Don’t count on external conditions is about practising mind training and meditation no matter what’s going on in your life. Whether your circumstances are favourable or not, practice anyway. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t be swayed by external circumstances, which reminds you that you can’t control reality. You can only control your reaction to… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Count on External Conditions
Meditate on what you resent is about noticing when you shut down or get annoyed, and using that to wake yourself up. The original lojong slogan is: Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment, and it encourages you to practice tonglen meditation with the things that get your goat. This slogan asks you to pay attention… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Meditate on What You Resent
Last week we looked at Gemini myths which gave me the perfect excuse to watch Doctor Strange again. The film deals with various Gemini/Mercury themes including magic, healing, the confrontation with the shadow, and the shamanic journey between dimensions. It’s another superhero origins story – a classic hero’s journey with an added dash of ‘Hollywood… Continue reading Doctor Strange: Time and the Meaning of Life
Train with a whole heart is about applying the practice of mind training to everything in your life, not just when you’re meditating. The original lojong slogan is rather long: Train without bias in all areas. It is crucial always to do this pervasively and wholeheartedly. The key idea is to practice without bias, which… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Train with a Whole Heart
Last time we looked at the language of deification in the Unitive State. Here we finish the extracts from Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism with the second style of language used by mystics to describe the experience of union, that of spiritual marriage, and explore the source of the mystic’s joy: “At this point we begin to… Continue reading The Mystic Way 15: Spiritual Marriage and Joy
From the earth of Taurus springs the butterfly mind of Gemini. As a mutable air sign, Gemini provides the ability to know and understand reality. If Aries stands for the subject and Taurus stands for the object, then Gemini is the relationship between these two: the knower and the known giving rise to a third,… Continue reading Zodiac Myths: The Story Behind Gemini
Practice with your whole being is about applying the practice of mind training to your whole being, not just your mind. The original lojong slogan is: Keep the three inseparable, which means seeing the body, speech, and mind as united. The body refers to how you act and what you do. Speech isn’t just what… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Practice with your Whole Being
Last time we looked at the characteristics of the Unitive Life. Here we continue the extracts from Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism to explore the first style of language used by mystics to describe the experience of union, that of deification: “We have said that the mystic of the impersonal type, the seeker of a Transcendent Absolute,… Continue reading The Mystic Way 14: Deification in Union
Don’t lose track is about remembering your inspiration and practising gratitude to help you maintain your commitment to mind training and awakening. The original lojong slogan is: Pay heed that the three never wane, and it refers to the three causes in slogan 45. It’s hard to maintain your enthusiasm and keep practising over the… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Lose Track
Last time we looked at ego death in the dark night of the soul. Here we continue the extracts from Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism to explore the true goal of the Mystic Way: Union. This isn’t the same as the earlier illumination stage, but the final stage where the mystic is one with the Absolute. So… Continue reading The Mystic Way 13: The Unitive Life
Uranus spends about seven years in each sign and this year he begins to transition into Taurus. It’s not a comfortable meeting for either Uranus or Taurus. As a fixed earth sign, Taurus doesn’t like change, especially when it happens fast. It likes stability and certainty, but there’s not going to be much of that… Continue reading Uranus in Taurus: Revolution of Values and Security
Take on the three causes is about increasing the possibility of awakening by embracing ideas and practices that support you. The original lojong slogan is: Take on the three principal causes, and they are to find a teacher, to recognise the importance of the teachings, and to change your lifestyle so it supports your desire… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Take on the Three Causes
Jessica Davidson 