tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post7818024203316854477..comments2024-03-24T23:13:15.572-07:00Comments on Mind Deep: Like an ElephantMarguerite Manteau-Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-29316565741262876392011-03-18T13:52:33.986-07:002011-03-18T13:52:33.986-07:00How so?How so?Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-58990525618281235152011-03-16T22:45:23.744-07:002011-03-16T22:45:23.744-07:00Many personal decisions resting in the background ...Many personal decisions resting in the background have rushed suddenly forward. The usual hope I rested on, dissolves into what is not happening causing me to consider action around home and my/our future.Was Oncehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15787588883235992471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-56010389946906859802011-03-16T14:36:26.492-07:002011-03-16T14:36:26.492-07:00Thank you for bringing this up, BD. I am sure a lo...Thank you for bringing this up, BD. I am sure a lot of parents are struggling with the same issue. It is hard to protect our children from the outside world, and particularly the news. I have always looked at such events as teaching moments with my children. <br /><br />Your daughter is very fortunate to have you as a father. Mindfulness practice, our own, can go such a long way toward raising happy, well adjusted children!Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-8212928355065451632011-03-16T14:18:02.092-07:002011-03-16T14:18:02.092-07:00My challenge has been my daughter watching the new...My challenge has been my daughter watching the news and discussions at school. There is so much misinformation it is causing a lot of worry and stress, most understandable to be sure and yet my message to her is,<br />right now, is what matters- the future hasn't happened. Hoping that will reduce her stress. At twelve years old, it's hard for me to see this level of fear and stress in her .BK Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05356812313987608544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-70092688394307957592011-03-16T14:07:03.195-07:002011-03-16T14:07:03.195-07:00Mandy, I hope your loved ones are well, and I say ...Mandy, I hope your loved ones are well, and I say to you:<br /><br />May you be at peace, may you be at ease, in the midst of your worries and loving concern for your brother and his family.Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-20873951332185153252011-03-16T14:05:39.784-07:002011-03-16T14:05:39.784-07:00BookBird, nice seeing your name again :) and much ...BookBird, nice seeing your name again :) and much metta to you!Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-52954878913509394922011-03-16T14:05:01.259-07:002011-03-16T14:05:01.259-07:00Lori (DharmaDancer), thank you for all the work yo...Lori (DharmaDancer), thank you for all the work you do in your community, and for sharing your beautiful thoughts and intention.Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-43920044557637498822011-03-16T14:03:27.563-07:002011-03-16T14:03:27.563-07:00Thank you Maia for sharing your practice! I too ha...Thank you Maia for sharing your practice! I too have been thinking a lot about the workers at the plant. Heroes without faces, and names . . . I will make sure to read your post.<br /><br />The elephant metaphor, like any image, is bound to conjure up many different associations depending on one's experience. Thank you Pooja for elaborating on the image. This is how I took it, and also how Gil intended it I believe.Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-52568384640001441482011-03-16T13:24:31.086-07:002011-03-16T13:24:31.086-07:00Hi Pooja,
I'm thinking a lot about elephants ...Hi Pooja,<br /><br />I'm thinking a lot about elephants these days because I recently spent time with them in Thailand... and heard stories about how they protect themselves when threatened. So I'm taking the teaching quite literally, which perhaps isn't the way it was offered! <br /><br />I think what I was trying to say is that the crisis that Japan is undergoing right now is immense, particularly the nuclear aspect of it. So it seemed to minimize the situation to compare it to a fly landing on an elephant, though I do understand the equanimous nature of the elephant.Maia / Liberated Life Projecthttp://liberatedlifeproject.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-89581610741821148002011-03-16T08:01:56.349-07:002011-03-16T08:01:56.349-07:00Thank you for this post. My brother and his family...Thank you for this post. My brother and his family live in Tokyo and I am trying to be the elephant and not the fly. Thank you for this gentle reminder.Mandy_Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05561598721266208665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-50028866576886007562011-03-16T03:24:29.915-07:002011-03-16T03:24:29.915-07:00Maia
Thanks for your comment. Elephant represents...Maia<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. Elephant represents 'magnitude'.<br /><br />when in a constricted awareness, we suffer from things. When perception is 'whole', we see the arising, phenomenon of extending (waxing or waning) and passing of suffering-this requires magnitude.<br /><br />Hence the constricted mindset compared with ant, and expansive awareness with Elephant/strength/deep concentration.Poojahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04891243390856090718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-60536804865859297682011-03-16T00:54:18.821-07:002011-03-16T00:54:18.821-07:00Thankyou for this thoughtful post xoThankyou for this thoughtful post xoAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04122762432900082546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-27156427474653394042011-03-15T22:45:38.808-07:002011-03-15T22:45:38.808-07:00Dear Marguerite,
My response was to talk about th...Dear Marguerite,<br /><br />My response was to talk about the events in Japan with the sangha in Modesto tonight. I could not but notice that many people I was in contact with in the last few days were fearful, anxious and overwhelmed with what was happening in Japan. <br /><br />Our practice is about how to be with what is difficult - to understand what takes us away from ease, to see how we can become overwhelmed by emotion, proliferating thoughts and thinking about, rather than being with. I think that what the Buddha taught about liberation is about finding stability and ease in the midst of difficulty (tatra-majjhattata), without being swept away or crushed by the weight of our experiences... to be that elephant, rather than the ant, and seeing clearly what leads to agitation and dukkha and what leads to freedom. It doesn't mean we turn away, but instead we turn toward the suffering, to understand its cause and ceasing. If we are not caught and can see clearly with open hearts, the only natural response is kindness and compassion.<br /><br />If one person tonight had a little more ease or saw that the path is through suffering, rather than adding to it, it will have been a small way that I have helped. We sat in meditation, we chanted lovingkindness and we dedicated our practice tonight for the ease, comfort and freedom from suffering for all beings affected by these events.dharmadancerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03462035407060836067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-71460093566600006482011-03-15T19:22:47.681-07:002011-03-15T19:22:47.681-07:00Hi Marguerite,
Yes, I have also felt this situati...Hi Marguerite,<br /><br />Yes, I have also felt this situation in Japan weighing heavily on my heart and mind today. It feels so beyond comprehension -- and I am especially moved by and concerned for the workers at the nuclear plants who are almost certainly sacrificing their lives in order to try to control this crisis (see http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/asia/16workers.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all).<br /><br />I think the analogy of the fly landing on the elephant may be a bit off the mark, in this case. This feels more akin to a poacher coming up on an elephant, and elephants have been known to rear up and defend themselves quite violently when that happens. <br /><br />Even so, I appreciate the teaching here -- we practice so that we can come from our center rather than to flail out in fear and panic.<br /><br />What I did for practice today was to sit zazen with this pain and anxiety, to simply be with my concern and heartache for the people of Japan. Then I did some writing... you can see it here: http://liberatedlifeproject.com/2011/03/four-ways-to-show-your-love-for-japan-%E2%80%93-and-the-whole-world/<br /><br />Thank you for your practice, and for the invitation to share here.Maiahttp://liberatedlifeproject.comnoreply@blogger.com