The Asian Welder

“Meditation:  is a mind that concentrates on a virtuous object, and is a mental action that is the main cause of mental peace.”

“Happiness and suffering are states of mind, and so their main causes cannot be found outside the mind.  The real source of happiness is inner peace.”

i have the good karma of being allowed to “teach” meditation to young adults here at my Buddhist center in Tucson.  one of the things i have noticed is that as humans we have this nature to be incredibly lazy! not the physical laziness you think when dealing with youth but on a whole it pertains to ALL ages…i speak of laziness of the mind.  when we know from experience, when we feel the inner peace and benefit, why do we struggle with sitting down to meditate daily?  we place so much importance on “doing” in this world and society with little emphasis on “being” in the moment within.  we go to school for some countless years to become “successful” and yet how many years do we spend within on a journey of spiritual progress? perhaps minutes in a day or for most just passing moments like a tourist!

i for one am guilty of laziness!  i had to investigate within to find my own answers as to why?  what i came away with was a mini realization into my mind. it all falls on my belief, my faith of the truth.  the more effort i place in meditation and in my spiritual practice the more my faith grows! the more i believe it works the more effort i place within my mind to practice Buddha’s teachings.  it sounds so simple yet we all know how delusional our minds are, how hard it is to control…especially when we sit down to meditate! noticing how many times our mind wanders like clouds in a sky passing by sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly and other times it feels like it’s stuck in the clouds!  this is another piece of meditation i struggled with until i finally relaxed and allowed myself to just take notice….to gently notice but not allow my mind to stop and visit…it is a skill one must practice like any sport, instruction, any knowledge one gains must be practiced or else all you are doing is collecting intellectual knowledge, not the deep wisdom gained from application to make a change within your mind.

ATISHA: “Since you cannot tame the minds of others until you have tamed your own, begin by taming your own mind.”

here is an excellent source of wisdom…if you have time please read from all three contributors… http://luminousheart.com/2010/when-stories-hurt/

134.365

All my friends know the low rider
The low rider is a little higher
Low rider drives a little slower
Low rider is a real goer
Low rider knows every street yeah!
Low rider is the one to meet yeah!
Low rider don’t use no gas now
Low rider don’t drive to fast
Take a little trip
Take a little trip
Take a little trip and see
Take a little trip
Take a little trip
Take a little trip with me

taken at Barrio Brewing…a whole gang of middle aged men with their “bikes” were chillaxin….intrigued with all the chrome this one in particular caught my imagination!

i was blessed with an allergy to alcohol (in youth it was a curse!) so coming to places like this is at times entertaining and other times pure suffering…watching people lose control is humbling.  i hope these “boys” don’t drink and drive!!

lyrics by War

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this is a contrail…from a jet, taken late afternoon.  i rotated the image and then used photoshop to invert the color!  i love how what once was a visual i could label is now an abstract of my imagination!

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…another abstract image…the blues and waves made me think…

how we have the capacity to create our own world within our mind…don’t like what you see? change it! don’t like how you feel? change your mind! don’t like the heat of the desert anymore?

today it reached 107F…and all i could think about was the cool ocean breeze…and then i recalled a man i have yet to meet in person but have connected thru our love of photography online!  his name is chuck phillips and is part of a local band, along with his wife, here in tucson called Pacific Buffalo .

hit the link below to hear the song that inspired me!

hope you enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rujO8Rfz2Zs

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Now somewhere in the black mountain hills of Dakota
There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon
And one day his woman ran off with another guy
Hit young Rocky in the eye Rocky didn’t like that
He said I’m gonna get that boy
So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloon.

Rocky Raccoon checked into his room
Only to find Gideon’s bible
Rocky had come equipped with a gun
To shoot off the legs of his rival
His rival it seems had broken his dreams
By stealing the girl of his fancy.
Her name was Magil and she called herself Lil
But everyone knew her as Nancy.
Now she and her man who called himself Dan
Were in the next room at the hoe down
Rocky burst in and grinning a grin
He said Danny boy this is a showdown
But Daniel was hot-he drew first and shot
And Rocky collapsed in the corner.

Now the doctor came in stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said Rocky you met your match
And Rocky said, Doc it’s only a scratch
And I’ll be better I’ll be better doc as soon as I am able.

Now Rocky Raccoon he fell back in his room
Only to find Gideon’s bible
Gideon checked out and he left it no doubt
To help with good Rocky’s revival.

lyrics by The Beatles

this is Venus..aged 15 years!  she had surgery friday and by ALL accounts is healthier than i had ever imagined for her age! with all her seizures and this removal of a haematoma she is recuperating well except for this “satellite dish” attached to her and the temps reaching 105F…comfort is our main struggle!

“May ALL beings be free from suffering”

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this is architecture on the university campus..i just liked how simple the design was..hoping everyone has a delightful breezy easy day!

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It's summertime and the living is easy
Fish are jumping and the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich and your mama's good looking
Hush little baby
Don't you cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
No
No
No
No
Don't cry
Don't cry

One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing
You spread your wings and take to the sky
But until that morning there is nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mommy standing by
They are standing by
I know
Don't cry

Summertime
Summertime
Summertime and the living is
Living is easy
Fish are
I know the fish are jumping and cotton is so high
Your daddy is so
So rich and your mama good
She had to be good looking
So hush little baby
Don't you cry
Don't you cry
No
No
Don't cry
No need to cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Summertime
Summertime

my new summer regimen is bike/swim...my route goes thru the university campus to their pool...

the temperatures this week will be over 100!  so on my journey i come upon this site of 

industrial chaos...wondering what does it all do! 

of course this one way sign is glaring at me as i approach and my mind says..

there is always more than one way!

lyrics by Sam Cooke

126.365

I think I’m gonna be sad,
I think it’s today, yeah.
The girl that’s driving me mad
Is going away.
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
But she don’t care.
She said that living with me
Is bringing her down yeah.
For she would never be free
When I was around.
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
But she don’t care.
I don’t know why she’s ridin’ so high,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
Before she gets to saying goodbye,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
I think I’m gonna be sad,
I think it’s today yeah.
The girl that’s driving me mad
Is going away, yeah.
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
But she don’t care.
I don’t know why she’s ridin’ so high,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
Before she gets to saying goodbye,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
She said that living with me,
Is bringing her down, yeah.
For she would never be free
When I was around.
Ah, she’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
She’s got a ticket to ride,
But she don’t care.
My baby don’t care, my baby don’t care.
My baby don’t care, my baby don’t care.
My baby don’t care, my baby don’t care.

lyrics by The Beatles

taken at the Tuesday night bicycle ride…meet up at UA flag pole…wonderful evening, beautiful sky and temperature, lots of kids out…and away we went…

mind you i had one hand on my bike handle and the other on my camera!! approx. 8:45p