I was just sitting outside smoking a cigarette, and it was very still, morning, heavy clouds very low, a comfortable chill in the air. I looked out over the alley from my second story perch over the fence of the wild backyard in front of me.

I was hearing this song in my head, which has been playing since I saw it on an astrology site yesterday:

(Ringo Starr)
It Don't Come Easy
You know it Don't Come Easy
It Don't Come Easy
You know it Don't Come Easy

Got to Pay your Dues
If you wanna Sing the Blues
And you know it Don't Come Easy
You don't have to shout or leap about
You can even Play them Easy

Forget about the Past
And all your Sorrows
The future won't Last
It will soon be over
Tomorrow

I Don't ask for Much
I only want your Trust
And you know it Don't Come Easy
And this Love of Mine
Keeps growing all the time
And you know it Just ain't Easy

Open up your heart
Let's Come Together
Use a little Love
And we will...
Make it work out better

(((Ahhh Awww ooh-ooh ah-ooh-ooh)))

Got to Pay your Dues
If you wanna Sing the Blues
And you know it Don't Come Easy
You don't have to shout or leap about
You can even Play them Easy

Peace... Remember peace
Is how we make it
Here within your reach
If you're big enough to take it

I don't ask for much
I only want your trust
And you know it don't come easy
And this love of mine
Keeps growing all the time
And you know it don't come easy

I suddenly smelled a strong fragrance of flowers. I was startled. It didn't go away for a little bit, long enough for me to determine that, yes, it really was there.

I looked around in surprise, trying to find out where this was coming from.  Everything is cold and rather "dead" looking here in Texas in the area where I am living. It's winter.

There was no place for the fragrance to come from.

I had an interesting coincidental meeting with someone important yesterday while rushing around and being "diverted" in various ways after work.  I had not had time to answer the call from my mother while rushing around. I was thinking of her birthday. I remembered my Grandmother who passed away about 25 years ago. She had honeysuckle in her backyard that I loved as a child.

Yesterday I was handling a photograph of myself as a baby. We shared these photos as a game with some people at my job recently, and we put them up by our doors in the office area where I work.

Grandma....(Gert was her nickname...short for Gertrude....but Mary was her given name, her first name)

I think Grandma visited me just now.  She likes to use scents to announce herself I guess....last time, it was the smell of the ocean, where we spent so much time when I was small....and she gave me an important, reassuring message about my father, who had found that he had a type of cancer, but I didn't know that at the time of my grandmother's "visit" from "there" and so I did give him the message, which turned out to be accurate.

Interesting, too, that I recently "accidentally" found a small statue of another "Mary" left in a box by the dumpster within plain view of me on the porch where I sat this morning.

Well, all for now.

love, blink

Actually, now that I look at this statue a little more closely, I see that it is from Japan. So, it is not actually "Mary" but Kannon, possibly, the Japanese form of the god/goddess of compassion.

In Japanese, Guan Yin is pronounced Kannon (??) or more formally Kanzeon (???)
(from the "Mary" thread a few days ago)

It is such a simple statue that it is really impossible to tell that it would be one thing or another. A graceful woman in a robe, medium long straight hair, hands in prayer, face in repose.

There are markings carved on her robe, a number of center dots with radiating lines coming from each of them like the spokes of wheels. Much like Bruce's "I" would be....with all of us radiating out from the center of the disk, connected to the source. There are six of them. One is separate, on the left side of the robe. Five are placed vertically down the right side, and the bottom one is connected to a final original "dot" which is part of that final disk.

A disk looks like the sun....with radiating rays of light.

Interestingly, I visited my family a few weeks ago and was looking through paper samples to make some cards....one was a Japanese print....beautiful. I made a card out of it and pinned it to the center of a bulletin board I made on Sunday with family/friend photos radiating from the center. The largest picture in the bulletin board is of my face, smiling, the bottom cut off so that the smiling eyes are the focal point of the collage. Only a tiny hint of smile from my own lips are visible in the photo.

A picture of myself I took, with my own camera.....last summer.

This symbol, the one on the robe of Kannon/Mary/etc. is on this japanese print. And, by the way, I did decorate my little efficiency when I moved here last January with a very modern, japanese feeling to it...eastern, completely.

all coincidences???

I think not.

love, blink  NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO :)

From a website picked at random...but this description is accurate:

The phrase NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO is taken from the title of the greatest teaching of the first historically recorded Buddha, known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, who lived in India around 500 years before Christ was born. This teaching, called the Lotus Sutra, declares that all living beings, regardless of gender or intelligence (that means everyone - including you and me!), have the potential to attain Buddhahood.

In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha teaches that inside each one of us is a universal truth known as the Buddha nature. Basing our lives on this Buddha nature enables us to enjoy absolute happiness and to act with boundless compassion. Such a state of happiness is called enlightenment. It's simply waking up to the true nature of life, realising that all things are connected, and that there is such a close relationship between each of us and our surroundings that when we change ourselves, we change the world.

In the 13th Century, a Japanese priest called Nichiren (1222-1282) realised that the message of the Lotus Sutra was summed up by its title, NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO, which can be translated as the teaching of the lotus flower of the wonderful law.

______________
So......

universal truth does exist....

"there is such a close relationship between each of us and our surroundings that when we change ourselves, we change the world"


love, blink

That's wonderful, blink,
thank you!

Buddhist phrases are so potent with energy I find-- Maybe because they've been around for so long and have been repeated by so many souls?

If someone could tell us how these syllables are pronounced, I think we'll put ourselves in tune with its flow even more---
NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO

I tried this version and have been feeling the energy ever since:
'nahm me yo ho ren jay key yo'

Bets

Bets,

This is the buddhism I practiced for a while....I have my lettered scroll hanging in my home, my scroll, which at the time I received it was still being sent here directly from Japan and lettered by priests there. I occasionally chant, but rarely.  This mantra is the simple part of the practice, and just about anyone can do it.  A much longer sutra was part of the daily practice, and repeated several times a day, but I believe the standards here in the USA have been relaxed for lay people.  It was quite difficult to learn when I participated in the organization here and required determination to do it, but I did enjoy it.  The basic practice is to chant this simple mantra, which is called daimoku.  It can be done anywhere, silently, quietly, or loudly and ringingly.

The chanting of this mantra does have a wonderful rhythm, which feels to me like the waves relentlessly reaching the shore....Your pronunciation is close but the g is a hard sound, not a soft one.  Myo is one syllable.  When it is said quickly there are a total of 6 syllables.

pronounced this way:

Nam 
(the a is like "ha" in ha ha)
Myoho  
(like My-oh Hoe, with the y sound like "yu" and not like "e", two syllables)
Renge  
(the e's are soft like in Stonehenge and the g is hard like in the word egg, 2 syllables)
Kyo  
(like Ky-oh, one syllable)


From Wikepedia:

As Nichiren explained the mantra in his "Ongi Kuden" (????), a transcription of his lectures on the Lotus Sutra, Namu or Nam (??) derives from the Sanskrit namas, whereas Myoho Renge Kyo is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese title of the Lotus Sutra in the translation by Kumarajiva (hence, daimoku).

Nam(u) is used in Buddhism as a prefix expressing the taking of refuge in a Buddha or similar object of veneration. In Nam(u) Myoho Renge Kyo, it represents devoting or submitting oneself to the Lotus Sutra, not merely as one of many scriptures, but as the penultimate teaching of Buddhism, particularly with regard to Nichiren's interpretation. In Nichiren doctrine, the ultimate teaching changes according to one of three cyclical time periods, and is always called the Lotus Sutra for that particular period.

The Lotus Sutra is held by Nichiren Buddhists, as well as practitioners of the Chinese Tiantai (also, T'ien T'ai) and corresponding Japanese Tendai sects, to be the culmination of Shakyamuni Buddha's 50 years of teaching. These schools view the phrase Myoho Renge Kyo as the distillation of the entire sutra—for them, all the sutra's teachings are summarized in its title. By extension, followers of Nichiren Buddhism also consider Myoho Renge Kyo to be the name of the ultimate law permeating the universe.

Broken down, Myoho Renge Kyo consists of Myoho, "Sublime" or "Mystic" Law, the Dharma underlying all phenomena; Renge, the Lotus Flower, which blooms and bears seeds at the same time and therefore signifies the simultaneity of cause and effect, the "natural" law that governs karma; and Kyo, "thread passing all the way through a bolt of cloth", but also "scripture", meaning a teaching of the Buddha. Kyo also connotes sound, such as that of voices, and some Nichiren Buddhists cite this as the reason that they pray using Nam(u)-Myoho-Renge-Kyo as an invocation.

The seven characters na-mu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo are written down the centre of the Gohonzon, the mandala venerated by Nichiren Buddhists.

love, blink

So...the statue I found had a total of 6 disks.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo has 6 syllables.

What does the number 6 stand for:

The number 6 is the number of co-operation. Marriage, interlacing, a link, connection. Reciprocal action. The interaction of the spiritual and material, the metal and the physical in man, the psyche, psychology, divination, communion, sympathy. Psychic, telepathy, psychometric capacity. Alchemy. Conversion. Accord, harmony, peace, satisfaction. Goodness, beauty and truth, as tested by harmony. Attainment, restitution. Intercourse, reciprocity. Connubiality, the relations of the sexes. It represents feminine essence, compassion and money. The number 6 is the number of love and romance. It is the symbol of Venus. The colors that harmonize best with the number 6 vibration are: the pastel shades of every color, especially pink and blue - sometimes earth tones, such as chocolate brown and deep green, but these are secondary to the pastels.

Biblically:

It is in the sixth day that mankind is created.

______________

In the beginning was the Word......and the Word was God......

love, blink

To continue:

The bottom of the robe of this statue has the final disk ending in a link to a final dot, still part of the final disk, but with a link to the final dot which is part of itself.

This would be either the Beginning or the Ending for the chain of "events" listed on this robe.

What could this mean...a "birth" into the number "7" meaning:

The number 7 is the number of completion. Time and space. Duration, distance. Old age, dissipation, death, or endurance, stability, immortality. The seven seals, principles in man, notes and colors. The triad and quaternary; the cycle of evolution; wisdom, perfection, equipoise, balance, rest. Such people have a very high convincing power. It represents spirituality, sensitivity, sympathy and mystery. The number 7 is the number of illusions and delusion, sometimes deception - but also of healing and miracles, faith and dream come true. It is the symbol of Neptune. The colors that harmonize with the number 7 vibration are: sea green, light yellow, aqua, pink and white. 7 people should avoid wearing black or dark colors

or....

the rebirth from the original disk?

But, how many disks would there really be? Is this the correct number?

Are there more disks to be created?  This is a puzzle....and what fun...because I do like puzzles, but only of this particular kind........

love, blink :)

You know, I really believe in Feng Shui....the art of "space clearing"....our space, the one each of us occupies, is important to this world and its future...

The basement really needs a good cleaning...and, where I work, my boss really wants to do it...I told her I will definitely help her with it.

Additionally, I think we need a special place for meditation or prayer...for world peace...

But any room will do for that if you think about it....

Feng Shui works..really, try it...and it's not necessary to buy magical "cures" to improve your space.

Just clear the space out to get the energy flowing...the space alone will allow new ideas to blossom in you and make room for fresh experiences.  

love, blink  :)

hi ladies, wonderful thread, please don't let me interrupt, just passing thru, as a singer Blink, I'll elect to do this part :)   (((Ahhh Awww ooh-ooh ah-ooh-ooh)))

blessings are all around.

A lovely post Blink .. i love the title ... :)

PUL

Beautiful posts, Blink. Thanks.

Love,
Rob

I'm glad some of you are enjoying this thread.  Here is some additional information about Guan Yin, and how he/she has been represented in various places.  There are several stories about him/her on the following webpage, from which I have copied this information.  I find it interesting that, among some, she represents the "principle" of compassion, rather than an "external force" while to others she is a "savior" --

Thus, in "operating from the heart" (as it was recently described by someone here) -- in a compassionate way -- a person "is" Guan Yin.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin
----------------------------------------------------

Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the Song Dynasty (960-1279) were masculine in appearance. Images which later displayed attributes of both genders are believed to be in accordance with the Lotus Sutra, where Avalokitesvara has the supernatural power of assuming any form required to relieve suffering, and also has the power to grant children. Because this bodhisattva is considered the personification of compassion and kindness, a mother-goddess and patron of mothers and seamen, the representation in China was further interpreted in an all-female form around the 12th century. In the modern period, Guan Yin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman, a depiction which derives from the earlier Pandaravasini form.

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Guan Yin is immensely popular among Chinese Buddhists, especially those from devotional schools. She is generally seen as a source of unconditional love and more importantly as a savior. In the Bodhissatva Vow, Guan Yin promises to answer the cries and pleas of all beings, and to liberate all beings from their own karmic woes. Based upon the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama sutra, He is generally seen as a savior, both spiritually and physically. The sutras state that, through the saving grace of Avalokitesvara, even those who have no chance of being Enlightened can be Enlightened, and those deep in negative karma can still find salvation through the compassion of Avalokitesvara. In Pure Land Buddhism, Guan Yin is described as the "Bark of Salvation". Along with Amitabha Buddha and Bodhissatva Mahastamaprata, She temporarily liberates beings out of the Wheel of Samsara into the Pure Land where they will have the chance to accrue the necessary merit so as to be a Buddha in one lifetime.

Even among Chinese Buddhist schools that are non-devotional, Guan Yin is still highly venerated. Instead of being seen as an active external force of unconditional love and salvation, the personage of Guan Yin is highly revered as the principle of compassion, mercy and love. The act, thought and feeling of compassion and love is viewed as Guan Yin. A merciful, compassionate, loving individual is said to be Guan Yin. A meditative or contemplative state of being at peace with oneself and others is seen as Guan Yin. In Mahayana Canon the Heart Sutra is ascribed entirely to the Bodhissatva Kuan Yin/Kwannon. This is unique as most Mahayana Sutras are usually ascribed to the Shakyamuni Buddha and the teachings, deeds or vows of the Bodhissatvas described by Shakyamuni Buddha. In the Heart Sutra Guan Yin/Avalokitesvara describes to the Arhat Sariputra the nature of reality and the Buddhist teachings. The famous Buddhist saying, "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form" comes from this Sutra.

----------------------------------------
love, blink

This page has some beautiful pictures of how he/she has been represented in art around the world, and some additional stories to tell....

as well as an interesting statement about the word "compassion" and a truer meaning for it than the one with which we are accustomed...perhaps a definition which means "empathy" more than "sympathy" or "pity"....

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http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/kuanyin

quoted from the page above:
It is unfortunate that Buddhism's most enduring (and universal) contribution to the world has been insufficiently translated as compassion. The original Sanskrit word is 'karuna,' which holds within itself traces of the fragment 'ru,' meaning to weep. While the Oxford dictionary describes compassion as pity bordering on the merciful, karuna is actually our ability to relate to another in so intense a measure that the plight of the other affects us as much as if it had been our own.

The term karuna is central to the entire Buddhist tradition. It is frequently described as a love for all beings, equal in intensity to a mother's affection for her child. However, it is quite unlike conventional love (Sanskrit: priya, kama or trishna), which is rooted in dualistic thinking and is egoistic, possessive and exclusive, in contrast to the all-encompassing nature of compassion. The root meaning of karuna is said to be the anguished cry of deep sorrow and understanding that can only come from an unblemished sense of oneness with others.

-------------------------------------------

peace to you all, blink    

When chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is is nice to have a focal point. A traditional "altar" includes two candles, a piece of evergreen foliage, pure water, a food offering such as a piece of fruit. A bell is rung to begin and end the chanting....a clear bell with a pure tone.

It is said that for a human being to even hear the words Nam Myoho Renge Kyo in his/her lifetime is a great blessing.

I wonder what effect these words might have on a soul in the afterlife....if "spoken" silently during a meditation, spoken with the intention to convey its meaning to a guide or other "resident" in the afterlife levels....perhaps there is someone there who may benefit from them, perhaps even myself (!)....or perhaps they are another kind of clue...I don't know.  I will have to try it to see if it is beneficial in some way.

love, blink

After I completed the above post I went to the BBC news area and saw this article regarding India:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6280027.stm

It was referred to as a "slumbering elephant"  :)

The comment was......will it ever become a major world power or will it forever be Arriving?.....

Of course, the writers were speaking in economic and not spiritual terms....because India "should" be a Tiger, and not an Elephant....according to them. Is this correct, I wonder....or just a delusion?

love, blink

Oh...I forgot to add:

On the traditional altar there is also incense....incense is burned the entire time...

for who doesn't enjoy a wonderful scent of flowers or spices in the air?

Above the altar is the gohonzon, where the lettered scroll hangs. One's eyes focus on the center of this scroll, where, in a bold script, the essential words are written vertically.

I found that a golden haze would surround the white page and that the entire scene would vibrate as I chanted for 15 - 30 minutes at a time, usually.  Longer or more frequent sessions are encouraged.

Of course, kneeling is the best posture....but sitting is okay.

In groups, it's fun. I've even done it on airplanes....just one or two, you know, for luck....:)

As you can see, it is not for everybody.  But it is for some.

love, blink