Day 17 - A Bird in the hand - Gone

Today was one of those days when my meditation focus had to change as new events occurred and had a huge impact on me. Pause for a moment, and try to meditate on How do we deal with a bird in the hand?

The story I will tell you tries to answer this simple question: "A rare bird flying for the first time after leaving its nest was happy and overconfident, but his wings were not strong enough and he could not fly over the tree tops, risked flying low, and hit hard a wall. Still conscious, but a bit desoriented, the bird was flapping its wings anxiously hoping to fly again, but he was hurt and could not fly anymore. Meanwhile, walking happily with her dog, a woman saw the rare bird jumping and trying to fly on the ground, and she felt so sorry for him and very carefully took the bird in her hands in an attempt to save him from ferocious predators that might pass by. She put the bird in a safe place away from the ground. However, the woman's dog was watching the whole scene and followed her owner to the place where the bird was safely resting. After the woman left the place, the dog came back, grabbed the bird with her mouth and took him to her owner as a prize, a catch. Terrified with the scene, the woman saw the rare bird she had just saved killed by her dog."

Rare Bird

Different from the famous proverb, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush", my meditation today is based on "a bird in the hand is gone".
What is the moral of this bird parable?

There is not fixed moral, it all depends on the level of understanding we have, for example, do not attempt to save a broken wing bird while walking a dog, it might kill it instead of heal it. Helping others is welcome when we are not a threat to them.

 In my meditation, I see so many levels of undertanding of this real story. Yes, I was the woman trying her best to save the bird. My dog, on the other hand, to please me and show me how smart she is, killed the rare bird. I am still  mourning his death. I share this story so the bird have not died in vain. So to bring you this message of compassion, forgiveness, love and understanding, My suffering is healing. I am developing deep looking.
This bird was a young and strong creature. The act of saving the bird put me in touch with his bird world, the connection we made was magical, I touched his whole body, his wonderful feathers, we looked in each other in the eye, we talked to each other in our way. He was a rare bird, a very beautiful bird.
When this bird was wounded, I tried my best to help him. I did feel guilty, my own dog killed him. But I also know that a bird that cannot fly will probably die soon. Saving him was an attempt to prolongue his life and consequently his suffering. According to the Buddhist vision, I should not worry. My dog abbreviated his life and his suffering.
But I do suffer and feel guilt, this loss reverberates with my own loss, and sometimes it is difficult to heal. If one arrow strikes you, you will suffer. if a second arrows hits you in the same spot, you will suffer one hundred times more. so when I have pain or feel guilt, or feel I am a victim of injustice, I shall breath in and out and say to myself: "it is only pain from loosing a rare bird".

I hope this meditation will help me to transform my pain and suffer less, be less attached to the pain I imagined the bird might have had too.

Instead, I want to Imagine this rare bird flying strong and free, healed, and born again.

The song I chose to dance is Jack Johnson's Gone. It is about  people that are careless with the world and consumed by things..., and birds that don't want to sing... and all these things one day are gone!
We have the capacity of receiving, embracing and transforming pain when we understand with deep looking. 

Namaste


"Gone"

look at all those fancy clothes
but these could keep us warm just like those
and what about your soul is it cold
is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold
and cars and phones and diamond rings
those are only removable things
and what about your mind does it shine
or are there things that concern you more than your time
gone going gone everything gone give a damn
gone be the birds when they don’t want to sing
gone people all awkward with their things, gone
look at you out to make a deal
you try to be appealing but you loose your appeal
what about those shoes you’re in today
they’ll do no good on the bridges you’ve burnt along the way
you willing to sell anything, gone with your herd
leave your footprints and we’ll shame them with our words
gone people all careless and consumed, gone
gone going gone everything gone give a damn
gone be the birds if they don’t want to sing
gone people all awkward with their things, gone

 

Day 16 - Precise Archer Part 4 - Staple it Together (2006)

Dear friend,

Today is our fourth day meditating on the archery metaphor. Hope you enjoy these insights to help you to make sense of your path of healing as it is helping me to make sense of mine. 

These metaphors of butterflies and arrows are tools that have been used for centuries by Buddhist monks and more currently in Buddhist psychology in search for enlightment, or as we call freedom from our past mistakes or injustices.

In using tools for healing, Jack Johnson's Staple it Together is a clever song about someone that is trapped by his own past, did not aim nor shoot right for his future.  Someone that is not feeling so good in the present, but should accept life as it presents, "stapling it together and call it bad weather".

We do feel sometimes that our thoughts, words we spoke and actions we had were seeds we planted, that can bring us good fruits if we cultivated the good seeds, and this meditation on the Precise Archer encompasses the ability to discern between what is good and what is not so good, what can be useful and what is not when we need to choose new arrows and shoot now for the future. We sometimes feel very tense, and scared of taking chances and making mistaken choices, but when we ask mindfully if being tense is useful, we know that it all depends on the situation..., but everybody agrees that living worrying and stressed all the time is not useful nor good to our health.

So enjoy the steps and processes of Swamiji's Archer meditations on taking the right decision, while dancing, my friends, on the swing of Jack Johnson's Staple it together. Tomorrow we start a new phase!

Namaste

Aloha e

Choosing the arrows

Is it useful or not useful?: This is the most important aspect of the Archery metaphor. It means asking our deep Wisdom, "Is this useful or not useful?" about specific options in front of us. "Does this bring me closer or further away from the goal of Enlightenment?" "Should I do it, or not?" By consulting within in this way, answers will come. 

Consulting Buddhi: In the Four Functions of Mind, the part that knows, decides, judges, and discriminates is called Buddhi. It is through the cultivation of Buddhi that one becomes a better Archer, training Manas (the lower mind) to follow the wise instructions of Buddhi, rather than just following the old habit patterns in Chitta (the storehouse of Samskaras, or deep impressions and habits).  

Determining actions by choice: It is a matter of actions being determined by the choice of Buddhi rather than by the unconscious impressions arising from the quiver. It works something like this: 

• Once the target, or purpose is known, 
• When Buddhi can make choices, 
• And when Manas will listen, 
• Then the arrows of action are shot in more accurate ways, 
• And there are fewer negative consequences, 
• As well as a greater number of useful consequences.  
• These useful impressions are stored in the quiver. 
• In turn, these arise to motivate further useful actions,
• And we experience an overall reduction in our Karma. 

The aim improves by consulting Buddhi: Through this repeated cycle of utilizing Buddhi to determine the aim of the arrows of action, one becomes a better and better Archer. As we become a better Archer, the process of reducing Karma works better and better. 

What to do with the fruits of actions: An important key to shooting our arrows well has to do with the question of who is to receive the fruits of the actions. There are three general choices of where to give the fruits of actions: 

1. The fruits come to me. 
2. The fruits are given to others.  
3. The fruits are offered to God. 

The question of what to do with the fruits of actions is an important part of Karma Yoga, the Yoga of Action, which prepares one to do the deeper practices leading to Self-Realization. 

Selfless service: Consequences of actions breed more actions, and in turn, more consequences. This cycle happens because of one's attachment or aversions to the fruits of the actions. However, the more one practices selfless service, giving away the fruits of the actions to others, then the less those fruits turn into negative consequences that feed the cycle. 

For example, if one is attached to the financial fruits of his or her job, then those financial fruits might be used to seek pleasure in the external world. When those external pleasures end up being inadequate, one might end up seeking even more fruits in an attempt to feel satisfied. 

Other fruits might be, for example, the accolades, recognition, or the internal feelings of accomplishment coming from actions. These too can leave one in a painful cycle of seeking greater and greater fruits in an effort to feel whole and fulfilled. 

A shift in attitude about fruits: However, if the same person has a shift in attitude, whereby the fruits of their labors are for others, such as family, friends, customers, clients, society, or humanity then one is free of the fruits. In other words, one learns to give away the fruits of the actions. Then the inner motive is to serve those other people, not merely to feed one's own sense of personal needs. 

The paycheck, accolades or recognition will still come and be enjoyed, but it is without expectation that these fruits themselves are capable of bringing happiness. When the fruits are given up, then one is free. The feelings of wholeness and fulfillment can then come from within, regardless of the outcomes of the actions. 

Refinement leads to freedom: It is an ongoing feedback loop of shooting arrow, refining one's aim, and shooting again that leads to being a good Archer, and to freedom from the bondage of Karma.

Archery in Yoga Meditation: Having a good aim in decisions and actions of daily life reduces Karma by having "the new" come into play, as "the old" works itself out. The same process is also done during Yoga Meditation. 

Meditation in Action: In the external world, the Yogi allows the old Karmas (the arrows in flight) to play themselves out. In the internal world, the Yogi also allows the old Karmas to play themselves out, as the inner drama is observed from the vantage point of a Witness. For this reason, both "Meditation" and "Meditation in Action" are a part of Archery and the Art of Reducing Karma. 

"Staple it Together"

It’s really too bad 

He became a prisoner of his own past 

He stabbed the moment in the back with the round thumbtack 

That held up the list of things he got to do 

It’s really no good 

He’s moving on before he understood 

He shot the future in the foot with every step he took 

From the places that he’s been because he forgot to look 


He better staple it together and call it bad weather 


Well I guess you could say 

That he don’t even know where to begin 

Because he looked both ways but he was so afraid 

Digging deep into the ditch every chance he missed 

And the mess he made 

Because hate is such a strong word 

And every brick he laid, a mistake they say 

That his walls are getting taller, and his world is getting smaller 


Better staple it together and call it bad weather 


It’s really too bad 

He became a prisoner of his own past 

He stabbed the moment in the back with the round thumbtack 

That held up the list of things he got to do 

It’s really no good 

He’s moving on before he understood 

He shot the future in the foot with every step he took 

From the places that he’s been because he forgot to look 


Better staple it together and call it bad weather 


If the weather gets better we should get together 

Spend a little time or we could do whatever 

And if we get together we’d be twice as clever 

So staple it together and call it bad weather

Day 15 - Falling arrows Part 3 - Fall line (2003)

Wherever we are now, we are on the line that separates space and time, the past, present and future. When we step forward or backwards, this line follows us, and if we try to cross it, we will probably fall.


The Inca tradition in the Andes says that if we fall down, it means that we injured Pachamama inside and outside ourselves, inner and outter mother earth. Being on our knees is a way to apologize for what we have done wrong to our mother earth, crossing the fall line.

2000 years of Inca tradition, and we still keep on falling down.
These days have been very difficult for me, falling down on the line, and meditation is almost impossible, as the past arrows keep on flying and some are hurting..., So today, the meditation is on learning to get up and let go, stop crossing the fall line, leaving behind compassionately the past actions, the stray arrows in flight... and concentrate on the arrows in my hands now.
It seems very abstract if you are here for teh first time, so please, if you are interested in teh meditation on the mindful archer, look at days 13 and 14, and
follow with me in these meditation steps, better described bellow from Swamiji's website and enjoy the Jack Johnson's Fall Line song to dance with me the archery dance. Let's enjoy one more day meditating on the mindful archery, so do not miss tomorrow.




namaste

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Letting the Stray Arrows Fall 

Reducing the In-flight arrows: When we start improving our aim, and thus creating fewer attachments and aversions, we also have to deal with the arrows that are already in flight. Some of these in-flight arrows are painful, some are pleasurable. Whether bringing pain or pleasure, the consequences of these previously-shot arrows continues to come, until those arrows find their final destination and completion. 
A simple process: There is a simple process to reducing the in-flight arrows: 
We allow the arrows to fall where they are headed, accepting that some of them were poorly aimed. Past decisions are bringing current consequences. We accept these consequences and their responsibilities, as we stay focused on the arrows in hand. We allow the old arrows to run their course in such a way that we don't add more negative consequences to come. 
Not becoming diverted by the in-flight arrows: Because of these stray arrows, one may easily become diverted from the path of Self-realization. Those old arrows, shot long ago, continue to come and cause problems. Often what happens is that due to these old arrows, still in flight, we end up firing more arrows along the same off-course path. We can end up having just as many arrows in the air that are off-course, rather than seeing the number go down. 
Being kind to ourselves: The solution is to be very kind with ourselves, as we cultivate persistence and patience. We may want spiritual energy, grace, or shakti to come to us, yet one of the first forms of that comes as determination. To have, cultivate, or pray for such determination is an essential practice on the journey to Self-Realization. 

• Becoming a good Archer in making useful decisions, developing determination, and practicing patience, form a powerful combination.
• Then, the number and intensity of off-course arrows of Karma gradually goes down, as the number that are on-target increases. 
• Gradually our karmic focus shifts, as we move more and more towards a greater integration of mind, and reduction of samskaras
• Then our meditations and contemplations can progress more smoothly and quickly on the Journey Within. 

"Fall Line"

and by the way
you know that hope will make you strange
make you blink make you blank make you sink
it will make you afraid of change
and often blame
the box with the view of the world
and the ones that fill the frame
i turn it up but then i turn it off
because i can’t stand when they start to talk
about the hurting and killing
whose shoes are we filling
the damage and ruin
man the things that we’re doing
we gotta stop, we gotta turn it all off
we gotta rewind and start it up again
because we fell across the fall line
ain’t there nothing sacred any more
somebody saw him jump
but nobody saw him slip
i guess he lost a lot of hope
and then he lost his grip
now he’s lying in the freeway
in the middle of this mess
guess we lost another one
just like the other one
optimistic hypocrite
that didn’t have the nerve to quit
the things that kept him wanting more
until he finally reached the core
he fell across the fall line
ain’t there nothing sacred any more

Day 14 - Mindful Archer Part 2 - Supposed to be (2006)

dear friend,
How many times a day we are asked to take  wise and loving decisions, shoot the right arrows...? How many times we stop, relax and rest to clear our minds and be present to understand how to see things right, think and speak right, and have right diligence so to shoot the right arrows... it is not only about the present, nor the future arrows...
while meditating in being a mindful archer is helping me to aim right in reducing the negative effects of whatever bad karma arrows I had shoot in the past too.
I want to invite you to meditate in this imagery. And nobody better now than a short quote of the second part of our  meditation on Archery and meditation,  from Swamiji's website:

"
Arrows and Karmas: 
There are three kinds of Karma (further described  below): 

1. Sanchita, the vast storehouse of yet unseen impressions  
2. Kriyamana, those currently in front of us to decide or act on   
3. Prarabhda, consequences already playing themselves out 

Similarly, there are three kinds of arrows:

1. Quiver: Arrows in the Quiver (Sanchita karma)
2. Hand: Arrows in Hand (Kriyamana karma)
3. Flight: Arrows in Flight (Prarabhda karma)

This is a very practical tool: The metaphor of the arrows is a practical tool for daily life. The mind easily recalls the visual imagery, which serves as a reminder to do a good job of "shooting the arrows" of actions and speech. 

• Decisions: The quality of our decisions leads to the quality of our actions, which means the level of our archery ability. 
• Consequences: The aim of the arrows also determines the quality of the consequences that come back from those actions. 
• Deep impressions: Those consequences come to rest in the bed of our subconscious as deep impressions (Samskaras) which determine our Karma. 
• Recycling: These Samskaras will at some point lead to further thoughts, speech, and actions, that again lead to more consequences. 

Learn to have a good aim: Remembering to act as a skilled Archer is very useful for making decisions that will later have positive consequences on our mental, emotional, and spiritual lives. The key is becoming "a good shot" with the arrows in our hand, while accepting that some of our previously shot arrows are causing painful, unavoidable consequences that need to be dealt with wisely.  
Karma means actions: "Karma" literally translates as "Actions," and is the playing out of the actions resulting from the latent habit patterns, or Samskaras, that are stored in the depth of the mind. 
Stages of karma: There are three stages through which karma flows:

1. Impressions from past consequences: First, there are the deep impressions which come as a result of the storing of consequences from previous actions, and the natural feedback from the senses receiving input. (arrows in the quiver)
2. These impressions come forward: Second, these deep impressions come to the forefront of one's life at some point in time in the future, whether or not it comes with conscious awareness. (arrows in hand)
3. Actions and speech spring forth: Third, there are then actions and speech that spring forth, with or without the wisdom of conscious choice. (arrows in flight)"

In this meditation, the song that I am dancing is a mellow one,  Jack Johnson's "Supposed to be", which helps me not blame the circunstances around me for what is happening or what happened, then  accept what is going on now, furthermore take action here and now, if we want to. May our meditation be on creating a mindful archer inside of us so to sow only the good seeds and harvest the fruits we planted.

Namaste...


"Supposed To Be"

Maybe it’s up with the stars
Maybe it’s under the sea
Maybe it’s not very far
Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be
This is how it’s supposed to be
Maybe it’s trapped in a jar
Something we’ve already seen
Maybe it’s nowhere at all
Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be
This is how it’s supposed to be
Looking forward as we rewind
Looking back is a trap sometimes
Being here is so easy to do
If you want to

Day 13 - Kindness Archery meditation part 1- With my own two hands (2006)

Dear one,

Today I felt I threw an arrow. Filled with arrows of gentleness and compassion in my heart, encompassed by a giant bow of love, I also send you kindness arrows towards your heart with my own two hands.
Here's a material that helps one to meditate on arrow mediation for dharma from this very good site on called  Archery and the Art of
Reducing Karma through Yoga
by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
http://www.swamij.com/archery-karma-yoga.htm
We will have four days doing this mediation, as it will help me to refine my goals. Hope we all can enjoy this beautiful meditation:

Part 1. Arrows in flight and Arrows in Hand

"Arrows in flight

Arrow already shot: The arrows in flight are the Karmas that have already started to play themselves out, either in our inner world or in the external world. These are the arrows that have already been shot. The arrows and our actions still in flight are called "Prarabhda Karma." 

They have to run their course: An arrow in flight cannot be called back. It must complete its journey.  Thoughts, speech, and actions that have been set in motion cannot be called back. They too will run their course, bringing consequences or fruits. (Some say that this Karma can be altered by grace.)

New decisions can help: New decisions can be made that balance out the effects of previously shot arrows. This is a good thing to do, as it improves the overall mixture of arrows in flight. However, the original arrows still move towards their fruition. 

Learning to accept our consequences: The lesson for the seeker of Self-Realization is to accept that there are physical, mental, emotional, social, cultural, familial, financial, or material consequences of all of our previous actions (shot arrows). These simply need to be accepted as realities from which we now move forward in our spiritual quest. 

The here and now: The arrows in flight need to be dealt with from the stance of the here-and-now, in the context of how we shoot today's arrows.

Arrows in hand
The arrows in hand are the most important: The arrows that are in our hands today are the ones that we currently have a choice about where to aim and how to shoot. The arrows and choices in our hands today are called "Kriyamana Karma" (also called "Agami Karma" or "Vartamana Karma").
Becoming more aware: To be aware of the nature of wants, wishes, desires, attractions or aversions is very important. By being aware of our motivations, we can consciously shoot the arrows by choice, rather than unconscious habit. 
Making good decisions: Through cultivating awareness and practicing conscious arrow shooting, we become better at aiming our arrows as well. We make good decisions about our thoughts, emotions, actions, and speech, rather than having these happen solely out of conditioned response. 
Formula for archery: So, the formula, starting with Awareness, is: 

• Awareness of motivations: Awareness of motivations allows us to learn to shoot arrows out of choice, rather than habit.
• Conscious arrow shooting: Through conscious arrow shooting, the aim gets better with practice.
• Outcomes improve: As the aim gets better, the outcomes are more favorable. 
• Net karma goes down: If the outcomes are more favorable, net Karma goes down. 

Primitive urges are the background motivation: Behind our actions are many thoughts, emotions, desires, samskaras, and primitive urges. By being aware of the process leading to actions, we can make wise choices about those actions.
(See "Karma and the Sources of Actions, Speech, and Thoughts") 

Arrows in daily life: One may have either a few arrows, or many arrows in the quiver (little Karma or a lot of Karma), but what is important is how we deal with the Karma presenting to us in our lives today. This is the art of Archery and reducing Karma. The law of Karma is universal; as you sow, so shall you reap. The words and cultural contexts may differ, but the principle remains the same. Learning to be a Master Archer is the key to mastery over the bondage of Karma. 

Deciding what is the target: Where to aim our arrows is a critically important question. If we don't know what the target is, then it is rather difficult to aim well. Our arrows are shot almost at random, at every want, wish, desire, attraction, or aversion that pops up into the mind. 
Understanding the purpose of life: Deciding what is the target means to understand the purpose of life. If the Archer has a sense of the purpose of life, using whatever words best describe that personally, then there is a target that all of the arrows can be directed towards. It means that one's decisions are increasingly made in accordance with what brings one closer to the chosen target.

What actions will serve Self-realization?: For one who chooses Self-Realization as the target, then decisions are made on the basis of what brings one closer, or leads one further away from that Goal."

More on archery meditation soon.


A short visualização of how I feel inside today is in this beautiful song of Jack Jonshon and Ben Harper. Love arrows to you, lovely dance and good meditation!

May my own two hands throw this arrow of kindness aiming at your soul...for good karma.

Namaste!

"With My Own Two hands (Feat. Ben Harper)"

I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make a better place
With my own two hands
Make a kinder place
With my own
With my own two hands
I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I’m going to make it a brighter place
I’m going to make it a safer place
I’m going to help the human race
With my own
With my own two hands
I can hold you
With my own two hands
I can comfort you
With my own two hands
But you’ve got to use
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
With our own
With our own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands