Laughing Buddha and Feng Shui by Jenny Lin

In Feng Shui, the Laughing Buddha, also known by Buddhists as Matreiya, is one of the most supreme symbols of joy and wellbeing. When this jolly character is placed within any home, he will do wonders for all the residents inside; in addition to revitalizing any dead or negative chi and relieving tension, he will also summon fortune and riches for all family members. The Laughing Buddha is now also displayed in the office and prominent places in business venues, such as the front counter, lobby or cashier. He is also a highly revered figure worshipped in many temples.

The Laughing Buddha himself is a vision of happiness; his face is always in a happy, laughing expression and his position is jolly. He is a manifestation of wealth luck due to all the auspicious symbols that he holds, some of these being a Ru Yi, Wu Lou, and various gold ingots and coins. He also usually keeps beside him pots and bags filled with treasures.

The Laughing Buddha is a sure mood lifter when looked at, no matter how down one can be. Everyone could definitely use one of these in their home or office.

In Feng Shui, the Laughing Buddha can be used in many ways to best reap his abundant rewards:

1.) If your family suffers from arguments and tensions, then an image or figurine of the Laughing Buddha will solve these problems. Simply place him in the East Sector (Family Luck) (Feng Shui Bagua Formula) or a location where he can be seen when everyone is sitting around in your living room or main hall.

2.) For those who wish to enhance their luck in the aspects of wealth, self-development, wellbeing and victory, displaying the Laughing Buddha in your personal Sheng Chi direction (Feng Shui Kua Formula) will serve to help you achieve your goals.

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3.) When the Laughing Buddha is displayed in the Southeast Sector (Feng Shui Bagua Formula) of the main hall, dining room or bedroom of your home, he will bring family members windfall luck and increased income.

4.) For those in competitive careers or high positions, such as CEOs or politicians, a Feng Shui Laughing Buddha placed in the workplace or household will serve to summon luck and eliminate enemies‘ effects. It will also allow for a clear mind and reduction of tension.

5) To prevent betrayals and arguments with colleagues, display this Feng Shui product on your desk at work. This will also allow you to excel in your career.

6) For students who are seeking to enhance educational luck, a Feng Shui Laughing Buddha positioned on the study desk will allow you to attain your academic aspirations.

7) It is for many reasons that the Laughing Buddha makes the perfect present for almost any auspicious occasions; for people you know who are suffering through misfortunes and bad luck, the Laughing Buddha would make an perfect good luck gift.

*Note* The Laughing Buddha is highly revered in both Buddhism and Feng Shui, and so he should be treated with respect; never place him in the kitchen, in the bathroom or on the floor.

Technorati Tags: Buddha, Feng Shui, inspiration, Laughing Buddha, self help, Spirituality

READ: What The Buddha Might Say To Mitt Romney by Ed and Deb Shapiro

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. Buddha

One of the truly great things in life is to discover our genuine and authentic self, to dance to the beat of our own drum. And so, conversely, one of the greatest challenges is to know what we think, feel, and believe, for ourselves. It is far easier to agree with others, or be influenced by them to believe as they do, than it is to be firm in our own convictions.

Trying to please others by always agreeing with them, or saying what he thinks they want to hear even if it means constantly contradicting himself, is an obvious trait of Mitt Romney’s. He appears to have no idea what he really thinks, feels, and believes for himself. As a result he is constantly flip-flopping to fit in with current policies. Hence the comparison to Etch-A-Sketch. For instance:

Flip: “I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.” Flop: “I did not see it with my own eyes.”

Flip: “Roe v. Wade has gone too far.” Flop: “I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it.”

Flip: “I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose.” Flop: “I never really called myself pro-choice.”

Flip: “I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I’m a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms.” Flop: Asked by reporters at the gun show whether he personally owned a gun, Romney said he did not.

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. Buddha

Another word for flip flop is confusion. When we are confused we lose sight of what is real or where we are going. This is what can happen when money and power take over and add to the delusion that we are invincible.  The Buddha taught of the dangers of greed, hatred and ignorance, that he called the three poisons. Where greed grabs our desires, hatred abuses our fears, while ignorance clouds our vision.

Greed has many relatives, such as jealousy, ambition, self-centeredness, pride, and grasping, which lead to dissatisfaction, irritation, even depression. The craving to possess generates a fear of not having and limits our generosity. Romney personifies greed, not just in his many houses and cars, but in his desperate desire to win, no matter how.

Hate is destructive, indiscriminate, like a snake it can rise up out of nowhere and attack. When we are fixed in the belief that we are right then anything that questions or threatens that belief becomes the enemy to be done away with. Such hatred becomes its own worst enemy, however, for no matter how much we try to annihilate the hated one the hate remains within us.

Words have power to destroy or heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world. Buddha

Where hatred closes our heart, delusion makes us believe there is a permanent, separate and fixed ‘me,’ which means we take ourselves much too seriously; it is the belief that ‘me’ is all-powerful, and the ignorance of our essential connectedness with others.  But when we constantly focus on ourselves we create suffering; such selfishness means there is no room for kindness or compassion.

When we met with the Dalai Lama, he said to us: “We are all equal here.” This is something that Mitt Romney seems to have a real difficulty with, as he continues making insensitive comments such as: “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me,” and how his wife Anne “drives a couple of Cadillacs”. Or, as Arianna Huffington said in her last Sunday Roundup blog: “Mitt Romney once again failed to defuse the dog-on-car-roof controversy, conceding that if given the chance he’d do things differently — not because it was cruel but because of the flak he’s received in the ensuing years.”

Surely it’s time for Mitt to stop trying to be loved and convince everyone he is the man of the people. He comes across as hopelessly awkward when he attempts to put himself in someone else’s shoes or equate himself with their problems, such as saying that he too was unemployed while at the same time having $100 million in the bank. Rather, it’s time for him to discover who he is and what he genuinely believes.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. Dalai Lama

Ed and Deb Shapiro are the authors of BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You And The World, with forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman and Winner of the 2010 Nautilus Gold Book Award. Deb is the author of the bestselling book, YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND, winner of the 2007 Visionary Book Award. They are featured bloggers on Oprah.com/spirit, HuffingtonPost.com/Living, and Care2.com. They have 3 meditation CD’s: Metta — Loving Kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi – Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra – Inner Conscious Relaxation. See: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

 

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Compassion The Dalai Lama Way by Ed and Deb Shapiro

Shortly after we were married we went to India and spent our honeymoon in ashrams and monasteries, and then in McCleod Ganj, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile in northern India along with other Tibetan refugees who have escaped Chinese rule in Tibet. Once there we went to the Office of Securities to request a meeting with the Dalai Lama.

What Is Compassion by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Recently, a woman I met told me about her daughter who is living in South America. Her daughter is being threatened by a powerful crime family for setting up a business in their geographic area. The mother said, “I just told her, when the universe knocks you around it’s because you need to be knocked around. It’s to make you stronger for something coming down the road. You have to take it!”

 

Technorati Tags: appreciation, authenticity, gratitude, Happiness, inspiration, personal development, self-discovery, Spirituality

WATCH: Left Look Meditation by Tony Samara

Excerpt from the satsang ‘Free the Inner Saboteur’: http://TonySamara.TV

The Official Tony Samara Fan Page administered by the Tony Samara Humanitarian Alliance volunteers is now home to http://TonySamara.TVwhere new satsangs are updated regularly.

For a list of future Online Interviews and other Tony Samara events we invite you to visit http://www.tonysamara.org/lang_en/programUK.htm

To receive monthly messages from Tony Samara we invite you to subscribe to the Path of the Heart mailing listhttp://www.tonysamara.org/lang_en/contactsUK.htm

New eBook ‘Shaman’s Wisdom’: http://www.amazon.com/Shamans-Wisdom-Connection-Universe-ebook/dp/B006XTFUZM/…

Tony Samara, author of ‘Shaman’s Wisdom,’ ‘From the Heart,’ ‘Different Yet the Same,’ and ‘Deeper than Words’ was born in England, grew up in Egypt and also in Norway where he discovered the “Zen Buddhist philosophy”. This discovery eventually led him to the “Mount Baldy Zen Center in California, USA” where he learned the spiritual teachings of “Kyozan Joshu Sasaki.” He had curiosity to explore further the essence of spirituality and thus went to live and learn with shamanic communities around the globe including a period of time spent with some highly influential shamans in the Amazon River region and the Andes Mountains. Now people from all over the world visit Tony Samara to take spiritual guidance and experience being in his presence. http://www.tonysamara.org/

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Monday Matters – The Problem Is Mind by Iyanla Vanzant

There I was, minding my business, trying to secure some discount laundry detergent when I was spotted, found out and approached by three sisters who recognized me in spite of my disguise. They were happy to see me. They were grateful for my work. They had a question they had been dying to ask me; “Why are there so many single women?”

Be yourself to free yourself: “If I had no fear, I would…” by G. Brain Benson

Be yourself to free yourself: “If I had no fear, I would…”, #3 in a series of inspirational, motivational shorts. Real people answering important questions from their heart.

 

Technorati Tags: Buddhism, inspiration, Meditation, mindfulness, self actualization, Spiritual Guidance, Spirituality, Tony Samara, vivid life

READ: The Buddhist and the Press Tour by Carré Otis, author of Beauty, Disrupted: A Memoir

Along the journey of writing my memoir this past year and a half, I’ve walked through many doors. Excitement at finally being in a place to convey my life story and message, fear that it might be met with anger and criticism, and anticipation of the day it would actually be available to the public often kept me awake at night.

Never before had my spiritual practice been put to such a test. There had been moments in my past when I had to call upon the teachings I’d received to help stabilize my life and meet the various challenges that arose, but this event took it all to a new level, and I found that I had to dig even deeper to navigate through the chaos. I needed to become a beginner once more and although I had support and love from friends and family, as well as from my publishing house and editor, in essence, I knew I would have to stand alone. There would be no hand-holding.

My book speaks about courage and is a testament to the faith I have as a practitioner.  Knowing that this memoir was written from a place of purpose and responsibility, I had to trust that those who read it from cover to cover would hear my message. At times it was very challenging to sit across from unfamiliar interviewers. Even scary. But through grounded breath and recalling I did summon the reserve to gracefully move through any and all lines of questioning and to get through the press tour in one piece.  Even better, I was able to recall the path of service and find the gratitude to be in the place that I was. I moved back into the basics of the foundational practices that had earlier sustained me. Again I was a beginner.

Life is groundless. It is always filled with uncertainty. However, there are moments when we are more convinced of this than others. Moments that seem so much worse because we are out of our comfort zone, out of more predictable circumstances. The unknown is mighty. The unforeseen can invoke anxiety. And remembering to simply be in the moment and rest in the uncertainty calmed me down and enabled me to do that… to truly be with what arose. I had no idea of the outcome, of what the reaction would be once my book was published. I could only wonder and anticipate. We all have different ways of centering ourselves and mine was to return to the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. Breath practice, mindfulness, sometimes standing on my head on a yoga mat in the middle of a hotel in midtown Manhattan. Basically, I had to pull all the old tricks out of my hat to endure the emotions I was encountering.

When I traveled to New York City for talk show appearances and interviews about my book, I surrendered myself to the process. I had to let go of want or agenda. Things weren’t always going to go my way. Everyone had something to say. They asked hard questions. My book’s content is full of truths and uncomfortable subject matter. To say it ruffled feathers would be an understatement.

I had to let go of ego and understand that it was not my job to make everyone love me or what I had to say. I had enough of a foundation to stand on, enabling me to talk wholeheartedly and unabashedly about subjects that most people choose to shy away from, including eating disorders, self-loathing, issues within the modeling industry, domestic violence and sexual dysfunction. Having a family and daughters and perspective helped me to see that it was actually my responsibility to muster the courage to share my past.

During such conversations it is easier to focus on the WHO rather than the act. But the ACTS live on to this day.  A gazillion different perpetrators. A million different crimes to myself and a million other women.  It was a challenge to move the conversation back to the ACT, when so many people wanted to banter more about the WHO. Staying in the moment during the interviews ensured that I stayed on message and dealt with the more important issue–the ACTS. What happens, how it registers, the imprint it leaves on one and then how we deal with it.

It took a steady mind and a lot of calm deep breaths to sit with interviewers and redirect this energy back to the points and messages in my work. But my years of practice had a profound effect on me during the tour and in the work and conversations I am still continuing today. I am reminded that although we might stand apart, none of us really stand alone.  And I will continue to know that my practice supports me every step of the way.

Carré Otis has long been one of the most recognizable faces in modeling, headlining in campaigns for Guess, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Revlon. As a supermodel, Carré has appeared on the covers of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan, and has worked with many of the world’s greatest fashion photographers, including Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Patrick Demarchelier, David Bailey, and Guy Bourdin. While married to actor Mickey Rourke, Carré took an extended hiatus from modeling. When she returned, she also became an advocate for young women in and out of the industry. Carré has appeared on nationally televised programs, offering her unique insight into the business of beauty and the high price it demands. Carré lives in Colorado with her husband and two daughters. Online: http://www.beautydisrupted.com/ http://www.carrelife.com

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Are You Out of Your Mind? by Ed and Deb Shapiro

One of the most insulting things someone can say to us is, “Are you out of your mind?” implying we somehow mistaken or even crazy. But what if it is actually the coolest thing we could say? What if being out of our mind means we are not disturbed by the madness of our mind and are more in touch with our feelings, heart, and freedom?

TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE by Cynthia James

William Shakespeare said “This above all: To thine own self be true, And it must follow as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man”. Many people think of February as the “love” month. They are planning ways to celebrate love with a partner, looking for love, or bemoaning the fact that they are not experiencing love.  I think it is very important that we all become clear that love begins within.  It is the experience of deep gratitude and acceptance of self that propels love into the universe and activates the same energy to be returned into our life experience.  Love is…

 

Technorati Tags: Beauty Disrupted, Buddhist, Carre Otis, domestic violence, eating disorders, ego, letting go, Memoir, self actualization, self esteem. Inspiration, sexual dysfunction, Spirituality

READ: To Forgive But Not Forget by By Allan Lokos

“To forgive does not necessarily mean to forget. Sometimes to forget is not wise, but to forgive is wise. And it is at times not easy. It can, in fact, be quite challenging. It will come as no surprise that one of the most difficult people to forgive can be yourself. Yet with patience and gentle determination, it can be done.”

We’re going to look at one of the perfection practices known as the paramis (see below). It’s the practice of nekkhamma, which we translate as “renunciation” or “relinquishing.” It means letting go: letting go of material things as well as views, concepts, ideas to which we may have been clinging for years, things that cause us stress, suffering, dukkha.

A simple action that can be helpful in terms of relinquishing is this: on a regular basis—perhaps once or twice a year— choose something to give away. Not some old relic you don’t care about any more, but something you do care about, that has value to you. There’s no need to go overboard by giving away something that will change your lifestyle or will make the kids resent you for the next twenty years. Give away something you like yet are willing to relinquish. During the entire process of selecting and relinquishing, be mindful of your feelings. This can be more challenging than it may at first appear, but it can help us prepare for the day when we must relinquish all that we hold dear.

Now, what about views and concepts? Relinquishing is the ground for practicing “beginner’s mind.” It helps us see things anew, as they really are; to be willing to listen to the thoughts and ideas of others with an open mind. So the relinquishing of thoughts and ideas about which we have been adamant can give us a sense of freedom, joy, and spaciousness. It can feel as if a weight has been taken from our shoulders. However, this also may be easier said than done. We might wonder, “Am I giving up something that I should believe in?” So relinquishing offers an opportunity to look more deeply at our beliefs.

Sometimes we have been holding onto anger or bitterness related to a particular person or event. Something to think about is: What would I have to give up in order to free myself from this bitterness? We might think, “Well, yes, but what he or she did was absolutely unforgiveable.” Consider the possibility, and I am only saying consider the possibility, that maybe nothing is unforgiveable. Maybe there is a way to find forgiveness even for what we have believed for so long to be unforgiveable. Explore this mindfully.

To forgive does not necessarily mean to forget. Sometimes to forget is not wise, but to forgive is wise. And it is at times not easy. It can, in fact, be quite challenging. It will come as no surprise that one of the most difficult people to forgive can be yourself. Yet with patience and gentle determination, it can be done.

Parami (Pali), Paramita (Sanskrit): literally, perfection, or crossing over (to the other shore).

The paramis are practices that can lead one to the perfection of certain virtuous or ennobling qualities. They are practiced as a way of purifying karma and leading the practitioner on a path to enlightenment. In the Theravada tradition, the ten paramis are dana (generosity), sila (morality), nekkhamma (relinquishing), panna (wisdom), viriya (effort), khanti (patience), sacca (truthfulness), adhitthana (determination), metta (lovingkindness), upekkha (equanimity). In the Mahayana there are six paramitas: generosity, morality, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom.

It is interesting to note that the parami of generosity comes first, before the other practices, even morality. Some commentators suggest that the list begins with the easiest practice and becomes progressively more challenging. Another view is that until one sees the interconnected nature of phenomena and has a heart open to the needs of all beings, the other paramis can remain beyond reach. With practice, the virtuous qualities become stronger and support one another. Generosity supports relinquishing, which supports morality, which supports truthfulness, which supports wisdom, which supports equanimity, and so forth.

The paramis are seen as the heart of our true nature but greed, hatred, and delusion cause them to become somewhat blurred. Practicing the paramis is said to help us see in a different, more beneficial way. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, “These deeds, called the perfections, constitute the essential and comprehensive path to enlightenment, combining method and wisdom.” Thus the paramis are important practices for one who seeks to become an awakened being and to end the cycle of samsara, or cyclic existence. The key point to remember is that the paramis are offered not as philosophy but as practices. To be effective, practices need to be practiced.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALLAN LOKOS is the founder and guiding teacher of The Community Meditation Center in New York City. He is the author of Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living and Pocket Peace: Effective Practices for Enlightened Living. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Tricycle magazine, The Huffington Post, Beliefnet, Back Stage newspaper, and the anthology, Audacious Creativity. He has taught at Columbia University Teachers College, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Marymount College, The Rubin Museum, New York Insight Meditation Center, The New York Open Center, Tibet House USA, and Insight Meditation Community of Washington. http://www.cmcnewyork.org/

 

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Forgiveness is Choosing to Love by Pragito Dove

Do you find it easy to forgive people who have hurt or abused you in some way? I didn’t until I started to understand that I was hurting myself more by maintaining a tight knot of resentment and anger towards the people who had wronged me. As I learned to love myself, and make loving myself more important than hating the other person, a profound shift happened within me. I felt more loving not only towards myself, but towards everyone and all situations in my life. This shift in perspective produced  a feeling state of relaxation, ease, and trust that all was right with my world,..
How Can You Love Me When I Don’t Love Myself

How can anyone love me is an honest observation of what many people have hidden in their psyche. We all put up a good front, we want people to think we are normal, but what lies lurking beneath the surface is another story and it may not be as pretty as we want the world to think it is,…

 

Technorati Tags: Allan Lokos, Buddhism, forgiveness, inspiration, Meditation, Personal Growth, Relationships, vivid life

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