What to Do With Your Hands!

"The winner sows hatred because the loser suffers. Let go of winning and losing and find joy." - Buddha


I follow the Shambhala tradition, which was brought here to the US by Trungpa Rinpoche, a few years after he had fled from the Chinese invasion of Tibet. In the Shambhala tradition, one is encouraged to place their hands palm down on their thighs as they meditate. I got very used to doing this (attached, one might say), --most comfy. Then, we had a Zen master come to our meditation practice and he illustrated the Zen placement of the hands, where one rests both hands below the navel, and one hand rests in the cradle of the other, with the thumbs touching lightly (signifies a greater level of body concentration, as it was explained to me). So. . . I gave this method a try, and found that my shoulders seemed more relaxed when I assumed this position. However, at a level one training for Shambhala meditation practice, the class was encouraged to place their hands upon their thighs--this signifying a more openness to our surroundings and taking our meditation practice into daily life. I was quite surprised when inside me a bubble of rebellion surfaced! I didn't want to change back! I was quite happy, thank you very much. I want to do it my way. Eventually I figured out that my entire experience with the placement of the hands had been a learning exercise in attachment. I finally elected to proceed in the manner my venerable teacher had advised, and funny enough, I rest my hands on my thighs and my shoulders feel just fine nowadays. Of course, there are many, many schools of thought, or many placements for the hands (for many reasons, and these are the mudras), and you can choose the one that best suits you, and your purpose.

The 13th Dalai Lama gave discourse on a method similar to Zen practice, and also added that if the right hand is placed in the palm of the left, this is related to male tantra, and the opposite is related to female tantra. The tantra yogas are connected to the stimulation of the body's energy centers. I feel it best that my interpretation ends here, but if you wish to learn more about this subject, go to:
www.meditation-mantra.org/buddha-hand-position.html. Again, hand position is related to mudras, and this Facebook video gives a good introduction.

Next: The posture of the back!
Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

Sitting Right Makes a Difference

"Live in joy, without possessions, like the shining ones."-Buddha

I have never had great posture. Not even good. Slouch would probably describe my general posture. Not that I am lazy, or depressed, or such. I just never gave it much thought. So. . .when I first began to meditate, I was sitting up against the wall, and my back was screaming the entire time. I never thought I would be able to sit like everyone else at meditation, and certainly not like the lamas, monks and nuns I had seen in photos. But, fortunately for me, I had a patient, kind teacher who helped me come away from the wall, and find good posture, so I could sit and enjoy the experience. Not to say feet don't still go to sleep, or back aches here and there, or that there is not the need to check in from time to time during meditation to correct posture, but now sitting, physical sitting, is no longer a torture. His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama spent considerable time in his Great Prayer Sermon about sitting on the cushion, and he begins with:

The placement of feet. I quote: "In the tantric view, the coarse and subtle karmic energies, which carry the conceptional mind of images and image retainers, must be prevented from flowing into the side channels." Well, I need more study on all of that, but he explains that in the VAJRA posture, folding the right leg on top of the left symbolizes male, when left on top of right is female. To be honest, there are times I have to shift my legs, and maybe you will too. But, I find with continued practice, I can sit for longer and longer periods of time without having to shift at all. It is a process. What matters, I think, is the attitude, and willingness to learn and grow.

Next: Placement of the hands.

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

A Good Place to Sit

'Live in joy, without possessions, like the shining ones."-Buddha

Good day! If any have gone to the website, so sorry that there are problems! Hope to have things resolved soon! Guess problems are par for the course. . .

In any event I am most pleased to continue the discussion about the Six Preliminaries. Today is about the Third Preliminary: Sitting on the Meditation Cushion, in the vajra posture (full or half)--go to www.aboutmeditation.org/meditation-posture.php/ for an excellent overview of the vajra posture--and begin to open one's mind to thoughts of refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha and creating the "bodhimind".

When the Buddha sat upon the grass, knowing enlightenment was near, he took this oath:
My body may dry up and
My skin may fall from the flesh and bone
But I shall not rise from this seat
Until enlightenment, difficult to attain in many aeons,
Has finally been attained.

All night the Buddha remained in meditation, and at dawn he "manifested enlightenment". This was after many years of practice. Still, I am daunted by the oath! I have never felt such devotion and dedication to anything I have attempted.

It is important that your meditation cushion have enough padding so that one can sit for long periods of time without becoming too tired or physically uncomfortable. My understanding is that meditation is not torture we must endure, so it makes sense that when we sit, we create circumstances conducive to extended sessions. For some, it takes some experimentation to find just the right combination of cushions, and I suppose some of us need almost no cushion at all, and can simply assume the vajra position right on the ground, on the grass, just as the Buddha.

A straight back and open chest posture reflects our respect, discipline, and willingness to proceed, to open up to the bodhimind (path to enlightenment).

His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama goes into some length as to the correct placement of you body upon the cushion. Let's go into that tomorrow.

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

When a Set of Water Bowls Was Out of the Question

"Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled."-Buddha

Whenever funds feel tight, this is a good story to remember:

Lama Drub-khang Rinpoche began life under most inauspicious, humble circumstances. He was so poor (I know, it sounds like I'm going to start out with a joke!, but I'm not!), that his only possession was one wooden tea bowl. This bowl served as both plate and cup, and he also used it in preliminary preparations for meditation practice. He would take his one bowl, and fill it seven separate times, placing the full bowl on the altar after each time, and then letting it rest there for a few moments. In this way, he was able to offer the recommended seven bowls of water, it's just that the water was always in the same bowl! I myself did this before finding a small set of bowls that would fit upon the small space of my altar. It worked just fine! The 13th Dalai Lama says that "after some time his merits increased and his karmic obstacles were weakened. He no longer needed to use his tea cup for offering bowls."

May all my actions be virtuous actions.

And, why make these offerings in the first place? The 13th Dalai Lama explains that as we make these faultless offerings we can imagine ". . .that the object to which the offering is made is a manifestation of the Three Jewels of Refuge. Then the offering becomes a gift to all the Buddhas of the past, present and future. By making offerings to all the Buddhas we generate a tremendous force of meritorious energy." So, not god appeasement, but an opening of our hearts to the Buddha nature.

On Monday, the Third Preliminary: Sitting on the Meditation Cushion. Sorry there was no recipe this week, but uploading website was most time consuming, a lot of work and very joyful too!

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

Website up!

Great news! Worked all day to upload website, so sorry, but just too plain tuckered out to blog! But, you should visit the site: www.mountainsnows.net. You will most likely get a Register.com page, saying (on the left hand side) that Mountain Snows is "coming". Just click on this sentence and you will arrive at the website!

"Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted." -Buddha

Abide in peace and joy! Cynthia

Faultless Offerings

"Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate."
-Buddha

So, setting out offerings helps to generate positive spiritual energy for your meditation time. Here are some suggestions, but you may certainly go from here:
* 7 bowls of water, which represent: the sensory objects, including our own body, speech, mind and the five senses. It is recommended that the bowls are uniformly filled, symbolizing balanced meditation. (Tomorrow I will relate a most touching story about Lama Drub-khang Rinpoche, who was so poor early on in life that he could not afford the bowls to contain his water offerings).
*A small portion of food, placed in a special bowl (no leftovers, or peelings, etc.)
*Flowers (I love to use flowers from my garden, and through the Winter, I daily used a dried sprig of lavender, which retained its delightful scent the entire season). Wild flowers would also be lovely
*Incense
*Candles

As mentioned before, a picture of the Buddha should be included, as well as pictures of any teachers, lamas/gurus whose teachings you study. Once all the objects are carefully and respectfully arranged on your altar, please take a moment to consider them, their beauty, symbolism and significance.

Most important, it is the attitude behind the offerings that matter, not their cost. Lama Drub-khang Rinpoche's story tomorrow.

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

Buddhist Basics

"We are what we think." -Buddha

By now I think people can tell that this website is all about the basics! It is my hope that as I progress and learn, that my experiences, along with any materials I have read and then share, will be of great benefit to others new to the study of Buddhism!

Today I will continue with His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama's wonderful instructions on the Six Preliminaries for meditation practice. Let's look into what he had to say about the Second Preliminary: arranging faultless offerings. Faultless does not refer to perfect, expensive objects that will be the envy of all who gaze upon them. What you use as offerings have no intrinsic value. What matters here is one's attitude, how you make the offerings. If you cannot afford a lovely framed picture of the Buddha, a simple rock or even a grain of sand will do--they can represent the Buddha in your mind. Setting out offerings reflects one's spiritual conviction. It is a discipline.

Discipline. That's a stickler for me! I think of discipline, and I think of constriction, a barrier to my personal freedom! Why do I need discipline in order to meditate?

Turns out, discipline is quite helpful, and it is good to set my ego aside. And, it is my ego that gets ruffled here. But, I am reminded of a story told by Pema Chodron (an American Buddhist nun who has written many books, including "When Things Fall Apart"--highly recommended, deals with Chaos!). She relates that when she first started to study Buddhism and meditation in the early 70's with Chogyam Trungpa in Boulder, Colorado, there was one time, during meditation that one person decided to lay down and take a bit of a nap. They later explained that they wanted to "be good" to themselves. Life was tough, and they felt they deserved to be pampered a bit. Life is tough. But, I think I am discovering that the pampering doesn't really address this challenge. Discipline, however, does.

I am a better person when I am disciplined, no matter what it is I am doing.

Tomorrow's blog will get into suggestions for offerings.

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

Throw Away Inner Negativities

"My imagination is my main Buddha image."
Je Kun-pang-pa

A third entry on cleaning the space for meditation! Interesting that His Holiness had so much to say upon the subject! While he stressed that the altar be simple and uncomplicated, he seemed to emphasize that the symbolism behind the actions of preparation were of the major import.

Once the dirt has been swept up (being mindful of the First Noble Truth and karma), when that dirt is discarded, you can think about the idea that the dirt symbolizes your inner negativity, and that you are casting this negativity away, far from you, never to enter your consciousness again. This discarding is an allusion to the inherent union of the truth of cessation (ending suffering),and the truth of the path. All at once, His Holiness has brought together all Four Noble Truths: life contains suffering, suffering has a cause, suffering can be brought to end, there is a designated path to end suffering.

In western culture we seem to struggle with just slowing down, and reflecting on the world and ourselves. When I first began to clean my meditation space, I didn't pause to really think about what I was doing. I guess, we spend a lot of time in our lives not thinking about what we are doing! The First Preliminary helps me slow down, begin to think and feel calm. I hope the practice will bring you peace also.

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

Next: The Second Preliminary: Arranging on the Altar Faultless Offerings

French Silk Pie!

"Gray hairs do not make a master."
Buddha

The first of the Four Noble Truths is that life contains suffering. While cleaning our meditation space, His Holiness suggests that we contemplate that the dirt we are sweeping away represent negative karmic seeds and the delusions within ourselves and others. As the dirt is removed, we can think about negative karma fading, and in the place of these inner impurities we can begin to experience the deeper wisdom, inherent in all of us.

As commentary, many a time I had just finished sweeping my meditation space, when our old dog, who shed enough hair to weave a tapestry, would stroll on by (remember, our house is small, and all open with no separate rooms but for the bathroom), and I could actually see the hair slowly, gracefully float to the floor. I would shake my head: more dirt, more karma!

No posts on the weekends, so on Monday I'll go into the second of the Four Noble Truths and how it can be reflected in preparing your space for meditation.

BUT! For now, FRENCH SILK PIE!

You will need:
1 pie crust (can buy ready made at store, or make yourself)
For filling:
two sticks of butter (one can never have enough butter!)
1 1/2 cups sugar (don't use raw, as unfortunately the texture will not be right)
8 tablespoons cocoa
5 eggs (I get my eggs from my neighbor up the road, so I know the chickens are treated well)

Brown pie crust in 425degree oven.
Cream softened butter, sugar and cocoa for a minimum of 5 minutes! Be patient. It is all the beating that makes the pie silky! Add each egg one at a time, beating for 5 minutes after each. Scape the bowl often, and I sample quite regularly, just to be sure everything is going well! After all the eggs have been added (yes, you are correct: you will have beaten the mixture for a total of 30 minutes, but it is so worth it!), pour into cooled pie crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. You can put whipped cream, chopped nuts or chocolate bits on top, if you want to be fancy. ENJOY!!!!

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia

A Clean Place to Practice

When His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama begins his
instruction on the Six Preliminaries, he starts with
Cleaning the Place of Practice, the First Preliminary.
He mentions that as far as good places to practice,
a traditional cave that has in the past been used by great
mediators is the best! How I would love that! Imagine
traveling to Tibet and being allowed to meditate in a
spot where some of the wisest lamas have sat! If you have the opportunity, a retreat cabin is wonderful, but just as good is any quiet place in your own home.

As I have mentioned before, I love the symbolism associated with many of the physical acts of practicing Buddhism. When cleaning the space you will use while meditating, His Holiness suggests that you imagine our entire world being thus cleansed and purified. He offers this verse for one to recite while cleaning:

May all the world become free from
All harsh qualities, such as thorns.
May it become as smooth as lapis lazuli
And as tender as the palm of one's hand.

How truly lovely. This verse encourages us to link the act of purifying the site with our personal goal of creating our own Buddhafield after enlightenment. (To find out more about a Buddhafield, go to: www.answers.com/topic/buddha-k-etra.)

Already, one can appreciate that there certainly is more to the idea of cleaning the meditation area than just a cursory glance would provide. So deliberate. So much concentration. So "Now". Mindful. One can begin practicing mindfulness, or paying close attention to what we are doing in the "now", with the outwardly simple task of sweeping away the dust.

His Holiness also explains how reflecting on the act of cleaning can be a contemplative exercise on the Four Noble Truths! Who would have thought! Let's get into that tomorrow.

By the way, French Silk Pie recipe on Friday. No blog entries on the weekends!

Abide in peace and joy, Cynthia