Photography as Meditation: The Friday Flower. Sometimes just photos. Sometimes with writing. Appearing on Fridays.
compassion for the layers © 2009 - 2010 Mahala Mazerov
Sometimes it’s easier to have more compassion for others than we have for ourselves.
We have feelings we think we shouldn’t have. We have prejudices we wish we didn’t have. We act in ways that disappoint or embarrass us.
Instead of pushing these down, denying them, or venting against others, we have another choice. We can work with the breath and bring our attention to these unwanted feelings.
We can practice compassionate abiding.
Here are simple meditation instructions:
When something difficult comes up, in the very moment of experience, let yourself feel whatever you are feeling. Make contact with those unwanted guests. Be completely open to them without trying to change them in any way.
At the same time, breathe in. There’s no need to force it to be a certain way. Just let your breath be as it is.
Relax any judgment you may have about what you’re feeling. Just as you’re letting your breath be what it is, let your experience be what it is, too.
When you breathe out, see if you can give your feelings more space to exist. Like throwing the windows wide open to air out a stuffy room, the simple act of breathing creates space so your feelings can move.
Breath with tenderness. With curiosity. You may even chose to notice how these feelings exist and move through your body.
Abide with compassion for yourself. Breathing in, experience what’s happening. Breathing out, experience what’s happening.
Keep practicing for as long as you like, staying present with the feeling tones and allowing them to change as they will.
Working with the breath in this way, you can learn to address all the facets of yourself with love and acceptance. You embrace yourself with compassion in spite of those things you’d like to change.
You can use this practice when you feel overcome by difficult emotions or in those first moments when shenpa arises. You can also wait, find yourself a safe space, and work with your breath as you bring the raw emotions to mind again.
The key is to remain free from the rigidity of aggression or denial. Abide in unconditional compassion. Let your mind be pliant. Recognize the magnificent, fluid being you truly are.
Photography as Meditation: The Friday Flower. Sometimes just photos. Sometimes with writing. Appearing on Fridays.
flame © 2009 - 2010 Mahala Mazerov
Do you ever find yourself doing the opposite of what makes you happy?
I don’t mean working when you wish you were on vacation or saving money by not going shopping. I mean continually making choices even when you know they’re the opposite of what would give you real happiness.
Ever since I came home from (glorious) time with my Teacher, I’ve been especially aware of how I direct my life. I’m not very pleased by what I see.
I know in my heart of hearts what would bring me absolute joy would be to give myself enough time for long practice sessions — where I could do all the visualizations and prayers and mantras without feeling like the clock was ticking.
… or spend time creating content for my wonderful shenpa program people.
… or focus on establishing solid work and life rhythms that are sustainable for me.
These are all within my power to choose and to do. So why do I fritter away so much time and energy on meaningless things?
None of my distractions feed me. I’m dissatisfied with myself and with them even as I engage in them. They are the opposite of what makes me happy. Yet I continue to drop into my computer chair instead of my meditation chair. I create little errands instead of a bigger container that will prioritize them.
Why is it so hard to choose what I know I will love? What I know will nourish and revitalize me? What I know will support my ability to help others?
Why?
I’m not writing this seeking comfort or advice. Maybe it’s my way of saying I grasp and crash and fail just like everyone else. But it’s also my way of staying present with what is and giving it a name.
Suffering.
You may think that word is reserved for grief as deep as 9/11, destruction the magnitude of Haiti or despair for places like Darfur.
In Buddhist terms, suffering is also this listlessness. It’s walking around numb, but not entirely. Distracted. Dissatisfied. Continuing to wander in ignorance. Turning away from actions that lead to real happiness in favor of fleeting pleasures. Wasting our rare and precious lives.
This is how we create samsara, how we create karma. And, while it’s not as heavy as the karma created by severely negative deeds, there’s a great danger because we continue thinking it does little harm as we pile it up every day.
Effective immediately, I’m stopping the self-flagellation and thinking kindly of myself. I’m accepting I’m a very human being with very human tendencies. But I’m also shining a light on my choices and reminding myself that the stakes of not changing them are high.
It seems that doing what makes you happy requires awareness, like everything else.
by Mahala Mazerov on January 29, 2010 · 2 comments
Photography as Meditation: The Friday Photo. Sometimes just photos. Sometimes with writing. Appearing on Fridays. This week’s image is an abstract macro photograph of a water offering bowl on a Buddhist shrine.
water offering #1 © 2010 Mahala Mazerov
Back in December, I had the sweet honor of being included in Marguerite Manteau-Rao’s list of 15 Great Women Buddhist Blogs. She’s @minddeep on twitter, and writes poetically of her practice on her Mind Deep blog.
Belated thanks to you, Marguerite, for including me and introducing me to so many inspiring women.
I’ve copied Marguerite’s post and links below. I’m sure you’ll find kindred hearts among these women as much as I have.
After two days of Googling the hell out of the Internet, and back and forth tweets on Twitter, here it is, finally, the promised list of 15 Great Women Buddhist Blogs – in no particular order:
108 Zen Books
Smilin Buddha Kabaret
Zen Dot Studio
Momma Zen
Jizo Chronicles
Becca Faith Yoga
Mama Dharma
Buddhist at Heart
The Asian Welder
Mama Om
Susan Piver
Mindful Purpose
Budding Buddhist
Dalai Grandma
Luminous Heart
Mind Deep (I added Marguerite’s lovely blog here, because of course she didn’t include herself in the list.)
How did I come up with the list? I looked for Buddhist sisters whose blogs reflected a deep commitment to their practice, and also to blogging. Women from all walks of life. Moms, activists, teachers, writers, artists . . . A few, I knew already. Most of them, I just discovered. I hope you will enjoy ‘visiting’ them as much as I have!
If I have forgotten anyone, please add their names in the comments below.
Last, I need to thank Jack at Zen Dirt Zen Dust for his generous help.
Genju then was kind enough to collect additions from the comments on Marguerite’s blog. Here they are:
Buddhist in Nebraska
Meditate and Destroy
Wandering Dhamma
not2wo
Giving Notice Now
Full Contact Enlightenment
Donna Quixote
Zenshin
Damchoewongmo
If you know anyone who should be added to this list, please include them in the comments below.
by Mahala Mazerov on January 22, 2010 · 8 comments
Photography as Meditation: The Friday Flower. Sometimes just photos. Sometimes with writing. Appearing on Fridays.
untitled © 2009 - 2010 Mahala Mazerov
May all beings everywhere
Plagued by sufferings of body and mind
Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy
By virtue of my merits.
May no living creature suffer,
Commit evil or ever fall ill.
May no one be afraid or belittled,
With a mind weighed down by depression.
May the blind see forms,
And the deaf hear sounds.
May those whose bodies are worn with toil
Be restored on finding repose.
May the naked find clothing,
The hungry find food;
May the thirsty find water
And delicious drinks.
May the poor find wealth,
Those weak with sorrow find joy;
May the forlorn find hope,
Constant happiness and prosperity.
May there be timely rains
And bountiful harvests;
May all medicine be effective
And wholesome prayers bear fruit.
May all who are sick and ill
Quickly be freed from their ailments.
Whatever diseases there are in the world,
May they never occur again.
May the frightened cease to be afraid
And those bound be freed;
May the powerless find power
And may people think of benefiting each other.
One of countless exquisite prayers by Shantideva, 8th century poet, scholar, and bodhisattva.
