How did I get here?

[CatsEye]

We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think.

Buddha

In essence, our life is a physical manifestation of our thoughts.

[pjb45]

Not being knowledgable in zen.

I believe I am the person I want to be. I do not blame others because I am not rich, strong, or whatever.

I hold myself accountable for who I am.

I like the old poem, I am the Captian of my ship and the Master of my Fate.

[Biloxi23]

NO THOUGHT

If you want to awaken it is necessary to always observe and examin yourself.

When errant thougts suddenly arise, do notgo along with them at all; reduce thm, reduce them, reduce them, until you reach the point of non-contrivance, which is the ultimate act.

Therefore it is said that even as you fullu cultivate myriad practices, only no thought is to be considered a basis.

Chinul

[benos]

NO THOUGHT

If you want to awaken it is necessary to always observe and examin yourself.

When errant thougts suddenly arise, do notgo along with them at all; reduce thm, reduce them, reduce them, until you reach the point of non-contrivance, which is the ultimate act.

Therefore it is said that even as you fullu cultivate myriad practices, only no thought is to be considered a basis.

Chinul

Chinul has long been one of my favorites - I love they way he communicates the message. His words speak to me.

be

[Tangram]

What happens outside of us doesn’t count. That’s something we don’t have control over. It’s what we do with it, the way that we react to it, that’s important.

-James Lee Burke from Neon Rain

[benos]

[What happens outside of us doesn’t count. That’s something we don’t have control over. It’s what we do with it, the way that we react to it, that’s important.

-James Lee Burke from Neon Rain

Nice, straightforward advice.

[Sam]

When errant thoughts suddenly arise, do not go along with them at all; reduce them, reduce them, reduce them, until you reach the point of non-contrivance, which is the ultimate act.

Oh, man! That is so true!!!

This speaks to me because we all have errant thoughts. I have them all the time. It is what we do with those thoughts that defines us.

Or said another way: Character is Destiny. -Heraclitus

[seancswife]

What happens outside of us doesn’t count. That’s something we don’t have control over. It’s what we do with it, the way that we react to it, that’s important.

-James Lee Burke from Neon Rain

AWESOME.... I do my best to practice this and share the thought with others.

Often I find the frustration we have with others is purely a frustration with our own short comings. I have yet to figure out why we expect others to be better then we are or to agree with our thoughts, that would be like expecting snow crystals to be the same. I think that we are all doing the best we can with the "tools" we have, and some of us have more "tools" then others. We all need forgiveness and we all need to forgive others. Yet forgiving ones self (for perceived stupidity) often is harder then it ought to be. Hence my true enjoyment of Brian's "Be" signature. When I can just "be" there is much less stress and much more enjoyment.

And that's my thought for today

[benos]

What happens outside of us doesn’t count. That’s something we don’t have control over. It’s what we do with it, the way that we react to it, that’s important.

-James Lee Burke from Neon Rain

AWESOME.... I do my best to practice this and share the thought with others.

Often I find the frustration we have with others is purely a frustration with our own short comings. I have yet to figure out why we expect others to be better then we are or to agree with our thoughts, that would be like expecting snow crystals to be the same. I think that we are all doing the best we can with the "tools" we have, and some of us have more "tools" then others. We all need forgiveness and we all need to forgive others. Yet forgiving ones self (for perceived stupidity) often is harder then it ought to be.

Although not easy, that's a good place to get to.

be