Enjoying Creating Affirmations

"The Buddha’s teachings on time are interesting in that even though they do talk about time, they don’t talk about a beginning point in time. The beginning point for your experience is right here in the present moment. It all comes springing out of right here; so instead of trying trace things back to first causes someplace way back in the past, the Buddha has you look for first causes right here and right now. Dig down deep inside into the area of the mind where intention and attention and perception play against each other, for that’s the point from which all things are born." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "The Sublime Attitudes"

     The rainy weather will pass. My mood has temporarily crashed, but I am injury-free and looking forward to my comeback to colossus mode very soon. I am not contagious. I am still enjoying a healthy sense of humor.      I have time now to prepare for the future. My life is a daring mission to shed light on the mysteries of human joy. Twenty-five seconds into flight, chamber pressures continue to look good on all three boosters.      I have two healthy computers plus Dad has several more. I have two healthy mobile phones. I have two healthy ballpoint pens. I have two healthy pairs of orange UV protection glasses. I successfully turned down the brightness of my computer monitor.       I found a perfectly good great pair of shoes in my wardrobe (I had bought different colors for different colored clothes).      I am enjoying navel oranges again. I have no difficulty finding food tha...

One drawback of owning a superfast computer is that it doesn't train me in patience (in a conversation, interrupting the other person doesn't just mean speaking over them, but also beginning to talk while they are pausing to think about things). Sydney's Warragamba Dam, which has 100,000 gallons of drinking water just for me, was built in the 1950's. Sydney was desperate for water. But as this documentary illustrates, the heroic men working on the project didn't rush, they made slow consistent effort. Thanissaro Bhikkhu in his 2018 Dhamma talk "Persistence"   said this about his teacher: "It’s hard to say that right effort is any particular amount of effort. It has to be the effort that’s just right for the situation. Ajaan Fuang made a comment one time that “The effort that goes into the meditation is not all that much, but you have to make it constant. That’s where the real effort is, in the persistence.” And because it is an effort in the mind,...

 "[An awakened person] feels sympathy for others and seeks their well-being, experiencing a sense of satisfaction when they respond to [his/her] teachings, but otherwise [he/she] stays equanimous, untroubled, mindful, and alert. This passage shows that the even-mindedness of a fully awakened person is an attitude not of cold indifference, but rather of mental imperturbability. Such a person has found true happiness and would like others to share that happiness as well, but that happiness is not dependent on how others respond. This is the ideal state of mind for a person who truly works for the benefit of the world." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Equanimity in Concentration & Discernment"

     It's 2am, I'm manic at the moment. I wake up thinking it is the next morning and it's only half past midnight. I have orange fitover UV protection glasses to cut the glare at the computer at night.      Today is my 52nd birthday. I adjusted my Facebook settings so people can post to my timeline.      I bought a superfast computer for $429 used on eBay. I made one mistake setting it up, but was able to uninstall the app causing the trouble.      Now having two good computers I'm less anxious that one will break down because I have a backup computer. Computers are so essential to life in the 21st Century. I bought a Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone last September but I've only used it for making and receiving phone calls. I don't like the tiny keyboard and unlike my Nokia phone with buttons (that I use for my Facebook) it doesn't have a button to reset and start from scratch (even if you switch it o...

Success by Bessie Anderson Stanley He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.

     When I walk I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I pause and stand like a tree I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I breathe I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I speak I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      While I'm moving to sit down I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I'm sitting down I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      Even when I sit at the computer I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I listen to calming 1980's pop music I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I backup my hard drive I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      When I tidy my desk I feel like one organism not separate limbs.      While I'm moving to lie down...

"One of the best parts of being human is that we have evolved to find joy in helping others." ~ Elizabeth Dunn.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is a daring mission to shed light on the mysteries of our closest star, the Sun. It's more than just a scientific mission for me, it's providing inspiration in my quest for human well-being. I watched Parker Solar Probe's launch live in August 2018 and have replayed it dozens of times since. What impresses me is that the rocket is loved right from the very beginning, right through the launch countdown, even though it hadn't reached the Sun yet. This is true for all space missions, and I find it a profound analogy for pursuing life goals in general. 25 seconds into flight, the commentator said, “Chamber pressures continue to look good on all three boosters.” The rocket was a mighty Delta-IV Heavy, the most powerful rocket available, as it takes 55 times more energy to get to the Sun as it does to get to Mars. Parker Solar Probe receives gravity assists from Venus to direct her trajectory closer and closer to the Sun. I believe in the Gaia ...

Dāna (giving) reduces my fear of death, because what I've given will be out there no matter what happens to my body, whereas with sensual pleasures I have to be around to enjoy them.

"But if his boon companion or the dear person was happy in the past but is now unlucky and unfortunate, then gladness [muditā] can still be aroused by remembering his past happiness and apprehending the glad aspect in this way: “In the past he had great wealth, a great following and he was always glad.” Or gladness can be aroused by apprehending the future glad aspect in him in this way: “In the future he will again enjoy similar success and will go about in gold palanquins, on the backs of elephants or on horseback, and so on.”"   ~ Buddhaghosa (transl. Ñāṇamoli) "Visuddhimagga IX.86: The Path to Purification: The Divine Abidings" (5th Century A.D.) Pollyanna, a young girl who tries to find something positive in every situation — a trick she calls "the Glad Game" — is bedridden after being hit by a car: "Why, Pollyanna, I think all the town is playing that game now with you — even to the minister! I haven't had a chance to tell you, yet, but ...

"When we do things solely in the spirit of enhancing life, we will find others appreciating us. Their appreciation, however, is only a feedback mechanism confirming that our efforts had the intended effect. The recognition that we have chosen to use our power to serve life and have done so successfully brings us the genuine joy of celebrating ourselves in a way that approval from others can never offer."   ~ pp138-139 "Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life" by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., Puddle Dancer Press 2003.

Feelings When Your Needs Are Satisfied — Affectionate: compassionate, friendly, loving, open hearted, sympathetic, tender, warm. Engaged: absorbed, alert, curious, engrossed, enchanted, entranced, fascinated, interested, intrigued, involved, spellbound, stimulated. Hopeful: expectant, encouraged, optimistic.      Confident: empowered, open, proud, safe, secure. Excited: amazed, animated, ardent, aroused, astonished, dazzled, eager, energetic, enthusiastic, giddy, invigorated, lively, passionate, surprised, vibrant. Grateful: appreciative, moved, thankful, touched. Inspired: amazed, awed, wonder. Joyful: amused, delighted, glad, happy, jubilant, pleased, tickled. Exhilarated: blissful, ecstatic, elated, enthralled, exuberant, radiant, rapturous, thrilled.      Peaceful: calm, clear headed, comfortable, centered, content, equanimous, fulfilled, mellow, quiet, relaxed, relieved, satisfied, serene, still, tranquil, trusting. Refreshed: enlivened, rejuvenated, r...

Some Basic Needs We All Have — Connection: acceptance, affection, appreciation, belonging, cooperation, communication, closeness, community, companionship, compassion, consideration, consistency, empathy, inclusion, intimacy, love, mutuality, nurturing, respect/self-respect, safety, security, stability, support, to know and be known, to see and be seen, to understand and be understood, trust, warmth. Physical Well-being: air, food, movement/exercise, rest/sleep, sexual expression, safety, shelter, touch, water.      Honesty: authenticity, integrity, presence. Play: joy, humor. Peace: beauty, communion, ease, equality, harmony, inspiration, order. Autonomy: choice, freedom, independence, space, spontaneity. Meaning: awareness, celebration of life, challenge, clarity, competence, consciousness, contribution, creativity, discovery, efficacy, effectiveness, growth, hope, learning, mourning, participation, purpose, self-expression, stimulation, to matter, understanding. ~ Need...

In computer programming there is the term "iterate": iteration (noun): the process of doing something again and again, usually to improve it. Weekly food shopping has iterations. Once Mum stayed at home and I went to the fruit market with Dad. We forgot to bring Mum's shopping list so we weren't sure what to buy. Then I remembered the Buddha's Instructions to Rahula , that at least I could resolve not to forget the shopping list the next week. And we only forgot the peaches. The "next week" when I was sure to remember the shopping list, having been willing to learn from my mistake of forgetting it the previous week, was an example of a "second chance in life" .

     My experience as a Rugby League football fan deserves to be on my resume!      I've been a hypochondriac since puberty. But my dream of playing Rugby League in heaven is still alive. Rugby League is a dangerous sport. They wear no protective gear, and, until it was banned in 2006, there was what's called a "shoulder charge" where the purpose is not just to stop the opponent advancing in yardage but to inflict pain and preferably concussion. Once an Australian international player was penalized by a strange foreign referee because his tackle was "too fierce" which I found hilarious! The G-forces of the hardest tackles in Rugby League are about 20 G's! An astronaut only feels 3 G's or three times his or her bodyweight. Anyway my dream is to be reborn in heaven with such a powerful body that I could deploy and receive shoulder charges in celestial games of Rugby League with no risk of injury.      The news media report afte...

     I am warm as toast.      My Manly football jumper is dry.      I'm correcting my circadian rhythm.      I'm resting just with harmless dietary supplements.      I'm still waiting for an e-mail confirming an order for another football jumper. I paid $66 with my credit card details at 2am the other night. Maybe it's the Easter break. I can afford to lose $66 and who knows, if something different had happened, then worse other things might have happened since to spoil the wonderful things that have happened.      I'm enjoying having a Thai Facebook friend who has a master's degree in guidance psychology and says that there is no word for "guilt" in Thai (she thinks the closest is "repent").      I'm treasuring the credit cards I got when I was in the corporate world thirty years ago. I'm enjoying an excellent credit record. I got declined today fo...

"How do you keep patience going? How do you keep persistence going? By having a good sense of humor about what’s happening to you in the path and having an infinite good humor that can keep you going. This is the attitude that allows you to say, “Whoops, another mistake! – Well, try again! Another mistake? Try again!” It’s that ability to step back from yourself a bit to see what you’re doing and not to be so in to a particular state of mind or in to a particular identity that you can’t let it go." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Infinite Good Humor"

 "Other helpful attitudes toward the past include gratitude and forgiveness: the ability to appreciate the good things that other people have done for you, and to forgive them for the bad." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "The Karma of Happiness: A Buddhist Monk Looks at Positive Psychology"

     I'm enjoying tidying my desk.      I'm enjoying looking at my spotless desk.      I'm enjoying washing my Manly football jumper.      I'm enjoying the sunny weather as my clothes are hung out to dry.      I enjoy Easter Sunday.      I'm enjoying writing a shopping list.      I'm enjoying pasta with sauce plus broccoli and carrot.      I'm enjoying creating a meal.      I feel satisfied after my meal.      I have plenty to eat.      My blood sugar is normal.      I'm enjoying my private office with a closed door.      I'm enjoying an easy life with few duties.      I'm enjoying letting phone calls go through to the answering machine.      I am making hay while the Sun shines.   ...

     I'm enjoying practicing restfulness overnight and as I ever need a power nap in the coming day.      As I fall asleep I'm enjoying recalling the good things I've achieved today.      I'm living in a safe room in a safe house in a safe neighborhood in a safe suburb in a safe city in a safe country Australia!      My breathing is refreshing and I am inhaling happiness.      I'm enjoying wearing my blindfolds to block the streetlights shining through my bedroom window.      My eyes and brain are still protected on the computer as I'm wearing orange UV protection fitover glasses.      I'm enjoying my Zen alarm clock that chimes in decreasing intervals of time to wake me up gently over several minutes.      I'm waking up happy knowing it's already a brand-new day and I'll experience the pleasure of second chances in life.

"The pleasures that come from taking into account mistakes you’ve made in the past and then you learn to do something right: Those pleasures are really satisfying. As the Buddha says, people who were heedless in the past but then change to become heedful, brighten the world like a moon at night when released from a cloud. So don’t be ashamed of the fact you’ve made mistakes, in the sense of not letting them get you down." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Learn from Your Mistakes"   "Grace. When your mistakes become valuable lessons." ~ Sue Fitzmaurice

     I'm enjoying saying "Thank you very much indeed!" because it makes the other person feel good for a long time.      I'm enjoying letting people know that their act of kindness is appreciated.      Having expressed gratitude to a person I'm forgiving their mistakes.      Me expressing gratitude helps meditators to recollect their generosity.      I am resolving to respond to someone's kindness by resolving to deploy my inner and outer resources for their benefit.      I am reliving delightful smiling pleasurable and funny times from our shared past.      I am enjoying listening to others sensitive to what they might need.      I am enjoying my daily gratitude exercises which started with things that made me smile.      I am enjoying overpowering my thoughts of future stressors with thoughts of overwhelmin...

     I'm enjoying wearing my smart new clothes at the family dinner table.      I'm looking forward to firm handshakes with my older brother again.      I'm enjoying moving my body. I practice my tennis swing and rugby kick run-up.      I'm looking forward to passing my new rugby ball around with my brother and nephew again.      I'm enjoying grocery shopping with Dad.      I'm celebrating my increasing freedom to travel and visit businesses again.      I'm looking forward to sitting at the front of the bus again.      I'm looking forward to public speaking face-to-face again.      I'm relaxing at the optometrist making new computer glasses.      I'm happy deploying my wealth to get a fast computer.      I'm happily looking after my computer and backing up my data. 

"So if you’re using visualization as part of your goodwill [mettā] practice, don’t visualize people simply as smiling, surrounded willy-nilly by wealth and sensual pleasures. Visualize them acting, speaking, and thinking skillfully. If they’re currently acting on unskillful intentions, visualize them changing their ways. Then act to realize those visualizations if you can."  ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Head & Heart Together: Bringing Wisdom to the Brahmavihāras"  

     My Zen alarm clock is chiming at this perfect morning moment!      I'm bouncing out of bed!      Even on this dark winter's morning I am warm as toast :)      I am in the prime of my life as I put on my Manly-Warringah Rugby League football jumper as they continue to win the premiership :)      I am wearing my new Rockport World Tour Classic shoes as adjusted by my podiatrist who is a young and strong Rugby player like I'm feeling.      I have a spring in my step pacing back and forth on my soft carpet.      I'm surging in colossus mode! Touchdown Woods!      I am a full-time athlete.      I'm enjoying a fruitful day at the office!      I'm deploying my business network :)      I'm working at my own pace. I'm whistling while I work :)      My tim...