Consequences II

It is often the tragedies in life that help us evolve into better beings.  After I lost my job, life was kind of scary for a day or two.  As Sy and I began to develop a business plan for our new business, we settled down and laid the groundwork for the rest of our lives.  It has been a liberating experience for us that will allow us to shape our destiny.

Many spiritual traditions teach that endings are also beginnings.  We see in nature as nothing is wasted.  When life ends it recycles into nutrients for new life.  In life it is the same.  The loss of my job has opened up new opportunities that otherwise might not have been taken.   But with endings and beginnings comes change and learning.

When you have the security net of a regular weekly pay check it is easy to get caught in the pay check to pay check rat race.  It is easy to get caught up in the drama of day to day life.  In this state it is near impossible to live in the moment and be mindful of our thoughts and actions.  The resulting actions and consequences can cause suffering and further cycles of bad choices.

After the liberation of losing my job,  I find I have time for things like meditation, yoga and reflection.  I find that I am less stressed and angry.  I find that I can balance my life out instead of dedicating so much time to the corporation to go nowhere.  With this liberation came a wake up call to clean up the rest of our lives.

Sy and I have been fiscally lazy over the last years.  With the creation of our new business, and with the realization that we and we alone are responsible for our fiscal well being, especially without the security check each week from the rat race job,  we had to account and reign in our fiscal laziness.  It has been difficult, and we may lose our house, but it sets us on a path to a more sustainable and financially sound life.

There are other areas of our lives I could discuss in much the same way.  Sy and I are both stubborn.  Especially when it comes to communicating with one another.  Since I have lost my job,  we have had to work on our communication.  We communicate better now than probably any time in the last five years.  The trick is to be mindful of the moment and then the next.  If we get caught in the drama of the past and the worry of the future, then we aren't living right now.

Easier Said Than Done

One of the biggest obstacles we have in our journey to transcend suffering, is not living in the moment.  To be focused on right now.  When we choose to live in the moment, we can think and process the world around us with greater clarity.  As humans experiencing  suffering, we tend to lose track of the moment.  We often get stuck in a past moment with unresolved emotions, or thoughts.  At the same time we can become stuck in the future.  All of these unresolved moments add up to our suffering.

My biggest moment sticker is anger.  My anger often stems from my ego.  If I take slight at something that someone else does, I hold on to angry thoughts.  It is OK to be angry, but to holding on to it is the folly of suffering.  For instance if I am driving and somebody turns out right in front of me, and cuts me off, I get angry.  The problem is when I stay mad for the next ten minutes planning what I would say to this person in an angry manner. This is how easy it is to become stuck in the past and the future at the same time.

By deduction then it must be that the way out of our suffering comes from within us.  If it is true that we hold on to our suffering the it is true that we have the power to let go of our suffering.  This is profound.  It is something I have been able to experience in my life, but it is difficult to maintain if one does not live in the moment.

We can teach ourselves to live in the moment.  The best way is through meditation.  meditation is difficult.  If it weren't everyone would be doing it.  Meditation with focused breathing is very powerful.  Meditation is simply sitting with legs folded and one leg in front of the other, and hands on knees palms up.  Burning incense while meditating helps open one to spirit.  I also like to listen to meditation music or chanting while meditating.  Start by taking slow deep breaths.  Focus on deep rhythmic breathing.  One will notice various thoughts and emotions coming to the surface especially when one is new to meditation.  Acknowledge the thought and then refocus on breathing and or music.  The more you practice this, the easier it is to live in the moment.  We soon learn to let go of our attachments to our thought and emotions.  We resolve each moment as it happens.  It is also easier to see when we are becoming stuck in a moment, and correct it with a simple deep breath.

" A saint is a very simple man:  when he walks, he walks.  When he talks, he talks and that's all.  He doesn't think while listening, daydream while walking, see while touching.  This is hard.  That is why he is a saint."  Sujata, Beginning To See


Blessings
Rev. Jeremy

Suffering Is Natural, Fortunately It Is Also Optional

When I started this blog, I had no idea what direction it would go, but here it is.  It started as a place where I was examining my beliefs, and looking for something.  I was stuck spiritually.  I let the corrosion of the rat race and day to day life get in the way of practice.  That has changed recently.

I wanted to share that change with you now.  I am ordained through the Universal Life Church.  I was ordained in 1996 while I was incarcerated.  I recently came across The Universal Life Church Ministers Network.  It is an open place to share and discuss anything spiritual or religious.  It is a place where folks of many diverse traditions can come together and find and share common ground.  I have met several Heathens and Asatruar in the network, as well as Druids, Wiccans, Christians and many others.  There is a requirement of being ordained, but it does not have to be ULC. The ULC is also a liberal ordination church.

  We will Ordain anyone for life, without question of your faith

  We believe only in that which is right and everyone has the right to determine what is right          

  for themselves.

Towards the end of my period of incarceration just over ten years ago, I spent my time living a semi monastic lifestyle, with daily exercises in meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga, working, and working out.  After I got out, life happened and I have walked other paths.  As such these practices had pretty much stopped.  I have recently rededicated myself to the seekers path.  I have also taken up the study and practice of Buddhism.  I wanted to share a great  forum called Zen Sukoyaka Buddhist Forum/E-Sangha.  The Dharma of the Buddhas has given me insight into the other traditions from which I have incorporated many principles into my spiritual belief structure.

I have studied and practiced several varieties of Christianity, Wicca, Buddhism, and a whole host of other things.  My main faith lies in Asatru, the gods of northern Europe, the faith of my ancient ancestors.  I am finding new insights into all of these things in both of these forums.

For those who are unfamiliar with Buddhism, it is less a religion, and more of a path of transformation that shows us how to end our suffering.  Buddhism teaches Four Noble Truths.

1.  There is suffering.

2.  There is a cause for suffering.  It is our attachment to our desires, our emotions, and our negative habits.

3.  There is a way to end suffering.

4.  The way to end suffering is known as the Eightfold Noble Path.

1.  Right Understanding

2.  Right Thought

3.  Right Speech

4.  Right Action

5.  Right Livelihood

6.  Right Effort

7.  Right Mindfulness

8.  Right Concentration

The Eightfold Noble Path leads us toward developing three things in ourselves

1.  Moral sensitivity:  We learn to overcome ego, we become more sensitive to others needs and become more compassionate towards our fellow man.

2.  Meditation:  We learn to focus our mind with concentration on mind, body, and breathing.

3.  Wisdom:  Wisdom is developed when the mind becomes more resilient with practice of moral sensitivity and meditation.

If you are interested in learning more please visit the links I have provided above, or visit my profile pages at:

Universal Life Church Ministers Network:  My Profile 

Zen Sukoyaka Buddhist Forum/E-Sangha: My Profile

On Twitter:  @Ravenlaughing

--
Rev. Jeremy Cook