Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Buddha In You


Today, I was in a workshop entitled "The Buddha in You." These are the major axioms that were addressed:

1. No one has ever done wrong to you.(It is never personal. and all seemingly bad experiences ultimate contribute to something positive within you.)

2.Therefore, no person is the source of your resentments.

3.You have never made a mistake. (Only in hindsight do we know and understand our choices. Choices, at the time were made to meet a need. And seemingly bad choices ultimately contribute something positive within you.)

4.You are not your thoughts. (Thoughts and feelings are not facts. We assign meaning or create narratives, when we attach ourselves to a thought. The most common thought is "I am not good enough.")

5.No one can affirm you or deny you. (Our search for approval is, like going to watcha movie, a temporary distraction from the reality that everything comes from within. You must be your own parent. Self-acceptance is a key avenue to the Buddha within.)

6.You are perfect. (You are perfectly human. Excuse yourself. Excuse the guilt. Be less demanding of yourself and others. Rumi says: "The beloved you seek is none other than yourself, hang on to this truth and don't be afraid.")

--Peter Matthews

As a note, I must warn you that any of these axioms can be seriously misinterpreted and used to fuel the neurotic complexes they are meant to fight. It takes a lifetime to master this advice, however reading it is one small step forward on the path to that mastery.


1 comment:

Unknown said...

I took Mr. Matthews' workshop last Wellness Day, that just addressed number 4 on that list. He's a really cool guy, and that workshop was pretty interesting. Glad to hear you liked this one.