One-Two-Three Punch Marketing
Through all the stages with my teacher, I felt times of joy. My teacher taught me not to have expectations; rather just to practice, to be content at all the stages of the practice just as it would unfold, to be in the moment. You don't say: "I'm trying hard to be enlightened." You don't focus on a future goal. So much of Vipassana is to accept things just as they are, not to want things to be different. Experience exactly what you are experiencing. The Pali word, khanti, patience, has a deep meaning: that you just trust the unfolding of reality, to accept life and consciousness as they come to you.
BN: Yes. However, in Buddhism even this deep consciousness is conditional. There is no self of any kind. I know in Tibetan Buddhism there is this distinction between seeing the characteristics of conditions-objects and the characteristic of the deep self.
The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering: If we do away with our desires, then we will be able to lessen the potential for suffering. You will become closer to attaining peace and karma no longer becomes an issue, as the cycle of suffering will be broken.
In yoga and in Thai massage, the hips are believed to hold a lot of emotions. For this reason, innumerable techniques have been developed over the centuries of Thai massage practice to release the hip muscles and joints.
Does the Seller Reside in Thailand? The seller of authentic Thai amulets is almost certainly still living in Thailand. You can almost immediately weed out anyone not physically residing in Thailand at the present moment. If your amulets aren't shipped from Thailand there is an even better chance you are not getting genuine articles.
Whenever we found ourselves separated from theravada monasteries, day jobs were required to pay the bills; nobody was there to back us up. Only in very spiritual countries, and small growing pockets of awareness here in the States, are meditators looked upon as valuable assets, and supported to one degree or another. Because Janet and I were married, however, Theravada.vn Bhante G insisted that we live in town rather than at the Bhavana Society, and we understood this. In Thailand, it's okay to be married, because in Thailand there is more room to support spiritual couples, where each can stay in a separate monastery, or separated in a large monastery.
As wonderful as it is to have such noble values be part of Thai arts and culture, long hours of daily seated meditation and prayer stiffen the hip joints and the lower back muscles. Again, Thai massage is the commonly sought remedy.
