Insight #4. Once decided, do it immediately!

Insight #3. Feel the pain, liberate within....

I have decided to do a tattoo tomorrow. Why? One of the reasons I wanted to do it was it has been my desire to get one since young. Being brought up in a conservative family, a tattoo is considered an act that would bring shame to the family...

I've always considered myself as different from the rest of my siblings. My thinking, my view about life and the things I do, it's abnormal to my folks, sound pretty normal to me. 

Pain... yes I want to feel the pain that we all want to avoid. Another form of suffering I guess. I'll gladly put up the pain to have  my tattoo tattooed on my right arm. 

Yes.. I'm getting one tomorrow.. I'm excited and happy actually... :D It is one of the many experiences I will like to add to my realm...

Sadhu and Sarva Mangalam...

Insight #2. Random Thoughts...learn to wield it..

Have you ever stopped for a while and put your mind down? Meditate? I've been trying to meditate these days. No. I'm unlike the Guru or experienced spiritual masters who could sit in padmasana *lotus posture* for hours. I could barely survive 20 mins. However, I try to meditate around 20 mins each day if my schedule permits. Whenever I try to quiet the mind, I realized that the mind is a stubborn thing. It will always get carried away with a lot of random thoughts. I am aware that I have a steady current of thoughts flowing in and out of my mind. It is a task for me to gather my mind back as it goes astray. I start by focusing on my breath. And the sensation on the tip of my nose. 

My mind is like a wild creature. It doesn't want to stop. It will take me to places and will keep me occupied. This is the creature we must take hold and control. Point in observation: As you further your meditation, you will also realize that the mind is a dynamic force to be reckon with. It creates and creates, just non-stop. An influx of information flashes before you. Things you have yet to finish during the day, things that were bugging you because you couldn't find a solution to resolve it, Non related stream of thoughts will hit you left right, up and down. So this is the mind...

Sounds like a difficult thing to do: control the mind. Grandmaster says its do-able.  We can control our own minds. It's just a matter of focus and concentration. Being mindfully aware is a challenge for me everyday. I should know better, I'm always out-of-focus ( :  Despite these weakness, I am going to do it because I know I can overcome this. . . It will take time but I know I can do it. It has to start with a small step... 

The wise have left this: 

To make a long journey, one must take the first little step

 

I am still taking little steps on my daily meditation practice... I hope you will too... Meditation is not only beneficial to the mind, it is also a great stress buster and a good way to spend time with yourself. . . 

Sadhu and Sarva Mangalam

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Insight #1. Celebrate diversity...

We're all different. We differ in culture, tradition, spiritual beliefs, lifestyle, character, personality, physical features and wisdom. But we have the same substance. Our nature is one. Just as the Buddha's, our nature is as like His. One is the difference? Our minds have yet to realized what He has realized. And the same goes forth to all spiritual teachers and masters.  Tuning ourselves so that our frequency is the same with the enlightened ones is not impossible. It's just a journey that may be long to others, short for some... It's not the destination.. but the road that is taken that will define us and make us realize our own nature... 

Having said that, I looked back and the journey is on going and there's more ahead, for me to learn and see if I can overcome whatever that is put in front of me :D So don't lash out the judgement in a flash, hold on to it and be open, see things differently from own pre-conceived opinions. . . There's more to it than the eye... 

The wise have left this:

Don't judge a book by its cover. . .

  Let that be a part of the mantras you use in your daily life to find your balance in your own realm. . .

Sadhu and Sarva mangalam...