Lisa Luna Elizarraras
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When I think of Ratna a true sense of the earth takes hold. What comes to mind is a beautiful place not too far from me.
Fern Canyon is a place that appears otherworldly-blanketed in the most exquisite varieties of bright green ferns.
A creek carved it through time and it is vibrant and rich.
If you go, prepare to get wet and experience the aliveness of Ratna. The ferns are excessive and you can see nothing but green wherever you look in the walled canyon.Relative Bodhichitta is that desire we all have along the path~We want all beings to be free of suffering and to feel happiness and the root of happiness. How we manifest this is through dedicating the merit and ultimately the Bodhisattva Vow.
Absolute Bodhichita is the wisdom of emptiness that I am on a nonstop journey to understand. Every time I feel I am close, it disappears…excellent reflections Pam~and you are right, if only our current leaders had a micro-taste of generosity…
wonderful examples Jeffrey~love your offering to the forrest, land and ancestors. So thoughtful and real.
I think my teacher would want me to know that the path will unfold as it should and to have faith in myself.
So much of the spiritual journey is the freedom to find your own way, but I really struggle with this. I want to be intentional and respectful to lineage but without a teacher sitting next to me daily, its a challenge for me. But when I do sit back and relax, I know this is part of the practice.Buddhism is a vast and beautiful world with so much to learn its hard not to become overwhelmed with it all. I just want to honor the process.
Amy that was so sweet. Love the point about silence, I can totally imagine him saying this without any words. What a peaceful & beautiful human he was.
I am in a relatively new house after an out of state move. When I was in the moving process, I carefully packed up my shrine and I remember I felt a little pain because I didn’t know when I would see it again. Luckily we are reunited!
It sits in a beautiful bay window with offerings of candles, stones, shells, plants and my mala. A statue of the the Buddha is in the center. I also have some special cards and photos nearby. It is a very sacred place for me.
Each day before practicing I light a candle or incense and I offer whatever is going on in my heart and request blessings for guidance on along the path.This week for class I constructed a little outdoor shine on our back deck. I am very much a gardener and outside person so this made sense to me.
I wish you all could see it!Tracy, I love how you are making your practice work for you and elevating your work space. Way to bring the heart of this into real life!
Sue Lowry,
I just want to say I love how part of your offering is your yoga practice. This seems like the best way to enter the day and possibly quiet the mind a bit before sitting. Also, using your sound bowl to start your session sounds lovely.All present in my practice, I just need to notice.
I see the Hinayana as the part of my practice that honors the simplicity and discipline of my practice. The Mahayana allows me to be vulnerable and feel the things I need to feel to be able to open my heart. The Vajrayana allows me stay open to whatever I am experiencing without judgement.My name is Lisa and I am on the north coast of California where the redwoods meet the sea.
I am happy to be here and try to dig into these amazing teachings further. I am constantly inspired by Susan and the OHP, plus I find myself in a place of wanting to surround myself with more knowledge and positivity.It feels like working through layers of bewilderment with a glimmer of joyful clarity here and there. I feel like I will be on the path with this Sutra for a long time.
This week has been a bit chaotic with moving, but I have come back often to exertion. I have not been able to be as regular with my practice as usual, but I still keep coming back to my routine even if I am not feeling inspired. I always manage to feel better after giving this time to myself, and I know by doing this I benefit others. I know that there is always more to learn and that is the fuel that keeps me going.