Writing Online In Two Syllables Or Less

MZC: There's a combination of what one experiences and comes to understand and a belief perhaps in the sense of a confidence that there is an efficacy to the practice of the teachings. But again it's based in one's own experience, not taken, as Batchelor says and the Buddha teaches, because some authority says so.



Harvey was still wearing his business suit and relayed to me that he was here on his lunch break and that he only had exactly one hour. "No problem", I assured him. This confirmed my decision to go ahead with Thai massage.

I decided that if I want to go deeper into Buddhism, I need to be ordained a monk; I wanted to dedicate my life to it. So I ordained in 1991 and spent five years with my preceptor. We started coming to Mexico and started this monastery in 1999.

Massage Therapy is a well-known and well-documented remedy for inducing relaxation and reducing mental stress. In particular, traditional Thai massage with its slow meditative and rhythmic compressions, yoga-like stretches, and passive joint movements seemed to be an ideal tool for someone like Harvey.

Siddhartha Gautama believed that he had attained a state of being, where he fully understood all of the ins and outs of the human condition. He referred to this level as 'nirvana,' which meant that the termination of his desires ended all of his suffering. He began to spread the word, claiming that through his teachings, this state of bliss could be achieved.

Throughout the years, Buddhism has taken on many different forms, as seen with the establishment and growth of various schools. Each school possesses their own take on rituals and traditions. The earliest form of Buddhism, which is also practiced in Thailand, is called theravada. Branching off from this school, Mahayana Buddhism was formed, which deals with Zen Buddhism, as well as Pure Land Buddhism. Another major school is called Vajrayana, as seen through Tibetan Buddhism. Today, all three schools are found throughout the world.

Part of Harvey's secret to youthful appearance was his discipline with himself. At 80, he still went to work every day, running his successful business. On a daily basis, he was committed to maintaining optimal health in his physical body. He watched what he ate, and remained open to new health trends and ideas, willing to incorporate them into his life.