Dharma Punx (original) (raw)
The Walmart Welcome Person
Nov. 3rd, 2010 | 03:21 pm
posted by: 
irsis in 
dharmapunks
I posted this today at a couple of my sites and hope it fits in here;
Since I spend so much time with animals I find I sometimes have trouble relating to people. So I try my luck at blogging with varying degrees of success. I often end up writing into the void which forces me to reach out from my comfort zone to find people who I don’t have much in common with. Like just the other day I commented on the blog of a successful saleswoman who said she was trying to help other woman find balance and success. Then she read one of my blogs and left a comment.
Her comment was only a few words, mostly just acknowledging the fact that she was there and that I seemed to be someone from a different planet. That assessment didn’t bother me because I get that reaction fairly often. What was interesting to me as I read deeper into her comment was my awareness of the effort she put into reaching me, just as I had made an effort to reach her. But our motives were entirely different.
Being a successful saleswoman had brought her to the realization that reaching out and touching anyone who appears in her conscious awareness creates energy which in turn can be turned into money or success as she likes to call it. This idea made me think of the welcome person at Walmart. Now the Walmart people are aware of the fact that if they pay a person to touch the mind of the people coming into the store, this person will create energy which they, in turn, can convert into money.
Now when I meet the welcome person at Walmart, I let myself be fooled into thinking he or she really likes me and I genuinely touch her mind back in a caring way. This gives me access to the energy created and it takes the whole situation out of the economic realm and more into the metaphysical realm. I always said that when I reach enlightenment, I’m going to become a welcome person at Walmart and be genuinely glad to see every person who comes through the door.
There is a point to this blog and I’m getting to it now. It’s so important to reach out and touch other people in friendship simply to partake of this sacred, created energy because another name for this energy is love and it should never be put on the open market. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and the rest will be granted.”
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intro
Jun. 26th, 2010 | 01:11 am
location: home
mood: 
sleepy
music: coast to coast am
posted by: leaves1 in dharmapunks
Hi, just found this community whilst surfing around lj.
I'm not familiar with Dharma Punks the book or movie, but have been interested and somewhat involved with Buddhism for some years. My first involvement with Buddhism has been with the Shambhala community (have done a number of the Shambhala trainings) and more recently Bön Buddhism (the indigenous Buddhist tradition of Tibet) and have done some retreats with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. I'm also something of a Pagan, and an animist, and am inspired by intact indigenous traditions, as I think there is plenty of wisdom to be found in cultures that still understand our relationship with the Land. I also like certain nondual teachers, my current favorite being Adyashanti.
I've been co-moderator, for awhile now, of buddhistpagan_l which is a community about, you guessed it, Buddhism and Paganism. It's been quite inactive for awhile now, but open to new members if anyone's interested.
As far as 'punk' goes, it kinda fits, more and more these days I'm feeling like a green anarchist, if I had to pick any 'political' (yikes) affiliation. :)
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a breakthrough in loving the self
Mar. 12th, 2010 | 07:14 pm
mood: 
better
posted by: cupcake_razor in dharmapunks
quality friendships with worthwhile people are becoming increasingly important to me.
the death of a friendship always feel bad, at first. for whatever reason, there's a bad feeling. maybe because you put so much effort into it, for what turned out to be nothing. or maybe because you feel betrayed. but there's always an initial bad feeling. i've been finding more recently that, as each of these friendships dissolve, i feel a lot better afterward. i actually feel relieved! most friendships are kept only for longevity's sake, which is really silly. i was not picky about my friends when i was younger. i'm still not incredibly picky, but i am getting much better at filtering out those i know will not be good for me.
yes, i still relate a lot more to people who are miserable than those who have had happy lives...but i find myself smiling more and enjoying my life more when happy, kind, intelligent people are around. i'm trying to get more of those in my life.
on rare occasions, those i became close to through misery have found their own happiness (this is always the best type of happiness). in those instances, it's best if we are together when we are both happy, for it is much too easy for either of us to fall back into being miserable.
it may seem selfish to want what is best for me, but what's best for me really influences how productive i am at work, how i treat others, and how good i am as a member of society.
so, overall, it's good. even if i still can't grasp that whole self-love thing, at least i can mesh with that. happy me is less prone to be sick, ailing me. so i should work hard to keep me happy.
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Mixed spirituality
Feb. 23rd, 2010 | 09:05 am
posted by: munkus_bubbly in dharmapunks
Do any of you have any practices that you take from several traditions?
I have been reading a lot about 60's and 70's counter-culture and the hippy movement (I would have loved to have been there!) and a figure that keeps cropping up is Ram Dass. Now, he does seem to mainly be a hindu, but reading his "Be here Now" it occurs to me that there are many, many similarities between traditions.
I guess what I am trying to say is that spirituality all boils down to the one-ness of everything, and once you get that everything else follows.
Anyone any feelinsg in general or in particular about this
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Mantra
Feb. 22nd, 2010 | 12:36 pm
posted by: munkus_bubbly in dharmapunks
How many of you use mantra/chanting in your practice?
What differences do you find with it as opposed to samatha practice?
Is it better/worse/no different in effectiveness as a single point meditation?
How does it feel compared with samatha or other silent practices?
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depression
Feb. 11th, 2010 | 09:43 am
mood: 
ecstatic
posted by: munkus_bubbly in dharmapunks
I has it, apparently.
I'll be honest I'm fairly sure I have had this for quite a while. It's just a deeply unpleasant but strangely liberating experience to be told by a medical professional.
I am now, though, going to attempt to fully embrace the dharma. I'm no fool, I have a sickness and I am seeking professional help to deal with it and people, there really is no substitute. I'm sure it's possible but I imagine for anyone it would be too overwhelming to try and meditate your way out of depression. I have a book called the Mindful way through depression (I recommend it even to those who aren't depressed, it really is good)but this of course will be used in conjunction with whatever treatment I am prescribed.
In keeping with my narcissistic, anally projective attention seeking side (which I self deprecatingly refer to but compassionately embrace;)) I was wondering if anyone else here would be interested in a "Dharma depressives" discussion within this group. I could certainly use the support and I feel that I'm certainly not alone.
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I'm still convinced Ian MacKaye is secretly a Buddhist
Jun. 11th, 2009 | 01:17 am
posted by: a_strange_day_ in dharmapunks
For all the punk rock fans out there, here is roughly a comparison that was made over at theworsthorse.com
"So you can stay cool behind your window
And choose the view you want to see
But as long as there are others held captive
Do not consider yourself free."
-Embrace
"I take upon myself the burden of all suffering. I am resolved to do so, I will endure it. I do not turn or run away, do not tremble, am not terrified, nor afraid, do not turn back or despond. And why? At all costs I must bear the burdens of all beings. In that I do not follow my own inclinations. I have made the vow to save all beings. All beings I must set free"
-Vajradhvaja Sutra