Tag Archives: judgement

J.A.R.

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In Lesson 10 of my course, “Living @5: A Spiritual Course in Thought & Time,” I provide a plastic (teaching at the jail, so no glass bottles) “jar”  which contain three multi-colored velvet smiley face flowers (Photo Below)  Each flower represents a word foundational to the course:  Judgement, Attachment, and Resistance. Using the “Mason Jar” as a memory device, I focus students on the large “NON” written on the side of the jar. Then we read a quote from The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle: “Non-Judgement, Non-Attachment, and Non-Resistance are the three aspects of  true freedom and enlightened living.” (The Power of Now, pg 225).

In discussion, I underscore (1) that Judgement is ego centered and brings personal dissatisfaction. “Observe everything. Judge Nothing;” (2) Attachment is the desire to acquire, attach to that which we currently do NOT have. This desire brings personal dissatisfaction to the present moment; and (3) Resistance addresses the constant resistance we hold against the “present moment.” Most of us feel as if “this moment should not be.” But, because the present moment always IS, we are in a constant state of dissatisfaction.

Today’s meditation (12/30) from 24 Hours a Day addresses the Attachment part of JAR.

“People are failures in the deepest sense when they seek to live without God’s sustaining power. Many people try to be self-sufficient and seek selfish pleasure and find that it does not work too well. No matter how much material wealth they acquire, no matter how much fame and material power, the time of disillusionment and futility eventually comes. Death is ahead, and they cannot take any material thing with them when they go. What does it matter if I have gained the whole world, but lost my own soul?” (24 Hours a Day:  Daily Meditation for 12/30.  ©Hazelton Foundation 1975)

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(Photo: “Living @5: A Spiritual Course in Thought & Time” © Perfect Brightness LLC 2013.)

Brigham Young on “Who has the greatest reason to be thankful?”

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In the Epilogue to Perfect Brightness of Hope (page 188), I provide the following quote from Brigham Young, Second President of the LDS Church.  In view of the prevailing misunderstandings regarding addictions and alcoholism, it is worthy to examine this quote against ourselves:

“Who has the greatest reason to be thankful to his God–the man that has no strong passion or evil appetite to overcome, or the one that tries day by day to overcome, and yet is overtaken in a fault?

Who has the reason to be the most thankful? The being that has comparatively no strong passion to overcome ought constantly to walk in the vale of humility, rather than boast of his righteousness over his brother.  We are under obligation, through the filial feeling and ties of humanity, to more or less fellowship those who do evil . . . If brethren and sisters are overtaken in faults, your hearts should be filled with kindness–with brotherly, angelic feeling–to overlook their faults and far as possible. [Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1977, page 180)] Emphasis added.

His Holiness, The Dalai Lama on “The Root of This Civilization”

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I was recently re-reading Essential Teachings: His Holiness The Dalai Lama, (North Atlantic Books, 1995) when I came across this quote.  I was taken a back by the awesome power and simple truth of his observation: (Bold and Italics added by Phil)

Look around us at this world that we call “civilized” and that for more than 2000 years has searched to obtain happiness and avoid suffering by false means: trickery, corruption, hate, abuse of power, and exploitation of others. We have searched only for individual and material happiness, opposing people against each other, one race against another, social systems against others.  This has led to a time of fear, of suffering, murder, and famine . . . It is because each person has looked only for his own profit without fear of oppressing others for selfish goals, and this sad and pitiful world is the result. The root of this civilization is rotten, the world suffers, and if it continues in this way, it will suffer more and more.” (pg. xii)

His Holiness offers the cure–and he does so with so much love and conviction!  Can we not practice and train ourselves daily to comply?

“Training our minds, renouncing excess, and living in harmony with others and with ourselves will assure us happiness, even if our daily life is ordinary. And if we should encounter adversity, others will help us because we have been good and kind. We must not forget that even in the most perverted and cruel human being, as long as he is human, a small grain of love and compassion exists that will make him, one day, a Buddah.” (ibid, pgs 6-7)

Observe everything – judge nothing. I offer this teaching with the deepest of love and gratitude to each of you.

Namaste, Phil

Living @5: A Spiritual Course in Thought & Time

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In the near future I will begin a series of BLOGS on my Lifeskills course, “Living @5: A Spiritual Course in Thought and Time.”  I created this course to teach concepts for healthy living to inm犀利士
ates at a local county jail. I have been teaching this daily (well most days)  for over 5 years.  The skills taught are so badly needed in today’s environment.  As I recently read in a comment by the Dalai Lama: “The roots of our society are rotten.” (Essential Teachings of the Dalai Lama -Introduction and on back cover).  My “Living @5 Tree” addresses the rotten roots. More – much more- to come.

Thanks For Your Book Reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

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I want to thank each of you who have supported the new publication of PBH. Thank you deeply and from my heart for the great ratings you have given the new book on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Thank you for reviews you might yet give. Thank you for supporting the desperately needed message of my book – love, compassion and non-judgement! In gratitude I live. In gratitude I honor all that is good.

Phil