Buddha

Siddhārtha Gautama, often referred to as “the Buddha”, was a prince who lived around 500 BCE in modern-day India. His father, the King, sheltered Siddhartha and kept him largely confined to a royal life of luxury within the palace. At the age of 29 Siddhartha felt that material wealth was not the ultimate goal of life so one night he summoned his charioteer Channa and they snuck out of the palace. This is where his story begins.

The first man they came across was an old man, then a diseased man, and then a dead man. Disturbed by this, Siddhartha now knew that all people would eventually grow old, become diseased and die. The prince continued on his journey until coming upon an ascetic. He asked Channa who this was and he replied “Siddhartha, this is a man who has renounced all worldly possessions in the pursuit of enlightenment”. Siddhartha immediately disrobed from his royal garments and followed the ascetic into the woods in the pursuit of enlightenment. He goes from one polarity to the other extreme, thinking this is the way to create radical change. I find it so interesting to observe this within my own mind. It is the all or none mindset. It rarely works as Siddhartha eventually discovers. 

Over the next six years Siddhartha studied with different yoga masters trying to find enlightenment through near total deprivation of worldly goods (including food) and practicing self-mortification. After nearly starving himself to death by restricting his food, he collapsed in a river while bathing and almost drowned. Siddhartha began to reconsider his path. After asceticism and concentrating on meditation, Siddhartha is said to have discovered what he called the Middle Way—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. He came to this realization while sitting under the Bodhi tree. Bodhi means enlightenment and Buddha means one who has achieved bodhi.

He found complete awakening and insight into the nature and cause of human suffering—ignorance. His awakening was simply categorized into the Four Noble Truths of Life. The four noble truths are: suffering, causes of suffering, happiness and causes of happiness. Many people whom I have come across who have studied and live Buddhist philosophy are very quick to say that this is the only teaching you ever need. They are also very quick to say the Buddha wasn’t a Buddhist. Siddhartha became enlightened. He woke up to the power that each and every one of us possesses. He saw the very nature of reality and the interdependence of the universe. Much of his insights have been proven over the last 50 years through research into quantum physics.

Siddhartha original mindset is a root cause of suffering for many. I see it all the time. I am quitting on Monday. I am going to lose 50 pounds. Someone who goes from sitting on the couch to saying they are going to run a marathon. Our minds think that radically going from one polarity to the other is somehow going to be the answer. What happens is that we fall flat on our face because our ego set the bar too high. When we approach something in a moderate fashion and understand that change and enlightenment is a gradual process which requires a larger mind-set. If you are attempting to make some changes within your life, keep moderation and the middle path within your awareness.

Rehabilitation

I began lifting weights in my basement as a kid. It was the summer between sixth and seventh grade and my track coach said it would help me run faster. I was all about running faster—this is where my fascination with fitness began. My brother was into Kung Fu so we both trained in the basement. Not in my recollection can I ever remember stopping to pay attention to how good my body felt from exercise. 

The word “rehabilitation” actually means to learn to live inside again (from the French habiter, which means to dwell, to inhabit). The Indo-European root is ghabe, meaning giving and receiving. I find these roots very poetic when viewing yoga as a form of rehabilitation. I now know why I never paid too much attention to my body until I began practicing yoga. I never focused on feeling sensations within my body—as an athlete I was mostly in my head thinking, thinking and thinking. Thinking about what was next, what to accomplish or what I could gain. That left no room for giving. 

Without giving there is no receiving—this is just a simple truth. I never received the information my body was trying to send me. I remember the exact moment when I first truly felt my body in a giving and receiving way. After that experience I said to myself, “What have I been missing?” Through the practice of yoga we can expand and deepen our sense of what it means to inhabit our body. We can learn to inhabit our body with a sense of awareness that can be healing and in many ways, life altering. 

Hatha Yoga (physical practice of Yoga) has taught me to pay attention to the senses. I now do this all the time. I do it at the gym, running, standing, driving my car; the list goes on and on. Yoga is something that for many of us is introduced through yoga postures, but this is just the beginning of the practice. Unfortunately for many, they never get beyond the physical postures. It is a way of living. It is a way of listening. It’s a way of giving and receiving the essence of life. 

The rehabilitation begins when you understand the giving and receiving relationship. The moment you start to draw your attention within and then receive the multitude of sensations that are arising and falling away, something very special happens. You experience no mind and the fascination and focus on thought begins to dissipate. You are no longer focused on analyzing, judging, and compartmentalizing. You are just being--this is the gateway to Being Empowered. 

Driving

All the activities in my daily life have become part of my practice in developing a mindfulness practice. The act of pausing during a particular activity and bringing attention to my view has developed over the past several years of practice. This has brought a greater sense of stability and calmness into my life. Many times when I stop and pay attention, my mind is doing one of two things—leaning into the next moment or holding onto something that happened yesterday, a week ago or longer. 

I have learned that my mind tends to lean more than to hold onto past memories. I believe this is because I am growing a business and a family and living in an accelerated and fast time in history. I have noticed that the leaning mind can create uneasiness and perpetuate unawareness. One of the major times I notice this is when driving to and from work. More recently I have begun driving without any music or podcasts on. I watch my speed, focus on driving and relax with my breathing. It is amazing to feel the difference once arrive at my destination. 

Pausing and bringing attention to any activity with a non-judgmental state of awareness can really help you cultivate happiness. The more we give ourselves over to the activity at hand, the more the activity becomes a stabilizing exercise for your mind. The more we participate in activities physically and at the same time mentally perform something else, the more neurotic the mind can become. 

For me, consciously driving and not speeding while talking on the cell phone every time I am in the car is a real practice. It is something I will be practicing for the rest of my life. For you this could be a practice. Maybe there is something else you inattentively tend to do with your body. Try giving yourself over to the activity and notice how you feel after you complete the task. It will certainly feel different. Notice there is a calming effect when doing something physically with your full attention. That calmness is the absence of a mind that leans and clings—it is a state of mental clarity and stability. It is Being Empowered.

Right

In the Buddhist 8 Fold Path, this is the first Limb. In translating the Pali language, oftentimes the meaning can get lost in translation. The use of the word right does not indicate a world of duality like this is right and that is wrong. The use of the word right is saying this is effective and works. Right view is proper orientation within the present moment. 

The Four Noble Truths make up the spiritual compass required to guide you on your life path. The first truth is the realization of suffering. Two is the identification of the root or causes of suffering. Three is the cessation of suffering. Four is the cultivation of a life that minimizes suffering and maximizes happiness. Realization, identification, cessation and cultivation—these are the four truths often referred to as The Lion’s Roar. I personally love that—it is intense and very strong.

If you stopped 100 people on the street and asked them if they were suffering the majority are going to say no. If you change the wording to “stressed out”, the majority are going to change their answer. I believe that human beings have an incredible ability to ignore our stress. That is why we need to become sensitive to where we are getting hung up or stuck in life. In our world today there are so many different kinds of stress. All stress originates in the mind and is created by the mind and manifested by the mind. 

For instance, if you don’t eat right or exercise you are placing undo stress on your mind and body which is going to eventually lead to deeper levels of suffering as you get older. Poor self image, premature aging, type 2 diabetes (potentially), heart disease, and the list goes on and on. In this case, a poor orientation to the present moment has you inflicting stress on yourself. Moments build onto moments and the stress and suffering will compound with aging, leading to greater pain. 

How often I get caught up in misconstrued views and react to life with a lack of understanding! Being empowered is constant application and inspection of your filters and views. It is becoming aware of the thoughts that inhabit your mind with a non-judgmental awareness. It is about coming to the realization that you are more than the thoughts that populate your head. You are the awareness that can see thoughts developing and fading. Being Empowered is developing unwavering attention and cultivating the ability to discern right view from views that are going to lead to stress and undo suffering. 

6 Zen Masters

Yesterday morning, I was awakened by my daughter Leia at 6 am. Most mornings she wakes up in a good mood but not this morning. As I tended to her, I walked downstairs to our 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier “Candy” who was running to the door. If I don’t react fast enough, Candy will do her business right on the floor. I let her out as Liam was crying in the bedroom with Sara. It was Sunday morning and Sara wanted to sleep, so I went into the bedroom and picked up Liam. Sara could get a few more minutes of rest while I took both Leia and Liam into the kitchen to start the coffee. Of course, at this point, I had forgotten about Candy. I quickly remembered and went outside to find her in the street. I felt my temper rise as I heard the thoughts go through my head, “Candy, how many times have I told you about walking in the street?” As I am walked back into the house, Finny our 4-year-old and very protective Wheaten Terrier is barking at me because I am outside. That is what he does; barks! I went back inside and Leia and Liam are fighting over some toy. I quickly helped them resolve their dispute and put a cartoon on to calm them down. Sara and Jimmy are still sleeping.

At any given time, whether it is because one of my three kids, my wife, or the two dogs, life is challenging the moment. Life is not about eliminating the disturbances so you can find peace. Life is about finding peace amongst the disturbances. My 6 Zen Masters are constantly teaching me how to do this. 

You Can't Step in the Same River Twice

There is an old Zen saying that you can never step into the same river twice. This wisdom exemplifies the flowing nature of reality. This morning when you woke up you probably looked at the same walls in your house, same kitchen, same people who live in your house. It is all the same at first glance—but is it?

Today is a new day—this moment is a new moment and one you have never lived. You are a day older and the world is constantly evolving and changing. Life is like a river and every moment is different. For you to recognize this, you have to shift your perspective from overly thinking to feeling. You have to pay attention with the utmost alertness and relax around this attentiveness. Placing your attention first thing in the morning on those you live with, a pet, or nature can be an awakening experience. Really look without thinking—see clearly and feel the presence of whatever you are looking at. Take a walk outside first thing in the morning and notice nature. Feel the presence of the trees or an animal feeding. Some of these practices can make a difference in your mood and set the tempo for your day.

The mind can become like a broken record – thinking the same thing over and over again. Developing a concentration practice like mediation, yoga, or applying the art of paying attention while walking, running, gardening, etc can help stabilize your mind allow you to drop into deeper states of awareness. Being fully awake to this moment brings a freshness, sharpness, and aliveness to your life. Many of my mornings begin with my daughter Leia. She wakes up and I pull her into bed with me. As we lay together I look at her face and she gives me kisses. We tickle each other. Her presence is so pure and she always reminds me to pay attention. This time is so precious and every morning is truly new when I see her with fresh eyes. Other mornings I begin with a 6am yoga practice. I use my body and sensation as the focal point of my attention. Other mornings begin with a run. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as much as where you mind is when you are doing it.

Start to notice where your attention lies. I have learned a lot about myself by paying attention first thing in the morning. Developing some early morning practices to notice that this day is new and everything around you is new. This can become a life altering practice. It can lead to a life of “Being Empowered”.

Niagara Falls

This past weekend my wife Sara, my 8 year old son Jimmy and I drove up to Buffalo for a family reunion for Sara’s side of the family—we were also to celebrate Sara’s Grandmother’s 95th birthday. Before things got going Saturday morning we went to see Niagara Falls. I had not been there since I was in college. I stood by the falls and was overtaken by the energy of the water. Sara commented that it felt like it pulls you in. I felt the same way. The metaphors of water are a big yogic concept. The falls are very powerful!

Later that morning we went to the nursing home. Sara’s grandmother worked until she was 89. The last time I saw her was at her 90th birthday and she was sharp and alert. She moved a lot and lived on her own. Shortly after my visit she broke her hip and things have gone down hill since. It was wonderful to see her yet hard not to notice the correlation between movement and life energy within the body. She was very sleepy and not very alert and her body has withered. After we left the nursing home there was not much talk about her grandmother. We headed off to the family reunion.

The next morning we went back to the nursing home and her grandmother was more alert. Although she is nearly blind her eyes were wide open and she was much more coherent. We had lunch and I could not help but look around and contemplate what I was seeing. Most of the people in the home where confined to wheel chairs and not very alert. Many showed signs of mentally not being there. What went first - movement or the mind’s alertness or movement of body?

I cannot help but correlate movement with brain function. When I take my arms overhead for a prolonged period of time or hold a yoga posture I am extending my range of motion strengthening the muscles and connective tissue while strengthening and opening up the joint capsule. When I release the posture I pause to feel the gush of blood flow into the body like Niagara Falls water rushing. If you have ever practiced yoga postures you know what I am talking about. If I don’t practice yoga for several days, which doesn’t happen often, I feel the energy of the body has slowed down—stagnation has set in. It is like water that is left in a glass—it starts forming mold and other yucky stuff. This is what happens inside of us when we stop moving.

Our bodies and minds are 70% water. They are ever changing and the mind and body requires continuous flow and movement. Replenishing the body throughout the day with water insures we don’t become dehydrated and brittle. Performing movement that allows us to maintain the range of motion in the joints is critical. I don’t think I can escape old age, disease or death yet I know how to do it gracefully. The nursing home was a beautiful place. A reminder that I too will grow old and eventually die—there is nothing that comes from this realization. Death comes to all of us and life is here and now. The question that I continually contemplate is, “What am I doing with this moment?” Am I using this body and mind to its fullest? A worthy contemplation on the path to Being Empowered.