April 18th #48 – Train without bias in all areas. It is crucial always to do this pervasively and wholeheartedly. Pema: It is important to include everyone and everything that you meet as part of your practice. They become the means by which you cultivate compassion and wisdom. A day filled with many tasks, including...
April 17th #25 – Don’t talk about injured limbs. Pema: Don’t try to build yourself up by talking about other people’s defects. When we have been bruised, without thinking, we discuss and complain how others have blemished us. We proceed to catalogue all of their shortcomings. We proceed to do this to get people in...
April 16th #23 – Always abide by the three basic principles. Pema: The three basic principles are: Keeping the promises you made if you took refuge vows and bodhisattva vows. When we take the refuge vow, we vow to take refuge in the Buddha, as an example of how to open and let go, the...
April 15th #12 – Drive all blames into one. Pema: This is advice on how to work with your fellow beings. Everyone is looking for someone to blame and therefore aggression and neurosis keep expanding. Instead, pause and look at what’s happening with you. When you hold on so tightly to your view of what...
April 14th #53 – Don’t vacillate Pema: If you train in awakening compassion only some of the time, it will slow down the process of giving birth to certainty. Wholeheartedly train in keeping your heart and mind open to everyone. Note: I have decided to post these the next morning vs. the end of the...
April 13th #54 Train wholeheartedly. Pema: Train enthusiastically in strengthening your natural capacity for compassion and loving-kindness. My husband and I were away for several days. I decided that I would forgo my practice of the compassion cards knowing that the four days would be busy and it might not be feasible to write about...
April 6th #37 Don’t make gods into demons. Pema: Don’t use these teachings and practices to strengthen your self-absorption. When we take what we can most benefit from and idolize it, our ego can get in the way of our practice. In practice, we can get become preoccupied with every thought, sensation and feeling that...
April 5th #24 Change your attitude, but remain natural.Pema: Work on reversing your caught-up, self-important attitude and remain relaxed in this process. Instead of always being caught in a prison of self-absorption, look out and express gentleness to all things. Then just relax. The words “but remain natural” is what caught my eye this morning....
April 4th #4 Self-liberate even the antidote. Pema: Do not hang on to anything –even the realization that there’s nothing to hold onto. This is true freedom as in truth, there is nothing solid to hold onto. That would be attachment. In my morning meditation, I simply heard “Allow the spaciousness to be.” Allowing this...
April 3rd #30 Don’t be so predictable.Pema’s Commentary: Do not hold a grudge against those who have done you wrong. In reading the slogan first, what came to me was how we all can fall into the same groove or habit when faced with a particular circumstance. It is the kneejerk reaction. I understand that...
April 2nd #22 – If you can practice even when distracted, you are well trained. Pema’s Commentary – If you are a good horseback rider, your mind can wander but you don’t fall off your horse. In the same way, whatever circumstances you encounter, if you are well trained in meditation, you don’t get swept...
April 1st #47 Keep the three inseparable. PEMA’S COMMENTARY The “three” referred to here are your body, speech, and mind. Your actions, speech, and thoughts should be inseparable from your mind training (training your mind in compassion and wisdom). After I read this slogan early this morning, I recalled immediately a passage from the spiritual...
