A New Year, A Fresh Start

We're two months into 2017, but it feels just yesterday we were celebrating the first day of the New Year. We've made goals for ourselves, but have we been working diligently towards them? Below are some good goals to have, that may be applicable to you. I hope this will be a timely reminder for you to keep working towards your goals! All the best! 

Be filial.
Promise to be more filial in the New Year.

Filial piety is the most important virtue of all. We always think that providing for our parents is enough to make them happy. However, we often neglect giving them concern and accompanying them which are what they truly need from us.

Be friendly.
Promise to be friendlier in the New Year.

Believe that everyone around you is someone that you have affinity with, like friends whom you have known for a long time. Treat everyone with sincerity and you will get sincere treatment in return.

Care for ourselves.
Promise to take better care of our own health in the New Year. 

Establish a good balance between work and rest. Ensure that we get sufficient nutrients from the food that we eat. Exercise regularly to improve the strength and resilience of our bodies. Remember that we can only do other things if we have good health. If we lose our health, we will lose everything.

Constant learning.
Promise to dedicate time for learning in the New Year.

Never restrict our knowledge to what we learn in school. That is just technical or scientific knowledge. Be curious towards life and knowledge. Participate in activities that will enrich our minds and lives.

Be kind.

Promise to be a kind person in the New Year.

Kindness is what makes us human. It is a quality that we must never lose. No matter what has happened to us in the past, we must never lose that intrinsic kindness in our nature.

Remember your dreams.
Promise to stay true to our dreams in the New Year.

We can only be true to ourselves if we do not forget our dreams. Stay dedicated to our goals and never give up pursuing them. May all of us succeed in achieving all that we dream of in the New Year.

Respect our past by remembering it
Welcome the future by not fearing it.
Do not fear what comes, whether it is good or bad.
In this way will our dreams take off and our hopes be fulfilled in the New Year.

Credits:

Meditation and Health

https://www.facebook.com/putihome/

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jinbodhiworld/

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

http://puti.org

http://puti.org/en/worldwide-centers/

Good Communication

It is important to communicate well! The question is, how can we stop ourselves from being driven by angry emotions, and to communicate sincerely?

Having a good mood and atmosphere is something we cannot do without in communication.

In any communication between two people, 70% is dependent on emotion, while the other 30% is on content.

When we are in a bad mood, the content will be distorted.

When we communicate angrily without positive emotions, even if there is an abundance of affection for the other person, anything we say can end up seeming like a form of venting. The heart wants to communicate, but body language and tone may indicate otherwise. In this instance, there are conflicting intentions as to whether we want to communicate properly or to challenge the other person.

To communicate well, one must be sincere, calm, and use the right tone and words.

The person who can control your temper is someone you love. The person who can withstand your temper is also someone you love.

If you can control your emotion, you are someone with initiative. On the contrary, if you are led by your emotions, you are destined to be passive.

Learn to communicate well, learn to adjust your mood and emotion and learn to control your temper. Do not treat the people you love with your worst behaviour!

Credits:

Meditation and Health

https://www.facebook.com/putihome/

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jinbodhiworld/

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

http://puti.org
http://puti.org/en/worldwide-centers/

Stairway to Happiness

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, some are planning where to have fun and feast which reminds me of an interesting story.

A person went overseas for a vacation and decided to enjoy a foot massage. After the masseur washed his feet and started massaging his foot, he began to preach and said happily:

“I have put in much effort and worked hard most of my life to attain today’s status and saved enough to enjoy a vacation. If you had worked hard in the past, you can be like me too, enjoying a vacation abroad.

The masseur was puzzled with what he heard and asked: “Mister, after working so hard for so long, you are only here for a few days for vacation? Why should I learn from you when I am already enjoying my vacation here every day?”

That’s right...the service he provides makes his customers comfortable and relaxed, which makes him happy. Moreover, he enjoys meeting different people and chatting with them. He loves his work and thus, each day is carefree, like a vacation.

Nowadays, however, many people work hard to earn money with the objective of owning a house, then upgrade to an even bigger house where a maid is needed to clean it. Then, in order to upkeep both the house and maid, one has to work even harder. Life becomes like an ever spinning gyroscope; when one is busy, one dreams of rest; when one is on vacation, one dreams of the future; when one is in poverty, one dreams to be rich; when one cannot possess something, one dreams of owning it, but once obtained, one longs for the lost freedom.

Actually, happiness lasts longer when our life is simple.

“Happiness” is within grasp when one is not pursuing too hard for it. When one changes one’s intention and action, happiness goes to the contented ones. Let us treasure the moment, savor the peace and be a truly wise person.

Photo Source: Searched from Google

More information available at:

1) Meditation and Health

https://www.facebook.com/putihome?fref=ts

2) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jinbodhiworld/

3) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

http://puti.org

http://putihome.org

4) Official Bodhi Meditation Worldwide Centers

http://puti.org/en/worldwide-centers/

Chinese New Year – Lunar Lantern Festival

The first month of the Chinese Lunar month is called the “Yuan” month, and night means “Xiao” so it is commonly known as the Yuan-xiao Festival. It also symbolizes the beginning of Spring.

Based on legends, the Lunar Lantern Festival originated around two thousand years ago when Buddhism first flourished in China. During that time, heavenly gods would appear in the sky on the first full moon of the Lunar calendar. But there was a particular year when the clouds were thick and covered the entire sky. Fearful that the heavenly gods would not appear, the villagers lit up torches and hang up bright lanterns to illuminate the sky. From that day on, it became a common practice for people to light up beautiful and colorful lanterns on this day to welcome the arrival of heavenly gods.

So Yuan-xiao Festival is a day of celebration. Best wishes to all! May you be illuminated, healthy and happy!

Credits:

Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jinbodhiworld/

More information available at:

1) Meditation and Health

https://www.facebook.com/putihome/

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

http://puti.org
http://puti.org/en/worldwide-centers/

Testimonial on the Benefits of Meditation

Spring Clean Your Heart

A Meditation Master taught his young apprentice a new meditation technique:

Sweep up the leaves in the monastery courtyard, and thus comprehend the true meaning behind it. The young apprentice spent long hours clearing all the leaves everyday.

After some time, despite having swept up the never ending falling leaves, he could not fathom the underlying significance behind the act of sweeping.

One day, someone said to him: "Shake the tree vigorously to make all leaves fall before you sweep them up. You can save some effort the next day.” The young apprentice thought it was a good idea, and happily followed the suggestion.

The next day when he looked at the courtyard, the floor was still full of fallen leaves. At that moment, the young apprentice finally understood that self-cultivation in meditation, is to be mindful of each and every thought in the present, without getting lost in the swirls of fantasy.

No matter how hard you try today, the leaves will still fall again tomorrow. One should not be anxious to quickly complete and achieve success in every task, and the same applies to meditation practice. One only needs to put in constant effort, and improvement will surely follow.

Credits: Meditation and Health
https://www.facebook.com/putihome/

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jinbodhiworld/

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

http://puti.org

http://putihome.org

3) Official Bodhi Meditation Worldwide Centers

http://puti.org/en/worldwide-centers/