Musings from the Mat
Habits of Happiness
You know how some people seem to be happy no matter what happens to them? There’s no great trick to it but rather a few simple steps and adjustments, starting with an understanding of the nature of true happiness. Our values, beliefs and morals help define and express our inner selves.
Cultivating Balance
Cultivating balance in life is the most important act of true love we can express for ourselves. Self-care--an essential survival skill—consists of any activity we pursue deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Mudras to Manifest Energy
There are many mudras and variations in each country for usage and meaning. Ive put together a list of some of the most common ones found in Buddhism and Hinduism.It is often helpful to know these variations when looking at temple art, especially Buddhist art, as the iconography and imagery can help bring the figures and stories to life.
Mudras for Meditation
A mudrā is a symbolic gesture and energetic seal in the spiritual practice of East Asian religions. Some mudrās involve the entire body, but most are shown with hands and fingers.In Tibetan Tantra, the body, speech and thought of the Buddha are the Three Mysteries. The mystic power (Adhisthana) of the Buddha can be expressed through humans, with our body, speech and thought.
What Colour is Your Prayer Flag?
Prayer flags are ancient Buddhist prayers, mantras and symbols that have a powerful spiritual vibration carried by and into the wind.Prayer flags date to ancient Tibet, China, Persia and India, and the texts and symbols are based in Buddhist philosophy.
Moon in May is Buddha Day
Growing up in a traditional Chinese household, we had many cultural celebrations and paid respect to ancestors by lighting lanterns and candles, offerings flowers, incense and fruit throughout the year. In the Buddhist tradition, one of the most auspicious and significant celebrations happens every May on the night of the full moon, with people all over the world celebrating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
If you grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70’s and were around the Whole Earth Catalog, you might remember nut loaves. They were one of my favorites and felt like really yummy goodness. It’s a great vegetarian option for the holidays, and sometimes called vegetarian “meat loaf “. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy for a modern traditional wholesome meal.