BLT

BLTs have never tasted so good. It took me forever to get the movie started. The night flew by,I do not have to wonder why.

Monday night, she said yes.

Late night walk through downtown and around the neighborhood, perfect temperature for a stroll. Trying to catch lightning bugs and dancing through the park. You made me wait for your answer, but I am happy you did, it made me that much more aware of how much your answer mattered to me. Tomorrow is going to be a blast, I am excited. The future is wide open.

Slowly getting everything caught up, summer semester is almost over, I will have my associates finished finally. Now I just have to figure out what I want to do with my life...

Lazy perfect sunday

Henry the abstract coffee moose!

Sunday was filled with sleep and laziness, and then a wonderful trip to starbucks with a lady friend. Enjoyed joking around and talking for about an hour and then went for a walk in the summer heat. Explored a little bit of JCCC and found a train that had been converted into a classroom. Listened to music and then parted ways for the day. Went to a rock show to watch my friend Brandon play, it was quite a good show. Got home and did some laundry and reflected on the day. One of the best days I have had in a long time.

=)

Inception!

Been looking forward to this movie! It was great!!! So going to buy it when it comes out on DVD!
Also had great company with a great friend! Lots of talk and discussion, and much was learned on my side of the conversation.
I love learning. I love teaching.
Going to have a productive Saturday! And probably Sunday as well. Productivity YAY. Going to get as much Homework and Housework as possible done tomorrow. All the chores and tasks. To-do lists crossed off, responsibilities, and commitments met.
Glad it is the weekend. Glad that I know the people I know.
Glad that I am blessed with all these things, and have so many people to care about and care about me. Glad that I am given the opportunity to share these joys with others.
I am glad!

Thunderdome and candy cane hookah

Great comedy all the way around, three strong troops and it was hard to vote for a winner. But I think the right troop won. Much fun was had by all and we all wore fake or drawn on mustaches. We had to split up after the show because not all were 21, but that was ok. Instead we went to the hookah bar and got candy cane flavored smoke. Sinbad's has such a great atmosphere and the people that work there are super nice. Great conversation was had, many laughs. It was an amazing night.



Me with tres amazing amigas.

Six flavors of emptiness

To the best of my knowledge, this is true. Taken and paraphrased from Geshe Michael Roach's lecture on Mahamudra.


Flavor # 1
Wrong View:Things stay the same for a while

Antidote: Things are constantly changing every second.
---
Flavor # 2

Wrong View: I own this I control its fate.

Antidote: Absolutely nothing in the present moment is in my control.
---
Flavor # 3

Wrong View: I am at the mercy of things randomly happening to me.

Antidote: One past deed caused both the object and myself who perceives it at this moment.
---
Flavor # 4

Wrong View: Things are exactly how I see them. (Good or bad etc.)

Antidote: I am judging, things could be different.
---
Flavor # 5

Wrong view: Things have their own side (This computer is acting like a computer as I read this...)

Antidote: Half own side, half my perceptions.
---
Flavor # 6

Wrong view : There is some part of the object that comes from its own side.

Antidote: It is all only my projection.
---

Only one of these flavors is true emptiness. Everything is empty.
Three people can be sitting around a table playing poker. In the middle of them is a glass of liquid. All three look at the glass of liquid, one being a human, sees the glass as being filled with water. The second being a hungry ghost or preta, sees a glass of blood and pus, and is repulsed by the glass. The third is a godly being, and sees the glass as being filled with the elixir of life, capable of increasing the life span by 1000 years with one sip.

All three see different things, all three's views are valid.

What causes this? Flavor # 6.
This was part of a paraphrased lecture. Below this line is a thought process I had after this lecture, when thinking about it.



So what would an enlightened being see? Would Buddha, see all three beings at the table with the glass of liquid, all three sending out their own projections(seeds), and receiving there past results (ripened plant.) Would he see all threes projections and how they see them, along with his own projections and understanding of emptiness?

Basically would he recognize it all to be inherently the same? That our projections and our attachments to them cause the pain. That our world view of an outside world that does not change, that we control, and is good. Or whatever view we hold, is just and illusion we project. That this ignorance can spiral into projections that lead to different ignorances.

Or does the Buddha recognize even this, as a projection.

I think it is the last one, knowing that even right here and now, is just a projection coming back to you, and if you are clever, and i am sure you are, you might remember great realizations you project back to yourself.
That it is all empty, and with time, you can free all people from suffering, including yourself, by changing your reactions, to your projections, coming back to you. You can't give away karma, but you can communicate to others on how to escape suffering. Communicate how to change behaviors in order to not deal out harmful projections.
If stepping on a bug caused your rib to crack instantly, I bet you would not do it. But the time tables are not that simple as instant. It works more like a garden, what you plant will grow, that you try not to plant will not as easily, and that you do not plant at all, will never grow.

So in summery,

Do not kill.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do your best.
Do right.
Treat others how you would want to be treated.
Be loyal in relationships and friendships.
Refrain from harmful speech.

Choose one you do and stop doing it. Regret doing it. Try doing the opposite (if you kill bugs alot, try protecting life instead, ants, beetles, anything.) all while thinking about emptiness,
watch your world start to transform.

I hope this is informative in some way, I hope it helps in some way, I hope that all sentient beings can be free from suffering, and never separated from happiness.

Much love,

Matt

Good Times

Amazing show last night! Reminiscing on some great times i have had so far this year, Life is good. Wish I was not so busy sometimes so I could have more time to hang out with everyone, never enough time to fit everyone in.
36 hour days would be amazing. Yea that is what we should do. =)