Re: the pursuit of happiness

Stephen wrote:

"Dear Lung Zhi & Anthony,

Thanks for your questions. You both have raised some very good inquiries for all of us to reflect or meditate.

First of all, those people that Lung Zhi described thought they were pursuing happiness, but actually it's not. They were accumulating wealth, power and fame, which by itself has nothing to do with happiness. As we all know, accumulation of certain material means are of prime importance to our survival, and there is no two ways about it (after all, we need to bring bread to the table). But as Abraham Maslow has taught us, once we have acquired the lower needs, self-actualization is the holy grail for us to pursue. That's why history praised great artists, scientists or musicians for their contributions to humanity, rather that some rich billionaires.

Anthony has found a new hypothesis about happiness. But I wonder if happiness is a moving target, or is it just us, our mind, which is moving second by second, chasing dreams after dreams, day in day out?

I'm not totally convinced about Martin Seligman's theory either. But to be fair to him, he is advocating the optimum 'flavor' for sensual pleasure (not addiction), 'flow' for engagement (not obsession) and 'fit' for gratification (not aggressiveness or over-stretched ourselves). But most important of all, his emphasis is on combining these goals in 'particular' ways so as to achieve its optimum levels (best fit for ourselves); only then can we achieve satisfaction in our life.

Hope the above clarify some misunderstandings. (or create more confusion?)

Your pal,
Stephen

--

In pursuit of happiness...

Would someone please enlighten me on this:

There are many people out there who hurt and harm others in the pursuit of their own happiness. And in order to attain their own happiness, they sacrifice others' happiness. Their happiness is built onto the pains of others.

There are people who looks happy in front of others, put on a happy front, or even consider themselves happy persons but deep down inside they crave for power, fame or financial status to cover up their misery or deficiency.

There are people who use the "Happiness of the common" as the pretext to crucify others... Pretending to be noble to fool themselves and others... Thinking and saying that they are carrying out Bodhisattva deeds to belittle others.

Does end justify means?

Our minds are very good at fooling ourselves or fooling others.

Saying is one thing, performing is another.

What will you do when you encounter people like that? What should you do when you are one of them?


May GOD bless us all...

--

Happiness is a moving target.

Sharing Anthony's article with you:

"Happiness is a moving target.

It is one of those things, like the meaning of life, once you make a definition, you can always find fault with it.


A truly happy person has no need of happiness, that’s the irony, because he/she is busy doing what he enjoys and finds meaningful.

Academics can only lay out the socio-political conditions necessary for the pursuit of happiness in a civil society for the majority of the people. For the minority, such as artists, poets and spiritually more developed people, the rule doesn’t always apply.

Jesus said, ‘Turn the other cheek.” For most people who are used to an eye for an eye, this will be the pinnacle of pain and humiliation. A truly loving Christian will derive much satisfaction from it.

For the three conditions that Seligman mentioned, every one of them could become a source of pain if they are held too tightly and without wisdom. Lao-tzu said,

‘The five colors blind the eye…..The five flavours destroy the palate.’ Too much sensual stimulations are not always good. It could lead to increased tolerance and addictions. The same can be said about relationships. Many men kill their ex-spouse because they could not walk away from their relationship.

So when we say certain conditions are necessary for the pursuit of happiness, we have to ask, ‘for whom, and when?’ The Buddhists list ten levels of Bodhisattva attainment and they all have different level of enjoyment. So happiness has something to do with your level of spiritual attainment as well.

Without getting into a Socratic dialectic about happiness, the best I can say about happiness is it is an absence of unhappiness because everybody knows in their guts what unhappiness feels like. While moments of happiness are fleeting, unhappiness are more stubborn and quite often overstay their welcome.

Let’s hope that everybody becomes a hotel for unhappiness rather than a home. When they check out, at least you have a break.

Keep smiling.

Anthony"

--

Upcoming DDMBA Ontario Activities (Feb 27- Mar 3, 2009)

In case you are interested:

Chan Buddhist Teachers Visit Toronto to Teach Chan Meditation
Six-Day Activities to Engage Buddhist Practitioners and DDMBA Members

DDMBA Ontario is delighted to announce that two ordained Chan teachers, GuoXing Fahshi and Chang Wen Fashi, will be coming to Toronto for a 6-day visit, to lead meditation classes, sitting and moving meditation, sutra chanting, public speech and Q & A sessions.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to understand the right way to practice Chan meditation under two ordained teachers from Dharma Drum Retreat Centre in New York.

Mark your calendars for the events of your choice, and be sure to invite friends and family!

For full schedule of activities, be sure to click on “My News” at our website,

P.S. All activities are free. Most of the activities are held at DDMBA Ontario, 154 Poyntz Avenue, Toronto ON (south-west of Yonge and Sheppard). Donations are welcome!

Schedule of Activities

Day 1 - Feb 26, 2009 (Thu.)
6am - 7:30am Sitting Meditation & Chanting Service
10am - 12pm Training - Introduction to the 8 Form Moving Exercises
6pm - 7pm Evening Service & Meditation
7pm - 9pm Dharma Discussion (The Three Dharma Seals as concepts and methods of contemplation)

Day 2 – Feb 27, 2009 (Fri.)
6am - 7:30am Sitting Meditation & Chanting Service
10am - 2pm Training - Dharma Instrument
6pm - 7pm Evening Service & Meditation
7pm - 9pm Supporting Members / Volunteers Q&A

Day 3 – Feb 28, 2009 (Sat.)
6am - 6:30am Chanting Service
9am - 11:30am Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan Buddhism: Concepts, Attitudes, and Methods- English/Chinese (Where: Members Lounge, North York Civic Center)

1:30pm - 2pm Going Green
2pm - 4pm A Forum on Family Life the Chan Way
6pm - 7pm Evening Service & Meditation

Day 4 – Mar 1, 2009 (Sun.)
6am - 6:30am Chanting Service
8am - 8pm Full-Day Chan Meditation Retreat

Day 5 – Mar 2, 2009 (Mon.)
6am - 7:30am Sitting Meditation & Chanting Service
9am - 11:30am Training - Meditation Teachers

Day 6 – Mar 3, 2009 (Tue.)
6am - 7:30am Sitting Meditation & Chanting Service
10am - 12pm Buddha Recitation Chan
2pm - 5pm Beginner's Meditation Class (Mandarin)
6pm - 7:30pm Evening Meditation & Chanting
7:30pm - 9pm Dharma Discussion (The Three Dharma Seals as concepts and methods of contemplation)


About the Visiting Teachers

Guo Xing Fashi

One of Chan Master Sheng Yen's Dharma heirs, was born in Taiwan in 1953. After studying yoga and meditation, Guo Xing Fashi began to study Chan under the guidance of Chan Master Sheng Yen in 1984, and became ordained under him two years later, in 1986. After years of service in the Dharma Drum Mountain sangha, he was sent to Thailand in 1991 to enter into solitary retreat, studying Theravadan meditation. Upon returning to DDM, he continued to assist the Master in leading meditation retreats in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States, for a period of 20 years, totaling over more than 50 retreats, including the first 49-Day retreat at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in 2000. He previously served for eight years as the counselor for the DDM Chan Meditation Group of Nong Chan Monastery, six years as the guiding instructor for the DDM Sangha University Chan practice curriculum, as well as two years as the director of DDM's Chan Practice Center, the Director of the Chan Hall, as well as the supervisor of the Department of Transmitting the Lamp. Guo Xing Fashi is now a new resident teacher at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center. He speaks Taiwanese, Mandarin, and English.

Chang Wen Fashi

A native New Yorker and resident of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center, Chang Wen Fashi is a western monastic disciple of Chan Master Sheng Yen. For his training, in addition to being of service to the Chan Meditation Center, in Queens, NY, and attending numerous retreats with Master Sheng Yen at DDRC, he also lived in Taiwan, at the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education, receiving a monastic education at the Sangha University. After graduating, he received full ordination in 2006, and then continued to serve the Seminary as the counselor for the male students of the Chan Meditation Department. Over this period of training, he attended and assisted with numerous intensive meditation retreats in the Chan Hall and abroad, as well as served as the leader for DDM's International Meditation Group in Taipei. Chang Wen Fashi holds a Bachelor's Degree of Science from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He is fluent in both English and Mandarin.

Contact Us

DDMBA Ontario
154 Poyntz Avenue, Toronto ON (south-west of Yonge and Sheppard)
Tel: 416-855-0531
Email: contact©ddmba-ontario.ca
Website: http://www.ddmba-ontario.ca

--

Friday Feb 27, 2009 Buddhism lectures

From Frances Garrett of University of Toronto:

UTSC presents a Tung Lin Kok Yuen Public Lecture:

*
PROFESSOR JEFFREY HOPKINS*

*"Gender, Sexuality and Tibetan Buddhism: How Sex Is Used in the Spiritual Path"*

Date: Friday February 27, 2009

Time: 7:30

Location: University of Toronto at Scarborough, Lecture Theatre AA112

Much of world culture views reason and sexual pleasure to be antithetical and relegates the pleasure of orgasm to a baser level of the personality incompatible with the true and the good. This has lent intellectual justification to exaggerated attempts by some males to assert control over the "baser" self (1) by identifying women and, by extension, homosexuals with these "base" passions and (2) by committing violent acts (including sex) against these lowly creatures in order to foster the self-delusion that sexual impulses are under their control. In Tibetan Buddhist systems, however, there are hints of a compatible relationship between reason and orgasmic bliss in that developed practitioners seek to utilize the blissful and powerful mind of orgasm to realize the truth and the all-good ground of consciousness. The suggestion is that the sense of bifurcation between reason and orgasmic bliss is the result of not appreciating the basic nature of mind.

Jeffrey Hopkins is Professor Emeritus of Tibetan Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia where he taught Tibetan Buddhist Studies and Tibetan language for thirty-two years from 1973. He received a B.A. /magna cum laude/ from Harvard University in 1963, trained for five years at the Lamaist Buddhist Monastery of America in Freewood Acres, New Jersey, USA (now the Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center in Washington, New Jersey), and received a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Wisconsin in 1973. He served as His Holiness the Dalai Lama's chief interpreter into English on lecture tours for ten years, 1979-1989. At the University of Virginia he founded programs in Buddhist Studies and Tibetan Studies and served as Director of the Center for South Asian Studies for twelve years. He has published thirty-nine books in a total of twenty-two languages, as well as twenty-three articles.

This lecture is free and open to the public. A shuttle bus will proceed from downtown, from the front of University of Toronto's Hart House, leaving at 6pm and returning after the event. Flyers and Posters for this public lecture are available at the Center for the Study of Religion, in the Jackman Humanities Building (Northwest corner of Bloor and St. George).

For any questions or more information about this event, please contact Sarah Richardson at sarahr@rom.on.ca

For more on events in Buddhist Studies at the University of Toronto, see http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/buddhiststudies/events.html


----- The content of this message does not represent the views or opinions of the University of Toronto. -----

Numata Buddhist Studies Lecture

NICOLAS SIHLE (University of Virginia)

Lecture: “The Lingering Question of the Structure of the Religious Field, and Other Legacies of the Anthropology of Buddhism”

Date: Friday, Feb. 27, 2009

Time: 4-6 pm

Location: Department of Religious Studies, McMaster University

For information on the Numata Buddhist Studies program, see http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/buddhiststudies/numata/

For events in Buddhist Studies at the University of Toronto, see http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/buddhiststudies/events.html

------ The content of this message does not represent the views or opinions of the University of Toronto.-----

Upcoming Buddhism events in University of Toronto Scarborough

Sharing the following email with you:

https://webapps-new.utsc.utoronto.ca/ose/story.php?id=1446&sectid=1

The world of Buddhism will be explored in depth through a provocative and exciting slate of events happening soon at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

The Tung Lin Kok Yuen Public Lecture Series features a public lecture and documentary film series that will bring renowned Buddhist scholars and exciting films to the campus. All of the events are free and open to the public. They have been made possible through a gift of $4 million to Buddhist Studies made by Tung Lin Kok Yuen Hong Kong, a non-profit organization focused on raising and inspiring public interest in Buddhism. The gift, which was announced in 2006, is the biggest gift to the University of Toronto Scarborough in campus history. It supports the upcoming events as well as scholarships, visiting professors, and other activities.

"We are delighted to be the forum for discussions and examinations of Buddhism once again," said Professor Bill Bowen, chair of the humanities department at the University of Toronto Scarborough. "Events we have organized in previous years have generated a great deal of excitement and interest in Buddhist thought and culture, not just from our campus but from the greater community, and we expect that level of interest to continue to increase. A growing number of people worldwide are expressing interest in Buddhism, and these events aim to help us in understanding Buddhism today."

Here is a list of events:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27:

"Gender, Sexuality and Tibetan Buddhism: How Sex is Used in the Spiritual Path," a lecture by Buddhist Studies professor Jeffrey Hopkins of the University of Virginia at 7:30 p.m. in Lecture Theatre AA-112. (A free shuttle bus is available to UTSC from the U of T St. George campus with pick up in front of Hart House at 6:00 p.m. and returning downtown after the lecture.) Jeffrey Hopkins is Professor Emeritus of Tibetan Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia, where he taught Tibetan Buddhist Studies and Tibetan language for 32 years starting in 1973. Hopkins is considered one of the most renowned Buddhist Studies and Tibetan Studies scholars of his generation. He is a leading authority on Asian Studies over the last four decades. He founded the university's world-famous Buddhist Studies and Tibetan Studies programs and directed the Center for South Asian Studies, and has shown remarkable literary output. He earned a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the University of Wisconsin in 1973, and served as the Dalai Lama's chief interpreter into English on lecture tours from 1979 to 1989. He has published 39 books in a total of 22 languages, as well as 23 articles.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13:

Buddha's Lost Children, a documentary film, at 7:30 p.m. in the Management Building, Room MW-110. In the borderlands of Thailand's Golden Triangle, a rugged region known for its drug smuggling and impoverished hill tribes, one man devotes himself to the welfare of the region's children. A former Thai boxer turned Buddhist monk, Phra Khru Bah Neua Chai Kositto (Tiger Monk), travels widely on horseback dispensing prayers, health care, education and tough love to villagers far from the protection and support of governments or NGOs. This film gives new meaning to the term "grassroots Buddhism" and in the end, it's the children's journey that the viewer shares. (Shuttle bus available from Hart House on St. George campus at 6:00 p.m.)

FRIDAY, MARCH 20:

Amongst White Clouds: Buddhist Hermit Masters of China's Zhongnan Mountains, a documentary film, at 7:30 p.m. in the Management Building, Room MW-110. Filmed on location in China by American director Edward A. Burger, the film takes an unforgettable journey into the hidden tradition of China's Buddhist hermit monks. This film is an intimate insider's look at students and masters living in scattered retreats dotting China's Zhongnan Mountain range. These peaks have reputedly been home to recluses since the time of the Yellow Emperor, some 5,000 years ago. It was widely thought that the tradition was all but wiped out, but the film emphatically demonstrates its endurance. . (Shuttle bus available from Hart House on St. George campus at 6:00 p.m.)

FRIDAY, MARCH 27:

Words of My Perfect Teacher, a documentary film, at 7:30 p.m. in the Management Building, Room MW-110. This film examines the phenomenon of a Buddhist teacher. We generally expect our spiritual leaders to be serious and all-knowing. We don't expect them to be witty, mischievous and overly concerned with soccer results. In Lesley Ann Patten's warm and funny story of her quest to be the perfect student, she follows (and sometimes chases) Buddhist teacher Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche around the world, interviewing him, his followers and other Buddhists. This beautifully filmed "game" of follow-the-leader will draw viewers into questioning their own beliefs and their place in the world. (Shuttle bus available from Hart House on St. George campus at 6:00 p.m.)

For more information, contact the Department of Humanities, Arts & Events Programming Office at aep@utsc.utoronto.ca or by calling (416) 208-4769.

--

FOR ALL THE TRAVELLERS OUT THERE....

Sharing the following email with you:

FOR ALL THE TRAVELLERS OUT THERE....


GOOD ADVICE FROM AN ATTORNEY -- NO CHARGE

Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it
someday. Maybe we should all take some of his advice.

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company.

1. The next time you order cheques have only your initials (instead of first
name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your chequebook, they will
not know if you sign your cheques with just your initials or your first
name, but your bank will know how you sign them.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO I D
REQUIRED".

3. When you are writing cheques to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT
put the complete account number on the, "For" line. Instead, just put the
last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and
anyone who might be handling your cheque as it passes through all the cheque
processing channels won't have access to it.

4. Put your work phone # on your cheques instead of your home phone. If you
have a P.O. box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a
P.O. box, use your work address. Never have your SIN# printed on your
cheques (DUH!). You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it
printed, anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides
of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet
and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep
the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when
travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud
that's committed on us in stealing a name, address, SIN, credit cards.

Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet
was stolen last month. Within a week, the thief ordered an expensive monthly
cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line
approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change
my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical
information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you
know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But
the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you
know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc. were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were
diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is
one).

But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to
do this)



3. Call the two national credit reporting organizations immediately to
place a fraud alert on your name and Social Insurance Number. I had never
heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an
application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert
means any company that checks your credit knows your information was
stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By
the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all
the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks
initiated by the thief's purchases, none of which I knew about before
placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the
thief threw my wallet away (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped
them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet,
etc. has been stolen:

1.) Equifax Canada: 1-877-249-2705

2.) TransUnion: 1-877-525-3823

We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about everything.
But if you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help
someone that you care about.

--

Loving my in-laws

Sharing my love towards my in-laws with you:





--

Great news from Sue...

Sue wrote:

Dear friends:

Great news. My mom had very steady improvement last night and this morning that Doctor decided to take out the tube in her mouth. This is the tube that made her most uncomfortable and miserable. We are so relieved that the tube is moved. Today She continued to make progress and did 20 minutes of physical therapy. She is still quite weak but is much better than previous days. If she continue to improve steadily she will be moved from ICU to regular ward in a day or two.

Thank to you for your emails, phone calls and prayers. I am sure my mom's quick improvement is because all of your dedication and prayers. I really appreciate from the bottom of my heart. Some of you I never met before are also pray for my mom. Thank you so very much for your kind heart. I will keep you posted.

Gratefully,

Sue
--

Loving Sue's mom...

Dear All:

For those of you who remember Sue, and for those of you who has not meet Sue yet, let's send our blessings to Madam Lee for her speedy recovery...

Thanks

Best of Wishes
Lung Zhi
(Let's fill this world with love and blessings)


Sue wrote:

Dear friends:

As I mentioned to some of you earlier that my mom was going to have heart surgery to replace and repair her 3 heart valves because of severe calcification due to old age. With some twist and turns she finally had the surgery operated by a renowned heart surgeon at University Southern California Medical Center last Friday. The surgery itself went very well fortunately. However she is experiencing some complication right now therefore is still being kept in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) for differents treatment (one of them is lung infection which is under control as of now, the other one is minor stroke which causing her not being able to move one arm and one leg - but with rehab later we hope she will recover ). Because of her old age she is not recovering as normal speed of a younger patient. It gets difficult for us to see her suffering with all kinds of tubes attached and not able to speak (tubes in her mouth to help her breathing). However I am using my Buddhist practice, doing the best I can to handle all the up and down situtions. I would like to ask you to send my mom a good wish or prayers for her recovery. I would appreciate your help very much.

My mom's name is Mrs. Li Ou Lee (李麗娥）(Li as in beautiful - Mai Li ; Ou - the Chinese character is woman on left side and me on right side). She is 88 years old. Prior to the surgery Doctor said if she go through this surgery fixing her heart valves she should be able to live to 100 years old. All her life so far she has been pretty healthy until now. We are very hopeful.

Thank you all for your kindness and prayers!

Gratefully,

Sue

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

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INFORMATION EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW........................
Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

STROKE:Remember the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.


My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word.

I agree.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.

Seriously..

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

It only takes a minute to read this...

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other,that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.


I have done my part. Have you?

--

Do you find this funny?.

Sharing the following email with you:

An absolutely Brilliant Joke, ENJOY!!!

A Woman was out golfing one day when she hit the ball into the woods. She
went into the woods to look for it and found a frog in a trap. The frog
said to her, 'If you release me from this trap, I will grant you three
wishes.'

The woman freed the frog, and the frog said, 'Thank you, but I failed to
mention that there was a condition to your wishes. Whatever you wish for,
your husband will get ten times of it!' The woman said, 'That's okay.'

For her first wish, she wanted to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

The frog warned her, 'You do realize that this wish will also make your
husband the most handsome man in the world, an Adonis whom women will flock
to'.

The woman replied, 'That's okay, because I will be the most beautiful woman
and he will have eyes only for me.'

So, KAZAM - she's the most beautiful Woman in the world!

For her second wish, she wanted to be the richest woman in the world.

The frog said, 'That will make your husband the richest man in the world.
And he will be ten times richer than you. ' The woman said, 'That's okay,
because what's mine is his and what's his is mine.'

So, KAZAM- she's the richest woman in the world!

The frog then inquired about her third wish, and she answered, 'I'd like to
have a mild heart attack.'

Moral of the story: Women are clever. Don't mess with them.

Attention female readers: This is the end of the joke for you. Stop here
and continue feeling good!

Male readers: Please scroll down.











Scroll down more










The man had a heart attack ten times 'milder' than his wife!!!

Moral of the story : Women are really dumb but think they're really smart .
Let them continue to think that way and just enjoy the show

PS: If you are a woman and are still reading this; it only goes to show
that women never listen!!!

You can forward this to all the guys for a good laugh, and to all the
ladies who have a good sense of humour :)


ENJOY....... ......... ....

Protect your GPS

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This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.

GPS
A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a football match Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.

When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.

The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean up the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

--

Something to reflect

This is a beautiful 5 minutes Greek film.

Turn on the audio, sit back and reflect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNK6h1dfy2o


---

Loving Monica

I was waken up by a phone call this morning by the management office of my rental property. The lady on the phone told me that my tenant Monica was desperately trying to get in touch with me. Monica could not get hold of me by any means and her last resort was the management office.

I phoned Monica right back. Monica was worried about me. I did not contact her to pick up the rental payments for the coming year. She phoned me but it was someone else who answered the phone. She emailed to my different email accounts but never received any reply.

I was on a meditation retreat so I did not check my email nor phone messages. Usually I tell my friends in advance or leave a phone message that I am going away or out of town. However, this retreat was a last minute deal so I was not prepared. Also my computer broke down and I am now learning to use a new computer with everything unfamiliar.

The lady in the management office told Monica that she was the best tenant on earth as she would try all her means to ask the landlord to get the rent. Monica answered that she did not care about the rent, it was my disappearance that created anxiety to her.

Yes, Monica and I have a great relationship, she has been my tenant for almost 10 years. She attended all of the condominium meetings on my behalf and voted for me by proxy. I love Monica, she is such a pleasant person.

Thanks Monica for your caring and sorry that I made you worried.

--

Protect your cell phone

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ALL FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD READ THIS ESPECIALLY CHILDREN!

These crooks are getting very good!

A lady has changed her habit of how she lists her names in her cell phone directory after her handbag was stolen.

Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, purse, etc., was stolen.
Twenty minutes later she called her husband, from a pay telephone telling him what had happened.

Her husband said, 'I have just received your text message asking about our pin number and I have replied a little while ago.'

When they rushed down to the bank, the staff told them all the money was already withdrawn.

The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text her husband listed in the directory and got ahold of their pin number.

Within twenty minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

Moral of the lesson:

Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people on your call list.

Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Mom, Dad, etc.,
And very importantly, when sensitive information is being asked for through text messages, CONFIRM by calling back.

Also, when you are being text by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them.
If you do not reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON.

I never thought about THAT!

As of right now, do you have 'home' listed in your cell phone directory?

--

Hand Book 2009

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HAND BOOK 2009

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.


Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.


Society:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Last but not the least:

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about

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A small story

Sharing the following email with you:

A boy and a girl were playing together.

The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her.

The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed. The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised.

That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn't sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Moral of the story:

If you don't give your hundred percent in a relationship, you'll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent...

This is applicable for any relationship like love, employer-employee relationship, business, partnerships etc.

Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully.

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Email hoax: Bottled water in your car is very dangerous!

Sharing the follow email with you...

Snopes.com claims the following message is an urban legend:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/medical/a/bottled-water.htm

Bottled water in your car is very dangerous!

On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said this is what caused her breast cancer. It has been identified as the most common cause of the high levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue.

Sheryl Crow's oncologist told her:
women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car.The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue. So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has been left in a car. Pass this on to all the wom en in your life.


This information is the kind we need to know that just might save us! Use a stainless steel canteen or a glass bottle instead of plastic!

LET EVERYONE WHO HAS A WIFE / GIRLFRIEND /
DAUGHTER KNOW PLEASE!

This information is also being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

No plastic containers in microwave.

No water bottles in freezer

No plastic wrap in microwave.

A dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.

He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers... This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat,=2 0and plastic releases dioxin

into the food and ultimately into the cells of the
body... Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.... You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc.,
should be removed from the container and heated in something
else..

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper.

It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.
He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food
restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons...

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran wrap, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.

Cover food with a paper towel instead.

--------------------------------------------------------

This has been identified as the most common cause of the high levels in breast cancer, especially in Australia.

A friend whose mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and the Doctor told her: women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car. The doctor said that the heat and the plastic of the bottle have certain chemicals that can lead to breast cancer. So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has been left in a car, and, pass this on to all the women in your life. This information is the kind we need to know and be aware and just might save us!

The heat causes toxins from the plastic to leak into the water and they have found these toxins in breast tissue. Use a stainless steel Canteen or a glass bottle when you can!

LET EVERYONE WHO HAS A WIFE / GIRLFRIEND / DAUGHTER KNOW PLEASE.

This is an article that should be sent
To anyone important in Your life!

--

Seeing is believing?

How much can you believe in what you see?

Magic explained:

http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=kEje6Stu1-8&feature=dir

A PRE-SCHOOL TEST FOR YOU

Sharing the following email with you:

I already knew I was dumber than the fifth graders...

but now it's the preschoolers??

A PRE-SCHOOL TEST FOR YOU

Which way is the bus below traveling?

To the left or to the right?

Can't make up your mind?

Look carefully at the picture again.


Still don't know?

Pre-schoolers all over the United States
were shown this picture and asked the same question.


90% of the pre-schooler's gave this answer.

"The bus is traveling to the left."

When asked, "Why do you think the bus is traveling to the left?"

They answered: "Because you can't see the door to get on the bus."

How do you feel now ???

---------------


I know, me too.

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Advice regarding email forwarding

Sharing the following email that I received with you:

A good New Year's resolution to consider when using your computer for email.

Advice from Snopes.com MEMORIZE THIS!

1) Any time you see an E-Mail that says forward this on to '10' of your friends, sign this petition, or you'll get bad luck, good luck, or whatever, it almost always has an E-Mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and E-Mails of those folks you forward to. The host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of 'active' E-Mails addresses to use in SPAM E-Mails, or sell to other spammers.

2) Almost all E-Mails that ask you to add your name and forward on to others are similar to that mass letter years ago that asked people to send business cards to the little kid in Florida who wanted to break the Guinness Book of Records for the most cards. All it was, and all any of this type of E-Mail is, is a way to get names and 'cookie' tracking information for telemarketers and spammers - - to validate active E-Mail accounts for their own profitable purposes.

You can do your friends and family members a GREAT favor by sending this information to them; you will be providing a service to your friends, and will be rewarded by not getting thousands of spam E-Mails in the future!

If you have been sending out (FORWARDING) the above kinds of E-Mail, now you know why you get so much SPAM! Do yourself a favor and STOP adding your name(s) to those types of listings regardless how inviting they might sound! You may think you are supporting a GREAT cause, but you are NOT in the long run. Instead, you will be getting tons of junk mail later! Plus, we are helping the spammers get rich!

Let's don't make it easy for them!

Also: E-Mail petitions are NOT acceptable to Congress or any other organization. To be acceptable, petitions must have a signed signature and full address of the person signing the petition.

For more info go to www.snopes.com and search for email petition.

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Meditation Retreat by Ven. Dhammadipa Thero - February 5th - 9th, 2009

5-Day Ānāpāna Sati meditation Retreat will be held from 5th to 9th of Feb. 2009 at Toronto Mahavihara by Ven. Dhammadipa Thero. Main medium of instructions will be English and Chinese. The Thero is also fluent in Sinhala and Hindi.

The retreat will commence at 8.15am and terminates at 7.00pm daily.

Retreants are kindly requested to bring their own lunch and water. Tea will however be provided.Please also note that prior registration is necessary.

For registratioin please send an e-mail to: torontodhamma@gmail.com

For more information please visit torontodhamma.webs.com

For the general poster please click here.

Additional contacts: irenepandit@rogers.com or kpandit91@rogers.com

Telephone: 905-790-1146 OR 416-208-9276

Born in Czechoslovakia, Ven. Dhammadipa Thero is a world-renowned meditation teacher, with a deep understanding of meditation in both Theravada and Mahayana traditions. In 1987, he received traditional Theravada ordination in Sri Lanka, where he practiced meditation under Ven. Sri Nanarama Mahathera. In 1989, he received ordination as a Mahayana monk in Hsi Lai Temple, Los Angeles. In 1996, he practiced meditation with the meditation master Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Myanmar, and is considered by the Sayadaw to be the first of his Western disciples qualified to teach meditation. Over the past ten years, Ven. Dhammadipa has taught meditation at Western and Asian monasteries and universities around the world.

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What should we expect...

Sharing the following email with you:

This is How it Works

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House in D.C.; one from Kentucky, another from Tennessee and the third, from Georgia. They go with a White House official to examine the fence.

The Georgia contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. Well, he says, I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me.

The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, and then says I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me.

The Kentucky contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700".

The official, incredulous, whispers back, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?"

The Kentucky contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence."

"Done!" replies the official.

And that, my friends, is how our government works!

--

Financial Planning

Sharing the following email with you:

"Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business.
When he found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died, he decided he needed a wife with which to share his fortune.

One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his breath away. "I may look like just an ordinary man," he said to her, "but in just a few years, my father will die, and I'll inherit $200 million."

Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three days later, she became his stepmother.

Women are so much better at financial planning than men."

******************

Anthony's comment: Men should learn to marry into money. Any advice?

Stephen's comment: It's a short-cut to attain financial independence, isn't it?

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