Her & Him

Posted on September 2, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

This story is for my fellow love addicts stuck in intense unrequited crushes, who can’t seem to find the “right person”, have no idea what love is, unconsciously believe they are not worthy of it, confuse rejection with love, and have anxious avoidant attachment styles. Those who are desperately looking for love, need it like air, but are looking in the wrong places.

You are love. You are looking for yourself. What you are looking for is within you. I hope you find a way to find it. To see, finally. Oh, and – I love you ♥️

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Art therapy. Buddha and Nagas.

Posted on August 26, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

Sala Keoku (also Sala Keo Kou) is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand. 

Some of the Sala Keoku sculptures reach 25m. Those include a monumental depiction of Buddha meditating under the protection of a seven-headed Naga snake. While the subject (based on a Buddhist legend) is one of the recurrent themes in the religious art of the region, Sulilat’s approach is unusual, with its naturalistic (even though stylized) representation of the snakes.

Source: Wikipedia Image source: Imgur

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Why do we meditate?

Posted on August 19, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse
Jundo Cohen,
What Do I, One Buddhist, Have to Offer?

When I just started to meditate, I was so tired of my mind chatter and my reactive patterns, that it literally was the last resort. Gladly, I had a friend who was a long term meditator so I knew more or less what to expect. But what is meditation for? What is the end game? This quote sums it up beautifully.

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“Fall behind the noise”

Posted on August 12, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

I am so grateful that the right books find me. Michael Singer’s name came up in several books and blogs I read. I looked up his books, The Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment, in the library and read them in one go.

In the first book, Michael explains the main ideas of Buddhism in such an accessible and practical way that makes them very easy to understand and apply. His books are easy to read, yet contain multiple gems, in particular, new perspectives.

Below are some of the quotes from The Untethered Soul that I wanted to keep a note of.

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Bodhisattva vow

Posted on August 5, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

Even though sentient beings are innumerable, we vow to save them all.
Even though our evil desires are limitless, we vow to be free from them.
Even though the teachings are limitless, we vow to learn them all.
Even though Buddhahood is unattainable, we vow to attain it.

I use this Buddhist (Bodhisattva) vow* in my morning prostrations. They are a succinct reminder of the end game on the path. I’ve recently found another version in Ken McLeod’s book. It’s interesting how slight changes in translation give a new perspective.

Sentient beings are numberless; I vow to free them all.
Reactive emotions are endless; I vow to uproot them all.
The doors to experience are limitless; I vow to enter them all.
The way is infinite; I vow to attain it completely.

* from Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, a book of teachings by Shunryu Suzuki.

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“Great job, everybody!” 😊

Posted on July 29, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse
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Feel the fear and do it anyway ⭐️

Posted on July 22, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

I am often experiencing fear, including unconsciously. I think most of us are. Our amygdalas are designed to be afraid for our survival.

Meditation helps a lot. It helps to calm the mind down, go beyond it – cultivate the witness and become aware of the fears we experience. It also helps to “relax beyond” them (M. Singer).

I mentioned Lissa Rankin’s book The Fear Cure before, which I found very helpful in becoming aware of and understanding/ overcoming some of my fears. Another book I wanted to mention is Susan Jeffers’ Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.

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Guru

Posted on July 15, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

Guru is like a solid substance which saves anyone from drowning in the water that does not exist. And the individual thus saved remains nowhere.

Jnaneshwar
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A good list

Posted on July 8, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

I saw this list in Ramana Maharshi’s book. I think he was listing key principles of the right life (in Buddhist sense), I don’t remember exactly. Looked like a good list and reminder so I made it into a card.

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Live like you’re dead

Posted on July 1, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse
The Expanse

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Y tho

Posted on June 24, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse
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My path

Posted on June 17, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse 
I looked for happiness.  
I found that to be happy I must be no one. 
Peace > happiness. 
To be at peace, one desires nothing, 
Shuns all drama, 
Does not get attached, 
Lets go of self and
Acts regardless of outcome. 
Easier said than done. 

I looked for love. 
I found fear of loneliness. 
Love starts with self-love. 
The quest is always inward. 
Love is not what I thought it was. 
It is cultivated, not found. 
When you are at peace, you are in love.
 
I looked for self. 
I found many layers, levels. 
I let go of each and found emptiness. 
No self. I do not exist. 
It was a bummer originally, 
I am getting used to the idea. 
Everyone wants to be light 
But forgets that light lives in the void. 

I looked for purpose. 
I helped. I served. I alleviated suffering. 
I gave away. I did my best at loving.
Did I do enough? Was it my path? 
I discovered there is no purpose. 
The path unfolds without me. 
Process > purpose. 
I am like a wave in the ocean. 
I appear, roll and dissolve. 

I say I want to feel alive. 
Have joy. Fun. To be free. 
I don’t understand the true meaning. 
I guess I want non-emptiness
But in a fun way? 

I am not looking for anything now. 
I probably need to give up more. 
I am excited and confused. 
I float in emptiness 
Filled with karmic flashbacks. 
I embrace whatever is next  
Rolling like a wave into the unknown.
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How to manage emotionally immature parents

Posted on June 12, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse

I’ve read the amazing Inner Child Healing by Lindsay C. Gibson earlier this year and wanted to create an easy to use, emergency one pager that summarised key tips and techniques for those who have emotionally immature parents and have to interact with them when they are visiting, at a family dinner, etc without losing one’s shit completely 😇

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You are the purpose!

Posted on June 3, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse
Jon Hillstead
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On not knowing one’s purpose

Posted on May 27, 2023 by nomadoftheuniverse
Lindsay Adkinson

I see so many folks, myself included, grapple with this question. They don’t know who they are, what their purpose is and what they should be doing in this life. They are told to follow their passions when they barely have any interests or hobbies. They are told to explore and dig deep to find their path but all they find is a variety of things they sort of like. They are told to experiment and try different paths, and they do, and there are many more they can be trying but none feels like “theirs.” They are told to specialise, stick with one thing but many are polymaths. They watch the minority (I assume) who know, often early on, what it is they are here to do, and the majority who happily follow socially prescribed paths but can’t do either and wonder what is wrong with them.

Nothing is wrong with you, fellow Not Knowers! You are not drifting aimlessly. Watch both videos, change your perspective and keep learning, being “the permanent students” of life ♥️

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