What are the odds?

Recently a thought came to me as to just how unlikely it is that I was ever born?  I began researching online and came up with multiple rather complex calculations.  The short version is somewhere between 400 trillion to one and 700 trillion to one.

When you also consider the odds of everything else that has made me who I am, it makes my head hurt!  In a nutshell, it is absolutely, unbelievably, remarkably amazing that I am alive!  Go figure!

There is a saying regarding this in Buddhism, but I could not trace its origins, and is referred to as “this precious incarnation.” 

Imagine there was one life preserver thrown somewhere in some ocean, with exactly one turtle in all of these oceans, swimming underwater somewhere.  The probability that you came about is the same as that turtle sticking its head out of the water --- into the middle of that life preserver.  On one try.

Albeit I’m generally a logic driven individual, I believe I like the latter the best.  I can grasp the enormity.

So, this goes beyond the knowledge that I should very much cherish and love every moment, good or bad, that I am alive.  It also means I should cherish every moment of every one of my loved ones as well.  What are the odds that I would have the privilege of being the father and dad (there is a difference – a later blog) of three remarkable young men? 

I remember each of their births as if it were yesterday and will forever love and be grateful to their Mother and Mom.  I have had the immense pleasure of watching them grow into beautiful adults who I have at times witnessed them caring more about others than themselves.  One is already a father and dad himself and another is soon to be.  I know all three will be remarkable dads.  I love that it is a touch of my immortality.  Selfish perhaps, but meant only in love and the continuation of that love.

Not intending to be morbid, but just stating my wishes for all those I love, my family and friends, when my time has ended, do not mourn.  Celebrate.  Celebrate the miracle of life.  Celebrate the miracle of your life.  Work to make the miracle of life a celebration for others who can’t see it because they are hungry, frightened, abused, or living in places that stifle celebration.  Work to spread the celebration of life.

Namaste

The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.  -  Pablo Casais (Spanish Musician, 12/29/1876 – 10/22/1973)

Don't Think About It

I have gone around in circles in my poor overworked brain trying to find how to best explain meditation as it exists for me.  Once again, I finally stripped away all of the pontificating and realized in its simplest form meditation is teaching yourself not to think.

I know my comment is a bit of an over simplification, but its a start for discussion purposes.  I once believed meditation was about concentrating basically on nirvana and it would happen!  Silly human!

Meditation is about clearing your thoughts.  Emptying your fears.  Removing your stress and anxiety.  Eliminating your anger.  All of these are self inflicted and caused by our very hectic work-a-day lives and our interpretation of events and people we have interacted with up to this point in our lives.  Only after you can do this can you open yourself up to the love and appreciation you deserve and thus be able to give that love to others.

So, how does one meditate?  Well, again I was confused by all of the "rules" when I first started.  Sit in Lotus position.  Keep your eyes only half closed.  No noise.  Focus on your breathing.  Etc., etc., etc.  I sorted out for myself that; a) Lotus position doesn't work for me - I'm old and have bad knees!  b)  closing my eyes completely when I can works well for me because I have the attention span of a puppy!  Also, sometimes I need my eyes wide open because I meditate will driving.  Closed eyes, even partially, do not work while you are driving and is highly frowned upon by police officers everywhere.  c)  And finally, I do not need to focus on my breathing.  Once I get into my meditation and free my mind, my breathing becomes relaxed all by itself.

To clear my mind I need a visual.  I pretty much see everything in my head as a picture, even words.  I also love nature and seeing it in my mind.  So, to begin my mediation, I see all the current stresses, fears and items causing anger in my life as a bunched up cluster of clouds.  They are sorta gray and have each item printed on the side of a cloud (I know, strange, but it works for me!).  I watch and focus on relaxing and clearing my mind.  The clouds begin to each float away separating from the cluster and rise higher and higher.  Eventually they are so small they appear to be just white fluffy dots surrounded by a vivid blue sky.

Now my mind is clear and I have "un-thought" my stress, fears and anger.  How do I know this works?  Because I am happy.

Each of us must find our own natural way of clearing our mind and allowing peace and self-acceptance to enter our being.  I hope you start this journey and I wish for you only tranquility and love.

Namaste

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves - Dalai Lama

The Beginning

I have never participated in a blog.  However, I have recently discovered answers to questions I have asked myself and sought answers to for years.  Sometimes answers are so simple they are there all along and you simply do not see them.  They should be more obvious.  More grand.  More revealing.  More everything.

Well, not always.

For many years I have tried to reconcile religion, spirituality and humanity.  To start with, I do not subscribe to organized religion.  I find spirituality means many things to many different people.  Humanity, kingpin to it all, is ever evolving and changing.

With these three complex parts, I finally realized the answer for me.  The simple answer is  I want to Be Like Buddha.  I don't want to be a Buddhist or subscribe to Buddhism or any other religion.  Even Buddha pointed out that you shouldn't just believe what written doctrine dictates or authorities within a religion tell you.  You must take in information and make a decision as to what suits you and your needs regarding religion, spirituality and your humanity.

What does Be Like Buddha mean to me?  It means to live my life and do no harm to other beings.  It means to not live in fear or in the past or the future.  It means to live now and in peace and harmony with yourself first and then those around you.

I am going to attempt to bring something new to this blog each week.  Hopefully simple and certainly not "preachy".  I have no right to tell anyone how they should or should not live theirs lives.  I can only say how I live mine and share my thoughts with you.  Please share your thoughts with me as well.

Namaste

To love yourself is the beginning of understanding love - Tom D.