Spiritual Empowerment Series 200

Mastery: The Dalai Lama & Oneness

May 4 ~ “Into The World”

Appreciative Inquiry/Rob Voyle    Supporting people to do what they love
Begin Within ~ With Your Passion    Tell me what you love.  HE BEGAN WITHIN/BUDDHA

Start Where You Are ~ From Here to There    For us, too ~ HE TOOK ONE STEP AT A TIME
What would be a blessing (something more than you have now and is worth the effort to get there) ~  Don’t need to know why you’re at point “A “~ just need to know where you are (release cause/blame) ~ “B” must be positive ~ If want a life of passion, must give energy to that (less distractions/shoulds)

Resource = Re-Source      Easier to move to “B” if can take what valued from  “A” ~ Imagine life a year from now if lived passion starting today ~ listen to objections & honor them

Into The World            Your purpose is as unique as your fingerprint, just  inside (writ on heart)
Dalai Lama    “Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually.”

Buddhist Traditional Blessing and Healing Chant

Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers, and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness
flow forth to awaken and heal all beings–
those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.

By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may your heart’s wishes be soon fulfilled
as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.

By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.

For all in whose heart dwells respect,
who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way,
may your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.

May 11 ~ “The Wind Of Hope”

Mother’s Day & Pentecost    The coming of Divine Feminine/Presence in the world
Father, Son & Holy Spirit ~HS is feminine/creative force ~ possibility/action/manifestation

The Magnificat/Luke ~ Mother Mary    Being a vessel for Presence ~ Intercessory/Rosary ~
With Jesus through all life’s experiences as a loving presence: birth/death/ascension ~ Angel Gabriel said, “Be not afraid”  Mary’s response: “Here I am, let it be done with me according to your word . . . My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God”

The Dalai Lama is the current worldly incarnation of Avalokiteshvara ~ also called Chenrezig or Guan Yin or the  Bodhisattva of Compassion (enlightened being who postponed nirvana to serve humanity)

Avalokiteshvara
Bodhisattva took vow to listen to all prayers of sentient beings in times of difficulty
“Lord of the 6 Syllables”:  Om Mani Padme Hum (no clear translation into English)
So many needed him, his head split into 11 to hear & comprehend the cries of all . . .
To reach out to all, 2 arms shattered into pieces . . . 1,000 arms with eye in each palm

May18 ~ “The Gathering of Masters”

Wesak (This Tuesday)        A GATHERING OF MASTERS
Commemoration of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment & death ~ Mt. Shasta Wesak Festival (Tibetan Buddhis have 28 criteria for a sacred mountain; the only 1 in the US is Mt. Shasta)

Wesak named for legendary convergence of Buddha, Christ & other Masters in the hallowed Wesak Valley in the Himalayas during the Buddha full moon in May ~  Time for increased spiritual awareness individually & globally as Buddha wisdom unites with Christ love.

Water Buffalo in new Natl Geo Film    In Africa – small herd of buffalo – group of lions ahead, ready to attack – baby water buffalo caught by lion at water’s edge – then crocodile grabs the calf & a tug of war ensures  – suddenly, a huge herd of buffalo return  – one tosses the lion into the air & scares it off – miraculously, the calf is okay & returns to its mother and the safety of the herd.
Our Lives   Sometimes we’re like the calf, seemingly caught between lions and  crocodiles ~  We need to remember Divine Presence never gives up and always returns.

Darius & Daniel and the Lion’s Den    Encountering Lions where Divine Presence never left
Satraps said 30 days pray only to king or into lion’s den to destroy Daniel ~ He continued his regular prayers ~ king distressed and prayed: “May your God whom you have faithfully serve, deliver you!” ~ Daniel put into lion’s den, stone over entrance with the king’s seal, the king fasted until dawn, then opened the den up:  Daniel:  “My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me.”  ~ He went on to prosper under King Darius and Cyrus.

Your Lions    What are they?  How have you been reacting?  Fear or faith?
Divine Presence ~ Are you abiding in it?  If not, know it will return instantly!
Spirit responds when even when we call “with groans too deep for words”
“The lion shall lay down with the lamb” ~ true peace between all always possible

May 25 ~ “The Power Of One”

Memorial Day    Honoring those who died in our nation’s service ~ May 30, 1968 Gen. John Logan ~ flowers on Union & Confederate graces in Arlington Natl Ceme ~ coming together ~
National Moment of Remembrance (since 2000) Silence at 3pm ~ remember all

Scripture    No greater gift than to lay down your life
Not just physical but all (time, energy, treasures,  etc)
Mastery    To know and then to live that knowing with greater & greater clarity/passion
The power of one to make a difference

Dalai Lama &  Stele of Jokhang  Pillar in Lhasa at holiest shrine; 823ad “Tibetans shall live happily in the great land of Tibet and the Chinese will live happly in the great land of China”

Dalai Lama’s Nobel Lecture    “Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually.”

The Four Vows of a Bodhisattva
Sentient beings are numberless; we vow to liberate them.    SPIRIT
Delusions are inexhaustible; we vow to transcend them.    MIND
Dharma teachings are boundless; we vow to master them.    HEART
The Wisdom Way of Enlightenment is supreme; we vow to embody it.   BODY
“Love self/others . . . Love God with all your mind, heart, soul, and strength”  Same Vow

What are you willing to lay down your life for?        Be The Power Of One
Liberate your possibilities ~ Transcend your doubts ~ Master one step at a time ~ Live it