Release The Cows

Good Morning,

I have noticed amongst many of my friends (my wife and I included)
lately involved in efforts to downsize, quit collecting/consuming
stuff, and let many things in life go to live simpler more
uncluttered (and uncomplicated lives). Whenever I bring the subject
up in mixed groups, I often everything from "what do you mean you
don't want more" to that's just Un-American (to not consume or
desire). Renunciation is a big word and I use it often when referring
to this subject. For me it simply means really looking at life, and
inward at myself and realizing I already have everything I need to be
truly happy. We all do and we were born with these qualities.

Living a simple life and using ones own natural abilities and talents
to improve the quality of life (instead of thinking you can buy
improvements) reminds me of a story about the Buddha:
One day the Buddha was sitting in the woods with several monks. They
had an excellent lunch and were enjoying the company of each other. A
farmer was passing by and was very unhappy. He asked the Buddha and
the monks whether they had seen his cows passing by. The Buddha said
they had not seen any cows passing by. The farmer then informed
everyone of how unhappy he was. I have twelve cows and I always must
chase after them and tend to them. I have also a few acres of a
sesame seed plantation and the keeping the insects from eating
everything takes up my time when I am not tending my cows. The work
is almost too much to bear.

The Buddha said, My friend, we have not seen any cows passing by
here. You might like to look for them in the other direction. So the
farmer thanked him and hurried off. The Buddha turned to the monks
and said, My dear friends, you are some of happiest people I know.
You have no cows to lose and enjoy the natures land without the need
to possess it. If you were to own these things, you would be very
busy with little time left for living.

The lesson is simple, but who is willing to let go and live a simpler
life? Part of being happy is realizing that we have to learn the art
of cow releasing. We release the cows one by one. In the beginning we
think that those cows were essential to our happiness, and we tried
to get more and more cows. Quickly we start you realize (hopefully)
that cows are not really conditions for our happiness; they
constitute an obstacle for our happiness.

That is why I am determined to release my cows. How about you?

Peace and Love, Jim

Choices

Good Morning,

I am fortunate to be apart of a great team in my work, with many
bright minds and energetic attitudes. We almost always engage in
thought provoking and deeper than normal conversations, each of us
with our own respected viewpoints and opinions. Yesterday was no
exception. Our topic was "why as a whole, people do not look inward
more and outward less." My point of view was that most of us seek
answers about things in our life or situations that come up in day to
day living, so why do we not look inside ourselves for these instead
of constantly seeking answers or clues from the outside world? Of
course everyone in the studio had their own take on the subject and
through our discussions I came to a very simple and seemingly obvious
conclusion.

We must simply stop and reflect (think) before we do. We can't just
automatically react to life or live by our own habits and patterns. I
know it sounds simple, but I think we have gotten away from this. We
need to think about what we're about to do, and think about the
consequences regardless of the task big or small. We need to
remember that when we choose an action, we're also choosing all the
things that result from that action. When we choose to eat half a
dozen doughnuts, we're choosing to put fat on our body. When we
choose to be sloppy with our work, we're choosing to create more work
for someone down the line. When we choose to rise early and start
getting things done, we're choosing to create real and lasting value
in our own life and in the world around us. When we choose to stay
focused on any task (large or small), we're choosing to enjoy the
rewards that come from real effort.

I guess my point is to Live your life based on our own best
intentions. Each action we take has very real consequences, and we
are in a position to select the exact consequences that we wish to
bring about.
It only takes a brief moment to think before we act. Do it every
time, and you will find yourself feeling much better about the
actions you and choices you make.

Have a peaceful day and carry this thought - Their are very few
things in our lives that we did not ask for, put there or bring about.

Peace and Love, Jim

Jewel

Good Morning,

Much of what I write about and post here has to do with our minds, or
training our minds to be more precise. Many of you may ask why or
wonder what the point is. After all we may all feel that there is
nothing wrong with our minds and that the various states I often
speak of are simply human nature. Well you would be partly correct.
There is nothing "wrong" with our minds, we simply have not come to
understand our mind and thus not trained it accordingly. The results
of no training are the worries, emotions and disturbing thoughts we
call "human nature."

Lets compare the mind to a perfect jewel. It has color, shape, and is
perfectly pure in being a jewel. Now lets place that jewel in a
swamp. It is still a jewel and does not degenerate at all when mired
in the mud and sediment; it remains exactly what it is, a jewel. Now
the jewels qualities are not apparent while in the swamp because it
is obscured or concealed. If we remove the jewel and clean away the
debris it shines once again and can be used appropriately.

In the same way, as long as our mind is immersed in the various
untrained states of confusion and bewilderment, we cannot gain access
to the minds inherent qualities and make better use of them. Through
looking inward at our own minds (instead of always outward at the
world) we began to understand the nature of our mind, it's function
and the natural qualities that are always available to us at any
given time. This takes training and patience because we are not
taught or accustomed to looking inward.

We all get confused, bewildered and lose our bearings, but the nature
of our minds is unchanging like a jewel. While our mind may be
afflicted with ignorance, disturbing emotions and thoughts, the
nature of our mind need not be touched by their presence. We need
only to clear away the debris and let the jewel shine then the
ignorance and bewilderment vanish and we can fully utilize the
qualities that have always been there for us.

Have a beautiful day and ponder this - Be master of mind rather than
mastered by mind.

Peace and Love, Jim