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Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

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June 12, 2017 By Admin

How Does Thich Nhat Hanh Drink a Cup of Tea?

Drink a Cup of Tea with Thich Nhat Hanh

According to the article “A Perfect Cup of Tea” by Noa Jones, The Great Meditation Master offers this sage advice about the best way to enjoy a great cup of tea. I suppose if you would rather drink coffee, the same suggestions may apply.

  1. Recognize that in this moment you and the tea are in silent contact. No past, and no future – only you and the cup of tea.
  2. Have intentions to experience peace and happiness while you drink your tea.
  3. Hold and feel your cup, and breathe in to be one with the body in the present moment.
  4. Imagine the cup of tea is like life, but without other activities, worries, and projects – just focus here now on the cup of tea and you.
  5. As you slowly sip the tea, recognize that right now you are free from afflictions.
  6. Enjoy your liberation, and really enjoy your cup of tea.
  7. Yes, this can be a moment full of peace and joy, even if it is impermanent.

From Jones, N. (2017). A perfect cup of tea. tricycle.org/magazine/perfect-cup-tea…retrieved May 16, 2017.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

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Filed Under: Buddhism, Featured, Thich Nhat Hanh Tagged With: MEDITATION, MINDFULNESS, TEA, THICH NHAT HANH

August 23, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

An Alternative to Buddhism as Religion

Alternative to Buddhism as Religion   – Simply put and Clearly Stated

In case you become too serious about yourself in this life, note that there are reportedly 400 trillion subatomic vibrations every second. So be humble! And being humble is something I have had to do regarding my experience with Zen Buddhism as my lovebuddhism_mindfulhappinessreligion. I love Buddhism; I love Zen; I love my Sangha; I respect my teachers; and, I had great difficulty accepting Zen Buddhism as my religion. I have no clear understanding for this other than the strict hierarchy and rich ceremonies reminded my very much of my Catholic upbringing. I also decided against that approach as my religion.

In a distant Taoist way, I feel more “religious” when meditating in the woods – but this deep, personal experience feels more like sacred spirituality to me.  Recently, M. Mcleod in Shambhala Sun wrote about the spiritual value of Buddhism.

Much of this post re-frames and adds to many of his comments.

Fifteen Reasons Why Spiritual Buddhism May be Very Good for YOU:

  1. We do not have to deal with the issue of whether or not there is a God or gods.
  2. We can focus on being a good person and living a good life without greed, envy, hatred, or anger.
  3. We can recognize that there is nothing especially religious about our waking up into a more aware state.
  4. We can accept Buddhist mind training or other forms of mind training as a way to become awake.
  5. We do spiritual Buddhism solely for our self and by our self. There are teachers and the sangha, but YOU do it alone through personal experience in long-term regular practice. It is an internal ting!
  6. We may use our Buddhist spirituality to wake up in experiencing non-material higher reality – a form of ultimate reality.
  7. We never need to simply have faith in Buddhism (unlike many other major religions). The Buddha noted that as we experience Buddhist practices and experiment with it for our self, keep it ONLY if it is working for you.  If it does not help, stop doing it.
  8. We can use skillful means in Buddhist practice, spirituality, and – perhaps even more important – in how we live our life (emotionally regulated, kind, compassionate, awake, present-minded, happy).
  9. We can practice Buddhist spirituality without connection with systems, programs, or institutions.  We are the sole entity of spiritual practice; spirituality is highly personal and internal.
  10. We notice that Buddhist spirituality appears to work for many other people, so why not give it a chance.
  11. We may study various religious doctrines and texts only to find out that many of the key points and recommend/required practices are somewhat similar.  I myself am always amazed at the similarities in what Jesus and Buddha have reportedly “said” to their followers.  There appears to be a spiritual theme in much of it.
  12. We may practice Buddhist spirituality without concern for specific standards and rigidness about “doing it only this way.”  In spiritual practice, the “right way” is the way that works best for the spiritual goals of the person doing it.
  13. We may practice Buddhist spirituality and find our self feeling more closely connected and integrated with others and the earth itself – perhaps even with the universe.
  14. We may come to a realization – a liberation – that Buddhist spiritual practices that are helpful to us represent serious regular practice on a personal level.
  15. We WILL come to understand that Buddhist spiritual practices increase our personal happiness.

For more information refer to Mcleod, M. In  Shambhala Sun (November, 2013), pp. 42-49.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

CLICK HERE  or any image below to Order 

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Filed Under: Buddhism, Featured, Religion Tagged With: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, BUDDHISM, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, RELIGION, SHAMBHALA SUN

July 15, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

Selected Spiritual Mantras from Buddhism

Spiritual Mantras from Buddhism

Spiritual Mantras:  Mantra practice is certainly not informal Buddhism, nor is it a way to apply practical mindfulness skills to life.  The path of Mantra_Buddhistmantra practice is much deeper than the psychological applications for good health. Mantra practice is a highly important part of formal Buddhist practice, especially on the spiritual path of  Buddhism as a religion.  I have noted some of the most well-known mantras below.  Go ahead, practice some if you wish and be keenly aware of what your experience is in this process.  You will need to say them over and over and over again as your practice. Just concentrate on saying there mantra; do not be seeking an outcome while you practice. Just practice!

  • Chenrezig Mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum
  • Medicine Buddha Mantra: Ta Ua Ta/Om Bekandzay Maha Bekandzay/Radza Samugatay Soha
  • Seeing Enlightenment Mantra (seeing clearly to enlightened.): Ah Ahh Sha Sa Ma Ha
  • Amitabha Mantra: Om Amitabha Hrih
  • Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra: Om Padmo Ushnisha Vimale Hum Phat
  • The Buddha’s Name Mantra:(On hearing this mantra you will be liberated from samsara and enlightened.)
  • Chom Dan Da De Zhin Sheg Pa Dra Chom Pa Yang Dag Par Dzog Pai Sang Gya Rin Chhen Tsug Tor Chan La Chhag Tshal Lo

Other mantras you may want to look up and practice include:

  • Compassion Buddha Mantra
  • Wish Granting Wheel Mantra
  • Akshobhya Mantra
  • Namgyalma Mantra
  • Padmasambhava Mantra
  • Milarepa Mantra
  • Maitreya Buddha Mantra

Go ahead, try one!

For more information refer to Lama Zopa Rinpoche (2016). (Robina Courtin, Ed.). How to Enjoy Death: Preparing to Meet Life’s Final Challenge without Fear. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, pp. 81-89.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

CLICK HERE  or any image below to Order 

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Filed Under: Activities, ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, Featured, Mantras, Meditation, Meditation Activities, MIndfulness Tagged With: BUDDHISM, DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, MANTRAS, MINDFUL HAPPINESS

June 18, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

Two Brief Mindfulness-Based Contemplations

Mindfulness Based Contemplations

Best to practice both of these contemplations using the lectio divina method, that is each time you MindfulHappiness_lectio-divinacontemplate the content of the two messages concentrate a bit more, go a bit deeper into your mind. Concentrate! Concentrate! Concentrate! Go deeper into your mind to discover your answers.

Contemplation 1 – Who Am I?

If I am NOT my thoughts, my breath, my body, my sensations, my emotions, my sensory awarenesses, my intuition, my joys and sorrows,  and ALL of my memories – then, WHO AM I?  Contemplate this question deeply and repeatedly until you come up with an insightful and personally meaningful answer.
Write your answers down.

MindfulHappiness-contemplations

Contemplation 2 – Buddhism, A Universal Philosophy of Life or a Religion?

Jon Kabat-Zinn, in Coming to Our Senses, defined practically the more universal meanings of  mindfulness and dharma.  His comments suggested that both were about the deeper functioning of people, especially the quality of attention and experience in suffering and happiness.  The core important variable was one’s personal relationship with the outcomes of the experiences. He also suggested that if we desire more and more people to benefit from mindfulness and it’s Buddhist dharma, we Buddhists may have reconsider our strong attachments to Buddhism as religion.

Read this statement a few times, and then write your response/reaction to it in the space below. Contemplate deeply exactly what the meaning of the statement is for YOU. Personalize it!

Write your answers down.

For more information refer to Shambhala Sun (November, 2015), pp. 11-12 and Kabat-Zinn, J. ( 2005). Coming to Our Senses…New York: Hyperion.

shambhala-sun-magazine_MindfulHappiness

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

CLICK HERE  or any image below to Order 

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

MindfulHappiness_Amazon           mindful-happiness_barnes_and_noble

Filed Under: Activities, ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, Benefits of Mindfulness, Buddhism, Contemplative Practices, Featured, Meditation, Meditation Activities, MIndfulness, MIndfulness Activities, Mindfulness Training, Training Tagged With: CONTEMPLATIONS, DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, MINDFULNESS

June 7, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

Mastering Your Own Ego’s Impulsivity: Being Tolerant

 

Tolerance: Mastering Your Egos Impulses

It is reported that Ajahn Chah said: “Buddhism is a religion of the heart. Only this. One who practices to develop the heart is one who practices Buddhism.”  This statement has merit in today’s highly competitive society. The 14th Dalai Lama  and Thich Nhat Hanh have made MindfulHappiness_Egosimilar statements.  “The haves” and “the have nots” have always competed throughout history.  However, today with stronger economic competition, less personal security (work, money, friendship, intimacy, entitlement, terrorism, being “good enough,” etc.), our limbic system tends to dominate social interaction.  One way to master the negative and unpleasant outcomes of these current conditions is to learn and use mindfulness (ways of thinking, ways of being, meditation, yoga, etc.)  to calm the inner tension to protect ego and self from the forces that be. A key “wise mind” skill here is to become aware of your own level of inner and outer criticism, and to mindfully bring it under voluntary control. The teachings of Dzogchen Ponlop may help.

MindfulHAppiness_2016Dzogchen Ponlop notes that our emotional response to current social and psychological pressures is to protect our inner true self from emotional harm.  The tendency to be critical of one’s self and of others is a common example of this defensive response.  Active mind criticism challenges our ability to attain and maintain emotional regulation, and to be compassionate as human beings.  Here are the practices that are recommended. It is clear that regular practice of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, walking meditation, and/or exercise is highly recommended as a foundational reality.

  1. Improved self-understanding of your own emotional experiences – We need to practice allowing situations (causes and conditions) that make us feel less safe emotionally. Gently letting go of internal, often private fears is one way to begin this process.  Of course, there is no expectation to increase the actual risk of personal harm in this process.
  2. Another practice refers to clear seeing –  Knowing the difference between common reality and ultimate reality, the BIG picture of your life and what really matters in the long term.  Pay attention to your emotional habits in thoughts, ego, behaviors, and relationships. Notice what triggers your ego to become defensive and/or reactive. Become aware of how you speak and listen. Are you present? Is your heart open? Do you already have cognitive answers in mind before the social interaction is over?  This content does not mean that all direct, developmental feedback is not needed at times.
  3. Refine your ability to utilize the mindfulness gap – Learn to be in that space and time  between stimuli that trigger your emotions and your actual response or reaction to such stimuli.  Shift your perception from BEING your emotions to observing you are having emotional responses and reactions. Notice the flow of your experience; become aware of yourself “going off” into criticism and hostility – then apply the brakes and be more mindful off your immediate experience.  The practice of meditation, especially, is known to produce a mind-body pause that enables more constructive responding to emotional challenges.
  4. Practice letting go of the impulsive, reactive, fearful, critical self – Use mindful awareness to become more aware of the tension rising in your mind-body. Learn to relax at this very moment. Observe with mindful awareness. The less limbic dominance the better; there is no need to be dominant or ego-first in typical responses to life situations.  Hold onto only those things you cherish deeply.

For more information on improving emotion regulation over ego reactivity and criticism refer to Ponlop, D. (2016). Emotional Rescue: How to Work With Your Emotions... New York: Tarcher/Perigree/Penguin Random House.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

CLICK HERE  or any image below to Order 

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

MindfulHappiness_Amazon           mindful-happiness_barnes_and_noble

Filed Under: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, Benefits of Mindfulness, Buddhism, Dzogchen Ponlop, Ego, Featured, Meditation, Practices Tagged With: DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, DZOGCHEN PONLOP, EGO, EXCERCISE, TRAINING

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