In a recent self-improvement course, I was reminded that if you come from a position of love, nothing can hurt you. People can't hurt your feelings since their actions and words are not about you. They love you and you love them. It's a great weight lifted for me.
What a wonderful start to a blog that is going to be enjoyed by all of us!
Yesterday I thought about the absolute, utter joy I feel when I have a beloved cat in my arms. It's often such a singularly rich feeling, I just had to sit down and google "oxytocin pet owners" to see what was there. Yep, there it was -- a ton of links to articles about the nurturing hormone that floods through us when our pet is happy and in our proximity.
On these cold mornings and nights, one thing that brings me the most happiness is heating up a (dry) sweatshirt in the dryer for a few minutes, then bringing it to wherever my cat is tightly coiled up for a nap. Throwing the warm sweatshirt over him and watching him slowly relax and uncurl is worth just about everything in that moment. His sleepy delight, my profound feelings of love.
When I was a teenager I recall thinking I wanted to protect the whole world, take it in my lap. As I got older I realized it was unfeasible in the concrete sense and shook my head at how naive I was. The trick is learning how to love the rest of the world the way I love my cat, and in this day and age of polarization I'm finding people I loved who are suddenly in an opposite camp to me. I still love them, but Lordy, it's hard to feel the connectedness anymore.
Hi Russ. I love what I've read so far. You and your words are inspiring and beautiful.
As a Zen Buddhist practitioner, however, I disagree with two of your points about Buddhism:
1. In Zen meditation we either repeat a mantra (to busy the mind away from thinking) or ask one of 2 great questions:. What am I? or What is this? But asking Who am I? allows/encourages us remain stuck in our personal identity.
Our sense of self develops early in childhood and gets stronger as we age. Every thought, shaped by conditioning, strengthens our "identity".
Meditation enables is to experience "before-thinking mind", which frees us from suffering.
It's my understanding that Buddhism says that there is no soul or any identity that transcends this lifetime. Is that correct?
If that is so, then what is there to experience that is "before-thinking mind?"
For me, I like think that suffering can come from living in opposition to the Taoist notion of Nature, and that by accepting life as it is, I have the energy to do what is necessary. But this really is a three-beer conversation and not done well here.
Thank you! Such wonderful and true words. I shared and posted this first blog on our site... Reincarnation and Past Lives with Mother, Isabella, God and Elizabeth. 😇✌️♥️
Russ, congratulations on your blog! February is all about love so this is a perfect reflection to welcome in the month. A book that I want to share is "The Lesson, a Fable for Our Times." It is all about the lessons that come from solving life's problems. However, there is only one problem that we work on all of our lives....."How much do you love?" I read this book often and share it with people who are having "tough" times, need encouragement or even dying. I offer it to you.
In a recent self-improvement course, I was reminded that if you come from a position of love, nothing can hurt you. People can't hurt your feelings since their actions and words are not about you. They love you and you love them. It's a great weight lifted for me.
What a wonderful start to a blog that is going to be enjoyed by all of us!
Yesterday I thought about the absolute, utter joy I feel when I have a beloved cat in my arms. It's often such a singularly rich feeling, I just had to sit down and google "oxytocin pet owners" to see what was there. Yep, there it was -- a ton of links to articles about the nurturing hormone that floods through us when our pet is happy and in our proximity.
On these cold mornings and nights, one thing that brings me the most happiness is heating up a (dry) sweatshirt in the dryer for a few minutes, then bringing it to wherever my cat is tightly coiled up for a nap. Throwing the warm sweatshirt over him and watching him slowly relax and uncurl is worth just about everything in that moment. His sleepy delight, my profound feelings of love.
When I was a teenager I recall thinking I wanted to protect the whole world, take it in my lap. As I got older I realized it was unfeasible in the concrete sense and shook my head at how naive I was. The trick is learning how to love the rest of the world the way I love my cat, and in this day and age of polarization I'm finding people I loved who are suddenly in an opposite camp to me. I still love them, but Lordy, it's hard to feel the connectedness anymore.
Hi Russ. I love what I've read so far. You and your words are inspiring and beautiful.
As a Zen Buddhist practitioner, however, I disagree with two of your points about Buddhism:
1. In Zen meditation we either repeat a mantra (to busy the mind away from thinking) or ask one of 2 great questions:. What am I? or What is this? But asking Who am I? allows/encourages us remain stuck in our personal identity.
Our sense of self develops early in childhood and gets stronger as we age. Every thought, shaped by conditioning, strengthens our "identity".
Meditation enables is to experience "before-thinking mind", which frees us from suffering.
So we ask "What am I?"
Thank you for the correction.
It's my understanding that Buddhism says that there is no soul or any identity that transcends this lifetime. Is that correct?
If that is so, then what is there to experience that is "before-thinking mind?"
For me, I like think that suffering can come from living in opposition to the Taoist notion of Nature, and that by accepting life as it is, I have the energy to do what is necessary. But this really is a three-beer conversation and not done well here.
To love and be loved. ( From your Question Number 1 )
I can't think of a better lesson to return to. Often. Always.
Bless You, Russ. 👌💜🙏
Thank you! Such wonderful and true words. I shared and posted this first blog on our site... Reincarnation and Past Lives with Mother, Isabella, God and Elizabeth. 😇✌️♥️
Keep up the good work Russ
Russ, congratulations on your blog! February is all about love so this is a perfect reflection to welcome in the month. A book that I want to share is "The Lesson, a Fable for Our Times." It is all about the lessons that come from solving life's problems. However, there is only one problem that we work on all of our lives....."How much do you love?" I read this book often and share it with people who are having "tough" times, need encouragement or even dying. I offer it to you.