Category: Religious Messages
Osho on Zen
ZEN
“Osho,
I cannot understand the philosophy of Zen. What should I do to understand it?
Zen is not a philosophy at all. To approach Zen as if it is a philosophy is to begin in a wrong way from the very beginning. A philosophy is something of the mind; Zen is totally beyond the mind. Zen is the process of going above the mind, far away from the mind; it is the process of transcendence, of surpassing the mind. You cannot understand it by the mind, mind has no function in it.
Zen is a state of no-mind, that has to be remembered. It is not Vedanta. Vedanta is a philosophy; you can understand it perfectly well. Zen is not even Buddhism; Buddhism is also a philosophy.
Zen is a very rare flowering – it is one of the strangest things that has happened in the history of consciousness – it is the meeting of Buddha’s experience and Lao Tzu’s experience. Buddha, after all, was part of the Indian heritage: he spoke the language of philosophy; he is perfectly clear, you can understand him. In fact, he avoided all metaphysical questions; he was very simple, clear, logical. But his experience was not of the mind. He was trying to destroy your philosophy by providing you with a negative philosophy. Just as you can take out a thorn from your foot with another thorn, Buddha’s effort was to take out the philosophy from your mind with another philosophy. Once the first thorn has been taken out, both thorns can be thrown away and you will be beyond mind.
But when Buddha’s teachings reached China a tremendously beautiful thing happened: a crossbreeding happened. In China, Lao Tzu has given his experience of Tao in a totally non-philosophical way, in a very absurd way, in a very illogical way. But when the Buddhist meditators, Buddhist mystics, met the Taoist mystics they immediately could understand each other heart to heart, not mind to mind. They could feel the same vibe, they could see that the same inner world had opened, they could smell the same fragrance. And they came closer, and by their coming closer, by their meetings and merging with each other, something new started growing up; that is Zen. It has both the beauty of Buddha and the beauty of Lao Tzu; it is the child of both. Such a meeting has never happened before or since.
Zen is neither Taoist nor Buddhist. It is both and neither. Hence the traditional Buddhists reject Zen and the traditional Taoists also reject Zen. For the traditional Buddhist it is absurd, for the traditional Taoist it is too philosophical, but to those who are really interested in meditation, Zen is an experience. It is neither absurd nor philosophical because both are terms of the mind. It is something transcendental.”
Father’s Blessing
“God bless all fathers and fathers-to-be.”
A beloved and often repeated prayer by individuals and in groups begins, “Our Father…” There is both great responsibility and reward in playing the role of a father. Encouraging confidence in young ones calls for a parent to be present in all stages of children’s lives. Often it’s not until after years of being present–sometimes when kids think they are smarter than adults–that fathers are appreciated for their wisdom and devotion.
A prayer is a powerful way to bless fathers: “God bless fathers with all they need to be wise and loving parents.” And perhaps a prayer is even more immediate when a father or a father-to-be prays: “God, guide me in being a father that enriches the lives of my children.”
“I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you.” 1 ~ Chronicles 17:13
Dailyword.com
Home Blessing From The Daily Word
“Entering my home gives me a sense of peace. My home is more than a shelter. It is a place where I feel comfortable and secure, where I think and plan, where I rest and relax. I want it to be a place that welcomes others and makes them feel comfortable.
I give my home a Blessing! With each thought and prayer, I create an environment that nourishes love, peace, and respect. I bless my home with these thoughts.
‘These walls are built with love. The windows allow the sun’s light to shine in and remind me that I, too, let light shine through me. Into each corner of every room, I send peace. Love resides here, creating warmth and inviting camaraderie and goodwill. All who enter its doors are welcome.”
‘Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ – Luke 10:5″ dailyword.com
Renewal
“I am healed and renewed.”
“Today I express my gratitude to God for healing. Thank You for the divine blueprint of wholeness and perfection within me and for my natural state of health, vitality, and strength.
Thank You for Your presence in me, renewing, restoring, and sustaining me. Every organ, cell, and function of my body is being restored to wholeness through the healing power of Divine Life in me.
I behold my true nature as Your child and I see myself as a picture of health — moving, speaking, working, playing, and functioning with ease, confidence, and purpose.
I love and care for my body, for it houses the sacred being I am. I am healed and renewed, and I am grateful.”
“The Lord, your God, is in your midst… he will renew you in his love.” — Zephaniah 3:17, dailyword.com
The Daily Word – Prosperity
Prosperity – The abundance of the universe flows to me. I accept it with joy and gratitude.
Some people may think of prosperity as something to be earned, a goal to be achieved. In spiritual Truth, prosperity is a natural expression of divine love, the infinite essence of all life. Prosperity flows abundantly through every atom in the universe and through every cell of my body.
If my prosperity feels stifled, I know that any limitations are of my own making. Perhaps I am forgetting to stay vigilant against such thoughts when they appear.
Not to worry! Such negative thoughts are dissolved as I appreciate the many ways in which prosperity is already expressing in my life. My prosperity comes when I experience more of God. I open my heart to receive and accept the abundance of the Universe.
Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.—Luke 12:32
HAPPINESS
Your Body Temple
“I am a spiritual being, living in a physical body. My body is a temple, a sacred vehicle through which I live and breathe and create experiences for my spiritual growth.
As an expression of divine life, I strive to keep myself whole and strong. I bless my body by eating wholesome foods and participating in regular physical activity. I am a spiritual being and my thoughts affect my body. I take time to meditate, pray, and affirm well-being.
In prayer, I bless my body from head to toe. I speak words of life to every organ and system, and affirm the perfect function of each one. I give thanks for the ability to experience my physical world. Each experience is one of spiritual growth.”
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19. Silentunity.org
Ask Of God
Lao Tzu’s Four Rules for Living
“Many centuries ago, Lao Tzu, spoke of the four cardinal virtues, teaching that when we practice them as a way of life, we come to know the truth of the universe. The ancient Chinese master said that living and practicing these teachings can open you to higher wisdom and greater happiness, as they realign you to the source and enable you to access all the powers that source energy has to offer. Those four teachings are ‘Reverence For All Life, Natural Sincerity, Gentleness and Supportiveness.’
1. Reverence For All Life
This virtue manifests as having unconditional love and positive regard for all creatures in the universe, starting with ourselves, then this will naturally flow out to all others. This reverence is for all life, not just some forms. It is honoring all forms of life, and at its core has an innate spiritual understanding of how the universe truly works – that we are all sparks of the one fire. When we live with reverence for all life, we surrender our need to control and to dominate. We naturally come into heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for all of life. This first virtue is the key to diminishing the ego.
‘Affirm this as often as you can, for when you see yourself in a loving way, you have nothing but love to extend outward. And the more you love others, the less you need old excuse patterns, particularly those relating to blame.’ ~Wayne Dyer
2. Natural Sincerity
This virtue encompasses kindness and authenticity. It has a feeling of compassion and an all-encompassing love for all beings. When we are sincere and act with integrity, we move towards peace and inner tranquility. Our conscience clear, we don’t have the inner niggles over our dishonest actions that can erode a peaceful mind. Much of these four pillars relate to karma, the law of cause and effect, and maintaining equilibrium and impeccability.
‘This virtue is honesty, simplicity, and faithfulness,’ says Wayne Dyer. ‘It is about being true to yourself and walking your talk.‘ According to Dyer, if you find this challenging, try affirming, ‘I no longer need to be insincere or dishonest. This is who I am, and this is how I feel.’
3. Gentleness
Gentleness is a deeply powerful trait. Often interpreted as weakness, gentleness is sensitivity, respect, and reverence for all life. Perhaps this virtue can be summed up by the Dalai Lama who often says; ‘my religion is very simple, my religion is kindness.’ In life, it is far more important to be kind than to be right, and to be kind rather than important. Gentleness is an umbrella for forgiveness, acceptance and love. It is much like the yogic term ahimsa, or non-violence. When we give up being right and being superior, we start accepting ourselves and others, and so much conflict in our lives drops away.
‘Gentleness generally implies that you no longer have a strong ego-inspired desire to dominate or control others, which allows you to move into a rhythm with the universe. You cooperate with it, much like a surfer who rides with the waves instead of trying to overpower them. Gentleness means accepting life and people as they are, rather than insisting that they be as you are. As you practice living this way, blame disappears and you enjoy a peaceful world.’ ~ Wayne Dyer
4. Supportiveness
When we are supportive of ourselves, with kind words, loving actions and self-care, we are naturally supportive of others. This virtue is the basic tenet of humanity. We are naturally social beings and, at our core, we want to be with others and to help others. Many experiments show how humans are motivated by connection and will move towards this rather than other things. When we give to others, share and support others, we become happy. Our lives become meaningful and our hearts full. Supportiveness is about service. Open hearted service for the sake of helping others and benefiting others, with no thought to our own gain. Supportiveness is also about holding space for another, listening to another, and being there for others. It is radical loving kindness in action. This quote by the poet, Hafiz, sums it up: ‘Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth ‘you owe me.’ ‘
Let these four virtues fragrance your life, and notice the grace and ease that will come your way. For each one of these virtues brings in a way of being that is light, graceful and flowing and will help you shed destructive, self defeating patterns that sabotage your inner peace and happiness.
‘The four cardinal virtues are a road map to the simple truth of the universe. To revere all of life, to live with natural sincerity, to practice gentleness, and to be in service to others is to replicate the energy field from which you originated.‘ ~ Dr Wayne Dyer
Lao Tzu means ‘Old Master,’ and he was believed by some to be a God-realized being.“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The Tao is both named and nameless. As nameless it is the origin of all things; as named it is the Mother of 10,000 things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery; ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations. And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding.” ― Wayne W. Dyer, Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
The Tao Te Ching is the basic text of Taoism, but it has also influenced Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism, and is among some of the most translated works in world literature. This powerful text of the Tao, road or way of life, reflects the force of the universe and even the universe itself. While many have tried to make sense of its mystery, one man immersed himself in this text, literally living its wisdom, and then distilled the essence of these ancient mystery teachings for a modern audience.
In 2006, the late Wayne Dyer was inspired to spend his entire 65th year reading, researching, and meditating on Lao Tzu’s messages, going into retreat to practice them and ultimately write down the insights he felt Lao Ttzu wanted us to know. Dr Dyer researched ten well respected translations of the text and the result of that life-changing year was his best-selling book Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao.
Affectionately known as the Father of Motivation, Dr. Dyer says Lao Tzu’s four cardinal virtues represent the surest way to leave habits and excuses behind and reconnect to your original nature. ‘The more your life is harmonized with the four virtues, the less you’re controlled by the uncompromising ego.’ ” By Azriel ReShel, upliftconnect.com