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http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/events/Dalai_Lama This talk by HH is happening now in the University of Limerick in the Rep of Ireland. Please tune in, for those who are interested. Some lovely intro choral chanting by the University's Christian fellowship to warm up the event! May the merits of this program/talk go out as rains of blessings to all sentient beings.

Should life be perceived as life, which then implies birth (of life) and death (of same life), then suffering is imminent. Try viewing life without the words. Delimit your verbal and intellectual assessments of life in an attempt to live life instead of talking about it. You might be surprised at how such an exercise could bring you to the threshold of bliss and clarity, almost as if one is on a constant verge of orgasming, yet never really peaking. Gradually, the pleasurable feelings comes wave after wave, unending, always one followed by another and another. When this is experienced, then the next exercise is the challenge to drop even this ecstatic practice. Then you might get a glimpse of what is meant by the words, "No birth, no old age, no death". Such a realization is like tasting the nectar of immortality, and instead of hankering after this higher, more exquisite and sublime experience, which creates yet another round of craving, albeit a higher and subtler one, this too, is abandoned after a while. IF you can achieve this, not much can harm you or dislodge you from your center. You remain awake, without the need for much analysis, approval, and your fervent seeking and self-loathing will dissipate. If you insist on remaining depressed, at least use this need mindfully, and learn something from this present state of yours. By all means, be the depression - set aside two hours a day exclusively for indulging and wallowing in despair. Then when the time is up, get up and go about your business with a gladder outlook. Its harder than it sounds - this voluntary, consciously aware act of actually wanting to be depressed within a limited daily timeframe. So the next time you feel down, dont welcome it or reject it - just be with it without any judgements or analysis, and observe what takes place inside you.

Why do you think this? SJ and his observations, to me, are always pretty sound. I do not see him as a hater at all. Not sure, but it may be that your vision has been tainted. And its not a LOL matter either.

Not actually. Those who make it a habit to be less dependent on the faculty of intellect can choose to be more dependent on spontaneous awareness, yet retain the sharpness and in fact, experience heightened intellectual prowess most of the time. Mindfulness is different from mindlessness. Although both denotes some sort of surrender, the crux is that in one instance there is full awareness and the exercise of conscious choice, hence the right ones are made most of the time, whereas in the other instance, the surrender is often accompanied by anxiety, frustrations and small accidents resulting from a choiceless lack of attention.

What is the yardstick for measuring his enlightened status? I am thinking his appeal lies in the possibility that he is soft spoken, and that he possesses quite a humble demeanor. Many would equate gentleness with enlightened status, but such a view can, and often is, lacking. I would not consider him enlightened, nor would i consider him unenlightened. He is a propagator of a message, a messenger with an angle on how to conduct oneself in ways that offer the possibility of thinking, speaking and acting mindfully. There are many on this board that does exactly the same thing, so those who do, would perhaps not care if Tolle is or is not enlightened. I can surely see that he is a wise man for sure. What more could one ask for? Maybe the more un-centered i am, the more centered he would appear - does this make sense? The more strife there is - the less equanimity there is in the world - the more people crave for peace. I believe the way of Tao teaches this... and this is exactly to the point.

Quite surreal indeed, Hagar. You must have accrued some merit to witness these exhibits, including bumping into the 3 High-end users!! The Dalai Lama will be giving a public address in the university here http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/events/Dalai_Lama in a couple of days, entitled "The Power of Forgiveness", while a couple of days ago, police up north, about 300 miles away, secured a van which was abandoned on the motorway - apparently inside it they found a 500 lb bomb destined for the destruction of a nearby urban area. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/van-on-newry-motorway-contained-500lb-bomb-15140394.html Just another parallel, surreal moment in time...

I am just wondering here if Truth can be assigned a 'nature'? Its been said there are two kinds of truths - relative and absolute. Truths which belong in the realm of relativity can be like fingers which points at the moon, and then, there is just the awe-inspiring wonderment of being the moon, a process that can be experienced when one goes beyond the limits of the senses. Here, words are often grossly inadequate as a means of definition, simply because the moment the experience is verbalized, the past sets in, since there cannot be any verbalizations unless one engages some sort of reference point, and such points can only be located against the backdrop past experiences and over a canvas that has already been painted. Truth can only be lived in. Moment to moment awareness gets one close to living in this, i think. Its about getting used to dropping all that we know, for all that is known is necessarily in the past. To live in Truth, one needs to learn to habituate a regime that excludes a dependancy on words and intellectual intelligence. For many, this is the daunting challenge, but very much a vital one.

Hi MPG, Its always good to keep an open mind. Even spiritual teachers i know acknowledge the workings of the paranormal, like Tsem Tulku here, who has created a blog on it - http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/2011/02/new-category-tell-me-what-you-think.html Perhaps you might consider sharing your experiences with him. He is a very engaged Lama, and if he feels your situation demands urgent positive intervention, which you need to express sincerely if you are to communicate with him, then there is a good chance he will assist you in some way. He could be very busy, and you might not get any response for a while. If this is the case, you can always try mailing your queries (for protection, purification and pacification) to his team of senior liaisons. Should you need further information, and if there is anything you think i could assist with, kindly PM. I grew up in a country steeped in supernatural beliefs and magical practices, so there may be a possibility that i could help in some way. For now, i would suggest for you to go and do some good deeds and offer some merit to other beings, like freeing some fish or birds from captivity. Or go do some voluntary work in a retirement or funeral home. This will help generate quite a bit of merit, but dont be selfish - whatever benefits that you may derive/experience, always dedicate it to the alleviation of suffering in the world. In this way, surely, the compassionate Buddhas and Dharma Protectors will grant you favorable shielding from harm. If not this, at least you will be creating merit for future blessings. May you be protected.

Puppet, puppeteer, audience and props. Life perhaps? Not one is more significant than the other. That which designate importance, differences in levels and roles, higher and lower, self and other... mesmerized by apparitions and concepts, projections and mirages, one gets lost in the differentiations and nuances of existence, and seek to find, or mend a way back to wholeness, simplicity, to oneness, to wisdom, to God... is this all ego's grand play? Even if a piece of cloth is cut into a thousand smaller pieces, is each one of this thousand pieces essentially diminished as material? In truth, things are as they are. Unfortunately, we often cannot resist the temptation to want to make sense of things.. to analyze and dissect, to understand and segregate.... And this is the birth of perceptions of fragmentation, where we choose to assign roles - puppet, puppeteer, audience and props. Its good to have discernment, but attachments and aversions that follow this seems to fulfill the ego's hunger. When attachments and aversions are left behind, liken to when one is taking a leisurely stroll thru the forest, or sitting on the dunes watching a sunset, which does not have to be anything special or magnificent btw, does the ego then still demand attention for separation and exclusiveness? Hence, where is the difference between communing in, and with nature, and interacting among the 'crowd' within the framework of mundanity? Ego is that which prevents one from seeing the seamless, inseparable nature of things. As things are. And as things are, fragmentation cannot be any less equal than wholeness (or oneness). When one is okay within both views, then struggle ceases. When struggle and strife is pacified, ego 'dies'.... Just musing....

Hi Aaron, Interesting thoughts... thank you for sharing another layer of your understanding. Such endeavors will yield many fruits, so i wish you much happiness and vigor as you meander along the path towards deeper insights. Perhaps these words from Thich Nhat Hanh could further highlight some of the intricacies of the hows, the whys and the wheres of Consciousness. I think you will find this quite useful../ http://archive.thebuddhadharma.com/issues/2006/summer/consciousness.html Have a nice day.

This http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1KtScrqtbc (the Hollies - He Aint Heavy) is one of my all time favorite heart tunes. They dont make songs like these no more... pity. Anyway, i want to gift this to the Bums who are planning a coast-to-coast migration... may you guys always be inspired! Japan and her people are on this long, uncertain road... let us reach out to them with our hearts, and offer them peace and hope as they come to grips with what has unfolded, and is unfolding. Thank you all.

To all the Bums with Irish connections.... Wishing all of you a wonderful day, a day of good cheer, laughter and gaiety - ... a day filled with hopes and dreams of bright beginnings with each dawn ... and with each sunset, may your spirit rest content in the knowledge that you had made a cheerful difference... no matter how small, in someone's life.

Touche! I kept coming back to read and re-read this post. Reflected like a true sage... your kindness, humility, forbearance, insight and pleasant disposition shone thru in this post. There is much to be learnt from your wisdom.

Anyone who feels pain when injustice and discrimination is observed, practices compassion in the presence of tragedy and grief, and stands upright in aid and defense of the oppressed, the sick, and the helpless.... such a one is a true human being, regardless of philosophical, spiritual or religious inclinations. Above all else, its where one's heart is that matters.

Nicely said KK. Been eating white rice (of different varieties) all my life. No major negative impact so far - weight has been pretty constant, hovering around 62 kg (give or take 2 kg) since i was a teenager. I am now 51. In great health... and i do not even have the luxury of a fixed exercise regime. No major illness or even minor ones... on a side-note though, when the tragic quake/tsunami hit Japan, i suddenly developed a massive toothache, but I am sure its more to do with a bleeding heart than having eaten white rice for so many years. The Thai and Vietnamese folks here stick (no pun intended) to the jasmine variety as a staple, whereas traditionally the Chinese are very devoted to the long grain (the trend is shifting somewhat among the younger set), and the Indians basmati of course. As some of you might know, my day job is cheffing (Asian cuisine), and at home, i stock all three varieties. If i am making Indian curried dishes, then i would put on the basmati - for Asian dishes, i would cook a mixture of jasmine and long grain, in a 80:20 ratio. Flavor and texture combine to offer immense satisfaction to any rice connoisseur! In any event, as in all things, moderation is a wonderful habit.

Hi everyone! Just bought this today (trailer) and thoroughly enjoyed the movie! I know some of you who are keen Martial Artists and practitioners will like it, especially the Wing Jun students. There is a second part as well - trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkHvX_XluS0&feature=related Part one traces his life in China, and part two in Hong Kong. Both movies are really good, but i slightly prefer the first part.

Will PM you... maybe the two of you can hook up. He is in Austin.

Hey, that's brilliant! How long have you been practicing? Ever heard of this Sifu? Was told by a friend, a Wing Jun teacher in Texas, that he is one of the best in the US.

Sometimes movies can be entertaining and inspirational without being factually accurate.

There was this man i had worked with who had major acne issues... on his face and body. Yet he was one of the most, if not the most, sought-after public speaker and motivational/sales/leadership consultant in the region. He was charismatic, and exuded immense confidence. Although married with kids, it did nothing to deter being paid plenty of attention from the ladies, who apparently were much more attracted to his personality and style rather than his looks. He knew how to make others feel as though they were the most important person in the world... Well, this is the key to winning people's hearts i believe, and i'd wager that as you set about detoxifying your physical system (What Orb said is quite true), getting and digesting a copy of Napoleon Hill's 'How To Win Friends and Influence People' and work at it in tandem would do you a world of good. As for detox and blood purification, from what others have shared with me, and also from personal experience, its been found that Stinging Nettle http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-Benefits-Of-Nettle&id=120823 and Bitter Melon http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-Benefits-of-Ampalaya-(Bittergourd)&id=941524 does the biz with great efficacy. Personally i am a big fan of the melon, and enjoy eating it as a vege stir-fried in with fermented soya or black beans. As for the nettle, its good to consume it fresh, but if its not available where you are, then try the tincture form or as a tea. Another great healing plant is the Aloe - in gel form for external use, and for internal use, its available as a juice. Please, if you are going for aloe, its best to get the premium quality products, or even better, grow your own. All the best to you!

Actually, the essence of Buddhism is the alleviation of self-imposed, distorted views of dualistic projections. This does not mean that Buddhism teaches that all is One. What it means is that when Two is seen and grasped at, or rejected for that matter, it follows that One will arise in the mind... some want to cling to this One, and say this is the all, whereas there will be those who refute this and say there is no One, there is only the All. Fundamentally, such distinctions arise due to the grasping of Two. When the grasping nature of self is transcended, then neither One (singularity) nor Two (multiplicity) needs to be asserted nor negated. What remains then? So the nature of life itself is not suffering, as many seem to misunderstand, but it is the grasping after things that by nature is ungraspable that brings about an illusion of suffering (cravings for permanency). Buddhist teachers often discourage the wasting of one's energy to argue trivialities about things that are too vague and too complex for a mind to fathom - instead, they would encourage mindfulness, loving kindness and compassion to be cultivated, and then integrated into one's daily life. Such useful practices are within everyone's reach, and will lead to the extinction of negative emotions and habitual tendencies. What does it matter if all is One, or not? What is more crucial is to watch and discern how one thinks, speak and act towards self and others, and regard others with the same kind of respect and affection as one would regard one's parents. This sort of attitude engenders the development of tolerance, understanding, shared ideals, and positive participation in Life. And we all need such qualities by the truckloads. Naturally, there are some who have major issues with their parents... they were brought up abused, neglected, given away for adoption etc. Well, then these are all the more reasons, according to Buddhist teachings, to quickly invite more loving kindness and tolerance into one's view of self, so that healing and transformation can be effected.

Belonging... We never really slept, just buried clocks in the sanctuary of night every time i moved you moved with me, winged eyelashes on your cheek returns a kiss small spaces of silence in between borrowed breaths arms tighten at the whisper of a name all the words of the heart the unanswered questions are at this moment blue rolling waves tonight our souls rest fragrant in spiritual essence candle-flamed, undamaged utterly belonging. - Eileen Carney Hulme

If you cannot avoid smoking, at least smoke mindfully. I have a number of Buddhist friends who smoke. They do so just to enjoy the harm it brings !! (kidding eh?) These same folks can just as easily not smoke, for days, weeks or months, if necessary. For example, when they go into solitary retreats, smoking is abandoned. During fasting times, smoking is abandoned, and so on. Addiction is an attachment - wanting to be free of it can also be another attachment. Hence the Buddha encouraged investigation into who is this person, this I, who is prone to life's attachments and aversions? He said to be mindful of one's thoughts, speech and actions, as a basis of one's practice. Over time, and many hours of contemplation, this culminates in mindfulness of mindfulness itself. At that point, one will realize there is no prison, no prisoner, no freedom, no bondage. Enjoy your smoke, MH!

Quite often, striving to do all one can to overcome addiction, leading to a perceived freedom from a hellish addiction, could also branch off to another form of addiction. Simply put, the elation of becoming free, or the taste of being 'clean', can also be an addiction. The bliss and ecstasy of thinking one has finally succeeded in tackling what one thinks is a harmful form of abuse could potentially sow the seeds of becoming a different sort of abuser.

Compassion is like a spiritual muscle... it needs to be pumped, to be worked on in order to grow. Its love in action. Where expectations and discriminations cease, true kindness reveals itself, just as the sun's brightness and warmth is felt when clouds disperse. Each time an opportunity to practice loving kindness is forsaken, ignored, missed, procrastinated... love dies a little. Its like a purposeful intention to invite and to allow clouds to gather, instead of living in the light that is one's true nature. Practicing compassion does not mean doing great and noble deeds to benefit masses of beings. Sometimes, all it takes is a genuine, heartfelt desire, an inner feeling of intent, for wanting others to experience freedom from anguish, pain, desperation, desolation, hunger, abuse, and last but not least, helplessness. In Buddhist understanding, this is called generating bodhicitta. This is an excellent teaching on the wisdom cultivation of bodhicitta - http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=433&chid=767 Equanimity is not a buddhist thing, not a taoist thing... its not even a thing, dammit - its simply having the even sight to see others as equally deserving of joy and happiness, just as oneself is. Its like an attitude...