Showing posts with label Jack Kornfield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jack Kornfield. Show all posts

Saturday, February 24, 2024

your own true nature, it is home

 





Remember the clear light, the pure clear white light from which everything
 in the universe comes, to which everything in the universe returns; 
the original nature of your own mind. 
The natural state of the universe unmanifest.

Let go into the clear light, 
trust it, merge with it.
 It is your own true nature, 
it is home.

The visions you experience exist within your consciousness; 
the forms they take are determined by your past attachments,
 your past desires, your past fears, your past karma.

These visions have no reality outside your consciousness.
No matter how frightening some of them may seem they cannot hurt you. 
Just let them pass through your consciousness. They will all pass in time. 
No need to become involved with them; no need to become attracted
 to the beautiful visions; no need to be repulsed by the frightening ones. 
No need to be seduced or excited by the sexual ones.
No need to be attached to them at all.

Just let them pass. If you become involved with these visions,
 you may wander for a long time confused. Just let them pass through
 your consciousness like clouds passing through an empty sky.

Fundamentally they have no more reality than this.

Remember these teachings, remember the clear light, 
the pure bright shining white light of your own nature, 
it is deathless.

If you can look into the visions you can experience and recognize
 that they are composed of the same pure clear white light 
as everything else in the universe.

No matter where or how far you wander, the light is only a split second,
 a half-breath away. 
It is never too late to recognize the clear light.




~ From the Tibetan Book of the Dead
Adapted from the translation by W. Y. Evans-Wentz,
 edited by Jack Kornfield
with thanks to love is a place



Sunday, December 17, 2023

Caring for Each Other and Our World - Jack Kornfield's Dec 2023 Community Talk

 








~ Jack Kornfield




Saturday, March 6, 2021

the inclination of the mind

 
 



 

Whatever a person frequently thinks and reflects on, 
that will become the inclination of their mind.

~ Buddha

Speak and act from unwise thoughts, 
and sorrow will follow you as surely as the wheel follows the ox who draws the cart.
 
 Speak and act from wise thoughts 
and happiness will follow you as closely as your shadow, unshakable. 
 
~ The Dhammapada

Whatever we regularly think colors our experience—all day, every day.
 Once we start to watch these thoughts, we discover that 90% of them are reruns!
 
 Others are about problems:
 “I need to call John about the roof again. I hope he can finally fix it.”
 
 Some are about our preferences: 
“I like the way this person talks.” “I really hate this traffic.” 
Many are worry or self-evaluation: “Oops, I’m messing up again. 
How do I get through this?” “Wow, I pulled that off well. I hope it was noticed!”

Our life is shaped and determined by our thoughts. 
Usually we are only half conscious of the way thoughts direct our life;
 we are lost in thoughts as if they are reality. 
 
We take our own mental creations quite seriously,
 endorsing them without reservation.
 
Often our fears don’t turn out to be accurate predictions of anything.
 As Mark Twain put it,
 
 “My life has been filled with terrible misfortunes—
most of which never happened!”

With the letting go of unhealthy thoughts, there arises a space, a calm, 
an opening to add healthy thoughts of love and self-respect. 
With all the dignity, courage and tenderness you possess,
 say from your heart phrases of loving-kindness such as:
 
 “May I be filled with compassion for myself and others.
 May I hold myself with care and respect. 
May I treasure my life.
 May I be filled with kindness.” 
 
Plant these loving thoughts, water these seeds of well-being, 
over and over until they take root in your heart and mind.
 
 
 
 
 ~ Jack Kornfield
Australian aboriginal art



Thursday, October 15, 2020

how to let go








We already know how to let go -
 we do it every night when we go to sleep, 
and that letting go, like a good night's sleep, is delicious. 

Opening in this way, 
we can live in the reality of our wholeness. 
A little letting go brings us a little peace, 
a greater letting go brings us a greater peace.

Entering the gateless gate, 
we begin to treasure the moments of wholeness. 
We begin to trust the natural rhythm of the world, 
just as we trust our own sleep and how our own breath breathes itself.



~ Jack Kornfield



 

Friday, May 29, 2020

stories of the Buddha's last days










~ Jack Kornfield



Thursday, May 28, 2020

forgiveness










~ Jack Kornfield



 

Thursday, May 14, 2020

starting with the fruit









~ Jack Kornfield and Frank Ostaseski



 

Monday, May 11, 2020

suffering brings me so close to God











~ Jack Kornfield
Ram Dass
Trudy Goodman
Krishna Das and others 




Thursday, April 30, 2020

steady the heart









~ Trudy Goodman & Jack Kornfield





Monday, April 13, 2020

the one who knows









~ Jack Kornfield



Wednesday, April 8, 2020

who am I










~ Jack Kornfield



 

Monday, April 6, 2020

emptiness










~ Jack Kornfield


 

Thursday, April 2, 2020

patience










~ Jack Kornfield


 

Monday, March 30, 2020

expioring the shadow









~ Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman



Sunday, March 29, 2020

transforming darkness










~ Jack Kornfield


 

Sunday, March 22, 2020

change









~ Jack Kornfield



 

Monday, March 16, 2020

life's joys and sorrow









~ Jack Kornfield

 


Wednesday, March 11, 2020

impermanence







~ Jack Kornfield



 

Friday, January 17, 2020

allowing grief







Grief is one of the heart’s natural responses to loss. When we grieve, we allow ourselves to feel the truth of our pain, the measure of betrayal or tragedy in our life. By our willingness to mourn, we slowly acknowledge, integrate, and accept the truth of our losses. Sometimes the best way to let go is to grieve.

It takes courage to grieve, to honor the pain we carry. We can grieve in tears or in meditative silence, in prayer or in song. In touching the pain of recent and long-held griefs, we come face to face with our genuine human vulnerability, with helplessness and hopelessness. These are the storm clouds of the heart.

Most traditional societies offer ritual and communal support to help people move through grief and loss. We need to respect our tears. Without a wise way to grieve, we can only soldier on, armored and unfeeling, but our hearts cannot learn and grow from the sorrows of the past.
To meditate on grief, let yourself sit, alone or with a comforting friend. Take the time to create an atmosphere of support. When you are ready, begin by sensing your breath. Feel your breathing in the area of your chest. This can help you become present to what is within you.
As you continue to breathe, bring to mind the loss or pain you are grieving. Let the story, the images, the feelings comes naturally. Hold them gently. Take your time. Let the feelings come layer by layer, a little at a time.

Keep breathing softly, compassionately. Let whatever feelings are there, pain and tears, anger and love, fear and sorrow, come as they will. Touch them gently. Let them unravel out of your body and mind. Make space for any images that arise. Allow the whole story. Breathe and hold it all with tenderness and compassion. Kindness for it all, for you and for others.

Releasing the grief we carry is a long, tear-filled process. Yet it follows the natural intelligence of the body and heart. Trust it, trust the unfolding. Along with meditation, some of your grief will want to be written, to be cried out. Let the timeless wisdom within you carry you through grief and awaken a tender, open heart.

Keep in mind that grief doesn’t just dissolve. Instead it arises in waves and gradually, with growing compassion, there comes more space around it. The heart opens and in its own time, little by little, gaps of new life—breaks in the rain clouds appear. The body relaxes and freer breaths appear. This is a natural cycle you can trust—how life and the heart renews itself. Like the spring after winter, it always does.


~ Jack Kornfield
art by Van Gogh



Wednesday, April 24, 2019

the secret beauty








~ Jack Kornfield