Prayer of Saint Francis of Assissi

shared by a very close friend to help me get through a hard time right now.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assissi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace!

That where there is hatred, I may bring love.

That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness.

That where there is discord, I may bring harmony.

That where there is error, I may bring truth.

That where there is doubt, I may bring faith.

That where there is despair, I may bring hope.

That where there are shadows, I may bring light.

That where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted.

To understand, than to be understood.

To love, than to be loved.

For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.

It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.

another life taken by the DEA

a young man, only 24 years old, hung himself today in the spokane county jail after being arrested for smuggling pounds of marijuana into the U.S. by helicopter - arranged by the DEA! entrapment sickens me...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008806775_websuicide03m.html


Pot smuggling suspect hangs self in Spokane Jail
By The Associated Press
SPOKANE — Police say a Canadian man accused of smuggling marijuana by helicopter hanged himself in the Spokane County Jail.
The 24-year-old from Revelstoke, B.C., Samuel Jackson Lindsay-Brown, was alone in the cell where he was found Friday hanging by a bedsheet from a light fixture. Sgt. Joe Peterson told The Spokesman-Review police are investigating the death.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Rice says Lindsay-Brown had been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
He was arrested Feb. 23 unloading 350 pounds of BC bud from a helicopter in a remote spot in the Colville National Forest. The delivery had been arranged by undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agents.

observe life for what it is

so much fear and desire come from that commitment to "i am" - to being somebody. eventually they take us to anxiety and despair; life seems much more difficult and painful than it really is.
but when we just observe life for what it is, then it’s all right: the delights, the beauty, the pleasures are just that.
-ajahn sumedho, "seeing the way"

wisdom

to attain knowledge, add things every day. to attain wisdom, remove things every day.
-tao te ching

change

it is extremely important to investigate the causes or origins of suffering. one must begin that process by appreciating the impermanent, transient nature of our existence. all things, events and phenomena are dynamic, changing every moment, nothing remains static. meditating on one's blood circulation could serve to reinforce this idea: the blood is constantly flowing, it never stands still...
- his holiness the dalai lama

FOURTEEN PRECEPTS OF THE ORDER OF INTERBEING

by Thich Nhat Hahn

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
2. Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded, and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.
3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money , propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.
4. Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, by all means, including personal contact and visits, images, and sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.
5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them while they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as anger or hatred arises, turn your attention to your breathing in order to see and understand the nature of your anger or hatred and the nature of the persons who have caused your anger or hatred.
7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing in order to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing, both inside and around yourself. Plant the seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depth of your consciousness.
8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division or hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things that you are not sure of. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.
10. Do not use the religious community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community should, however, take a clear stand against oppression and injustice, and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.
11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realize your ideal of compassion.
12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.
13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others but prevent others from enriching themselves from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.
14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies for the realization of the Way. Sexual expression should not happen without love and commitment. In sexual relationships, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.

our reactions to our feelings

from contact comes feeling. from feeling comes reaction. this is what keeps us in the cycle of birth and death. our reactions to our feelings our are passport to rebirth.
- ayya khema, "being nobody, going nowhere"

we are dependent on one another

because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. that is not just a dream but a necessity. we are dependent on each other in so many ways that we can no longer live in isolated communities and ignore what is happening outside those communities.
- his holiness the dalai lama

having enemies

if you can cultivate the right attitude, your enemies are your best spiritual teachers because their presence provides you with the opportunity to enhance and develop tolerance, patience and understanding.
-his holiness the dalai lama

incredibly sad...

but life is beautiful.
here, from within my heart, i make the vow to shun all evil - to achieve the good. from deep within my heart i seek my refuge.
-buddha

see everyone as buddha

see everyone as buddha. this purifies the mind of ignorance and arrogance.
-master baek, "polishing the diamond"

commitmentphobia

this sounds too familiar...

Fear of commitment
from wikipedia
Fear of commitment in popular literature refers to avoidance of long-term partnership and/or marriage but it is often much more pervasive. In 1987 the term commitment phobia was coined by Steven Carter in his book Men who can't love.
In romantic relationships, the paradox is that the commitmentphobic craves what he/she fears most: love and connection. This leads to a confusing and destructive pattern of seduction and rejection that is generally experienced by the love object as emotionally devastating. Though generally attributed exclusively to males, it is well-documented that commitmentphobia is not gender-specific.
While this behavior has been documented for some time, the word commitmentphobia (no space, no hyphen) was actually coined in the 1987 New York Times Bestseller Men who can't love by Steven A. Carter and Julie Sokol (M.Evans & Co. Publishing). Interestingly, in 1987, legendary New York publisher George de Kay (Body Language, Aerobics, Open Marriage, Atkins New Diet Revolution, etc.) resisted printing the word commitmentphobia on the original book jacket, fearing it sounded "too scientific and off-putting." Within one year, the phrase commitmentphobia had become popular American jargon and the sub-title of the book was changed to include the phrase "commitmentphobic."
Commitment phobia is rooted in fear -- fear of lost options or fear of making poor decisions. The commitment phobic mind sees decisions as permanent. It symbolizes being caged or trapped. Commitment phobics actually take commitment very seriously, which is why the decision to commit can be so hard for them. "A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the appropriate proverb for this subclass of individuals. And like the proverb, commitment phobia is a double edged sword -- on the one hand you avoid obligations, ties, and commitments yet at the same time the commitment phobic may secretly crave the lives of those who committed and the growth that those roots produced. But when push comes to shove, the CPs' fear usually wins out -- commitment phobics desire freedom above all else and sometimes, alternatively, they desire fantasy over reality and yet in other cases, they desire both.
Commitment phobia is largely unrecognized as a real disabling fear. It is sometimes thought to be associated with fear of death, fear of intimacy, etc. But most CPs usually show signs of commitment fears across many domains of life. Sometimes it is so pervasive that that it interferes in their ability to make simple every day decisions and on the larger scale, of managing and maintaining their life. CPs are prone to self-destructive behavior and escapism as a way to assuage their anxiety. Carter and Sokol refer to both active and passive commitment phobics but usually CPs have elements of both active and passive CP behaviors (some may have stronger preferences). In terms of personality types, commitment phobics are usually enneagram types 7s, 6s or 4s, which are types that tend to engage in push-pull behaviors (7s tend to be more "active" phobics while 4's tend to be more "passive"). Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's is a classic example of a 7w6 active commitment phobic. Cameron Diaz (enneatype 7w6) recently admitted that she has commitment phobia, most likely of active variety.
"As a commitment-phobic individual, people often laugh at my only goal in life -- to get a dog. I have wanted a dog for at least 15 years and every New Years I tell myself, this is the year. 15 years and waiting... But like an ice-berg, the desire to have a dog is just the tip of the berg; where most of the hurt and anxiety manifests is in my one on one personal relationships. Each time I hope that this one will be different; That I won't run away. When forced to make a choice I almost freeze in panic. I have thoughts in my mind but I can't speak -- the only thing I can think of is how to get away from this source of anxiety. I may break things off or say something to get the other person mad (and therefore not interested in a commitment). I feel like a crab without a shell when cornered. And I can't stop feeling like that."

holding onto anger

holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
-buddha

way of the mind

the world is apprehended by way of the mind
the world is acted upon by way of the mind
and all good things and bad
exist in the world by way of the mind.
-samyutta nikaya

indifference

the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
the opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference.
the opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.
the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.
-elie wiesel, oct. 1986

passion overwhelms the mind

as rain penetrates an improperly shingled roof, so passion overwhelms a confused mind.
-buddha

attachment

attachment is the mind stuck to an object.
-lama zopa rinpoche, the door to satisfaction

suffering is caused by ignorance

as a buddhist monk my concern extends to all members of the human family and, indeed, to all sentient beings who suffer. i believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. people inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their own happiness or satisfaction.
-his holiness the dalai lama, nobel peace prize acceptance speech, oslo, december 1989

quit drinking again...

...it's not for me.
a layman who has chosen to practice this dhamma should not indulge in the drinking of intoxicants. he should not drink them nor encourage others to do so, realizing that it leads to madness. through intoxication foolish people perform evil deeds and cause other heedless people to do likewise. he should avoid intoxication, this occasion for demerit, which stupefies the mind, and is the pleasure of foolish people.
-sutta nipata

mae west

marriage is a fine institution, but i'm not ready for an institution.
i generally avoid temptation unless i can't resist it.
good sex is like good bridge... if you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand.
-mae west