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Norman Fischer shares an insightful perspective on the essence of spiritual practice.

He suggests that all virtues ultimately serve the greater principles of love and compassion.

These are not difficult concepts to grasp or appreciate.

Indeed, when asked about what truly matters, individuals from all walks of life typically cite connection, compassion, and love.

This universal agreement underscores the profound beauty and power of these innate human qualities.

So, it’s worth remembering that amidst the complexity and grandeur of our lives, it all distills down to simple truths: Love and compassion are at the core of our existence.

In the end, they are what truly matter.

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With Norman Fischer @norman.fischer.779

Training in Compassion – 2016

Watch the full video at tricycle.org/ dharmatalks

#Buddhism #Compassion #Love

#SpiritualPractice

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each breath and rising sun, a gift, a fresh start to begin anew.

so much to be grateful for. 

may our gratitude be a place of practice, and inspiration for a path of generosity, of helping others and reducing suffering in our world.

a grateful heart is an open heart.

grateful for all of you, friends!!

~j

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#Thanksgiving2023 #gratitude #OpenHeart #generosity #path #practice #JinpaLhaga #JMWart #enso #calligraphy #art

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for a number of years, but especially now with all that’s happening, i’ve been leaning into the aware, wise, and open-hearted words of some progressive rabbis. Rabbi Jill Jacobs being one of them. 

lasting peace and security can only happen when all lives are valued without discrimination, when the priority is safety and well being for all people. it’s not something that can be terrorized into, and it’s not found through a path paved in bombs. it won’t arrive with the elimination of the “other”. 

we must rise above the worst impulses of some, rather than descending into mutual destruction.

we’ll know we have arrived when there are no strangers among us, when we awaken from our ignorance and we recognize our interdependence as the family we already, truly are.

may hearts open, may wisdom arise, may compassion prevail.

~j

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#Israel #Palestine #Gaza #peace #compassion #wisdom #OpenHeart #path #practice #JinpaLhaga #RabbiJillJacobs

Although the wind

blows terribly here,

the moonlight also leaks

between the roof planks

of this ruined house.

~

Izumi Shikibu

what is it that causes or allows, even in darkness and destruction, such light and beauty to still make itself known?

i call it love.

~j

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#IzumiShikibuQuotes #JinpaLhaga #JMWart #art #moon #light #beauty #love

It takes a tremendous amount of emotional and spiritual maturity to witness in full force the collective shadow of humanity and keep your heart open.

~

Roshi Joan Halifax

stay open. it is our strength and gift to the world.

~j

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#BearWitness #OpenHeart #path #practice #JinpaLhaga #JMWart #RoshiJoanHalifax

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during this fraught time, when we are being asked & pressured to take sides on whose lives & whose suffering is worthy of our attention & empathy, how we define “all beings” can make a difference. it’s worthy of our time to ask ourselves this question.

1200 Israeli lives ended

240+ hostages waiting

11,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza ended

200+ Palestinian lives in West Bank ended

hate, terrorism, vengeance, war, violence take a terrible toll on the innocent. the horrific loss of children inflicts an endless wound on the hearts of mothers & fathers regardless of geography, ethnicity, or religion.

push back with all the love in your heart against the pressure to choose whose suffering is deserved & whose is not, whose suffering is accepted as “resistance” & whose is accepted as “collateral damage”.

we can love & wish for the security, safety, well-being & peace of Jews & Israelis, & still be critical of Netanyahu & the Israeli government’s military actions, policies toward Gaza & West Bank, & call out anti-Arab & Islamophobic rhetoric.

we can love & wish for the security, autonomy, safety, well-being & peace of Palestinians in Gaza & West Bank, & still stand against the terrorism of Hamas & rise in anti-Semitism.

the dualism embodied in Hamas’ hate filled nihilistic ideology, or Netanyahu’s (career long) refusal of a two state solution, marginalization of Palestinians & embrace of unfettered settlements will not bring peace. the result is a continuous dark cloud of conflict & suffering over the innocent.

so, regularly asking ourselves how we define “all beings” can be a beneficial practice, a way of bringing us back to our heart through all the noise. who we consider “all beings” has real world consequences. are we adding to the healing or the suffering of our world?

may hearts open, may wisdom arise.

~j

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#Israel #Jews #Gaza #Palestinians #suffering #violence #terrorism #war #OpenHeart #empathy #compassion #MettaSutta #JinpaLhaga #BuddhaQuotes

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Feeling compassion

is not the end of the path.

The next step is love in action.

~ Devin Berry

amazing. what grace is this that we have within us, within this very heart, in all of its vulnerability and tenderness, the  tremendous strength, bravery, and resilience needed to embody love into this world, to bring healing and peace to this world in spite of all the ignorance, fear, aggression and destruction…if we are willing to. if we are willing to feel, if we are willing to do something.

may we awaken, may our hearts open, may wisdom arise, and may the world benefit from our presence and love.

~j

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#embodiment #love #compassion #healing #peace #OpenHeart #path #practice #EngagedBuddhism #JinpaLhaga #JMWart #art #enso #ZenEnso #calligraphy #DevinBerryQuotes

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so strikingly similar to the bodhisattva vow and path in Buddhism.

may this be our path and practice, for the sake of ourselves and all others who are suffering. may our lives be a benefit to all.

~j

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#StFrancisPrayer #InstrumentsOfPeace #SaintFrancisOfAssisi #BodhisattvaVow #bodhisattvas #peace #love #OpenHeart #healing #path #practice #JinpaLhaga

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this moment in time is so fraught with reactive energy, with anger. emotions are high, and for a good reason, because there is much suffering. but in the heat of it all, there is a blindness to empathy for one another.

i’ve seen people be attacked from all sides just expressing empathy for the suffering. for expressing their love and empathy for their Jewish friends, for expressing their opposition to anti-Semitism and horror of the attacks on Oct. 7th. for expressing their empathy and deep concern for Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank, especially the children and families in Gaza dying by the thousands, and their opposition to Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiments. some have expressed that they’ve felt frozen, because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing in the face of so much suffering. i know i have felt that way at times as well. threading an impossible needle of empathy and love.

i think this quote embodies some beneficial advice at this time. advise that i am attempting to use to guide my words and actions. 

may we move in the direction of love, of empathy and compassion towards all who are suffering without discrimination or favor, leaving no one out. 

as astonishing as it may be, such a position will be unfavorable to some. we can’t please everyone. however, our loyalty, our vow, our practice is to embody love and healing in this world for all who need it. so walk, speak, offer your hands, your art, your heart and mind in service to the transformative power of love.

beyond the duality and delusion is oneness. we are interdependent. we are family. we are in this together. 

~j

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#love #OpenHeart #bodhisattvas #empathy #compassion #path #practice #Israel #Gaza #war #JinpaLhaga #JohnPatrickShanleyQuotes

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we would benefit from more deep looking and less bypassing and dissonance. 

there is a desperate need for compassion at this moment, born from empathy. 

and where empathy is not readily available, usually due to our own bias, blindness or lack of imagination, we should seek to have understanding. we can do this by bearing witness, deeply paying attention, through mindful looking and mindful listening while maintaining an open heart.

maybe then we can see through the delusions that continue to cause and perpetuate harm, the delusion that we are somehow separate, rather than of one family, of one life.

this is a clarifying moment.

we are in this together. 

we must be, for future generations. 

we must be, for the children. 

~j

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#compassion #empathy #understanding #BearingWitness #DeepLooking #listening #OpenHeart #Israel #Palestine #Gaza #path #practice #JinpaLhaga #JMWart #ThichNhatHanhQuotes