The Five Mindfulness Trainings
Link to PDF discussed: The Five Mindfulness Trainings
The FB live on the trainings:
Brandon Handley 0:00
What is going on spiritual dope Brandon Handley here and today, we're going to cover a couple things that we actually just did introductory into Buddhism series on that we're doing over on Facebook, that we're streaming from spiritual dope page for the next month or so, where we're covering introductory Buddhism pieces. I mean, I really don't even know what stuff is. I've got a buddy of mine. Sam Sam Aussie Ivana. His name's Rodin's Paul. I don't know why he chooses all these different names. Great guy, who is a Buddhist Reverend has been practicing for about 16 years now. And one of the things that we just covered this past week was the five mindfulness trainings and the five mindfulness trainings that represents a Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. There are concrete expression of the Buddhist teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and true love, leading to healing, transformation and happiness for ourselves and for the world. You know, you know, essentially two practices is to cultivate the insight of inner being or right view, a lot of these things, a lot of these terms that I'm kind of tossed out there right now they're capitalized. You know, though the word right view is, you know, what is the what is the the right view, right? is kind of one of the things they talk about Buddhism the middle way, you know, along the path. But what what we're working to do is to remove all discrimination and tolerance, anger, fear and despair. And what we're trying to do is live according to these five mindfulness trainings, and, you know, essentially, if we're living in that way, we are On the path of the Bodhisattva. And if you're not familiar with what the Bodhisattva is, it's someone who's on their way towards enlightenment, and is willing to reach out and work with others and to help others. And so when you know that you are on that path, you know that you are not lost in confusion about your life, and that you're able to be in the present. And that's that, that I think, is pretty cool. So what I was gonna do, since you, you know, may not have the hour and a half that we spent going through the five mindfulness trainings, I figured I'd give you, you know, 1015 minute rundown of what they are, and maybe talk a little bit about what these were and the five mindfulness trainings. So we're going to go through reverence for life. true happiness, true love, loving speech and deep listening, nourishment and healing and you know who you Think about the posts that you see on Facebook, sometimes the TLDR too long, didn't read. Essentially, this is just something that kind of, again cultivates that path and for you, and that when you're living in this way, again, you are on your way towards enlightenment. So let's just we'll just hit it off. Real quick here. We'll go with reverence for life for 1000. Alex, aware of the suffering caused by destruction of life, I'm committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion, and learning ways to protect and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world in my way, in my thinking, or my way of life. Seeing the harm actions arise from anger, seeing that harm harmful actions arise from anger, fear Read and intolerance, which in turn comes from a dualistic and discriminative thinking,
Unknown Speaker 4:04
I will cultivate openness
Brandon Handley 4:06
non discrimination and non attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world. You know, look, this is a, we were talking on the show last week, and this is really, you know, you see these, this this, like the 10 commandments, right? Or even, you know, even more modern times, it's really long lines of the Four Agreements. Obviously, nobody you know, shouldn't run out there and kill or support killing in any way shape or form. The other part is cultivate openness, non discrimination, you know, be open to others, and what they bring to to you in the world. And the other part in here was dogmatism right. Openness towards that so you know, be open to systems and ways of change, so that we went much, much deeper into it. But I'm going to make this to the quick hit point today. true happiness, aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing and oppression. I'm committed to practicing generosity and my thinking, speaking and acting. I'm determined not to steal, and not to possess anything that should belong to others. And I will share my time, energy and material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply and see that happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering. The true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion. And that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not my external conditions. I'm gonna read that line again. I'm aware that how happiness depends on my mental attitude, and not on external conditions. And that I can live happily in the present moment, simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I've committed to practicing right livelihood so that I can reduce the suffering of living beings on earth and stop contributing to climate change. When we read through this last week, we we hit on we tore this one apart, right? We just went through all of it. Obviously, I think it's timely that we're reading this and going through it as you know, social justice and oppression are kind of rampant out there. In one way shape or another and you know, true happiness is a you know, something that we want to practice the idea of generosity and thinking, speaking and acting. And that we are going to give our time and energy to those who are in need and We dug deep into, you know, who How do we determine exactly who was in need? Right? And we also discussed the idea of wisdom in generosity, right? Not just simply giving to the for the sake of giving, but, you know, where are your resources, your time and energy best spent who's going to receive you, who's gonna truly receive that benefit from you? and use it right. And, and so, that was something that we talk deeply about. And then the obviously the the piece that I read twice in here is that you know, aware that happiness depends on your mental attitude and not external conditions. Right. And then, obviously, in there too, aware that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair can not will or do, but they can And then that census, we talked about attachment to desires, and things not turning out the way that we want to and investing so much energy in those types of things and how that can really bring about suffering and despair. And finally, we when we ended this item about true happiness we talked about stop contributing to climate change. And by that it's not simply global warming, but the climate and environment in all situations. When you come in to a room you are impacting the climate of a room as an example. Moving on, so true love aware that suffering caused by sexual misconduct aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct. I'm committed to cultivating responsibility and learning the ways to protect the safety and integrity. of individuals, couples, families and society, knowing that sexual desires not love
Brandon Handley 9:05
and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself, as well as others. I'm determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long term commitment made none of my friends and family. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are one I committed to learning appropriate way that takes care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness, which are the four basic elements of true love. For my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love we know that we can continue beautifully into the future. I think a lot of this is obvious but you one of the things that you know, obviously when you're younger, you got like this. Just sexual desire, right? And and knowing that that's driven by I would dare say your animalistic nature, right? And how do you, you know, how do you try to rein that in and that's, that can be a challenge and, you know, that's where we also see the, you know, engaging in sexual relations without true love and then the commitments as that can lead to, you know, just again, dissatisfaction right, not necessarily dissatisfaction, but it can lead to pain and suffering through that, right. And amongst many, many other things, obviously, you're going to take care of our children and families as best as we can. And all of this, you know, can be impacted as it relates to, you know, sexual misconduct and not and just pure sexual desire. That's motivated by cravings versus, you know, a tender loving a engagement, right or at least, you know, being being with someone that you truly love and that you love how it's a long term commitment may known to my friends and family. So, whatever that looks like for you, that's what true love is, according to the five mindfulness trainings, we've also got love, loving speech and deep listening, aware of the deep of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and inability to listen to others, and committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve sufferings and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself, and among other people, ethnic and religious groups and nations, knowing that words, create happiness or suffering. I'm committed to speaking truthfully using words and inspire confidence, joy and hope. When anger is manifesting me I'm determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and Walking in order to recognize and look deeply into my
Unknown Speaker 12:02
anger,
Brandon Handley 12:04
I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering of myself and then the other person. I will speak and listen in ways that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I've determined not spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or Discord. And I will practice right diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness and gradually transform anger, violence and fear that lie deep in my consciousness. This is a lot like the sexual you know, being driven by sexual desire, right? Obviously, it's something that's within us that is propelling us forward. And then If we don't pay attention to
Unknown Speaker 13:01
it,
Brandon Handley 13:02
again can cause suffering. And this is the unmindful speech, right? We say what's on our mind and sometimes we say it in a way. That is not my fault. It just comes out. And we do it with disregard to how the other person is going to receive it. And sometimes we simply don't listen to other people. We don't feel the room. So in this we are cultivating loving speech, and compassionate listening, so that we can avoid creating the those those painful moments and suffering. And I love I love the part where it talks about I'm committed to speaking truthfully, using words that inspire confidence, joy and hope. Who doesn't like to to be inspired? Right, who doesn't win, just imagine yourself When somebody comes up to you and and they give you a compliment, and it is sincere, and it is specific and that inspires confidence, he brings you a little bit of joy. And it helps you with your hope. It's just it's just such a magnificent feeling when somebody does that for you, so if you can learn to do that yourself for others, just imagine what you're doing for those people. This other part here is it's just Paramount and
Unknown Speaker 14:31
a long term
Brandon Handley 14:32
loving relationship. If you're not familiar with me, man, my wife and I have been together off and on for you know, coming up on 20 years now. Oh, maybe it's 21 you haven't been coming along now. And throughout all the all that time most definitely spoken anger and and I you know, out of place then on mindful but as we as we've grown to to find to find that you're beginning to feel angry. And it's like it says here when anger is manifesting in me, I'm determined to look deeply into my anger. Look at that bubbling up and to capture that before it gets converted into words, to capture that before it can do any damage. That's the area where you're going to practice mindful breathing. And walking, redirect that energy. And take a look in into yourself and just kind of see where that's coming from. Because oftentimes, it could just be a, you know, a perspective. Right, and maybe that's not the intention, whatever is causing great anger and, and being able to transform that anger, or that violence and fear into understanding love and joy. That's it. It's all you know, energy Being able to up think of alchemy right transmute that almost immediately or as quickly as you can into into something else that's within your power. And that's, that to me, that's what they're talking about this and when, when it comes to your five mindfulness trainings and finally, we'll go on nourishment and healing. So where are the suffering caused by on mindful consumption I'm committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental for myself, my family and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the four kinds of nutrients, namely, edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble or to use alcohol, drugs or any other products which contain toxins such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books and conversations. I would practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing healing and nourishment elements in me and around me. Not letting regrets and sorrow drive me back into the past to cover up loneliness, anxiety or other sufferings by losing myself and consumption. JACK that up. Not letting regrets and sorrow drive me back into the past nor letting anxieties fear craving pull me out of the present moment. I'm determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety or other sufferings by losing myself and consumption. I will contemplate inner being and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well being in my body and consciousness and then the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the earth Look, this is a super simple one, right? On mindful consumption, right what is overeating? Eating just to eat? Jared you're feeling you're having a shitty day and it's a tub of ice cream, having a shitty day, it's full, full pizza. Right? You're having a shitty week. It's it's a six pack or more every evening, you have a lifestyle that converts into that. Just a you know, a string of a string of, of shitty days turns into, you know, months and weeks of it. And it's just this unmindful consumption, where this is coming from. This is coming from me, I in my own past experiences where it was completely on mindful, drank. And sometimes it was sometimes it was just a habit, but it was it wasn't mindful consumption. And then I would drink to you Cover up loneliness, anxiety or other sufferings right? In those consumptions. same can be said for video gaming, alcohol, or drugs, you know, all of those things that have been something that I've been through and have come out of. And now I'm very mindful about my absolute consumption. And I just feel better for it. I mean, it's super simple. I'm very mindful of, you know, what goes into my mind that we, for the most part, stop watching most of the news. It's it's fear mongering.
Brandon Handley 19:37
And notice it tries to set a scarcity and this is my perception. My opinion is it tries to set like a scarcity. mindset is a fear mindset. And when you have a fearful mindset because of the things that you are letting into your mind through mindless consumption, you're the prey, you're the victims in that and it hate to see you know, I'd hate to see that gone through for you and your life forever. And I believe that's the intent of the five Mindfulness Trainings is for you as well. So again, that was the the reverence for life, true happiness, true love, loving speech and deep listening, then finally nourishment and healing. You can find this, I'll put a link on the site for it today, you can find the a PDF, you can download, you can print it out. Sure. If you'd like. You could also go to the Facebook Live, I'll put a link to that as well. And on the website, you can go check that out beyond the podcast as well. If you're interested, and then, you know on what's the, you know, September September 19 2020. On Facebook, we'll be doing the we'll be doing the Three Jewels Rules of Buddhism. And I'm gonna pop up my Facebook here right now I'm gonna look at the other three that are coming up here we've got introduction on the 26th, as well to Buddhism with Sam as we go over the Four Noble Truths. And then on the October 3, we're going to be going over, drumroll please. What is this one the Eightfold Path. So if you have interest in Buddhism, and you'd like to have the opportunity to speak with somebody in an environment where you know, you're safe, where it's an open and welcoming, then Come join me as I as host Sam. And like I said, Paul, as he walks us through some of these introductory pieces, and we can get an understanding of what what Buddhism holds for you. And then you also have the great opportunity to have your questions answered live. All right, so take these guests
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