The Buddha says:

Therefore, Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves, be ye a refuge to yourselves.
Betake yourselves to no external refuge.
Hold fast to the truth as a lamp; hold fast to the truth as a refuge.
Look not for a refuge in anyone besides yourselves.

"The beauty of facing life unprepared is tremendous.
Then life has a newness, a youth; then life has a flow
and freshness. Then life has so many surprises.
And when life has so many surprises
boredom never settles in you." - Osho

Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not worship gods or deities.

Sects of Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism is strongest in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar). It is sometimes called Southern Buddhism and is one of the largest subdivisions of Buddhism.

Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism is not a single group but a collection of Buddhist traditions.

Korean Zen Buddhism

Korean Zen (Son) Buddhism focuses on the enlightenment of a sudden awakening.

Nichiren Buddhism

Nichiren Buddhism differs from other schools of Buddhism in focusing on this world, and in its view that it is the only correct tradition.

Pure Land Buddhism

Pure Land Buddhism offers a way to enlightenment for people who can't handle the subtleties of meditation, endure long rituals, or just live especially good lives.

Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is a religion in exile, forced from its homeland when Tibet was conquered by the Chinese. This article is a detailed look at its history and practices.

Zen Buddhism

The essence of Zen Buddhism is achieving enlightenment by seeing one's original mind (or original nature) directly; without the intervention of the intellect.

The New Kadampa Tradition

Some Buddhists and non-Buddhists regard the New Kadampa Tradition as a cult, but the organisation has continued to grow.

Buddhist teachings

These are the basic teachings and concepts in Buddhism.

Karma

Actions have consequences; so our lives are conditioned by our past actions.

Rebirth

Consciousness continues after death, and finds expression in a future life.

Liberation from karma

By following the Buddha's path one escapes the cycle of craving and suffering.

The Four Noble Truths

These are the essentials of Buddhism.

Enlightenment

The highest goal of life is to reach Enlightenment; a state of being that goes beyond suffering.

Dharma

The teachings and hence the way to nirvana.

The core of Buddhist teaching

At the heart of the Buddha's teaching lie The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path which lead the Buddhist towards the path of Enlightenment.

Facing the truth

The Buddha taught that the human tendency is to avoid the difficult truths of life and this in turn leads to suffering. By enabling the mind to be at peace through meditation a human being can confront reality and overcome hatred and craving.

Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life.

Buddhism teaches that all life is interconnected, so compassion is natural and important.

• Buddhism is 2,500 years old
  
• There are currently 376 million followers worldwide
• Buddhism arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautama's quest for Enlightenment in around the 6th Century BCE
• There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centred on the relationship between humanity and God
• Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is always possible
• The two main Buddhist sects are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism, but there are many more
  
• Buddhism is a very colourful faith with many festivals throughout the year
• Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple

The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.

Reading: Water Cooler Diaries by Joni B. Cole & B.K. Rakhra

Things I Want to Remember to Do Each Day…

-Eat 100% Raw
-Tongue scrape after every meal (It feels so good, but makes me want to throw-up)
-Drink at least a 8 glasses of clean water
-20 minutes of Yoga
-15 minutes of meditation
-Dry Skin brushing
-Take a hot bath
-Wash my feet before going to sleep
-Take my supplements
-Learn at least one new thing
-Learn how to do at least one new thing
-Think before I speak
-Practice Loving Kindness
-Make each loved one in my life feel special
-LAUGH LOTS!!!!!!
-Remember that anger only serves my enemy
-Have more patience with people
-Not to live so fast...slow down
-Say I Love You to those I love
-Enjoy my job or find a new one
-Show lots of affection to my pets

I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;

I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

I know our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's;
I answer hard acrostics, I've a pretty taste for paradox,
I quote in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus,
In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous;

I can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows and Zoffanies,
I know the croaking chorus from The Frogs of Aristophanes!
Then I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din afore,
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore.

Then I can write a washing bill in Babylonic cuneiform,
And tell you ev'ry detail of Caractacus' uniform:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin",
When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle[*] from a javelin,
When such affairs as sorties and surprises I'm more wary at,
And when I know precisely what is meant by "commissariat",

When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery,
When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery—
In short, when I've a smattering of elemental strategy—
You'll say a better Major-General has never sat a-gee.

For my military knowledge, though I'm plucky and adventury,
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century;
But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

* ^ Originally "Chassepot rifle" (see below).

RIP - Hannah 1988 - 2008...You gave us the best 20 years of our life, little pup!

Rough First Day since Transition Week

Well, no blender yet, so I had to chew lots today. I accomplished what I wanted to for breakfast and lunch (mostly raw), but I knew that I would eat cooked for dinner. It was a lot harder than I thought. Mainly because my salad dressing was horrid and I did not have stevia to sweeten the tea. Pretty happy though. I know I had lots of snacks today because I have the "throw-up" issue. I also had a tablet (in halves) of glucose today to also prevent the issue. Went to Whole Foods and stocked up. Looking forward to tomorrow, which is really today (3:49 am). I just ate a granny smith apple, it was organic. Trying to go that route more. I know I am not supposed to mix fruit & vegetable, but had to for lunch to get tea & bitter salad down. Already notice that I need to drink lots of lots of more water. The cell food makes it very bitter, so I am drinking less cell food and more plain aqua.

Exercise: 20 minutes of yoga

Breakfast
Lemon & Water
Granola & Yogurt

Snack
Baby carrots

Lunch
Baby spinach & Mixed field greens
fenugreek tea (totally nasty)
1/2 tangerine
water

Snack
Curves granola bar

Dinner
small bowl of turkey chili with tortilla chips

Snack
Vegan chips

Poi Spinners

Listening: 30 Seconds to Mars

I can't wait for my poi spinners to arrive.