in our lane. If you've ever been caught in one of these events you know how dangerous it can be. Driving at a high rate of speed, fear of hydroplaning, wipers on high, and windows up and air conditioning on to keep the windows from fogging up. Anxiety increases.

Doing all of these actions won't stop the rain or necessarily increase visibility nor offer much safety. So what is the safest 'action' we can do in times like these? We pull over and wait for the rain to stop or let up so we may safely resume our journey.

In our daily life when our mind becomes agitated, for what ever reason, or decision making or kind thinking becomes unclear so the best we can do is to non-do. We 'pull over' and let the storm of agitation pass.

So how do we 'pull over'? 

First we need to recognize we're even in a storm. We often know this because we get tense, loud perhaps, and angry within. When we recognize our agitation it is only then that we may begin the process of pulling over.

Stepping away from the situation or environment is an important non-doing we may take. Stepping away doesn't mean we are avoiding the situation. It means we recognize that we need some time to reflect and to let calmness in so our agitated mind may begin to settle. This non-doing is a sign of wisdom and compassion for our selves and for others.

From there we may find a location that is enveloped by solitude: a park, a lake, a parked car, or even a library. From there we may begin a more balanced mindful breathing and nurturing meditation. Allowing the mind to settle, allowing the mud to settle, allows for clear and balanced and kind thoughts. At first it may be hard, all types of scenarios surface in our mental playground but given non-doing they to move off and clarity begins to appear. 

Give yourself the time to love yourself. Allowing space and openness within cultivates calmness of the mind. And when calmness blossoms life is witnessed with beauty and joyful fulfillment.  

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Interacting Mindfully With Difficult Colleagues

No one wants to suffer. We all seek to have a more balanced and harmonious life with ourselves, others, and our surroundings. One environment people tend to spend a significant time in is at their workplace. While there we often see posters or pictures or even coffee mug slogans from people who proclaim this harmonious desire yet their daily actions suggest quite the opposite.

Like any illness, when someone is suffering, symptoms present themselves in a manor of ways. Since we often spend a significant amount of time in a work environment one may experience firsthand some of these symptoms that may, if not addressed with compassion and empathy, will affect office dynamics in a negative way. 

People will, on occasion, have a 'bad day' which may impact interactions temporarily. But what about the the employee who is continually difficult not only in meetings but even around the watercooler?

One, no matter how intimate they are with another, will never truly know what another is thinking or feeling. We will never know what is going on is someone else's homelife. Therefor it is always important to treat everyone we encounter with kindness.

Difficult behavior often presents itself as rudeness, arrogance, the 'one upper', bluntness, pettiness, anger, sarcastic, short temperedness, and even impatient towards others. There are certainly many root causes, too many to include here but all have the same solution.

Anger is not cured with anger. Rudeness is not remedied with rudeness. Impatience is not treated with impatience. All of these harmful conditions may simply be treated with lovingkindness.

We would never treat an illness with another type of illness, simply put one does not treat pneumonia with the flu virus. Continuing the suffering of another living being does not promote healing for that being.

When we experience hurt from our difficult colleague our action could be one of embracing warmth. Let them know that you 'see' them and that you 'hear' them. You are not required to agree or to disagree with their statement but just the simple acknowledgment of the statement is enough. Let them know that you are open to warmly and with mindful intent listen to their concerns. Sit with them at lunch. Perhaps even buy a raffle ticket or magazine subscription that supports their child's activities. Offer them praise when a job is well done, no matter how small the job was. 

As with all changes, they typically do not occur overnight. Recall your mindfulness journey as an example. When we simply listen to and acknowledge another being for their worth, their presence, and their effort, new seeds will begin to root and eventually blossom given the proper nurturing environment. You have the opportunity to be the warm sunshine, the thirst quenching water, or the fertile soil, or yes, possibly all three to this suffering being.

We all have something to teach and we all have something to learn from someone else. And these gifts may never be truly realized if kept sequestered under the vail of suffering. 

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Generosity, Charity, and Mindfulness

One of the Buddhas quotes on generosity states that 'Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given' describes all of the benefits that this action offers.

Before every action we do, no matter how small or large, there is a thought. And this though is the inception of what comes next, the action. And as with all thought what we water is what begins to bloom.

When we water this thought, the upcoming generous action for example, we begin to allow our minds to picture the joyful reaction of the recipient. 

We are allowing ourselves to be vulnerable for a moment. We allow ourselves to show another human being kindness and recognition for who they are. 

And it is with these good and kind thoughts that we develop ourselves into more compassionate human beings. 

Family members and others with whom we often interact are most often the beneficiaries of these kind acts but how often do we expand our generosity to others that we may never even know their first names?

Probably not as much as we would like. 

So let me ask this question: what's stopping you?

Maybe you don't feel your generosity will truly help the other person.

Maybe you feel you won't get the 'thank you' you deserve.

Perhaps you even feel that other's are less deserving or not deserving at all. 

Suppose I ask you to consider this, that the inception of generosity is just as rewarding as the giving and the remembering that we gave. Wouldn't that be enough to show more generosity to others? 

Perhaps the good deed only isn't the deed itself but the very sincere thought of the deed.

But when we actually do the giving there is a benefit we often overlook, empathy. Why empathy? It's empathy because we recognize the suffering in others, even if we don't see or know them personally. 

Perhaps you give to a local orphanage or hospital. You probably don't know any of the children or patience in the hospital but you give to help ease their suffering. And that is empathy.

And each time we give we bring up the fond memories of the previous time we gave which continue to promote the empathy and compassion within.

Compassion and empathy are essential to mindfulness. So as we give generously to others to help ease their suffering we too are learning to ease our own suffering as well.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

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Mindfulness, Minimalism, and Anxiety

How often do you approach your closet and open it only to find clothing bunched together. Maybe some hangars are doubled up with a shirt or jeans. Your favorite shirt, you know the one from your local high-end department store, the one you couldn't live without, still displaying the tags on it from January 2020. 

Shoes, unmated, are on the floor in a scaled version of Mt. Everest. Belts and scarves are strewn here and there in what only may be described as a multicolored mound of spaghetti.

After you sort through everything and find an appropriate outfit you venture to the kitchen to make breakfast before work. Your silverware drawer has enough utensils, of differing shapes and sizes of course, to serve a small army. Kitchen gadgetry, many that have not seen the light of day since the iPhone 8, line your kitchen counter top.

All of these 'things' are a sign of over commercialization in a society that values and determines a persons worth by how much and how many things one owns. The accumulation of things eventually leads to disorganization of thoughts and actions which in-turn leads to anxiety, most of which was brought upon by the fear of being undervalued.

So how may we mindfully embrace minimalism to reduce unnecessary stress and anxiety?

When we understand the positive results of actually owning less, the very opposite of what many societies value, we begin to offer ourselves a different perspective. And this new, or rediscovered, perspective places a higher value on gratitude for what is truly necessary for a balanced and fulfilling life. 

Let's consider for a moment the earlier example of a drawer full of silverware. 

When we have too much silverware we tend to also have an automatic dishwasher. As a result, we use a utensil once and put it into the dishwasher. And with each opening of the dishwasher we witness it getting fuller and more disorganized. We do this until the dishwasher is full or we run out of utensils. 

By then the dishwasher is cluttered and we know we have to empty it once the cleaning cycle is over. This too is a source of stress and anxiety because we know what's in store for us.

But suppose as a family of four we were to only allow ourselves enough silverware for seven people. It's fine to have some extras for cooking or the occasional guest. And also suppose instead of a dishwasher we hand washed each item. When we hand wash we are able to use mindfulness with each item. 

In other words we can offer gratitude to the spoon, fork, or knife for helping in the important act of nourishing our bodies. We may bring mindful attention to the amount of dish soap we use, or the fragrance of the dish soap, the feel of the sponge as we clean off the utensil, or even how the water temperature feels on our skin.

This connection is what mindfulness entails, being aware in the present moment. 

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

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The Five Great Dreams of The Bodhisatta

Prior to Buddha becoming the revered one we refer to today like all of us he too was on a journey of discovery. In pursuit of this wholesome knowledge he abandoned all worldly possessions and comforts. Over the course of five or six years he studied under many gurus of the day but either learned nothing new or quickly surpassed their teachings. 

Not long before his awakening he lived a solitary life which aided immensely to the extra-ordinary progress and strengthening of his mental concentration. 

Living in utter seclusion for fifteen days, the noble Bodhisatta (Sidharth Gautama right before his awakening into Buddhahood), dreamed five Great Dreams after midnight, just approaching dawn on the fourteenth waxing day of the month of Vesākha (the second month of the Buddhist calendar).

The Five Great Dreams and Their Interpretation

 1. When the Tathagata; worthy and rightly self-awakened; was still an un-awakened bodhisatta, this great earth was his great bed. The Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand rested in the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in the southern sea. 

This first great dream appeared to let him know that he would awaken to the unexcelled right self-awakening.

2. A woody vine growing out of his navel stood reaching to the sky. 

This second great dream appeared to let him know that when he had awakened to the noble eightfold path, he would proclaim it well as far as there are human and celestial beings.

3. White worms with black heads crawling up from his feet covered him as far as his knees. 

This third great dream appeared to let him know that many white-clothed householders would go for life-long refuge to the Tathagata.

4. Four different-colored birds coming from the four directions fell at his feet and turned entirely white. 

This fourth great dream appeared to let him know that people from the four castes: priests, noble-warriors, merchants, and poor, having gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Vinaya taught by the Tathagata, would realize unexcelled release.

5. In the fifth dream the Tathagata walked back and forth on top of a giant mountain of excrement but was not soiled by the excrement. 

This fifth great dream appeared to let him know that the Tathagata would receive gifts of robes, alms food, lodgings, and medicinal requisites and that he would utilize them without any attachment and clinging to them.

And it was with these dreams and their interpretation that Sidharth Gautama was then given the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path that was became the Buddha or the Enlightened One we know today. And on this day, which is called Vesak Day, Buddhists all around the world celebrate.  

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

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The Five Precepts of Buddhism: A Path Towards Liberation

It seems that in modern life we are often pulled into many directions. Not knowing where to go. Who or what to believe. As a result we end up being a slave to our own superficial whims and desires. Our minds become filled with distractions and unwholesomeness.

But how do we free our minds from such trivialities we consider as important? 

We cannot achieve liberation without freeing the mind. And to achieve this liberation the Buddha teaches three valuable lessons, morality, concentration and wisdom.

Each of these teachings builds upon the other, like the concrete foundation of a home is made of cement, sand, and water. Each supporting each other to provide a solid area to build upon when solidified.

To develop our foundation we must give up what is evil and develop what is good. This process is referred to as sila.

In the Dhammapada (verse 183) this is summed up as:

Abandoning what is evil, developing what is good, purifying the mind – that is the teaching of the Buddhas.

The Buddha also tells us that the “Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is their leader, they are made by the mind. When someone speaks or acts with impure thoughts, suffering follows, like the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.”

When we live a life founded in morality we live a life free from restlessness and remorse as a result of regret.

But what is moral behavior?

The Buddha gives us these five receipts or five virtues to develop: 

1. Abstain from killing
2. Abstain from stealing
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct
4. Abstain from wrong speech
5. Abstain from the use of intoxicating substances that cause inattention

1. Abstain From Killing

Picture a beetle on the road. At the same time you decide you're going for a walk. As you walk you encounter this beetle. Following this precept you go around the beetle. But let's now say you're driving a car and you don't see this beetle. If you did not see it and kill it, this does not result in negative karma.

Abstaining from killing also includes intentionally causing the death of another sentient being. For example, hiring someone to do this for you. You are still directly responsible.

The primary goal of no killing is to develop our compassion.

2. Abstain From Stealing

Wanting something that is not yours is an unhealthy desire and leads to suffering. This precept certainly includes taking what's not yours by theft or deception but this precept goes further than that. A more complete translation would be ‘abstain from taking what is not given’.

This precept presupposes a deep respect for the property of others. Don’t just assume that you can borrow something.

An interesting consideration of this precepts also includes wasting someone's time. This to may also be considered stealing.

 

3. Abstain From Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct originates from sensory desire, physical or one of power. The desire for pleasurable experiences can be so great that you lose the ability to lookout for the wellbeing of yourself and the other.

The Buddha speaks out against sexual misconduct and offers multiple examples of what sexual misconduct is:

• sexual acts with someone who is under the protection of their parents
• with someone who already has a steady relationship,
• unwanted or punishable sexual acts (abuse),
• and prostitution

In essence, this precepts relates to any form of sexual act that harms the other person.

4. Abstain From Wrong Speech

Abstaining from wrong speech means:

• Not lying, even 'white lies'.
• Not speaking in a way that causes division among others
• Not using rude language
• Not gossiping

If we look even slightly closer at these examples we can easily see that much of what we witness on TV, from sitcoms, cable news, political speeches, or talk shows would fall under many of these examples.

5. Abstain From The Use Of Intoxicating Substances That Cause Inattention

The last precept is to abstain from using intoxicants that cause inattention. The piece ‘that cause inattention’ is essential inclusion too. This precept is specifically about abstaining from things that prevent or work against aware.

Alcohol is the most commonly used of these substances. Alcohol divides the mind and makes this awareness impossible. Whoever drinks alcohol irrevocably brings his mind into a state that is incompatible with the teachings of the Buddha.

But it's not only alcohol but also includes not taking any substances that causes one to lose conscience or conduct immoral behavior. For example, Marijuana, opium, amphetamine, sniffing glue, morphine, etc. The exception to some of these would be when they are prescribed by a physician for legitimate medical purposes.

The main purpose of this precept is to prevent your mind from becoming so weakened and losing control that you will break the other precepts.

Summary

In modern life some of these precepts may seem restrictive but when considered with the wisdom that which they were given we see that they are really freeing and liberating.

When our minds are occupied by alcohol or drug addiction are we free? No, of course not, One is then a servant to another master.

When we spend our precious time gossiping about another we are causing suffering to them, even if they aren't present, and suffering for ourselves. 

If we look at jails and prisons they are filled with people who have violated one or more of these precepts resulting in their incarceration. This too is suffering for that person as well as their family members.

When you follow these five precepts you will experience the freedom and liberation that all beings seek.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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