Here at JK Wellness we are free spirits, open to all walks of life, cultures, and religions. We do not preach anything beyond being kind to yourself and those around you. But we cannot deny our continued enthusiasm and admiration for the Buddha and some of the core notions that the religion preaches.

Having recently returned from another inspiring trip to Thailand, we thought now was a great time to share some of the history, thoughts and teachings of the legend that is Buddha.

Let’s start with who Buddhists are and how they came to be…..

Buddha is regarded as the Enlightened One and the head of Buddhism. Their teachings set out to free us mere mortals from a life embroiled in misery and unnecessary desire.

Buddha is seen to have brought elements of peace and harmony to the world through the joys of gratitude, karma, and kindness. Having abandoned their own status, comfort, wealth, and indulgences they embarked on a path of enlightenment.

Through a meditation technique now known as Vipassana, they discovered the Ultimate Truth about themself, life, and the Universe. They were eventually enlightened and became renamed as the Buddha at the age of 35. Buddha went on to teach humans how to be free from misery for a further 45 years, dying aged 80.

The Enlightenment of Buddha is a state of mind which maintains ultimate neutrality, not clinging to either positive or negative energy, appreciating that everything is merely an assembly of energy. The core teachings at the Heart of Buddhism are as follows:

1) Refrain from sinning

2) Do good deeds

3) Keep your mind pure

 

Meditation is something we harp on about often, and the power it can have in allowing you to just be present and in tune with your mind and body. Focus meditation is something that can be developed over time and takes dedication and perseverance just like any art form.

Meditation is a fabulous aid in enabling us to intensely focus on something with full attention for the mind to become sharp and still. With the hustle and bustle of daily modern life, our minds are rarely still, jumping from one thought to another, ultimately this can result in a lack of focus and clarity, encouraging negativity and anxiety. When the mind is in this state of fight or flight it often lacks willpower and inner peace, resulting in procrastination. Meditation is an amazing tool that can help us to improve focus, resulting in clearer thoughts, smarter visions and ultimately a sharper brain able to become more productive.

To be mindful is another area of development encouraged by the teachings of Buddha. Mindfulness practise and embracing mindfulness into our daily lives can help to instil reassurance and purpose into individual tasks and occasions.

Mindfulness practice has three core areas of focus:

  • Meditation
    1. This key technique mentioned above uses the focus of breathing as a tool to train the mind.
  • Focus
    1. By concentrating on doing one thing at a time and not letting the mind wander. For example, eating your food and simply being with the food and the moment, not playing on your smart phone whilst eating.
  • Walking Meditation
    1. Again, this is something so simple that us humans can and often do lose sight of. Like the Focus method, it requires you to simply walk, without the aid of music, a smart phone, or even other people and distractions. Walking and embracing the visuals and sounds around you can be incredibly healing.

 

Buddhism is often referred to as the religion of wisdom. A religion that does not require a lineage of predecessors, creeds, culture, or traditions. It is renowned for encouraging the simple detachment from craving material items, a level of ego and even emotion. Buddhism does not mean turning a human into a wooden log with no feelings, but practicing techniques that enable us to not fall victim to our own emotions or the emotions of those around us. Being free from illusion and what ifs can truly bring about inner peace and harmony from within.

You will often see many temples and Buddha statues and Buddhists have the images of Buddha to pay gratitude and respect to and to remind us of their teachings. Some basic Do’s and Don’ts when in the company of Buddhist Monks and/or Buddha statues:

  1. Respect

To pay respect to Buddha doesn’t mean you must be a Buddhist.

Simply act with respect. Respect can be shown by your attitude and the humble mind and body language. If you don’t want to pay respect at all, at least do not look down on the Buddha.

  1. Correctness

If you see a picture, an amulet, or a statue of Buddha in inappropriate places such as on the floor, in a toilet, or on a chair, please help to place it in a proper place up high such as on a shelf or higher.

  1. Knowledge

If you are a Buddhist, inform those who have the wish to know about Buddha. If you are not a Buddhist, and someone asks, “Who is Buddha?” the simple answer can be:

“Buddha is the enlightened one who taught Buddhists to do good deeds the same way other prophets do.”

 

DON’Ts

  1. Please do not treat Buddha’s symbols, statues or images badly

Buddhists respect Buddha. All leaders of religions are regarded with respect. This should also be applied to Buddha.

  1. Please do not use Buddha’s name for commercialization or without respect

Such as naming a dog “Buddha” or a bar “Buddha Bar”.

  1. The Buddha statue needs to be placed in a proper place.

Always put the Buddha statue in a high place.

 

Author Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, says:

“Modern Buddhism is perfectly suited for inspiring those seeking solutions within Buddhism to problems of everyday life, as well as for encouraging practitioners of all faiths to deepen their understanding and practice of the spiritual path. It reveals how to lay the foundation for the spiritual path, how to progress on that path and how to complete it. With compassion and wisdom we can solve all our daily problems and accomplish the real meaning of our human life, and like two wings of a bird they will enable us to reach enlightenment quickly.”

As always, do what is best for you in your every day life, and if you take anything away from reading this let it be Gratitude. Be grateful each and every day for the simplest of blessings. Today, I am grateful for

  • My hot cup of tea in bed this morning
  • My son’s ever growing personality (the good, the bad and the ugly)
  • My husband who never falters in his faith in me

What are you grateful for today?

 

With sincerest well wishes,

Keshia @ JK Wellness