Nothing Is Forever. Enjoy Today.

 Every day we think of what we must do: work, school, errands, etc. Where’s the moment when we realise we are living in the moment? There are so many things that preoccupy ourselves, whether we want those things to take our time or not.

I have still been plagued by body pain mostly in my back/spine/hips. I saw a rheumatologist this week and she suggested that the pain is muscular rather than arthritic because the pain doesn’t respond to pain relievers that normally work for arthritic conditions. She recommended that I have a “nuclear test” – yes that’s right. Pump small amounts of radioactivity into me and take pictures to see where the substance accumulates, like an x-ray from the inside out. At one thought it sounds cool that we have the technology, on the other, it’s downright almost way too scary and science fictional. But, it’s something that should be done to find out what’s going on. I promise myself when this test happens, I will be aware and in control. As much as I will wish I am somewhere else, I will think of what will come of it and maybe I’ll get to see some neat pictures. Oh, and a diagnosis.

With all this pain preoccupying myself for the winter and spring seasons, I’ve finally become used to the pain that despite it hurting and some days barely any pain, I can now enjoy doing things again. It gets pretty boring just to get up in pain, go to work, come home and try to forget it. In the past few months, I’ve learned to not take things too seriously and relax to try to lessen my pain. Last week was the first time I picked up my guitar in five months since this whole situation started and I started playing drums – a real feat for someone hurting for a long time, but sitting helps.

Life continues and we must remember that nothing is permanent. If we let things hold us back, we’ll miss out on what we’re meant to do. This pain has lasted five months, and although it seems to go away and come back, its nature is impermanent.

As bad as something is, it can’t stay that way forever. That notion in itself can bring some comfort. And although it may be due to our karma, it doesn’t mean we are completely helpless to it. We can do something about it from this point onward. Carpe diem.

FENDER STRATOCASTER (Photo credit: X2N)

 

Peace. Love. Pugs. And Rock ‘n’ Roll.

My Happy Pug

 

It’s Time To Wake Up!

When we hold on to views and illusion, we fool ourselves and we suffer because of it. Buddhism shows that we must “wake up” to reality. Many of us are in denial of how things are and we try to make them into something they are not. We add “labels” to things; whether something is “too difficult”, “too many”, “not enough”, “good”, “bad”… but things are just as they are. What could be too much for you perhaps could be not enough for someone else.

This may sound corny, but I like Oogway from Kung Fu Panda. This may not be traditional dharma, but there is “truth” to Oogway’s words spoken below:

Oogway (Photo credit: Tim.Deering)

Oogway:  My friend, the panda will never fulfill his destiny, nor you yours until you let go of the illusion of control.
Oogway: Yes. [points at peach tree] Look at this tree, Shifu: I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time.
Shifu: But there are things we *can* control: I can control when the fruit will fall, I can control where to plant the seed: that is no illusion, Master!
Oogway: Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.

Plant peach seed – you get peaches!

 

We must awaken to reality to see things how they really are. When we go with the natural flow, we struggle less. When we recognize things as they are, we are better prepared to deal with them.

 

Living in The Moment Like a Zen Pug

 It is said that dogs live in the moment. Do you? When I look at my smiling pug, he’s living in the moment. I can tell him what has happened or what we will do tomorrow, and he won’t care. He wonders what’s going on at that moment and what will come to him at that moment. Sometimes he lives in anticipation, but he’s living in the moment of his desires and fears. Particularly, when all his needs are met (food, water and going outside to do “business”), he is the most happy and is content to just sleep.

 

Happy, Sleeping Pug

When our basic needs are met, shouldn’t we just be happy to just “be”? Too often we’re thinking about what’s next to do or what has happened. When we live in the past or the future, we miss the present. One ideology states that the present is all that we have. The past is gone and the future has not happened. All we have is today.

When I look at my pug and he’s smiling, I know he is truly happy. Sometimes, I wish I could be as happy as my dog is. But, I know I can be. My dog has his toys to play with, but in a true sense he doesn’t own a thing. No house, no cars… but he is happy. If I had nothing, would I be just as happy as he is? Happiness is a state of mind not afflicted by external influences. Things can add to your happiness, but they are temporary.

Living in the Moment – Going for a Car Ride!

If we live in the moment, and focus on our internal state of mind, then the past and future have little influence on our happiness because the present moment is all that we have.

I call my little pug a happy Zen Pug. He is a good example of Buddha nature, of mindfulness and living in the moment. He asks for so little, just for his needs to be met as I take care of him, and he gives much more in return. More than he could possibly realise.

So, live in the moment. Don’t regret the past, don’t fear the future. If you live in the past or the future, you will miss today. Today is all that we have.

The enso, a symbol of Zen Buddhism (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy Birthday Buddha!

Lantern on Buddha’s birthday

May 5 2012 marked the day to celebrate Buddha’s birthday, enlightenment and passing to nirvana. That day one should take particular note of the precepts. I kept it in mind all day today, but did not practise how I intended. I haven’t been feeling well for the past three months, so any time I have that I’m not hurting, I prefer to do nothing. Sounds pathetically selfish, right? But, I call those my “zen moments” of doing nothing, I do just that. Sit. Listen. Relax. Do Nothing. Even when you do nothing, you’re doing SOMETHING. You breathe. You sit. You think (or don’t think).

I spent the day with my dog, my husband, doing a little bit of errands and making a good small meal. I like to eat in peace, usually with little to no distraction, so I can enjoy my food. That, you may call, is another zen moment.

Although, I may honestly say, I most likely will not attain nirvana in this life, because I have become attached to many things in this life of mine – as comfortably and yet sometimes difficult it may be – I prefer to make it worthwhile for my loved ones and for other sentient beings to make use of my life.

So no matter how you spent today, may it have been with the precepts in mind, and in good company to keep you happy and healthy.

Namaste.

Just Breathe

Image via Wikipedia

Breathing is something we do every day, every minute; mostly without even thinking about it.  So why is it when we become stressed, we forget to breathe?  Something so innate; something biologically instilled in us since the day we are born; we forget the simple act of breathing when we become consumed with rage, fear or stress.  Do you forget to breathe when you become stressed?  But you might say, “of course I breathe.  If I didn’t, I would cease to exist.”  True, but do you breathe mindfully?

I have learned through Buddhism, particularly from Zen Buddhism, about mindfulness.  When something becomes stressful to me, whether at home or at work, I have to pause for a few moments or minutes and bring myself to the present time.  Not thinking about what happened or what I’m supposed to do, or what will happen if I do “A” and not “B” and all the other hypothetical questions and situations that take me away from the present moment.  When you breathe mindfully, it brings you to the present moment where there is no worry or stress.  It’s just that moment.  It is a moment and then that moment will pass and a new one will begin.

Some people when they are stressed at work need to get up and walk away from the problem to clear their mind.  This can be good if you know how to do walking meditation and can go for a quick walk to bring you back to reality.  You can also sit at your desk and breathe mindfully instead of choosing to become stressed, angry or worrisome.

I am often amazed how as an adult, time moves very quickly in general.  One day we’re saying “Happy New Year” then next we’re saying “Happy New Year” all over again and find ourselves asking where the year went.  When you practice mindfulness, it’s like pressing the “pause” button on your DVD player and enjoying the moment away from distraction.  When you stop to breathe, you live in that moment – not the past, not the future, but now.

Next time you have your coffee or tea, stop and don’t think.  Just live.  Just breathe.