Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), The Thousand Arms of the Bodhisattva Understanding. Wisdom. Prajña. > Love. Kindness. Compassion. Getting what is true leads me to virtue? Yes! Following Nature is easier when I'm dealing with here, now. And so much easier still when I have some insight.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Heroism Our goal is to be a citizen of Earth: cooperating with the other 'parts of the body' politic; subverting the impulse to fight in ourselves and others; and resisting injustice where we find it.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Engaged Buddhism  If I cannot bring peace to myself, I cannot bring it to others. Fix myself. Then help all who hear.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Seeds of Violence Change myself first. That's how I change the world. Start with what's up to me. I was living in the future just now and walked into a spider web. Had I been present, I'd have noticed it. Alas, I was dreamcatching and my feet got ahead of my eyes, temporarily making me the world's foremost kung fu artist. A second sunrise here at the lake. Though yesterday's friend is not here to share it, I decided to listen to another podcast in the  sermon series by Fr. Mike Schmitz  he recommends. This one touched on recasting our reaction to negative events in positive terms. He referenced  Jocko Wilnick and his ' good ' reaction story . Say yes. Say good. Say I will. Say I am. See it as the opportunity it is and react appropriately.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Seeds of Violence As I sat on the dock, watching the sunrise this morning, a friend was sitting beside me, reading his daily devotionals. He asked if I would like to listen to the sermon he had in the queue and I agreed. In the sermon, Father Mike Schmitz talked about The Battle of Prayer . His main points: "Prayer is a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort." "Prayer is a battle . . . against myself." "And the battle against the Tempter." "Why do we complain about not being heard?" We say prayers of petition with fervor and prayers of thanks, if we say them at all, with little or no intent behind it. It's a throw-away line that is easily overlooked. "But I demand to see the results of my petition." Is God an instrument or a source of inspiration and good? Sometimes the answer to a prayer is no. Why? ...

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), The Spiritual Dimension of Politics Be better and make the world better. Improve myself to improve my family to improve my neighbourhood my city my state my nation.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Walking with Your Parents And this is the root of the answer. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Community. Not until I can surpass the easy part — walking with my loved ones, who love me, who are inclined to cooperate and live in harmony — can I make progress to being a better being, be it Buddha or Boddhisatva.  If I want to be better, I must 'love my enemies as myself.'

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh , (ed. By Melvin McLeod), Healing the Past  It depends on the person though, doesn't it? Most people want peace and would take the chance to repair a past error when presented. Some people are bitter or cruel or scared or so set in their ways that you know, you just know , that if you saw them again and tried to patch things up, they would make it worse. Attacking and making it worse. So what do I do when faced with trying to repeal the past with such a person? Accept it. Their emotions and attitudes were never up to me. Certainly not now that they are gone. If I could not change their attitude in life, it won't happen now. If I let go of the judgment that I am hurt, I let go of the hurt. So . . . accept it and let go. Commit to being better. It's still not easy. But at least I know that there is a path to peace. That brings me on.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Healing the Past So sayeth the statesman, the slave, and the Emperor. So sayeth the Sage. I love it when Stoicism and Buddhism parallel like this. It makes me happy. Change my mind, get rid of the judgment, throw out the feeling, and the world shifts just for me. Think of it as exploring a different timeline, one where the feeling was never so overwhelming or seductive. One where I was wise enough to have seen through the lies before assenting to them. I'd have automatically, or preemptively, used my Stoic ideals and exercises to find Nature's path the first time and not had to backtrack and reassess before finally doing the right thing. Prohareisis. Prokoptôn.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Healing the Past And I have to mean it. And I have to take active steps to ensure that I can follow through on my promise. Without those, nothing is healed because I'd be lying to myself.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Inferiority Sounds easy. Isn't. But with gentle sincerity and cooperative guidance, progress can be made. Slow, halting, retrogressing, but progress nonetheless. I try hard to help my children feel a deserved sense of self worth. I help them recognize what they do well, what their good qualities are, and to identify and correct faults and shortcomings in their character. I teach them that a job is not who they are. To place their self-evaluation on the person they are rather than such a malleable, impermanent, and unimportant aspect of life as what they do to afford the life they want. I teach them to value people over experiences over things. If they can have all three, that's great, but if they must choose, that's where value lies. I teach them to value kindness and cooperation. Valuing connection in addition to success. These things, I hope, will help give them a solid foundation t...

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Letting Go Insight will help me see alternatives to whatever narrative I've told myself. Taking the time to read closely my thoughts and feelings about this, I can identify ways in which I am attached to the wrong things. Or how I have misvalued a thing or event, believing it will give me happiness or solace or relief when it only a individual item or a moment in time. I can be happy of my accomplishments, but they are not the source of happiness. That comes from people whom I accept into my life. My people and our connections can bring happiness, properly integrated into my life. Seen without attachment, without yearning, but with love and compassion, acceptance and good will.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Wrong Impressions How often am I angry at nothing? Pissed off because of something no one ever did, or they did it, but for a wholly unrelated reason? How many times have I ascribed motives to someone when, in truth, I was projecting upon them my insecurities or ignorance? So here's another arrow in my quiver: when I'm mad at someone, take another look and see if the anger is my creation, something I dreamed up whole cloth and forced on their actions before I ever took the time to ask what was going on. It will be true so much more often than not.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Your True Person My inner citadel is my domain. Look there for what is up to me. Pay attention. Be here, now.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Mindful Communication If I can overcome my selfish impulses, wrangle my impatience and irritation and focus on the other person, I can give them a gift: true listening. Listening to understand. Listening to empathize. Listening to console. Listening to relieve. Listening to love. I would be overjoyed to receive such a gift. May I practice and learn to give it to those I love. And even to those I do not.

Today's Meditation(s): Epictetus, Discourses I, 29.35 Practice practice practice. Practice following Nature. Practice pursuing virtue. Practice being present. Practice mindfulness. Practice forgiveness. Practice connection.  Practice oikeiosis. Practice kindness. Practice calm. Practice love.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Mindful Communication This has often been a source of stress for me. Even when I try desperately to be a good listener, when I care deeply about the person talking or the issues discussed, I find myself distracted within a scant few minutes of their beginning. I tell myself to be present, to ignore my own thoughts and focus on the other person and their issues, and still, within heartbeats, impatience burns through and disrupts my attention. Thich Nhat Hanh says this is I still have hurt and pain and anger inside which must be dealt with, accepted, incorporated, adapted, and integrated. I have work to do.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Mindful Communication If I want to remove the speck from my brother's eye, I must first remove the stie from my own. Without first coming to accept my own hurt and pain, I cannot offer true loving speech or loving listening to others. This will relieve my blindness and let me find a better understanding of what my loved ones are telling me and what they need to hear.

Today's Meditation: A Note to My Family 2 ----- I ended my story about narratives yesterday with this sentiment: "There is no shame in it happening. There is shame is letting it own you, in letting it control you as if you were a marionette, with no will or purpose of your own." I am ashamed of my actions last night: I was tired and frustrated about Child1's bedtime. I was making milk and telling him to finish his preparations, etc. when all I wanted was to go to bed. Queue the narrative: I'm doing all this by myself because my family is lazy and doesn't care. It seems short, but there was a good 5 minutes of build-up happening here. I was not happy. Then mom appeared and offered to take over. I went into our room and soon realized how unfair I was being. Did I tell anyone I was tired? No. Did I ask for help, which would have been freely given? No. Did I stop myself from brooding and try to derail those thoughts? Again, no. I could feel it as it built, but I...

Today's Meditation(s): I try to live my Stoic life in a way which can be an example for my kids.  One thing I show them is the need to apologize and make amends when we do wrong. I want them to see that I am not perfect and how I react when I realize I screw up. The problems we discuss each week in Book Club? I have trouble with them, too, sometimes. It's fine. Bear and forbear. I have intrusive or vicious thoughts that I must put aside. My mind is nowhere near where I wish it were. Persist and resist. I struggle to be better than I was before. Keep it up. Keep going. All of these are things they need to know because they will fall of the virtuous path in life sometimes . . . just as I do. Just as we all do. It's normal and it's not a problem . . . unless they refuse to make it better. ===== A Note to My Family 1 ----- Saturday night, mom and I got home from our friend's house after 11. Shortly after we walked in, Child1 comes downstairs, not in his pajamas. What I ...

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Four Mantras  ...  It is hard to admit I need help. It is hard to feel hurt by my loved ones. It is hard to say 'I am hurt. Please help me.' So what? It's hard to remain hurting. It's hard to remain feeling betrayed. It's hard to remain silent in the face of pain. Which will continue hurting? Which will make my life better? Choose that one.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Four Mantras  I need to pay more attention. As I integrate mindfulness into my life, this will become easier. Being fully present, I may better notice when my loved ones are in pain. Past that, it's a matter of finding the right thing to say and feel and give that I may help. Presence is necessary, and sometimes sufficient, but often I need to have the empathy and wisdom to support them in the right way.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh (ed. by Melvin McLeod), The Four Mantras I see you. I am here for you. I am happy to see you. What a wonderful message to give. What an amazing message to receive.   What a beautiful meditation.

Today's Meditation(s): But the Stoics would remind us to take a moment, here and there, to just be still. Retreat into yourself, Marcus said. You don't need to head to the country. You can stop for a few seconds and find peace. Force your mind to concentrate, Seneca said. Stop straying, ignore the noise, and quiet the bedlam within. They knew the power of stillness, and they actively made it a priority each day. ~ The Daily Stoic 250708 Another Daily Stoic entry, this one at least parallels what I have been reading in Thich Nhat Hanh: be here, now. Nice to see these two teachings coming together to help me see things more clearly.

Today's Meditation(s): And this is the point, isn’t it? We shouldn’t reject the present—for all its complications and frustrations—try to go back to an idealized past. No, we should try to summon our past selves to this future moment, bringing to bear on these times the openness, the curiosity, the adaptability, the hopefulness that everyone has in their youth and strength. ~ The Daily Stoic 250708 This passage from today's Daily Stoic newsletter resonated with me. I know just enough history to know that the Golden Age people pine for is a paramnesia — a distorted mixture of half-remembered truths and fatuous lies — which distracts us from following Nature today, from doing the right thing, right now. Instead of fearing change, can viewing it through youthful eyes help me find the next right thing? Can wonder and imagination help me find ways through seemingly untenable situations? Can I deal with the world as it is rather than persisting in a delusion? One way offers me equa...

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Four Mantras I need to make sure my loved ones know I see them, the real them, the them who exists right now , right here . I need them to know I am mindful of them, ready to be what they need me to be or to do what needs to be done. Be that sitting, listening, holding, commiserating, advising, loving, or letting be.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Four Mantras I need to tell my loved ones I am here for them. I have, in other ways and words, but never in so direct a manner. I think it is worth pursuing. I will not take for granted that I have a future with them and they need to know.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Four Mantras The first of several entries on this lesson, I've got a lot to work through here. First, I don't believe in magic magic, something which would set aside the rules of physics at my behest. But that's not what Thich Nhat Hanh is saying here. He's talking about  simple magic, daily magic, rituals that can change my life over time. A spell is a series of sounds, movements, words, and / or thoughts meant to make the world be as I want it to be. A mantra is the same, meant to make me be as I want to be. One is impossible. The other is achievable, if I'm willing to pay the price. That price? Time, which I will spend whether or not I use it to improve myself, and attention, which is the real bugaboo here. I neither practice mindfulness nor meditate often enough. I procrastinate. I forget. I deliberately avoid. I do whatever but be mindful or meditative.  My attent...

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Understanding I don't understand my eldest child. I try. I ask. I beg for input to help me figure out how they want to be treated and how I can best motivate them to do things I want them to do.  And they tell me, as best they can, but I never quite clicks for me. I never quite get it. And I know I have caused harm because I don't understand. Keep trying. Keep trying. Keep trying. Keep trying. They're worth it.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), The Energy of Love To be loved, I must first love. To love others, I must first love myself. To love all, I must first love one. Then I must love myself, and another, and all.

Today's Meditation(s): The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh  (ed. by Melvin McLeod), Hugging Meditation There are so many moments in my every day when I can be present, be mindful, and get more out of life. How the hell did I let hugs become a commonplace copy clone, make-em-by-the-millions, repetitive habit that doesn't mean what it can mean?