A Beautiful View From Above

Sorry that I have not been posting much as I was in Australia for 2 weeks.

On my way back, I looked outside the plane window and saw this beautiful sight.

It really makes you realize that only the Almighty can make such a phenomenon of clouds all lined up in straight lines.

Looking at the clouds, you also know that the planet earth is a very beautiful place, that is fragile and imperiled by our actions.

The Passage OF Time

"The Secret of Life is Enjoying the Passage of Time"

James Taylor

And yet, how many of you can really say that the above quote applies to you?

How many of us are always so driven towards goals, results and deadlines that we failed to enjoy what we do? How many of us failed to enjoy the time spent with our loved ones, our hobbies or even appreciate the bountiful beauty of Mother Earth?

So, stop!! Be Here Now!! Be Present!

And you will find that your life is filled with an abundant of beauty and blessings...

Meditation Affects Your Brain

Do you know that meditation has a direct impact on your brain cells?

How so?

When you meditate, the frontal cortex of your brain gets activated. This will show up in a MRI scan of your brain - the whole area lights up like fireworks have been set off in that area!!

What does this mean to your brain? It means that the cells of your brain is being stimulated when you meditate. With this stimulation, the brain cells become "stronger" and will not decay and will degenerate at slower rate. This means that your brain cell lasts longer and more neuron pathways are generated.

Meditation is like a spa for your brain. It introduces more nutrients and oxygen into your brain, thereby, making the cells last longer.

If you have the correct equipment, you can also measure your brain-waves. You will find that your brain's alpha-waves will increase significantly.

To start meditating, relax your body completely. Send "loving-kindness" to each of your body parts, starting from your toes and working upwards towards your head. Keep sending "loving-kindness" to each body part until you feel a tingling sensation.

When you send "loving-kindness" to each of your body parts, you activate the natural healing process of your body. Numerous studies have shown that a lot of diseases have an emotional component that cause these diseases to manifest. The act of sending "loving-kindness" to each body parts will release the tension and stress in that part of the body that is blocked, allowing the Qi to flow naturally.

Relaxing your body this way would be helpful in calming your mind so that you can then focus on your breath. Just let your awareness be on your breath - feel your lungs expanding as you draw in a breath through your nostrils. Then feel the lungs collapse gently when you exhale.

Meditating this way, by just gently concentrating on your breath, makes it easy for you to slip into a calm and abiding state.

Meditate as long as you like. Do not force yourself to meditate for half an hour or 1 hour. This is not something to obsess over. When you feel that you have meditate enough, you will naturally stop and emerge from your abiding state.

How To Be Happy...

When the Buddha was asked this question, he replied that all buddhas teach the same thing : -

The Bad Things, Don't Do Them.

The Good Things, Try To Do Them.

Purify And Subdue Your Own Mind.

That Is The Teaching Of All Buddhas.

Simple advice but not so easy to live it...

The Secret of Happiness

With so many bad news everywhere due to the "financial tsunami" (Warren Buffett's description), where a lot of people are losing their jobs, their homes and their hopes for a good life, it is very easy to fall into a state of despair.

Life is so challenging, with a lot of pressures coming from different directions. Some days, you can feel that it is easier to stay in bed and not have to face the world.

However, that is not an option. All these sufferings are temporary. In the big scheme of things, it does not last.

A lot of these sufferings are because of our cravings. We crave for material things, status and gratifications.

If we are able to quiet these cravings within us, we will see that all these desires of wealth and fame does not bring us true happiness. We search for it outside of ourselves and keep coming up short.

Why?

As long as seek power, happiness and gratification by pursuing fame, money and sex, we will never be happy and we will never be satisfied.

Many of us think that if we have no money, status or fame, we therefore have no power and cannot be truly happy.

However, once our basic material needs for food, water, shelter, saftety and livelihood are met, the path to true happiness is actually very simple.

Only by coming back to ourselves and purifying our minds can we experience true and lasting happiness.

Without attachments to material things, fame and fortune, your happiness is based on your own peace, wisdom and love. The mind forms these attachments, which leads to much sufferings.

You have to train yourselve to see happiness in terms of peace, freedom and compassion. The more generous you are in giving, not just your money and power, the more you will find that you are happy.

Happy to live in the present, with no worries about your diminishing assets in this difficult times. Happy that you are alive and feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin. Happy that you are surrounded by a lot of blessings.

So, live with a grateful spirit - be thankful that you still have your good health, your families and love ones, your mental faculties, your friends and your place in this beautiful world.

Go out there and give as generously as you can...

And you will find that each of your gifts will be as everlasting as the mountains in Tibet...