Becoming a Bodhisattva: 4 Vows to Take on the Road to Enlightenment Pt.1 Dear Traveler, Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a bodhisattva? Are you ready to live in Truth for the benefit of all sentient beings, even if there is no Truth to serve and no others to serve it to? Do you think you can handle your family for a week straight without losing it? Do you think that little bit of patience and compassion you’ve cultivated is enough to prevent you from getting sucked into the vortex of drama and reactivity? Just what the hell is a Bodhisattva, you ask, and why in the multiverse would anyone want to be one? Literally, bodhisattva means “awakened being” (bodhi= awake, sat= being). To seeing reality as it is. There are four vows that bodhisattvas take that can help situate you as to what exactly this entails. There might come a time in your life when you begin to get a sense of the bigger picture. You may wonder whether there are other beings somewhere out there looking into the darkness from their perspective and wondering the same thing.
A Notable Burning Man Enchanted Sky Digital artist Rhads has updated his portfolio with dreamy images of a gondola and whales swimming over clouds. His work is magical and surreal, and it makes you want to sit down on the beach to watch the sky spectacle. See also: “A Home at the End of the World.” Artwork © Rhads
10 EPIC Quotes from “Conversations With God” “Conversations With God: An Uncommon Dialogue” by Neal Walsh is one of my favorite books of all time, hands down. It is written from the point of view of god (but it’s not religion, so don’t scoff quite yet) telling man how he should live his life. I like to think of it as god’s hypothetical edits to the incredibly skewed, modern interpretation of the ‘The Bible.’ These are my ten favorite quotes from the book that I read every morning: 1“Go ahead an do what you really love to do! 2“You are making a mockery of Me. 3“There is no coincidence, and nothing happens ‘by accident.’ 4“The purpose of a relationship is not to have another who might complete you; but to have another with whom you might share your completeness.” 5“The laws are very simple: 1. 6“Heaven–as you call it–is nowhere. 7“Know and understand that there will be challenges and difficult times. 8“If you want guarantees in life, then you don’t want life. 10“Never resist anything.
Burning Man (56 Photos) » The Drop Kings Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever. See some of the finest moments captured on film during this years Burning Man festival… The Ultimate Guide to Fitness: Men’s Edition If you’ve read Tim Ferris’s “The 4-Hour Body,” then you’re familiar with the term “Harajuku moment.” He defines it as the single, definitive moment when we decide to make a dramatic shift with our lives to improve our mental and physical health. Mine took place a few months ago. If you’re looking to do the same, here is my advice to you: Set Yourself Up For Success Create a Starting Point When I took my “after” picture, I thought I was going to look a lot like I did in my “before” shot. Learn The Basics Wikipedia’s page on weightlifting is very comprehensive and easy to read. Define Your Goals I’m telling you right now, if your goal is to “get in shape,” you won’t achieve it. Utilize Your Full Potential Potential is defined as existing qualities or abilities that, if manifested, will lead to future success. Excuses Equal Failure There’s a psychological term for why people make excuses. Your “No Comfort” Zone Want to look like you can comfortably lift 200 pounds? Persist Work Out Like a Champion
The Art of Meditation / Stop Being a Zombie! A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except thoughts. So he loses touch with reality, and lives in a world of illusion – Alan Watts Tweet This Have you ever driven your car or bicycle and suddenly you wake up somewhere down the road and can’t remember how you got there? What happened in those few minutes? And so did I when I first started meditating. So before I continue I’d like everyone to experience this to understand what I’m talking about. Did you do the two minutes? There’s a lot been written on meditation, and to be honest, I ain’t got anything new or groundbreaking stuff to tell. What is Meditation? Meditation is the act of training the mind. Why Meditate? The Buddha said: don’t blindly believe what others say, see for yourself what brings serenity, clarity of thought and inner peace. I myself find it really hard to explain what meditation has done to me. How to Meditate? Shamatha is the meditation of one pointed concentration. Picture by eldave
Awesome Variations on Meditation Meditation is simply the training of the mind. It has been used, primarily for spiritual practices, for thousands of years. The effects are numerous. Since everything you’ve ever experienced and know is in your awareness, the end goal is understanding That which is Aware. “Give up defining yourself. Once you’ve explored this concept long enough you slowly get a sense of what he is hinting at. “The perfect man uses his mind as a mirror. This is why staying in the Now is such a powerful practice. Here are the awesome variations on meditation, amongst which you will certainly find at least one that agrees with you. Darkness Meditation – Intermediate – Min. 1 day I don’t think anyone will actually go ahead and do this one (yes, that is a challenge!) You should have a space where there is complete darkness. Dancing Meditation – Beginner – Min. 1 minute This is something everyone can do. Breathing Meditation – Beginner – Min. 1 minute Long deep breathing is fairly simple.
The Science of Meditation Over the past few hundred years the power of organized religion has steeply declined in the west. State & church and science & religion are separated and free inquiry is now more encouraged than ever. The loss of God as the absolute reference point has given room for humanity to take the ropes of responsibility and freedom into their own hands. However, while it has opened our minds, it has closed our hearts. I believe this is a necessary phase that humanity must go through like a caterpillar must evolve via its cocoon. This is exactly why we need to develop a contemplative science, one that closely observes and investigates the area of first person subjective experience. The end of self-referencing Norman A.S. However, the study found out that meditators who had completed the eight week course could dissociate these two modes of self-reference. Immune system Focus Depression Wiveka Ramel et al. did a study on individuals with a life time of mood disorders. Brain waves A few other studies
15 Big Life Insights I Wish I Knew at 18 One of the most popular posts of all time on HE is my 50 Life Secrets and Tips. However when I look back on that post, I see a fairly shallow and conventional list of recommendations. It shows me of how much I’ve grown in the years since it was published. This is the list that comes to mind now. 1) True pleasure and results come from mastery In this internet age, there are many of Jack of all trades: people who know a bit about MANY things, but have not mastered any one thing. The solution: “Take up one idea. 2) The best practices are those you discover for yourself The downside of having so much information available online is that it’s easy to get lost in spiral of trying out other people’s methods while never attempting to create on of your own. Instead, try a method that you think would feel good for you. 3) Reality is highly subjective Even science is subjective. 1) Accept the seemingly absurd views of others as a logical result of them looking through an entirely different lens.
How Your Thoughts Program Your Cells Some “Basic” Cellular Biology There are thousands upon thousands of receptors on each cell in our body. Each receptor is specific to one peptide, or protein. When we have feelings of anger, sadness, guilt, excitement, happiness or nervousness, each separate emotion releases its own flurry of neuropeptides. Those peptides surge through the body and connect with those receptors which change the structure of each cell as a whole. Where this gets interesting is when the cells actually divide. Thus if you have been bombarding your cells with peptides from a negative attitude, you are literally programming your cells to receive more of those peptides in the future. This is why it takes more than a few days of positive thinking to make a significant impact on your long-term attitude patterns. Start today.
50 Life Secrets and Tips Memorize something everyday.Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your best options.Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.Those who are heavy-set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Stop and observe all of the little things as completely unique events. Read “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss.This book will give you the knowledge and instruction to be happy at all times regardless of the circumstances.
A Reason For Today A man named Roy was sitting on a park bench one warm and sunny day, staring off into the abyss of reality. His face lacked emotion and his eyes kept wandering; they did not wander because nothing was of interest, rather they wandered because nothing kept his interest. He kept looking and looking, hoping to find peace and tranquility in anything, even if it be for only a moment. This man had acted in this precarious nature ever since two nights ago, when his wife of 21 years had suddenly passed away. Roy had quickly and thoroughly went through the initial shock of the tragedy, and firmly planted himself in the “nothing will ever matter again” stage of the supposed road to recovery. He had immense trouble going to sleep the night before due to the content chatter of his depressed subconscious, so he had taken a heavy dose of sleeping medicine to help him shut his eyes. He got out of bed, and tried to morning routine, hoping to find solace in routine. “Oh dear boy! Image by Urtsan