Happiness accelerant indeed! This mouse-size teaching is like a small pebble dropped into a pool of water. The ripples of joy radiate out and out but before they have a chance to dissipate, the very act of dropping the pebble, of offering that joy for the benefit of all beings, causes another pebble to drop and radiate joy ripples and then another pebble and another, on and on….What a wonderful practice! I hope to put this little mouse in my pocket and carry it with me to remind me to make this a focus of practice this week and beyond. Thank you!
David, Thanks for bringing us into the cafe with HHC to hear this beautiful conversation between Franc and Sam. I too am just beginning my day and will remind myself that the joy I am experiencing from drinking my delicious coffee, is really coming from within me. Just thinking about brewing said coffee has initiated a feeling of bliss. Thanks again for a wonderful start to my day!
Sam's comment about a short cut resonated, and made me think of Instant Karma. I have this last week finished your book. I loved it. Made me think a lot, laugh, and also in a way, be sad. Nothing ever should come (too) quickly. Yet, with limited time to effect understanding and change our lives, it would be great if there was a more distilled method. I guess that is why and where teachers, Lamas come into play. Why oh why are these things not more widely taught and practiced?
Thank you, David, for a great post. Oh, and I got the email issue sorted, thanks to your advice and Substack's assistance!
Many thanks for your message, Erin! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed Instant Karma so much! Like you, I often wonder why these 'basic' insights and practices are not taught in schools. Life 101!
What a gorgeous musing, mouse-size in length but enormous in importance and efficient explanation! Thank you so much for sharing this little big treasure with us 🙏🏻
What a wonderful way to start the day, thank you for sharing that joy and offering - I want to print it and take it with me to remind me to practice the joy offering every day.
HI Sandy, There are two organisations and you'll find their websites with donation details if you scroll down my About page: https://davidmichie.substack.com/about
They would both really appreciate any donation you care to make!
The phrase that really struck a chord in this musing was "we give what we most want to receive." I never looked at it in that light. It helps illuminate my compunction for inclusivity versus exclusivity. And my love of getting folks together for different activities. It reminds me of another phrase..."Be the change you want to see in the world." Which invokes the total ripple effect mentioned by other commentors. Much food for thought David! Nameste
After the last email that mentioned Shunyata I had wanted to ask if you would be able to provide further reading clues for increasing my understanding of this concept. My request has been answered perfectly. Thank you once again David. 🙏
Thank you David for a wonderful mouse sized musing, that arrived at the very moment when the insight it brought was so well timed. As always, its amazing isn't it. I agree, these fundamentals of how to enjoy a life well lived should be part of a child's learning in school. Thank you again xx
Another wonderful musing from HHC. Shunyata has been difficult indeed to wrap my head around but this beautiful story has provided the breakthrough I needed to begin to understand it and indeed practice Shunyata. Thank you.
Thank you for the teaching David. Most enlightening. On Saturday evening after listening to your teaching and I started reading the Queens Corgi. I couldn’t help noticing that in the first chapter there is a CIP visitor who was talking about the Greeks having two words for happiness.
Hedonia which we receive happiness from the world like chocolate but it is short lived. The other word being Eudemonia which we receive happiness from being of service or giving and how this can continue unabated as you continue to serve.
My Hedonia is derived from seeing my beautiful dogs face every morning I wake up and he is busting a gut wanting to play with me all day.
My Eudemonia I derive from being of service to my wife in her present condition.
So when I do these services for her I offer the happiness to the Buddha and Yogini’s and to all sentient beings and know that I will be doing this for as long as I can. Shunyata coming from the sense of doing good things but coming from the self.
Dear Peter, You are a real inspiration to us all in the way you are bringing the challenges you face to your Dharma practice and transforming them into a wellspring of merit and eudemonia! Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you for this joyous mouse-sized musing. I enjoyed with a hot mocha in the company of my handsome tuxedo cat. I too love the phrase, "we give what we most want to receive". It is a form of instant karma as long as we are open to receiving. I look forward to more wisdom and teachings from HHC. Purrr
Thank you for this reminder. I especially appreciated this segment: “Yogi Tarchin sometimes says that the offerings we make in our daily sessions are kind of like training. Like practising scales and studies is to a musician. Like gym sessions and trial runs to an athlete. We drill. We rehearse. We get good at what we do so that when we’re off our meditation cushion and out in the world and we meet an opportunity like,” he shrugged, “a favourite piece of music, scrumptuous food, a favourite drink, then we can improvise. Turn our joy into an offering.”
Well done for picking up on this Deborah - it's an important point. Whether we are sutra or tantra practitioners, we benefit most when we see our on-cushion practice as preparation for off-cushion interaction with the world, rather than some separate, unrelated activity.
Happiness accelerant indeed! This mouse-size teaching is like a small pebble dropped into a pool of water. The ripples of joy radiate out and out but before they have a chance to dissipate, the very act of dropping the pebble, of offering that joy for the benefit of all beings, causes another pebble to drop and radiate joy ripples and then another pebble and another, on and on….What a wonderful practice! I hope to put this little mouse in my pocket and carry it with me to remind me to make this a focus of practice this week and beyond. Thank you!
I am so glad that you find the practice creates these waves of gratitude and wisdom, Cathy! Thank you for the beautiful metaphor.
David, Thanks for bringing us into the cafe with HHC to hear this beautiful conversation between Franc and Sam. I too am just beginning my day and will remind myself that the joy I am experiencing from drinking my delicious coffee, is really coming from within me. Just thinking about brewing said coffee has initiated a feeling of bliss. Thanks again for a wonderful start to my day!
Thank you so very much
My pleasure, Jaye!
Yes - definitely from you and not the coffee. The deliciousness is coming from your own virtue! Thank you Donna!
Brilliant! Thank you David.
May my pleasure at reading your words of wisdom, be a direct cause for all beings to realize shunyata!
May all sentient beings attain complete and perfect Buddhahood.
Indeed, Susan! May it be so!
Thank you David, I shall put Shunyata into my daily habits tracker to bring this new practice into life me Thank you 🙏
Great idea, Allan! If we could all do this just a little every day, the qualitative impact on our wellbeing would be profound.
Sam's comment about a short cut resonated, and made me think of Instant Karma. I have this last week finished your book. I loved it. Made me think a lot, laugh, and also in a way, be sad. Nothing ever should come (too) quickly. Yet, with limited time to effect understanding and change our lives, it would be great if there was a more distilled method. I guess that is why and where teachers, Lamas come into play. Why oh why are these things not more widely taught and practiced?
Thank you, David, for a great post. Oh, and I got the email issue sorted, thanks to your advice and Substack's assistance!
Many thanks for your message, Erin! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed Instant Karma so much! Like you, I often wonder why these 'basic' insights and practices are not taught in schools. Life 101!
I feel so honoured receiving these emails from you. Thank you.
I wouldn't be sending them out if it wasn't for readers like you, thank you Hilde!
What a gorgeous musing, mouse-size in length but enormous in importance and efficient explanation! Thank you so much for sharing this little big treasure with us 🙏🏻
Great way to express it - little big treasure! Many thanks Susanna!
What a wonderful way to start the day, thank you for sharing that joy and offering - I want to print it and take it with me to remind me to practice the joy offering every day.
We woud all be so much more at peace and happy if we did exactly this, thank you Gail.
How does one make a financial contribution to the organization that you support in Africa?
HI Sandy, There are two organisations and you'll find their websites with donation details if you scroll down my About page: https://davidmichie.substack.com/about
They would both really appreciate any donation you care to make!
The phrase that really struck a chord in this musing was "we give what we most want to receive." I never looked at it in that light. It helps illuminate my compunction for inclusivity versus exclusivity. And my love of getting folks together for different activities. It reminds me of another phrase..."Be the change you want to see in the world." Which invokes the total ripple effect mentioned by other commentors. Much food for thought David! Nameste
So glad this piece resonated with you, Brenda!
After the last email that mentioned Shunyata I had wanted to ask if you would be able to provide further reading clues for increasing my understanding of this concept. My request has been answered perfectly. Thank you once again David. 🙏
So pleased to hear this, thank you Leesa!
Thank you David for a wonderful mouse sized musing, that arrived at the very moment when the insight it brought was so well timed. As always, its amazing isn't it. I agree, these fundamentals of how to enjoy a life well lived should be part of a child's learning in school. Thank you again xx
I really appreciate your kind message, thanks Eleanor.
Another wonderful musing from HHC. Shunyata has been difficult indeed to wrap my head around but this beautiful story has provided the breakthrough I needed to begin to understand it and indeed practice Shunyata. Thank you.
How wonderful! I am so happy to hear this, Sharon!
Thank you for the teaching David. Most enlightening. On Saturday evening after listening to your teaching and I started reading the Queens Corgi. I couldn’t help noticing that in the first chapter there is a CIP visitor who was talking about the Greeks having two words for happiness.
Hedonia which we receive happiness from the world like chocolate but it is short lived. The other word being Eudemonia which we receive happiness from being of service or giving and how this can continue unabated as you continue to serve.
My Hedonia is derived from seeing my beautiful dogs face every morning I wake up and he is busting a gut wanting to play with me all day.
My Eudemonia I derive from being of service to my wife in her present condition.
So when I do these services for her I offer the happiness to the Buddha and Yogini’s and to all sentient beings and know that I will be doing this for as long as I can. Shunyata coming from the sense of doing good things but coming from the self.
Thank you
Dear Peter, You are a real inspiration to us all in the way you are bringing the challenges you face to your Dharma practice and transforming them into a wellspring of merit and eudemonia! Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you for this joyous mouse-sized musing. I enjoyed with a hot mocha in the company of my handsome tuxedo cat. I too love the phrase, "we give what we most want to receive". It is a form of instant karma as long as we are open to receiving. I look forward to more wisdom and teachings from HHC. Purrr
Thank you so much Rikki! So glad this piece resonated with you and your classy companion!
Thank you for this reminder. I especially appreciated this segment: “Yogi Tarchin sometimes says that the offerings we make in our daily sessions are kind of like training. Like practising scales and studies is to a musician. Like gym sessions and trial runs to an athlete. We drill. We rehearse. We get good at what we do so that when we’re off our meditation cushion and out in the world and we meet an opportunity like,” he shrugged, “a favourite piece of music, scrumptuous food, a favourite drink, then we can improvise. Turn our joy into an offering.”
Well done for picking up on this Deborah - it's an important point. Whether we are sutra or tantra practitioners, we benefit most when we see our on-cushion practice as preparation for off-cushion interaction with the world, rather than some separate, unrelated activity.