RE: The Ten Stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path
Greetings @reddust, hope you are doing well. Did you feel the ingress of Uranus into Taurus? Will be there for 7 years. The energy lingers.
The Buddhists love numbering things don't they? I wonder if it is a cultural thing or if they pattern after the Buddha himself.
I like the 10 ways of contemplation. One could use these as meditations perhaps.
I like the idea of being a Bohisattva, but don't see it happening this lifetime. However, I do like the idea of being enlightened and being able to better guide others to a peaceful and meaningful life. Looks like I'll have to get stem cell treatments... I may need a few extra years.
I'm rather... hmnnn... what would you say? On a spiritual path similar to that of Buddhists but not so dedicated to the practices or teachings. However that may change. For now I seem to be following a more mundane path with Steemit and other things... trying to put into practice what I have learned and what I'm becoming.
Going on a mens retreat tomorrow for a couple of days. Always enjoy that. A time of fellowship and simple friendship and sharing.
I appreciate your friendship. May you be blessed with peace.
Happy Friday, Odin's lovely wife day! Everything is going well on my side of the fence and I hope the same for you.
The planet energy has been heavy and coarse, I've been using it to get my housekeeping and gardening work done...I am exhausted...lolol
Are you really getting Stem cell treatment? I've heard such good things about recovering from old injuries!
The 10 ways can be used as a meditation tool as I wrote out the passages I recognized my own aspirations listed. Although I am a long way from the Bhumis I can see some results from my practice and studies.
It's nice to go through these teachings after all these years. I am writing this series more as a reminder for me and in gratitude to my teachers and if other people find the articles pleasing and helpful this doubles up on my joy!
Enjoy your time with the men, I love hanging out with the guys and hear their talk flow around me. I listen to Joe Rogan's podcast just because I love to listen to guys shoot the breeze!
When I read about Buddhism in a book about religions I knew immediately I wanted to try the teachings and and I needed a teacher to help me learn how to help myself. I knew I couldn't do this on my own because I had been trying for years to help myself let go of my PTSD. I went to therapy, plus I took medication for panic attacks and night terrors with no cure and my symptoms became worse on the antidepressant medication. After years of being on my own I knew in my heart I needed a guide to help me through the dark woods so I could find the light in my heart. My intuition came true, I found what I was looking for and so much more.
Your story of coming to Buddhist practice is classic. When confronted with pain and suffering we seek a path out. Some turn to various addictions or other run-away behaviors, but then there are those who are fortunate enough to seek true inner spiritual work. And then we come to a point where we actually are grateful for the wounds that caused us to seek the Light. Perhaps it takes a few life times to have the soul maturity to do that...but I'm grateful.
I think I'll make a quick post about that this morning and then start packing up for the retreat. I'm in charged of food and meals for 45 men for the weekend. Have been doing that for the past 4 years. I enjoy it though I'm no cook. Have "volunteers" who I rope into the actual cooking.
I think one of my favorite parts of spiritual path is that, like this morning, I feel/felt a calmness, a solidity of not-knowingness, a very sensitive condition where the slightest shift in energies is felt. It's like boundaries are softened and one's energy is ...um...like gentle flowing water. Well, hope that makes sense.
May you be blessed and at peace this weekend.