That did it!
Now that things have gone properly pear shaped, I’ve got renewed energy to practice Gen Dekyong’s advice from the Dorje Shugden empowerment.
Here’s the salient parts that I remember from Dekyong’s commentary:
Gen Dekyong’s definition of ‘adverse conditions‘
☆ Adverse Conditions to our practice
These present an obstacle to our spiritual practice.
☆ Favourable Conditions to our practice
These improve our spiritual practice, and enable us to progress.
So for spiritual practitioners of all levels. the question is, are the things we’re experiencing ‘adverse’ or ‘favourable’? Because they’re not inherently either way, we can play what they are.
Do events in our life hinder or help us on our spiritual path? Can we even get though today relatively unscathed? Because it is our choice, and it’s all too easy to categorise things in a way that doesn’t really help us.
What we can think of as an obstacle,
can easily become grist to the mill
An example uppermost in my mind is the Facebook page I do for my local Buddhist centre. – it’s been suspended! (That’s why I’m trying to put some Lojong into practice. LoL, why does it always need a kick up the butt to get us to actually practice?)
~ I consider being suspended from doing something I enjoy, consider meaningful, and gets good feedback, to be an Adverse Condition. It stings, because I set the ABC e-zine up when there weren’t that many NKT FB pages around. I even called it an ‘e-zine’ to highlight it’s unofficial nature. (Hence breaking the ‘guidelines’ before they were brought in!)
You can see I’m too attached to the project, it’s gaining popularity, and I might not survive as admin.
But maybe Dorje Shugdan has other ideas in mind. It’s best not to take things too personally, or get too close to unreliable objects of refuge – such as a Facebook page (which by nature is impermanent), or you’re gonna get hurt.
Sorry! it’s down to us.
~ So maybe my suspension is a Favourable Condition
I’m actually doing the blog I’ve been planning for ages.
Just maybe folk will find a blog useful instead.
One of Buddha’s lightbulb blessings hit me earlier – “Hey Jas, you could do this blog for others’ benefit – really push the boat out with cherishing our cyber community.”
OK, so maybe FB wasn’t the best place for a NKT e-zine.
Well, I was told in no uncertain terms just how inappropriate and generally offensive to ‘the NKT‘ it was. OK, so I’m a little bit gutted; but if folk really are interested in that sort of thing, I’m prepared to try something new. (And ‘the NKT‘ BTW, mostly consists of quite sweet people who would’ve given me at least a written warning before getting the sniper rifle in.) ᕙ(`▽´)ᕗ
It’s the grit in the oyster that makes the pearl
Anyhow, it’s the grit in the oyster that makes the pearl, isn’t it. As Einstein said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” So it takes some lateral thinking on our part, energised by Buddha’s blessings, to re-figure the problem.
Blessings change our mind from a negative state to a positive one, so they’re worth opening our mind up to. Buddhas can’t help but to beam out blessings 24/7, it’s their job! But it’s like a radio, we don’t get a reception if our radio’s turned off.
Hello? Turn your radio on!
Who knows what wonders we might achieve?
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Links to Further Reading:
See also Luna Kadampa’s surfing life’s waves for another side to Lojong,
and what are blessings?
Check out Geshe la’s free ebook Modern Buddhism (link on the right)
Living Inside Out is an inspiring story
Nov 24, 2011 @ 15:48:44
hmmm. this came about as a reaction to something most unpleasant coming out of the blue. I’m re-editing it by the day, as i get my head round things. LoL it’s a work in progress!
Does anybody have notes to Dekyong’s empowerment? (mine drowned when i dropped my iPod in the pond) Or have anything else to add?
All input much appreciated – it’s my first blog post ever!
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Dec 06, 2011 @ 05:46:29
Now I know who the brainy one is, I’ll keep looking for your posts.
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Dec 18, 2011 @ 01:02:49
yea ~ it’s Buddha that’s the brainy one 🙂 good to hear from you mate
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Nov 18, 2012 @ 14:16:00
I was seriosluy at DefCon 5 until I saw this post.
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Nov 25, 2012 @ 19:31:51
I hope you’re now down to a safer level. Good on you for taking the teachings to heart, Kindsey.
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Dec 06, 2011 @ 08:33:41
Was totally stuck until I read this, now back up and running.
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Dec 18, 2011 @ 01:05:12
I’m so happy to have been of help. Good luck with it all.
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Nov 25, 2011 @ 17:05:04
Hey, nice one Jas!!! I look forward to watching this space … 🙂
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Nov 25, 2011 @ 18:40:18
Luna!! thank you you so much so for inspiring me with your blogs ~ and Vide too! Good to hear from you 😀 please feel free to add some of your wisdom anytime, i know it’s well grounded in experience.
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Dec 05, 2011 @ 17:36:13
Your story was really informative, thanks!
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Dec 18, 2011 @ 00:58:47
Cheers Leidy 😀 Hope you can use it
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Dec 05, 2011 @ 15:37:38
Yo, good lookin out! Gonna make it work now
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Dec 30, 2011 @ 19:26:29
Yayy Tina! I hope it’s still working out for you.
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Nov 26, 2011 @ 17:02:08
I also added a link to Kadampa Life Facebook page. Do add links to all your articles on there.
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Nov 30, 2011 @ 16:03:26
Aaw cheers Luna 🙂 this does feel kinda right.
Do continue to add your 2 penneth too.
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Nov 27, 2011 @ 22:46:17
Go for it Jas!
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Nov 30, 2011 @ 15:53:15
cheers Vide 😉
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Dec 05, 2011 @ 14:30:53
Kudos! What a neat way of thinking about it.
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Dec 30, 2011 @ 19:21:30
Yea, it’s pretty good. and it works too! Double whammy.
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Dec 06, 2011 @ 08:24:40
A wonderful job. Super helpful information.
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Dec 18, 2011 @ 01:04:16
cool 😀 I hope you could put it to good use.
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Dec 29, 2012 @ 08:17:40
Merely a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw great design and style. “Individuals may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation.” by Benjamin Disraeli.
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Jan 06, 2013 @ 04:41:05
Thank you for sharing the quote your smile 🙂
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