SanDanYi.com

Buddhism and its Beliefs: How Can They Be Embodied into Everyday Life?

My religion is very simple.  My religion is kindness. — Dalai Lama 

It’s a common misunderstanding that the spiritual or religious life exists somewhere “up there” and is on another plane of existence that we can only achieve by renunciation of material benefits and comforts of the lives we normally lead. People think that to become spiritual you must give up the physical. 

Buddhism and its core beliefs provide a way of life that offers a balance between the two and allows you to integrate spiritualism and religion in your daily life. You give up nothing, but achieve a greater appreciation of what you have and how important it is to you.

Spiritualism is not miracles. It is not walking on water, bending spoons with the mind or hearing the voice of God. It is being the best person you can be. Buddhism teaches that if you strive to be the best human being you can be, you are being spiritual. Where you do it, the home, office or in a bar, makes no difference. So Buddhism can be incorporated in your life wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

There are some things you can do to make this process easier:

Start the day by making a list, of “I should be…” and replace them, with “I will be…”

When you wake up in the morning, make a list of all the things you should do to be a better human being. Every day, replace one or two items on the list, with “I will” and make sure that you follow through. Start with the small things like –“I will be nice to the jerk in the office.” If you do this regularly, you will find more peace and contentment in your life. 

Incorporate Chanting Into your Daily Routine

Learn a few Buddhist chants and start reciting them as you go through your morning routine. You will find they help you to start the day feeling positive.

Practice spirituality even in odd moments.

For example, when driving to work, don’t let a long red light irritate you. Instead use the time to remember your “I wills” and how you want people to think of you that day.

This in turn will lead you to a state of mindfulness where you begin to question your automatic responses. Getting irritated at the red light is automatic and does you no good. But, when you begin to realize that things would be much worse if the lights stopped working, you stop being automatic and become mindful.

All the above are simple things you can do to incorporate Buddhism in your life without taking time out from your daily schedule. You will find that even these small actions will bring you peace and inspire you to try to bring more Buddhism into your daily life.

Discover the art of Mediation

Try and find 20 minutes in your day to meditate. You will be surprised at how easy it is:

Once you stop being automatic and become mindful you will know what are the things you can do without and will find the time, either all at one go or maybe in 2 blocks of 10 minutes each. It’s up to you.

Dr. Alex Mitrovic Ph.D

Follow me on Twitter! @HypnoticYogi or visit me at: www.meditationsolution.com

Bookmark It

11:11 My Oh My, What Can That Magical Number Possibly Mean?

My 11:11 journey began when I was about 27 years of age, which now seems like a considerable time ago.

Out of the blue it seemed like every time I peeked at a clock the time was 11:11. Instinctively, I knew there was some spiritual connection to this number because I regularly dabbled in Numerology. The constancy of the 11:11 appearance through out my life convinced me that something or someone was trying to communicate a direct message. The issue for me was to figure out the meaning of my personal and persistent message and why it was happening to me at this particular time in my life.

Okay, Okay I’ll cut to the chase… What does 11:11 actually mean?

I discovered 11:11 has what I consider both a Micro and Macro viewpoint. On a micro level the numbers are a sign of Unity…Unity with the divine. When you see the number 11:11it is a sign that for a very brief moment in time (a millisecond or so) your consciousness is embolden with awareness that you are not separate from Source. In fact we are not separate beings at all, like it or not, we are all one with the universe or all that is, was and ever will be.

Some people believe 11:11 is a pre-encoded trigger placed into our cellular memory banks prior to our incarnation into the physical form. When this trigger is tripped, we are being nudged by the divine universe to re-evaluate our lives on a grander scale. You see, most of life is an illusion whereby we become deeply enmeshed in trivial dramas which only keep us from naturally gravitating towards a state of expanding consciousness.

Do you remember the movie “Moonstruck” (MGM, 1987), when Loretta Castorini, played by Cher, tells Ronny Cammareri, played by Nicolas Cage, “Wait a minute… Wait a minute… Snap out of it!”, then delivers a crisp slap across Ronny’s face? Well when you see 11:11 on a regular basis, the universe, some believe your Guardian Angel, is telling you in only a slightly more subtle way to let all of this other “very temporary” stuff go by focusing on what is really important, which I believe to be Unity and Love.

How you respond to this message is entirely up to you. Some people know exactly what to do, some meditate, some decide to pray more constantly and others decide to ask for help with certain aspects of their lives. The important message is to remember we are all one, meaning we are no one in particular, but everyone at heart and one way to achieve greater, more elevated consciousness is to incorporate these principles into every one of our actions. Remember, “What we do unto others we do unto ourselves!”

Now, for Something Completely Different… The Macro View!

On a Maco level many people believe the number 11:11 represents the 4 Pillars of the Zodiac! They are the fixed signs of the Zodiac represented by Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. These signs are permanent in relationship to the 11:11 perspective because they represent fixity of purpose by application of the will to do, thus making certain their mission will be fulfilled. They cannot be swayed from the task at hand by any potential illusion created by the 5 senses.

The two 11s represent the 4 columns of the Throne of Yawei and the full colon represents Yawei through the principles of “I am That, That I am”. More precisely, the left gate 11 is represented by Taurus (earth) and Leo (fire) while the right gate 11 is represented by Scorpio (water) and Aquarius (air). The upper dot of the full colon is “I Am That” and the lower dot of the full colon is “That I Am.” The full colon is in the center of the gate to embrace our souls and take them to higher states of being beyond the constraints of the human body. The souls are thus protected from the seductions of the 5 senses that may jeopardize their mission.

Upon the great calling, when the Souls of Humanity will Ascend to the Throne of God (Yawei), the disciples (Souls) of the 11:11 calling (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) will ascend before the rest of humanity and by doing so will hold the gates open for all others to pass through so they may become one with the Omniscience.

Well there you have it folks strap yourself in and get the popcorn popping as it is going to be one magnificent ride and you will not want to miss one moment of it! This is the ultimate “Beam me up Scotty” moment for Humanity!

How did 11:11 change my life on a micro level?

The regular appearances of 11:11 always made me stop, pause and re-evaluate my life. During these times, I realized there were certain aspects of my life which kept me rooted in the material and distracted from being a fully functional and feeling human being.

One of my first 11:11 moments represented the opportunity to meet with a hypnotist who helped me conquer a severe smoking addiction that plagued me for many years. My smoking problem was typical. I would quit for a long period of time and then out of the blue start smoking again only to repeat the cycle over and over again. During a particularly strong 11:11 revelation, I was starting to get incredible cravings for nicotine and God only knows what other chemical poisonings.

When I made my appointment the hypnotherapist said the only opening he had on his calendar was November 11th! I was so preoccupied by the notion of why 11:11 kept popping up on my clocks that I had no idea of the correlation of the 11:11 aspect with relation to the date. I was simply being driven crazy as to why these numbers kept appearing to me on every time piece I encountered. 11:11 was in my car, on my microwave, the clocks at work and even the bell tower in the town where I lived. I never realized until much later that my appointment date was 11/11! On that very day, after visiting this hypnotist and Neuro Linguistic Programmer (NLP) for just one hour, I quit smoking for good.

Not only was the session successful but when he was done with me it was as if I had never smoked a cigarette ever! When I went for my annual physical there was no trace of smoking damage anywhere in my lungs or cardiovascular system. In addition, when I had a hair analysis done of my chemistry and possible toxic chemicals in my system there were none to be found! Today, whenever I see someone smoking it is as if they are aliens to me that are holding a stick to their mouth and smoke comes out of it. I simply have no reference point that it is smoking.

So 11:11 has very specific meaning for me and represents a rebirth of parts of myself which allowed me to no longer have addictions of any kind. It represents crucial and important events that I must pay careful and perceptive attention to as they are events of a very positive nature in my life.

Twitter and beyond!

As I started to get more involved with Twitter I ran into people who are also into the 11:11 phenomena. They all had different viewpoints and concepts about its many meanings. This further fascinated me because I began to realize what if this number is like a calling to a group of Souls on a planetary stage and the web is allowing each one of us to find each other. It is almost as if instead of seeing that mountain in the “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), we were seeing the number 11:11!

Namaste,

SanDanYi

Bookmark It

Accessing The Magical Self…Your Direct Connection to All That Is, Was and Ever Will Be!

The Magical Self is accessed when we confidently hear the voice of inner guidance which I believe to be directly connected to the divine source or what some call the omniscient. Access to and reliance upon the God source permits us to have synchronicity and timing which creates the feeling of always being in the right place and the right time.

How to access the Magical Self requires the daily practice of keeping our minds still and filled with quietness. Through this process we become more in tune and in sync with our inner guidance system because we are not disturbed by the relentless bombardment of outside noise. Without noise, there is only one sound to listen to and that is the voice of God. Remember, the voice is always there, it is up to you to take notice.

The Rat Race is Just an Illusion, So Be Careful of Its Seductive Ways!

However, for many of us this is a difficult and challenging task because our lives are filled with so much responsibility that our minds are constantly at work completing a multitude of assignments. Much like an assembly line, our minds go through the day identifying, coordinating and solving problem after problem. Even if we don’t have a problem to focus on, we might make one up just to keep our life interesting!

An unrelenting focus upon problem solving only further exacerbates the necessity of quieting our minds so we can listen to our inner directives. So you see, a life without balance only creates increasing amounts of chaos and unhappiness to the point we find ourselves spiraling out of control. Just like the song “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads, you will soon be muttering to yourself, “How did I get here?”

Ride the Wave of Life or Permit Your Life To Unfold Like A Flower…The Choice is Yours!

When we access the Magical Self our lives transform and blossom in ways we could only imagine. Much like a surfer, riding a big wave, people who become more in sync with their inner voice find that manifesting the things they want from life becomes a flowing experience. In order to stay on top of your personal wave (your vision of what your life should be like) you will have to “listen” to it and let it become part of you until the two become one.

Others who successfully access the Magical Self often associate their life with a flower blooming in the spring or “being” as natural as drawing a breath. Life just happens naturally without much thought, anxiety or stress. I know you have met people like this and wonder, “How do they do it?”

The amazing thing is the more you are able to access your Magical Self the more you will be able to attract positive outcomes. Over time many people find that they have the ability to call in more rewarding employments situations, healthier relationships, improved health and greater abundance.

Living an Inspired Life is Your Birthright… Take, Live, Be What is Rightfully Yours!

I believe living an inspired life is our birthright and we unknowingly drift away from the necessary daily activities that are needed in order to access the Magical Self.  One thing is for certain, when we quiet the mind, speak less, stop buying into self created drama of those around us, our lives become more still and in focus. It is at this point that we access and create magical outcomes in our life and enter into a phase of what I call “Total Synchronicity with the Universe!”

How Do I Get From Here to There?

Let’s take a look at how we can create some quiet time inside ourselves and by doing so help aid our journey towards accessing our Magical Self.

We must try and create and incorporate these daily practices in our lives on a consistent basis without making excuses or engaging any negative self talk patterns like “I try but I just can’t do it” or “I am just too busy” or “My lifestyle is not conducive to being able to be consistent.” At the end of the day, it is our responsibility to create a seemingly blessed and magical living experience.

Here are some of the daily practices that will help you access your Magical Self.

1. Implement a daily practice of meditation… Try to meditate 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening as this is one of the most powerful and consistent ways to quiet the mind and listen to our own inner guidance system.

2. Create and apply healthy personal boundaries… Take time to review your relationships with lovers, family and friends. Start to take a realistic and non-judgmental viewpoint towards those who are directly involved in your life.

This is necessary as we must discover those in our lives that take and take and take until we have been emptied out. These people are sometimes called, “Energy Vampires.” Remember there are no victims and we are the maestro of the orchestra of our lives. The more you are distracted by the negative events of your life and the draining daily occurrences of the world in which we live the further you will drift away from being able to access your magical self.

3. Speak less and listen more… As we make this journey from within, we come to understand how people self create all aspects of their lives… The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Through listening and speaking less we do not allow ourselves to be drawn into any situation in life that is not for our best and highest good.

Through silence we become more aligned with our highest good because when all the other sounds are eliminated we become witness to the only conversation that really matters and that is between our soul and the universal life force, the omniscient or what many call “God.”

4. Take time to nurture yourself… Finding time to Nurture Yourself is sometimes dificult  because we come in to this life with many things to work on and work through. The more we become victorious over our challenges, whether they are relationships, health, money, material possessions and the like, the freer we become. However, we can’t use personal circumstances as reasons not to appropriately take care of ourselves. So make sure to eat appropriately, exercise regularly and take personal time just for yourself.

The journey towards personal happiness becomes more accessible once we are able to clear all “obstacles from the runway of our life.” You are going to hear a very loud, “Clear for Takeoff Signal” once you take time for your own mental and physical needs.

Try these very simply suggestions without further excuse making and you will see a rapid and consistent unfolding process in your life where you can now access the Magical Self!

I now leave you to ponder one of my favorite inspirational quotes:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and endless plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself the Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

~ Goethe

Namaste,

SanDanYi

Bookmark It

To The Moon Alice – Your Guide to How the Moon Phases Affect your Daily Life

The Honeymooners was one of my favorite television shows growing up and even today I still laugh when I think of Jackie Gleason screaming at the top of his lungs, ‘To the Moon Alice, To the Moon!” While Jackie used the phrase as a humorous way to express his frustrations, the moon and its’ cycles actually play a very important role in our lives here on Earth.

Let us take a moment to review some of the moons cycles and how they relate to our daily lives:

Moon Phases and Women

Moon cycles govern a women’s menstrual cycle which is important in regards to the overall procreation of our species. This cycle is brought to head by the full moon’s arrival each month. However do to various dietary, and other biochemical interferences with these cycles i.e. birth control, soy products to name a few, not all women are able to follow this ‘natural cycle”

Moon Phases and Gardeners

Garden Planting by the Phases of the Moon focuses on coordinating the planting crops according to the amount of light being reflected by the sun off of  the moon.   Many vegetables in the night shade family only grow under the moon’s light.  These nightshade vegetables are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and all depend on the light of the moon to grow.

Moon Gardeners often plant their vegetable garden during the new moon, as the lack of “moonlight” permits the seeds to sprout.  As the moon’s light increases over the month the seeds will take root and begin to grow.

Moon Phases and Fishermen

Mariners and fishermen know what types of fish to fish for in the evening by the amount of light from the moon.  Anglers who rely on the “Solunar Theory” often experience larger catches than those fisherman who rely on luck or revisit the same old fishing spots just out of routine.

So, the next time you speak to a fisherman ask him or her,  ”What type of fish are running durring the current moon cycle?”  You will find the answer to be quite interesting.  Just remember, altitude plays an important role in the moon’s ability to affect the tide.  The closer you are to sea level, the greater affect a full moon will have on the tide.

Moon Phases and the Healing Arts

In many naturopathic disciplines i.e. acupuncture, homeopathy, energy healing to name a few the moon and its cycles represents the feminine aspect or the Yin energy of our bodies in the natural order of things in nature the moon rules the tide cycles of our planets oceans, in this respect it rules the oceanic fluid of your physical body system which is water, and all the organs that relate to water liver, kidneys, gall bladder as water is a way the body “flushes” out toxins.

Moon Phases and Your Hair

Moon phases also affect how your hair responds to hair cuts and various styling techniques.  Proponents of this concept rely heavily upon the belief that because the body contains so many fluids it is only natural that the moon will greatly influence all aspects of  a human being’s bodily fuctions.

According to author Dr. George Michael (”George Michael’s Secrets For Beautiful Hair”):

“The moon has a magnetic influence on hair just as it does on the tides. During the first quarter of the moon, a person on earth has an extremely opposite electrical pull to the moon itself.. Electric static goes through the body, through the hair, and becomes immersed into the atmosphere. The hair actually serves as a conductor of electricity, and breakage and splitting are minimized.”

So the next time you are considering a major hair alteration try incorporationg a few moon phase hair care techniques into your scheduling plans.

Moon Phases and Surgery

Blood, like the ocean, has fluctuating tides. Many people avoid surgeries during a full moon because the tide is considered “high.” At this stage of the moon cycle, the patient may suffer a greater chance of experiencing ruptured vessels and difficulties associated with the healing process.

Give Thanks to the Moon and Listen to the Messages it is Sending!

I hope you take the time, to appeciate not only the beauty of the moon but to also take into consideration how it affects our everday lives. We are all one and unless we try to take into consideration how we are all connected we will continuously miss out on the greater joys of life.  

The idea here is to be in synchronicity with your environment  in order to create greater balance in your life. Your life will unfold like a flower and you will be able to access your Magical Self once balance occurs and you become more in tune with life’s rhythms.   The ebb and flow of life will cradle and comfort you instead of turning your boat over when then the next big wave hits.  

A Moon Phase Calendar is now on the sidebar of my website so you will always have easy access to current moon phase information.  Check it often and try to impliment some of the theories described above.  Paying attention to the finer details of your everyday environment will open the door to a more  fulfilling life experience.

Namaste,

San Dan Yi

Bookmark It