Forgiveness is both necessary and possible. It is never too late to find forgiveness and start again. Buddhist psychology offers specific teachings and practices for redemption and the development of forgiveness. Like the practice of compassion, forgiveness does not ignore the truth of our suffering. Forgiveness is not weak. It demands courage and integrity. Yet only forgiveness and love can bring about the peace we long for…
Finding a way to extend forgiveness to ourselves is one of our most essential tasks. Just as others have been caught in suffering, so have we. If we look honestly at our life, we can see the sorrows and pain that have led to our own wrongdoing. In this we can finally extend forgiveness to ourselves; we can hold the pain we have caused in compassion. Without such mercy, we will live our own life in exile.” – Jack Kornfield
Excerpt from audio below: “Central to Hindu philosophy is the concept of the Self. This word in Sanskrit is ‘Atman.’ In essence, this is the totality of all being.
While conceptions of the self vary throughout eastern philosophy, including the different views shown in Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, Atman in Yoga of Patanjali repreents directly to the connection between the human world (a microcosm) and cosmic reality (macrocosm). Here, the two are inextricably connected , in what’s known as a monistic view of reality – the microcosm is fundamental to the macrocosm, and they are one.
It’s this understanding that serves as a basis for much of Indian thought. Atman – the plane of reality that serves as the common ground of the universe – teaches us that our beings are fundamentally connected. Indian thought derives principles from this, such as ahimsa, and by understanding it ourselves, we can find ideas that encourage fostering a more positive, happier life.
While you may first think of the “self” you identify with – that unique being that is fundamentally you – Atman is used in the most inclusive sense possible. It includes not only the self that is you, but also the self that exists, and makes up the entirety of the universe.” – Alan Watts
Alan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 – 16 November 1973) was a British-born philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as an interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience.
Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh (known as Thay in his circles) made a rare visit to the Googleplex to lead a half-day Health@Google workshop in the fundamentals of mindfulness. The exercises and rituals of mindfulness lay the path to optimal health and happiness. Thay may be the second most famous Buddhist monk in the world, right after the Dalai Lama. He is certainly one of the best known and most respected Zen Masters in the world. Thay is a best-selling author, poet, and peace activist who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. He is a key pioneer in actively applying insights from meditation to solving real-world social, political and environmental problems. Thay most recently published Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, with Harvard School of Public Health nutritionist Dr. Lilian Cheung. At 85, he’s touring North America before retiring to his monastery in France. Life at Google is fast, furious and fun, yet it can take a toll on ourselves and our loved ones. Through Thay’s specially crafted workshop, you’ll learn how to reduce stress, eat for health, sleep better, find emotional stability, improve concentration and sustain optimal performance. –Chade-Meng Tan
How can we feel so grand and so worthless? Why are these twin energies correlated in the human psyche? Robert Bly explores the contradiction with teachers and attendees of the Minnesota Men’s Conference, including thoughts from Robert Moore, Tim Young, and Daniel Deardorff.
This is an exclusive recording of the 2003 Minnesota Men’s Conference. Register and attend the next Conference by visiting http://www.minnesotamensconference.com Founded by Robert Bly in 1984, the Minnesota Men’s Conference celebrates the telling of old stories, the gifts of poetry and music, and opening our hearts to grief, wildness, and joy. We all have a yearning for lives of richness and meaning; this five-day conference is a unique opportunity to enrich ourselves in a community of other men.
Psychoanalyst Robert Moore explores the spirit of grandiosity—the feeling you possess some tremendous hidden power—and its corrupted forms if it is not acknowledged and brought into its proper place in your life, whether tamed or untamed.
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