It’s Songkran again (Thai new year) and everyone’s throwing water and celebrating. Lots of alcohol, bad music and good times. I like to watch from a distance, it’s mostly the younger kids that go out and have a blast. Although I am doing my part by compiling a nice compilation of hip hop and tight grooves on my MP3 player so the younger Lisu youths can have some dope beats today (they love my music, as they should, I got the goods!) If I could spread the message of good music, than my work here in Thailand this lifetime has been complete.

Today is unique because we are cleaning all the holy images on all the shrines in my home. My wife is Christian and I am Buddhist, but that’s fine, we preach Buddha and Jesus as Brothers (like Thich Nat Han says). So the cross gets a bath, St. Francis, Quan Yin, the Hermit, and the Buddha. Everyone cleaned and happy, all people and holy people alike.

Even though they are only images, the physical act of cleaning them, and the alters has a direct effect on my Mind and Body. The acts we perform in the physical world directly influence what goes on in the metaphysical realms. Good tidings to all.

…Can you feel ‘relative time’ slipping away? There is no such thing, there never was. We are only Here and Now, in this moment, waiting for the next moment. Life is a series of moments, so because it’s Tuesday, or at least we believe it is I want to thank Everyone, I want to thank God, I want to thank Mind, the Creator, whatever you believe.

There is a higher power out there, different Faiths call it different things, it’s inside of You and Me. We are all the same, all connected. I am thankful that you are in my life, I am grateful for today, it is truly the only time we have.  We must constantly remember to be thankful, don’t only remind yourself, but let’s help remind each other.

Be kind to one another, after you reach the highest mountain the only thing left at the top is Compassion. That is why the Great Masters say “Love one another”, “there is only Love”, “God is Love”, or “You are That which you seek”. It’s all the same. We start with the appearance of differences, but in the End we are left with ‘Sameness’.

May you All be Happy, May you All be Free from pain and suffering, diseases and illness. Keep in mind that We are on the same planet, we’re all floating down river together and all rivers empty out into the sea. We will get there together to the “abyss of Oneness”. Thank You for being in my life, I am proud to have known you all, you are all characters in the Movie of My life, and I am a character in yours. We manifest each other, we animate each other, and its because of this that we are useful in each other’s lives.

Hari Aum.

BECOME A HOLLOW BAMBOO

LIKE A HOLLOW BAMBOO REST AT EASE WITH YOUR BODY.

This is one of Tilopa’s special methods. Every Master has his own special method through which he has attained, and through which he would like to help others. This is Tilopa’s specialty:

LIKE A HOLLOW BAMBOO REST AT EASE WITH YOUR BODY.

A bamboo: inside completely hollow. When you rest, you just feel that you are like a bamboo: inside completely hollow and empty. And in fact this is the case: your body is just like a bamboo, and inside it is hollow. Your skin, your bones, your blood, all are part of the bamboo, and inside there is space, hollowness.

When you are sitting with a completely silent mouth, inactive, tongue touching the roof and silent, not quivering with thoughts, mind watching passively, not waiting for anything in particular, feel like a hollow bamboo — and suddenly infinite energy starts pouring within you, you are filled with the unknown, with the mysterious, with the divine. A hollow bamboo becomes a flute and the divine starts playing it. Once you are empty then there is no barrier for the divine to enter in you.

Try this; this is one of the most beautiful meditations, the meditation of becoming a hollow bamboo. You need not do anything else. You simply become this — and all else happens. Suddenly you feel something is descending in your hollowness. You are like a womb and a new life is entering in you, a seed is falling. And a moment comes when the bamboo completely disappears.

LIKE A HOLLOW BAMBOO REST AT EASE WITH YOUR BODY.

Rest at ease — don’t desire spiritual things, don’t desire heaven, don’t desire even God. God cannot be desired — when you are desireless, he comes to you. Liberation cannot be desired because desire is the bondage. When you are desireless, you are liberated. Buddhahood cannot be desired, because desiring is the hindrance. When the barrier is not, suddenly Buddha explodes in you. You have the seed already. When you are empty, space is there — the seed explodes.

Osho
Discourse Series
Tantra: The Supreme Understanding

Practice is great, sitting quietly, observing the mind. We keep going through different phases in our lives when regimented practice (ie. yoga, vipassana, etc) are very beneficial, and as you already know the Path of Practice is not a linear approach. When everyday life becomes the practice, things seem to loosen up a bit. Try it.

Sit on the edge of a quiet river bank, or any nice space in or near nature that you enjoy visiting. Brew yourself up a cup of tea. Breath in and Out, observe the motion of the breath, are they short movements, or long? Just watch. Just be there, practicing neither coming nor going, try to bask in that special moment. Be happy for what you have, practice gratitude. This is life practice. You don’t need any special props, clothing, or gear to do this. Being Mindful doesn’t cost anything. There is a time for activity and a time for inactivity in life. Just be prepared for the changes… The Tea helps, trust me! You can even make a practice out of drinking tea, I have, it’s glorious.

Just Brew you’re tea, take time to enjoy it, and watch the rising and falling fluctuations of the mind, it’s no different than the steam rising off a cup in the morning air. Remember practice should be enjoyable, yet disciplined, but don’t force yourself and take your time… We’ll be here waiting.