Skip to content

LEVEKUNST · art of life magazine

THE GREAT VEGETARIAN DEBATE

Once a fine sheep, a goat and an ox who were with other animals feeding in the courtyard happened to hear about The Great Vegetarian Debate, and their faith in the Dharma was greatly renewed. “We take refuge in the Triple Gem,” they thought, “in the wise and compassionate Buddha, his meaningful message, and in those living ones who follow his ways.

SUN AND MOON

Then, stream and pond, movement and repose, like a fish darting from lake to stream, waterfall to light, from droplets to mist, to air, let the wind carry you to the first of the hidden lagoons, the falls above, as distant and near as the moon to the sun.

DURATION IS THE FORMAL APPEARANCE OF REALITY

One day I realized that everything I was trying to say in regard to the naturing of manifested phenomena had one, and really only one essence: duration. Which raised a question in my mind: What is awareness if there is no duration to it? I suddenly saw that awareness, in all its guises, was only that duration we ignore as we attempt to put our finger on its essence!

ABOUT COMPASSION

Compassion is one of the core values ​​and ideals of the Buddhist practice. However, as seeing it as an ideal, it becomes easy to overlook the difficult circumstances in which it arises. Compassion does not appear as something abstract. It arises when we are in a direct contact with real suffering, being enough to move and touch us, through our own suffering or the suffering of others.

RESURRECTION

I was not limited by myself anymore. This opened my heart which I, by the way noticed is the door to heaven and suddenly I was surrounded by this enormously beautiful music.

UNIVERSALISM

Human beings believe separateness is the true reality, not interconnectedness. They believe in the autonomy of me from you, the separateness of body from mind, climate from man’s activities. Think of the many trillions of different subjects in trillions of endless lists of separated items and disciplines to be fixed, improved, voted on or changed.

CALLING FROM THE HEART

It was the sixth night of the retreat, when I felt that the last bit of doubts and the wall there was there between me and my guru totally collapsed. I was humbled by his endless compassion, which I will never find words to describe.

THE FORBIDDEN CITY: EARTHLY PALACE OF A CELESTIAL RULER

Chogyam Trungpa creates a subtle link to the power of this Shambhala ancestral sovereign and that is why I was interested in exploring, on this latest journey to the Forbidden City. But the best part of the story was in something special the emperor created and also that he gave the 5th Karmapa something that links Chinese history to the Kagyu lineage forever. My journey there is part of that link.

MILAREPA’S SONG TO SHAKYA GUNA

If these perceptions and samsara do not exist, then there seem to be no need for practice. If the mind does not exist, then there seems to be no doer. If there is no master, then one does not know how to practice. Please clarify these and also give me the pointing-out instruction to the nature of mind. In response, Jetsün Milarepa sang this song.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FEAR

We have the power to turn our mind to whatever we choose, whenever we choose. This kind of freedom is something that we normally take completely for granted and yet so very much depends upon it and upon the knowing of it.

A PRAISE FOR AYU KHANDRO

A poem about Ayu Khandro, who spent much of her life wandering Tibet’s charnel grounds and practicing Chod. In this practice, the practitioner cuts attachment by offering her own body to all those to whom she has a debt.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

I don’t recommend yoga teacher trainings. Before you dismiss me, hear me out. I’m not saying don’t ever do one. I’m saying don’t go looking for one just for the sake of doing a teacher training or to get a certificate that says you can teach.

ON NATURING AND WHY IT MATTERS

Look within what you experience as you and realize that all that you are cognizing is manifesting presentially, by appearing, being present in the now. Then, look outwards towards your experience of the world and realize that everything you are cognizing is manifesting presentially here as well.


LET NATURE RUN WILD

When innocence was king, In our self-importance, we have ignored 
the strategies of nature. We have forgotten it’s beauty, ridiculed its exquisite mystery. We deform the organism that gives us life, brittle and stupid we are. Let nature run wild!

STRESS IS INEFFICIENT

It is ridiculous to do things in hopes that only once things are finished can I relax and feel good. Why not skip the middleman, and simply relax right now in the doing?

A SONG FROM THE MAD DHARMA LION

The yogi master, Dharma Lion’s Garland, song written for the dance of the moon in water, followed by his evocations concerning the subtle pilgrimage places within the body, and finally the song itself becomes the topic.

COMPASSION, CLEARITY & ENERGY

As soon as we switch on the light, the room becomes bright and therefore we can find what we are looking for more easily. This is the same with our innate light which emanates from our true identity. This light gives us clarity, not just clarity on how to live a healthy life, but also clarity on how to be compassionate to ourselves and others.