Namaste to YOU ...  Here is a sweet painting by Priya Suresh of India ... Two monks crossing a river ... this synchronously came to me ... Thank you ...

 

       There is always an old Zen story that goes along with my thoughts.  I bring this one onto this page and into your awareness.

                   

                 Two Monks, a Woman, and a River

Two monks ... a Zen Master and his student ... were on a journey.  As they approached a river stream, they came upon a young woman standing upon the river bank.  She was clearly concerned about how to get to the other side. 

The Zen student walked straight past her without giving it a thought and he crossed the river. The Master, however, after a short conversation, picked up the woman and carried her across. He placed her down, parted ways, and the two monks continued on with the journey.

After some time, the Master could see concern on the student's mind so he asked what was wrong. The student replied, "How could you carry her like that? You know we can't touch women, it's against our way of life". The Master answered, "I left the woman at the river's edge a long way back, why are you still carrying her?"

Hum...Thank you for being here and 

joining me in our Awakening!

Namaste to the whole Universe ... Here we are!  I just posted on my Gallery page, a new clay piece ... it is BuddhaFace 87.  This one is inspired by the wooden Buddha mask and the banyon tree outside.  The twisted air roots that grow out of the tree toward the earth, remind me of the teaching words that come from the old Zen Purification Sutra ... "my ancient twisted karma." 

With that thought, I played with the sutra's words and now, I offer the Buddhaface and mantra to you with my head bowing ... thank you ... On my Gallery page, you will see BuddhaFace 87...
 
                      Thank you for joining me in
                                  letting go!

Welcome to 108 Faces of Buddha ... I would be honored for you to take a look at my Gallery Page ... there you will see the Buddha-nature clay pieces that I have been creating for my Peace Project of buddhafying the world ...

I have donated one of these pieces for the benefit silent auction of 88 Shrines which is an international peace center ... On August 12, there is going to be the Annual Pilgrimage of Compassion ... It promises to be a beautiful day filled with love.   This event and the land, itself,  holds tremendous sacred energy ... please join us on this pilgrimage led by Grand Master Riley Lee playing the flute.


Here are some photos of the grounds ...

Buddhas and Orchids at the base of the hillside pathway

Are you ready for joy?

Here we go!

Your body, mind, and spirit will truly enjoy this day.  Please join us at 88 Shrines on August 12 on Kauai.  Go to these websites to get more information and to look at the Silent Auction pieces ... My clay piece is Number 10.
www.lawaicenter.org/pages/home.html

http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/571/auctions/4403?page=1

Namaste to the whole Universe ... I have been taking deep breaths today ... closing my eyes and silently reciting my mantra.

Om Mani Padme Hum

This mantra has been in my life for a long time ... without thinking about its meaning, I know I hold its transformative power in the recesses of my body, mind and spirit.   I can vaguely define these sounds as this ... Om ... truth ... all that is ... Mani ...jewel ... connection ... spark ... oneness of all things ... Padme ... lotus ... wisdom ... and Hum ... bringing it all together. 

This is my interpretation ... The Truth being ... we are One ... there is this beautiful inter-connectiveness, an interbeing of all things.  With chanting and chanting along with meditation and meditation, we get closer to the transformative thought of seeing that Truth of Oneness in every moment.   (Please be tolerant of this definition ... everything is written in water.)

Still when having to define the meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum, I find it illusive ... but I know even some that were raised with this mantra really don't know what it means ... let us just know that it is good ... it leads us to feel connected and empowered.

I am putting it out there today ... for Me, for You ... Please accept this mantra for Us.  Will you enter the land of the Mani Stone and Om Mani Padme Hum with me?  Om Mani Padme Hum ... Om Mani Padme Hum ... Om Mani Padme Hum ... ... ... ...

  Here is the doorway of Om Mani Padme Hum

 

I am bowing and smiling ... Om Mani Padme Hum ... Thank you ... I needed that ... and thank you to the internet for the opportunity of this cyberspace communication and global oneness ... and the possibilities of that bringing us closer to the Truth of our spiritual ONENESS!  Some may ask ... is there a difference?

I am amazed by it all ... thank you for joining me

 in chanting this mantra ... 

Om Mani Padme Hum

For more information on the meaning of this mantra and the pronunciation when chanting, you can go here ...

   http://www.yowangdu.com/tibetan-buddhism/om-mani-  padme-hum.html

Namaste ... Today I am honoring artists and the gesture of hugging.  Art and hugging are expressions that come from our soul.  Our friend, the Dali Lama, tells us that ... "We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection."  

Here is the Dalai Lama wearing his colors ... 

                                                  Painting by Lisa Andrews

So I have gone on to collect a few pieces of art right here ... all of them displaying affection.  I have also made notation of the artist when possible.

A family embracing by Jana Viles

A hug of compassion

  

     Showing love to a tree sculpture by A. Gradzik and W. Szostalo

  

    Father and Son embracing.

    Inspired by Gustav Klimt...Artist k. Madison Moore

     Woman loving herself ... from Roots N' Women

  Earth Mother holding child ... Glenn Green

Thank you for being here...

now let's go out and do some 

hugging!

Namaste ... to the whole Universe ... I just posted a new piece on the Gallery Page.  It is BuddhaFace 88 and its mantra is ... I AM ... a Bodhisattva of Compassion in Practice.  

In naming this piece, I drew upon what I know about Bodhisattvas and the Bodhisattsa Vow.  I, also,  did some research and refreshed my memory.   

                 You are a Bodhisattva.  I am a Bodhisattva.  

That may sound presumptuous when we think of the Dali Lama and others who have remained with us on Earth to serve and to teach us about love and compassion.   However, it is said that everyone on the Buddha pathway is a Bodhisattva.  

Even the Buddha makes a comment about some experience he had when he was an unenlightened Bodhisattva.  So here we are ... Bodhisattvas ... practicing and taking steps toward a more aware existence.  I found an article in Tricycle magazine that was informative and I think you would like it ...

http://www.tricycle.com/new-buddhism/bodhisattvas/what-bodhisattva


Please take a look at my new piece on the Gallery page.  It has inspired me and I hope it will inspire you on our pathway of Compassion.  I was thinking that I will silently refresh my Vow every morning in meditation.

Thank you for being here and thank you 

for being on the Bodhisattva Pathway with me! 

 

Namaste ... I awoke this morning with thoughts of my life experiences and how I like to think that every thing happens as it should ... And how much simpler it can all be when you see life as a flowing river ... with its ever-changing movement but always going in the right direction ... and I am remembering a Taoist thought that goes something like this ... Sometimes going forward feels like going backward ...

A Buddhist monk meditating on the Ganges River

                   I thought you may enjoy this story called ...

                                            May Be
 

There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. 

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. 

The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. 

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. 

"May be," said the farmer.

I love this non-attachment to any particular outcome.  Will you join me in a  "May Be" meditation on the Ganges River?

     Thank you for joining me on the pathway toward our        
                                         Awakening!

Aloha ... I just wanted to let you know that I have posted a new piece of my art on the Gallery Page ...  BuddhaFace 89 ... It is my first Hawaiiana piece.  I am calling upon the ancient ways of this island on Earth to help empower and guide our beautiful planet and all living things through the challenges of this ever-changing existence.   To manifest this thought, I was drawn to bring together the clay of Earth and my intentions for healing.

I created this piece in the shape of Kauai ... it is a piece for PEACE and HARMONY.  For the mantra, I have used some words familiar to the Hawaiian culture.  Aloha ... with so many meanings from love and compassion to hello, goodbye ... and then there is the folk etymology which tells us that aloha mean 'with breath' or 'presence with breath.'

Another term I have used is mana, which means sacred life force or sacred breath and this powerful energy resides in all things.  I have even brought a Hawaiian problem solving ritual into the mantra ... ho'oponopono.  This is about gathering together for a resolution when the energy is out of balance.  It is all about taking responsibility for ourselves and looking at our involvement in the problem situation. 

Also, included when creating the piece is the hibiscus flower.  For more information on that, you can scroll down to my entry on June 16 ... There I talk of the flower and its connection to Ganesh, the Hindu deity and make reference an informative site.

Thank you for being here ... and remember this is all my interpretation.  We are on our way to a more aware planet ... we are not alone ... thank you ... Namaste ... Please take a look at my Gallery ... The new peace is BuddhaFace 89 ... I AM ... Aloha

Namaste to YOU and the whole Universe during this Full Moon time... I wanted to give you this Zen story to think about ...

The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.

Ryokan returned and caught him. “You may have come a long way to visit me,” he told the prowler, “and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.”

 The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes 

and slunk away.

Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon.“Poor fellow, ” he mused, “I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."

Here is a Moon for YOU!

I AM...a Lotus Moon...When I close my eyes, I feel the energy of me spiraling in the direction of change...full, light, powerful ... the lotus of me is open...receiving this energy and trusting the Universe... knowing that  I AM forever going in the direction of Oneness.
  
                 Thank you for joining me in our Awakening!

Good Morning ... Namaste ... Today is Sun's day ... a day in honor of the Sun gods of our ancient cultures ... traditionally, and perhaps, subliminally, for many people, this day has been the day to just sit back and gather with friends and family and, for some, to dwell in spirituality ... As we gain more awareness, I believe more and more people are working on bringing the spirit of love and compassion and understanding to every moment.  We are learning more with our hearts and seeing more with our inner eye.

I have chosen the simple way, the buddhaway and have listened to the Buddha and other teachers who have the current of our oneness running through them.  And by practicing in every moment, it has became easier to remember all the teachings ... but sometimes ... many times ... I fall off the pathway.  Perhaps, I will do a moment of whining and lamenting on life and suddenly realize I don't like the way I feel ... so I get right back up ... remembering soon enough to close my eyes, breathe, and seek my beauty.  This is life ...

Here's to holding love and compassion for ourselves and being thankful for this life.  Thank you for joining me in our awakening!