Tag: Buddhism

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Dealing With Toxic People

Steve Rowe

Do you feel guilty when others around you are soaked in misery? Don’t. Because if they are genuinely suffering, empathy requires a soft front and a strong back to help, you suffering along with them out of guilt doesn’t help. There are also manipulative people who use and exaggerate their own suffering, sometimes even unwittingly, because they can see it makes you feel guilty and they either want to control you or just enjoy making you miserable as well. If you are an empathic person this is really difficult, these people might be at work, family or friends, it’s all … Continue reading Dealing With Toxic People

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Do I Want My Youth Back?

Steve Rowe

Insight while training this morning… Thank goodness the morning nausea has gone (except fort the day of the Tensho seminar 🤷‍♂️), but I still wake up with chronic fatigue, meaning that even my morning wash and dressing has to be done in stages with rests between each stage, followed by a rest with coffee and toast before I can train. Tai Chi opens my spine, deep front line and through the connection, all the joints and myofascia. Despite the underlying fatigue and pain from the surgeries, amputation, cancer treatment and chronic arthritis in all of my body, the training makes … Continue reading Do I Want My Youth Back?

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Look To The Old to Understand The New

Steve Rowe

温故 (On-ko) is to ask old things. 知新 (Chi-shin) is to know new things. This is really interesting, the idea or principle of learning should be properly understood and permeate everything in our lives and particularly our martial arts. We are often guided toward modern business and spiritual gurus wasting a lot of time and money, not really understanding that there’s nothing ‘new’ in the universe and that truth stands for all time in all things. If we know how to look, the roots are deep and worth researching. For me, ‘truth’ in the way the world works, the underlying … Continue reading Look To The Old to Understand The New

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How To Fit In…

Steve Rowe

I’ve always had a lot of difficulty with word ‘love’ because you can ‘love’ anything from ice cream, to your dog or wife and religious or spiritual people are always telling us that we should to ‘love’ everyone – and there’s no way I can do that. I might not be able to love everyone but I can find patience and kindness toward them, so I work with that. The ‘soft front and strong back’ mean that I can meet everyone with patience and kindness first and to do that it can be supported by resolve, determination and fortitude. This … Continue reading How To Fit In…

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3 Characteristics Of Existence

Steve Rowe

The search for truth is everything. The Buddha gave us 3 truths, the ‘characteristics of existence’ that are obvious but important to fully understand. ImpermanenceEverything is constantly changing and acceptance and understanding of this truth prevents unnecessary suffering.“The shape changes but not the form” – Tao Te Ching SufferingLife is suffering. Caused by the desire to have or not have something. The basic suffering of life cannot be avoided and must therefore be accepted, but ‘suffering about your suffering’ can be understood with insight and therefore averted and enlightened. Non SelfThe ‘self’ is the software of your ‘meat vehicle’ (your … Continue reading 3 Characteristics Of Existence

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The Creation Of The Universe

Steve Rowe

What am I asked infinity?The question started a spiral…As infinity swirled a conscious universe was born,Suspending and permeating everything in it.This consciousness was called ‘space’ and would remain unnoticed by everything within.Movement created time and change,Each creation naturally bought about its opposite;This pairing was a form of identification and recognition,One could only be experienced by its opposite.Through evolution, self consciousness arose;Allowing infinity to experience itself through the theatre of opposites. This theatre caused the suffering of desire and rejection,Until one self noticed a doorway,A portal back to the infinite,An awareness that space was conscious.Whenever opposites were balanced ,The portal appeared;A … Continue reading The Creation Of The Universe

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Understanding Meditation

Steve Rowe

Understanding Meditation…. Good posture and deep breathing will calm the body, emotions and mind. MindfulnessTo be mindful is to be careful and vigilant with the mind. To remain aware and present. The enemies of mindfulness are distraction and apathy. All the time that you are watching your thoughts and emotions you are mindful. Mindfulness is a good habit to adopt and is a process of refinement that will happen as long as you remain vigilant. InsightWith calm and mindfulness you will naturally create inner stillness, this will bring you insight from the deeper part of yourself. Insight brings wisdom and … Continue reading Understanding Meditation

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Tribal Chief To Beggar

Steve Rowe

Tribal Chief To Beggar… I used to be the leader of the tribe.I was the protector, the strongest,And everyone followed my example.I wore my scars with pride and my powerful spirit carried my body with ease.I was intolerant of the weak, convinced that everyone could and should exceed their personal barriers.If I could, they should. Time bought me to my knees.I realised that some battles can’t be won,As my body deteriorated bit by bit,Accidents, sickness, wear and tear and cellular breakdown took their toll.Until I could no longer lead,My spirit became a prisoner in my body,I needed other people to … Continue reading Tribal Chief To Beggar