by Alma Ayon | Feb 11, 2016 | meditations
To help you design a daily practice you can follow this guide.
A formal training session:
Motivation. Start by defining our intention to train our mind.
Divide your session into 3 parts:
1 practice for emotional balance: Compassion, Loving Kindness, Empathy or Equanimity.
1 practice for concentration
1 application of mindfulness
Resting the mind.
Dedication or aspiration
In daily life:
1 ethical practice. Volunteering, generosity, patience, etc.
4 immeasurables (Compassion, Loving Kindness, Empathy and Equanimity), choose the right one and direct it towards every person with whom you interact.
1 Application of mindfulness as we work and do our daily activities.
In the evening do another formal session and a recollection of your actions during the day.
Close with a positive aspiration for the next day.
by Alma Ayon | Feb 9, 2016 | news
I’ve studied with several teachers, Tibetan, Western, Zen, Theravada. In this photo I am with my teacher Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in Nepal.
My main teacher is Alan Wallace, who is a disciple of the Dalai Lama, from whom I have received teachings too.
Alan is a scientist who studies consciousness and emotions. He was a monk and he’s is one of the great thinkers of our century. The Dalai Lama is my ultimate role model, he is someone full of compassion and love for all beings, it shows when a teacher doesn’t cling to his ego and he is one of the few ones that give us this example.
This is a video of Alan (subtitled in Spanish) where you can see him talking about emotional and mental balance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN2bxiq1dgs
Another of my Tibetan teachers, Mingyur Rinpoche
Here with my brother and Mingyur Rinpoche at Volture’s Peak, India.
by Alma Ayon | Feb 8, 2016 | ethics
I would like to share with you the “Thich Nhat Hanh’s 14 precepts” he is a very wise vietnamese zen master.
1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
2. Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others’ viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout our entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.
3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.
4. Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. find ways to be with those who are suffering by all means, including personal contact and visits, images, sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.
5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of you life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. As soon as anger and hatred arise, practice the meditation on compassion in order to deeply understand the persons who have caused anger and hatred. Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion.
7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Learn to practice breathing in order to regain composure of body and mind, to practice mindfulness, and to develop concentration and understanding.
8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest of to impress people. Do not utter words that cause diversion and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things you are not sure of. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.
10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community should, however, take a clear stand against oppression and injustice, and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.
11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to life. Select a vocation which helps realize your ideal compassion.
12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and to prevent war.
13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others but prevent others from enriching themselves from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.
14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only and instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization of the Way. Sexual expression should not happen without love and commitment. In sexual relationships be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.
At the end the master tells us: “Do not believe that I feel that I follow each and every of these precepts perfectly. I know I fail in many ways. None of us can fully fulfill any of these. However, I must work toward a goal. These are my goal. No words can replace practice, only practice can make the words.”
“The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon.” (more…)
by Alma Ayon | Jan 10, 2016 | emotions, reflections, wisdom
We all seek genuine happiness, but appearances are deceiving and we end up searching where it’s not. Some of us believe that if only we had more money, health, a family, children, power, fame, sensual pleasures, etc., we would be happier. But we don’t realize that all these things are impermanent and lack the ability to give us lasting happiness. The only thing that can give us that happiness is training our mind to:
1. Live an ethical life that benefit those around us.
2. Develop mental calm, presence and single-pointed attention.
3. The cultivation of emotional balance and the development of deep wisdom.
Photo: ©AlmaAyon
Therefore, it is important to be aware of what motivates our actions. To the extent that our motivations focus on ourselves and are selfish, the result will be our suffering, why? If we analyze this, we realize that when we want something for us, we get attached to it and begin to defend ourselves, to compete with others to get it, and once we have it we are afraid that it will be taken or lost, so we take a defensive attitude.
To the extent that our mind attaches to ideas, desires, things, people, situations, etc., and as you feel aversion for all that stand between its desires and their objects, the result will be mental afflictions such as anger, jealousy, selfishness, etc, and an afflicted mind is an unsatisfied unhappy mind.
The Mind is the Source of Happiness
To the extent that we desire fewer things and appreciate what we have, and as we release the attachment and aversion, and dedicate ourselves to cultivate a peaceful mind and emotional balance, to that extent we will find true happiness that doesn’t depend on external stimuli or objects, situations, praise or recognition.
And how do we achieve this? Training our mind gradually. To begin, take a tour of this site, explore and put into practice all the tips, advice and strategies I have shared in previous posts. Also sign up to receive tips and resources on your email.
Your Turn
Do you have any examples that have given you certainty that the mind creates our experience?
by Alma Ayon | Jan 10, 2016 | news, reflections
Dear healthy minds,
I’m writing to wish you a very happy new year!
The resolutions I suggest for this year are cultivating greater peace, attention and developing a good heart. Let’s resolve to create habits of being happy, better organized, empathizing with others, live consciously in the present, with peace and tranquility.
But this will not happen by magic and less if we keep repeating the same patterns of the past year. We have to develop new habits and maintain them.
I know what you’re thinking, that’s very difficult and requires effort, but think for a moment what it would mean to practice non-stress and being less anxious. Don’t you want to feel relaxed, calm and peaceful most of the time? This would be fine, right?
It’s all about this! to cultivate habits that make us feel good and happy long term.
The good news is you’re not alone. Here at Peace & Mind we are a community of people who seek the same and we recognize the importance of training and developing our mind.
One of my goals is to write more about various topics, that can inspire my readers (you) to be free and independent and use their free time meaningfully in the projects that make you happier as well as offering you strategies to live a meaningful life.
Your Turn
What is your most important resolution for this year?
