Meditations of a Yogi

No matter what happens, I will not let my joy run out. Unhappiness leads nowhere and destroys everything that is. Why suffer when you can change everything? And if nothing can be changed, how will suffering help? Shantideva

Stay away from anything that harms the mind, speech, and body, and always remain liberated. Avoid society that promotes kleshas, and keep to friends who induce goodness. Morning, night, and in between, go over your good and bad deeds and keep your mind alert. Though you may have oral precepts, their purpose will not be accomplished unless you put them into practice - so practice all that you have understood! Guru Padmasambhava

“The relative phenomena of the world however they appear are without essence, mere names, mere sounds, mere designations, not the slightest bit of difference between names and meanings exists, innate from the beginning, not to be sought elsewhere. The nature of the mind, without a name, mahamudra free from proliferation, it is equivalent with the nature of space, without a name from the beginning, non-arisen by nature, free from the proliferation of signs, all-pervading, unmoving and unchanging like space, empty throughout all time and always selfless, not the characteristic of concept, like a mirage of a river, not bound, not liberated, having never moved from the original state.” ~ Mahasiddha Virupa

“To cling to a concrete reality is to be as foolish as cattle. But clinging to emptiness is even more foolish.” ~Saraha. Jewels Of Enlightenment. Compiled and Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang.

To cling to a concrete reality is to be as foolish as cattle. But clinging to emptiness is even more foolish. ~ Saraha. Jewels Of Enlightenment. Compiled and Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang.

Subconsciously, we are drawn in by the expectation that we will reach a stage where we don't have to fix anything anymore. One day we will achieve 'happily ever after.' We believe in the concept of 'solutions.' Like everything we've been through until now, our entire lives up to this point have been rehearsal. We believe that our great performance is yet to come, so we do not live for today. —Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

At all times, do not lose courage in your inner awareness; elevate yourself by assuming a humble position in your outer behavior. Follow the example of the life and total liberation of previously accomplished masters. Do not blame your past karma; instead, be one who purely and perfectly practices the Dharma. Do not blame temporary negative circumstances; instead, be one who remains steadfast in the face of whatever circumstances may arise. Dudjom Rinpoche

It is necessary to realize that true spiritual practice leading to Enlightenment and Liberation does not inherently imply a pleasant stay in an even and calm state, when you, having escaped suffering, have placed yourself in conditions where suffering does not arise. To intentionally place yourself where it is hard, and there to form a state of consciousness in which suffering does not arise, is the real spiritual practice. Of course, we are not talking here about self-torture, about actions that are useless from the point of view of spiritual practice and that bring suffering. Such actions belong to the Obsession of vows and precepts and the World of Lower Spirits. It refers to the Right Effort based entirely on the right study of the Dharma and the Right View.