River's Chi House

Pema Chodron THE PRACTICE OF TONGLEN In order to have compassion for others, we have to have compassion for ourselves.  In particular, to care about other people who are fearful, angry, jealous, overpowered by addictions of all kinds, arrogant, proud, miserly, selfish, mean —you name it— to have compassion and to care for these people, means not to run from the pain of finding these things in ourselves. In fact, one's whole attitude toward pain can change. Instead of fending it off and hiding from it, one could open one's heart and allow oneself to feel that pain, feel it as something that will soften and purify us and make us far more loving and kind.  The tonglen practice is a method for connecting with suffering —ours and that which is all around us— everywhere we go. It is a method for overcoming fear of suffering and for dissolving the tightness of our heart. Primarily it is a method for awakening the compassion that is inherent in all of us, no matter how cruel or col...

http://www.tricycle.com/brief-teachings/dilgo-khyentse-rinpoche-teachings-nature-mind-and-practice Teachings on the Nature of Mind and Practice Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Like waves, all the activities of this life have rolled endless on, yet they have left us empty-handed. Myriads of thoughts have run through our minds, but all they have done is increase our confusion and dissatisfaction. Normally we operate under the deluded assumption that everything has some sort of true, substantial reality. But when we look more carefully, we find that the phenomenal world is like a rainbow—vivid and colorful, but without any tangible existence. When a rainbow appears we see many beautiful colors—yet a rainbow is not something we can clothe ourselves with, or wear as an ornament; it simply appears through the conjunction of various conditions. Thoughts arise in the mind in just the same way. They have no tangible reality or intrinsic existence at all. There is therefore no logical re...

(Since I wrote the post below My and I have gotten back together and stronger than ever.) As I continue on my separation journey from My I realize how many other people are going through similar journeys. I have met so many people in person and online who are having a very hard time handling their separations from people they thought they would spend their lives with. Some were separated by divorce and others by the death of their lovers.Today I met a lady in a store who is devastated and very  angry. I shared with her my story and she shared hers. It was very moving for both of us. We both felt better and she said I helped her have a better perspective. She reminded me of the Buddhist teaching I was reading about last night that said we are never alone in our suffering or any other experience. If we can remember that we are One than we can draw on the strength of those who are handling the situation better than we are and we can give strength to those who are having a harder ti...