How Many Types of Love are There?

The Buddha said that there are three kinds of love, each linked to each other. The first, and basic level is sexuality and this on its own soon disappears. But if it is linked to romantic love, then it can progress even further, as this isn't ultimate love because it is based on neediness. The highest form of love is when there is when we lose the neediness, and care selflessly for the other.

The Buddha then said that meditation plus love created compassion, a true spiritual love. For further discussion on how many types of love are there, click here..

Feeling Misunderstood by Others?

During zazen, lots of thoughts and ideas come up into the mind. There are times when I have felt a great loneliness on my path and a feeling that I am strongly misunderstood. This I recognize now is part of the journey. Many people back strongly away from the discipline of Zen practice that I represent.

Suddenly a new feeling can emerge from all this "loneliness" and I refer to this as my "aloneness" and it is a very fulfilling and comfortable feeling. I recognize that I have no need to surround myself with friends, family and people, and cherish my own space. It is at this point that I am misunderstood by others.

I need to take care not to judge myself on this, because judgement is a trick of the ego that seems to excel from such stress and conflict.

Further discussion on feeling misunderstood.... feel free to register and get involved..

Lonely or Alone?

Some people go through extraordinary steps to thwart feeling lonely. Leaving the TV when not watching it is one way of feeling that we have company. This is something I used to do myself, but no longer do. Click here to read more....

A Higher Reality.. Life After Death?

I have a theory, that at this time in our evolution, we cannot 100% get to know what happens after death, only a belief. Maybe if we were to know, it would not be beneficial to us.

Through my zazen(meditation), I have noticed that I learn some really profound things during and just after periods of pain and stress.

It is not a knowledge that can be put into words, but more of an experience of a personal energy, and it has been discovered that energy can never be destroyed. Perhaps this sort of thing, gives us glimpses of a higher reality that is to come as we progress. more on this discussion...