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Articles from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock | Selfgrowth.com
- When We’re Not In The Moment - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI was lying on the floor of my little hut in Thailand suffering from one of the many tropical fevers to which I seemed to succumb, and I saw, for the first time in my life, that nothing truly mattered. I found myself directly in the moment. Given the fact that as a Buddhist forest monk I was not ...
Views: 815(1 vote) - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 1: One More Journey (Part 5) - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockHe guided me down the narrow, winding stairs into the bowels of the abysmal caverns where rats ran freely and the stone floors were awash with slime. Coughing and moaning oozed from hidden chambers as we made our way through this hell that could only be described as the most horrendous nightmare ...
Views: 814 - How to Change the World - You and I - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWe are the world. You and I. How we treat each other; with respect or hatred, how we work things out together and compromise, this will determine the future of humankind. Can you see this? We are the world. Humankind so far hasn't been doing too well. *"huge numbers of Eastern Orthodox ...
Views: 813 - Meditating in 1997 Thailand - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockMeditating in 1997 Thailand Janet and I couldn’t stay at Bhavana as a married couple, so a kind nun at the Bhavana Society referred Janet to a friend of hers; a Buddhist nun living in Thailand, thinking that Janet might be interested in going back to Southeast Asia. When Janet got in touch ...
Views: 813 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 3: Broken Wings (Part 5) - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"What do you mean, ‘mistaken identity?' Was Maradin lying about who she was?" "In an indirect way, yes, she was lying without knowing it. You see; it was not Maradin that you were in love with; the real object of your affection was something deep inside of her cleverly disguised as Maradin. ...
Views: 810 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 2) - by Submitted on Jun 06, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA John was tireless, and continued with his story, "These forest dwellers made another tremendous breakthrough. They discovered ‘kamma,' the part of us that continues after death. What continues after death is rather complicated so I will go slowly. Whenever you act, this act is remembered by ...
Views: 809 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 1) - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockFor five long years, I did fine by myself in the forest, but when I came upon Maradin and her cottage, everything came apart. It was my first real challenge and I wasn't up to it; I could still be easily duped and victimized by the grand illusions of the world. I was so disheartened that I sat ...
Views: 808 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 6: Skeletons and Snakes (Part 1) - by Submitted on May 26, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWe made our way through a peaceful countryside where we were always given the utmost courtesy and respect from the villagers. There were many days; however, when we didn't run across any villages and were forced to fast (a John was very strict about not picking and eating fruits and coconuts, or ...
Views: 806 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 1) - by Submitted on May 19, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe auspicious night finally arrived, accompanied by a brilliant moon playing in a deep, black sky that was busily spewing out its myriad diamonds. A silvery-white glow suffused the entire forest as we made our way to the meadow under this immense canopy of stars, and only the bubbling of a ...
Views: 805 - Fighting For What’s Important - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe most tenacious fighter wins. This is true in war, politics, religion, and all aspects of human relationship. The times when we don't have to fight, the times when we can live without fighting, we call peace. However, there are those who say that peace is not sustainable because peace creates ...
Views: 803 - A Million Ways to Find God (Part 1 of 1,000,000) - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockOne good way to find God is to lose yourself! Which is easier said than done, because in order to lose yourself, you must first discover what your "self" is! Once that discovery is made, then you can decide which is more important; yourself... or God? Assuming that you decide God is far more ...
Views: 801 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 6: Skeletons and Snakes (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockMy breathing became labored, and as the poison worked its way into my heart, I wished that I had begun my quest when I was much younger, before the wars. I also wished I had paid more attention to the robed man who warned me to sweep the path! When key seekers speak, it is never for conversation ...
Views: 800 - Images of Life - by Submitted on Aug 28, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockImages. . . . What are images? None of our religions asks us to look into images, which would be a shift of consciousness. Instead, our religions reinforce our images. So, what are images, and why do we create them? More importantly, why do we then use images to direct our lives, instead of ...
Views: 799(1 vote) - Hurt, Loneliness And Lies — What’s Behind Them? - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockHow many times have you lied in order to ward off loneliness? We can lie by pretending to really care for someone when all we want is a little company, i.e.; "I love you." And when we find someone more interesting, we lie again to end the old relationship, i.e.; "I just want to be friends now, ...
Views: 798 - In Darkness There is Light - by Submitted on Feb 03, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockContemplative prayer, the deepest roots of the Christian faith, has remained hidden and secret in the hands of the contemplative saints these many years, and one may wonder why contemplative monks and nuns have practiced these mystical prayers in obscurity. Why do they close themselves off from ...
Views: 798 - Why $100.00 Probably Won’t Make the World a Better Place - by Submitted on Jan 27, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockIf you are a normal person, you will serve your family and your country by trying to do what's right. This necessarily involves ambition and goals while you try to solve your problems in life. As you settle into your career, whatever it turns out to be, your government in turn tries to equalize ...
Views: 798(1 vote) - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 3: Broken Wings (Part 6) - by Submitted on May 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"Now King, I'll ease your curiosity a bit. Listen closely. The Great Weapons you will master through this inner work are three: A concentrated mind, an investigative mind, and an insightful mind. Concentration is your sword. Investigation is the skill of wielding the sword. Insight is the ...
Views: 795 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe swelling was getting worse. I said to a John as he dressed my wound, "I would like to understand kamma more completely, just in case I don't make it." "Your mind will never comprehend kamma fully, for it is very complicated - its tentacles reach in all directions. Only your heart can ...
Views: 795 - Future Life – but no Past Lives? - by Submitted on Feb 11, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockIf our spirit has not lived before, from whence did it originate? Where did it come from? If we didn't have the momentum of either a collective or individual spiritual past life to propel us into this one, are we therefore only accidents of nature; random romantic moments between eggs and a ...
Views: 794 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 5) - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI couldn't make out what it was at first, but then to my horror I discovered what was now curled in my robes; a large cobra! This was no imaginary ghost; this was real. I could hardly breathe. I immediately launched into the inner work to keep my body still, but it was impossible to concentrate ...
Views: 793 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 3) - by Submitted on May 06, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockJust then a villager walked out from behind a tree with the long, heavy blade of a razor sharp coconut cutter loosely hanging in his hand. One of the soldiers laughed and drew his sword. Behind him, two other villagers, a boy and a woman, emerged with their blades, and the other warrior drew ...
Views: 790 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 4) - by Submitted on May 25, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA John began by instructing me to sit cross-legged on the ground, while he stuffed some straw just under the tip of my tailbone, but not too much - he cautioned that too much straw would surely cause my legs to fall sleep. Then he tucked my left heel between my legs and placed my right foot on ...
Views: 789 - Give Up Religion And Get Peaceful? - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI have a strange feeling that many times our religions produce the opposite effects than what we assume they should. For example, Buddhism stresses three things; discipline, compassion, and wisdom; and Christian communities stress renunciation of violence, forgiveness, and unconditional love. ...
Views: 786 - A Million Ways to Find God (Part 1 of 1,000,000) - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockOne good way to find God is to lose yourself! Which is easier said than done, because in order to lose yourself, you must first discover what your "self" is! Once that discovery is made, then you can decide which is more important; yourself... or God? Assuming that you decide God is far more ...
Views: 785 - Affirmations — What Are They? - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"I am the greatest!" If we repeat this affirmation to ourselves enough times, we will begin to believe it. Then we will begin to act out "Being the greatest," and soon, in our mind, we will be. It doesn't matter what we repeat, it's the repeating that counts, sort of an internal brainwashing. ...
Views: 783 - I Am a Meditator - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI am a meditator. When I am meditating, I feel no fear, no ambition, no cowardice. I read no books, I have no opinions. I am peaceful. I am a meditator. When I am meditating, I have no questions, no answers, no problems. I feel no anxiety. I am a meditator. When I am meditating, I feel no ...
Views: 779 - The Key (A Fairytale) Only A Mild Interest- Chapter 10: (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI turned around and walked slowly to the stables. Conqueror knew that it was time to once again leave. We just began walking down the mountain when a soldier appeared without warning and raised his crossbow. The great horse saw him before I did and began running as I swung on to Conqueror's ...
Views: 779 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 2) - by Submitted on May 21, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA John replied, "Your selfless service in helping others during the end times of your sphere has rewarded you with an opportunity to exist without the burden of a body, but still able to enjoy the senses of sight, hearing and thinking. Without deeper understanding however, your return to a ...
Views: 778 - Understanding Grief - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen we cry for a loved one that has died, either we cry for ourselves or we cry for humanity, never for our loved one. Many will not agree with this, but it is true. The tears are more often than not an expression of our own fear of not having our loved one with us any longer to keep us ...
Views: 777 - The Key (A Fairytale) Unexpected Surprises — Chapter 12: (Part 1) - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI was quiet for a moment so that the man, so self-assured and strong willed and not accustomed to acknowledging the need for help, could reflect on his admissions. I then said, "There are some who must move on, and others who are afraid to move, as our attempted escapes enslave us either way. ...
Views: 775 - Measuring Each Other - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockOne of the first things a new Buddhist monk is told by older, more experienced monks is to stop "measuring." No matter how much the new monk thinks that he knows, it will not help him now. It will only prove a hindrance to his meditation and spiritual development. The new monk can either accept ...
Views: 774 - First Steps Toward Sainthood - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe first steps are not ones we typically think of; therefore, they can only be understood from a perspective of the deepest understanding of human nature. Having nothing to do with being nice, being compassionate, doing good works or feeding the poor, they involve something more subtle; which ...
Views: 773 - Four Degrees of Evil - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockAbout a dozen or so baby alligators showed up at a pond that Janet and I visit occasionally. Mama alligator kept watch nearby because the pond is also home to some otters, and otters love little alligators! But she allowed her 8 inch long offspring some freedom to enjoy the fall day. When we ...
Views: 771 - How to Stop Worrying in Ten Minutes! - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock1 st Minute: Define exactly what it is that is worrying you. Write it down. Worry is simmering fear. In the old days, we would just run like hell when we were scared, but nowadays, we bubble away in our little pots of worry. So, the first thing to do is face what it is that worries us, and ...
Views: 770 - God Is Love - by Submitted on Jan 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA good friend of mine, a Methodist, asked his minister if people who didn't believe in Jesus were destined for hell. The minister thought for a moment, and then said, "God is love." This reply is a sign of the shifting landscape of spirituality. The original tenets of religion, that God, or ...
Views: 769 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 1: One More Journey (Part 4) - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockMy campaign rained death and destruction upon the realm for fourteen long years. I was a young man when I first led my troops into battle, but now I was a seasoned warrior, feared throughout the land, and although the war had cost me an eye, and countless friends including my general, victory ...
Views: 769 - A Million Ways to Find God (Part 1 of 1,000,000) - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockOne good way to find God is to lose yourself! Which is easier said than done, because in order to lose yourself, you must first discover what your "self" is! Once that discovery is made, then you can decide which is more important; yourself... or God? Assuming that you decide God is far more ...
Views: 768 - The Key (A Fairytale) Unexpected Surprises — Chapter 12: (Part 2) - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockAs the man slowly walked away, I faced my own future as well, and I entered the subdued and inviting cave; I had a lot of work to do. I was already adept at the Four Material Calms of - applied and sustained concentration, rapture, equanimity and bliss, and equanimity and mindfulness – but I ...
Views: 768 - Middle Age Muddle - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen we hit middle age or thereabouts, it's not unusual to begin asking questions such as, "Is this it?" Before that, we are busy with kids, careers, and all the things that, as we become older, begin slipping through our fingers like water - without our even realizing it at times. Whatever we ...
Views: 767 - The Times Are A Changin’ - by Submitted on May 25, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockIt's never easy when what we have been accustomed to is pulled out from under us. We see the warning signs, perhaps for a long time, but we just don't pay attention to them. Then, one day, when everything suddenly changes, we feel blindsided. We feel abused, hurt and rejected in some way because ...
Views: 767 - Heaven is a Many Splendored Thing — Isn’t it? - by Submitted on Dec 30, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockSome people get a glimpse of where they are headed just before they die. My sister-in-law did. Terminal with lung cancer, we thought that she had passed away early one morning when she abruptly stopped breathing, but after a few minutes, she woke up! She told us that she had just been in a ...
Views: 766 - Red Lights and Shoplifters - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockHave you noticed that more and more people are going through red lights in their rush to compete in this frantic world, and that no cops are there to stop them. We have only a token representation of police to give the impression that we are being protected. It’s an illusion. Many cheat on ...
Views: 766 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 2) - by Submitted on May 03, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock. . . And so began a ten-year friendship with this little man and his constant grin, as we wandered the forest together in search of the elusive key. "I know where to find plants and insects to eat," I said, trying to be helpful. A John shook his head in disagreement, "Those who are ...
Views: 766 - Meditation -The Deeper Aspects - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen we begin meditation, we might begin with a mantra, or a word, or perhaps concentration on the breath. We do this to replace the never ending cycle of thoughts and emotions that circle round us day and night. We replace our everyday thoughts with one new thought so that we can break this ...
Views: 765 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 1: One More Journey (Part 3) - by Submitted on Apr 07, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockMy first stop was the coliseum where the king's army was training. These were hardened, career soldiers, all experienced in killing and tough as nails. I dismounted and walked deliberately up to the commander of all the forces. He was the strongest and most feared, and he was sharp as well, and ...
Views: 765 - Are You On The Right Path? - by Submitted on Jul 07, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockHow can you tell if you are on the right path? There are telltale signs, but before they can be acknowledged, a determination must be made regarding your purpose for treading a path in the first place. Most people don't tread a path through the woods. Instead, they prefer to wander about at ...
Views: 762 - Creating A Universe In Your Mind - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockScientists say that everything began in the emptiness of space when a pea-sized piece of intensely dense matter and energy exploded into what has become our universe. In the Zen Buddhist religion, it is said, "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Emptiness is no other than form, form is no ...
Views: 761 - Climbing Mountains Of Mist - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWe create mountains for ourselves to climb. We trust that over the next peak will be our final salvation, our complete happiness, that for which we have been searching. But as we climb our mountains of mist, we find only more mountains, more mist. Our mountains are made of mist because we ...
Views: 759 - Life is a Ball! Or is it? - by Submitted on Dec 30, 2007 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockAsk anyone that's enjoying good luck and engaged in a full, rewarding life how they are doing, and they will more than likely reply that they are having a ball! Their glass is not only half-full, it is overflowing! Then, when I clumsily come along and say that the Buddha proclaimed that we must ...
Views: 758 - Middle-Aged Suicides - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockAccording to Patricia Cohen of the New York times, A new five-year analysis of the nation's death rates recently released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the suicide rate among 45-to-54-year-olds increased nearly 20 percent from 1999 to 2004, the latest year ...
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