Being And Energetic And Mindful

In this talk, I'm talking about how to work mindfully and being energetic together. Eventually, you will learn about both ideas. It's so important to practice meditation daily. but sometimes we feel so tired and lazy. This topic will help you to refresh your practice and daily things.

Transcript

Good evening everyone.

How are you today?

So thank you so much for coming and so happy to see you all.

Today I would like to share with you two ideas about being energetic and about mindfulness.

I'm going to tell you later why I chose these two topics.

Before that I would like to ask you two questions.

We know everyday we are doing something new.

In our daily life we start something new.

Maybe when you think about your last few years,

You can imagine how many new things you already started.

Maybe new job,

Maybe new work,

Maybe new home,

New projects.

So we are every day starting something new.

In the future we don't know what kind of new things we are going to start.

So what I want to ask you,

When you are going to start something new,

How about your feelings?

What kind of thoughts come to you?

Because you are going to start something really new.

What kind of feelings come to you?

Excited,

Nervous.

Any?

Excited and nervous.

How those same feelings come to our mind?

I do remember I started as a teacher in my monastery in Sri Lanka,

2012.

I was so excited and I was so happy.

Also in 2018 I came to here in January.

I had that same feeling because I was starting something new.

I remember how much I was excited.

I was so happy and nervous about all the new things.

Now you told me you were so excited and so nervous,

So happy.

After you started that new thing,

After continuing that new stuff,

After one week,

After one month,

Can you feel that same excitement?

Do you feel?

What happened to that excitement?

It is different,

It's changed.

So we all were teachers,

Bantya,

Amrita and Bantya,

Also myself.

We all had that same excitement but after we started teaching,

After a few months,

We all feel kind of tired.

Sometimes it's difficult because as a teacher,

A lot of responsibilities,

So much works,

So much we had to make so many notes,

Documents.

So sometimes we feel,

Oh this is enough,

I'm tired.

Sometimes we had that same feelings.

So it is daily,

Daily changing,

That all the excitement,

That all the feelings slowly go away from us.

So what I want to tell you today about being energetic and mindfulness.

So one time Buddha talked about these two ideas.

Why I want to share with you these two ideas?

Mindfulness and being energetic always work together.

You can understand after my talk how it is going to work together.

Maybe you are not thinking about it but it is always work together.

There are three steps we have to focus on when you are going to do something,

When you are going to start something new.

So if you focus those three steps,

If you focus those three points,

You are never going to lose that excitement.

You know but you can come back to that excitement,

You can refresh yourself,

You can have that same feeling about your new things.

So as you told,

You all had that excitement,

That happy feelings.

These three ideas,

But especially you can apply to your daily practice as a meditation practitioner or maybe your daily work,

Maybe you are in your house,

You can apply.

And we know most of the times many new people come to our temple and after they come,

Usually they come to us and sometimes telling us,

I am so excited,

It is so happy.

But after few months they are kind of stopped,

Then they again come back.

So because of that excitement,

They want to keep continuing,

But after few months they can keep continuing it because they are just losing their excitement,

That all the feelings,

They can come back to that same feelings.

There are three points I am going to tell.

It is in Pali language.

First one we call Aaramanadaahatu.

Aaraman mean in Pali language beginning.

As you told,

When you are going to start something new,

We are so excited,

We are so happy,

We want to do our best.

So when you are going to start something new,

What Buddha said,

You have to put your full attention,

You have to put your full effort.

Usually we do it because we are so nervous and we want to do it,

Then we put our full effort to do our best.

So when you are going to start something new,

That is the foundation.

We all need good foundation.

As a monk we all need good foundation.

So we had really great teachers,

We had really great temple in Sri Lanka,

We studied under great teachers,

So we had really great foundation.

So I think that's why we all are here,

Otherwise we all are somewhere else.

So foundation is very important.

I think you all had really great parents,

So they are your foundation.

After you went to school,

You had that same.

Beginning,

It is very important.

So what Buddha said,

If you are going to practice this meditation,

You need really great foundation.

So foundation is you need great teachers,

Then with that advice you can keep continuing your practice.

So beginning is very important.

Afterward,

The second one is called in Pali language,

Nikkama.

Nikkama means when we keep continuing our daily things or whatever you do,

After few months,

You already told me,

You lose that excitement.

You don't feel that same feelings.

So most of the time what people do,

They kind of just give up,

I'm tired,

I'm done,

I can keep continuing this.

I had really great example,

Experience,

That is one of the great experiences that I ever experienced in my life.

So 2006,

I had an exam.

During my studying,

I did great,

I did my best at the class.

But 2006,

After I did that exam,

Result came.

All the teachers came to me and they were so disappointed.

Then they asked me,

What happened to you?

I already failed my exam.

It is one of the major exam that I had to do.

How I failed it?

Then I was sad,

I was little.

Now what happened,

I was thinking,

This is my turning point.

This is my turning point.

Then I thought,

I'm never going to fail any exams in my life.

So I took that lesson to my life.

Then I thought this is my turning point.

I thought I want to keep continuing what I want to do.

Then I did almost 5-6 exams.

I did my best.

So I never thought like a weak point.

I thought this is my turning point.

So sometimes when you are going to continue some stuff,

You will feel like that,

I'm done,

I can do that.

But just think that is your turning point.

It means you can go straight.

So when you are going to do something,

You are so excited,

But when you are going to keep continuing it,

Some disturbances come to you.

But think those are your turning points,

Those are your good lessons.

So you can keep continuing what you do.

So third one is,

It is called Parakkham.

Parakkham means,

In final,

Eventually you will feel,

I can do this.

I don't want to keep continuing this.

Have you ever felt like that?

Yeah,

So many times we all feel.

I also feel sometimes.

Then I'm thinking,

I had that turning point experience.

No,

I can do that.

Then I'm going to continue what I have to do.

So sometimes we feel that same way.

What you have to do,

Eventually if you feel so tired,

I'm done,

I'm enough,

I can do anymore.

If you feel like that,

Just try to imagine how you feel beginning.

That same excitement,

Oh you can imagine how I was so excited.

I had that great feeling.

So there are so many disturbances,

So many problems come to me.

How I can overcome?

Just try to think about it.

So beginning and when you keep continuing and also eventually all the difficulties come to you.

But try to encourage yourself.

It means you can.

So what Buddha said,

Why Buddha said about these three ideas,

Especially as a meditation practitioner,

When you practice meditation,

Especially mindfulness meditation,

Breathing meditation,

So many thoughts come to your mind and distracting you.

But these three ideas apply to your meditation practice,

Also your daily practice,

Your daily things in your house.

There's a really nice story I would like to share with you,

This story.

Then I can explain about mindfulness.

Then I can explain how these both work together.

There was a person,

He already lost his job.

He was so upset,

He was so worried.

He wanted to find a new job but he couldn't.

What he did,

He started to work house by house,

Village by village,

Town by town,

City by city to find a job.

He couldn't find any more.

Then finally he was walking down the street,

Then he saw there is a notice in Samyama.

Then he saw on that notice one of company asking,

Who can cut down the trees,

We are hiring them.

We are hiring you,

Please come to us,

We can offer a job.

That person was so happy and he ran to that place and told,

I came to find a job.

I can do what you are asking,

Please give me a job.

Then that place that all the officers,

What they did,

Okay,

We can give you a job.

But before that we want to supervise you,

We want to check your talent.

What they did,

They gave brand new axe.

They told,

Okay,

You have axe.

What you have to do,

There are so many trees.

You have to go to that place,

You have to start to cut down the trees.

But we are keep watching you,

We are keep supervising you.

If you do best,

You will get a job.

Then that person was so excited and so happy,

Then he went to the place,

He started to cut down the trees.

End of the day he realized he could cut down 40 trees.

The same time he got the job because he did really well.

He was so happy,

Then he went to his house,

Then he came back next day.

He was punctual,

He was so happy,

He was excited and he never waste his time.

He started his work.

End of the day he realized he could cut down just only 38 trees.

First day 40,

Second day 38.

Third day he was same person,

He never waste his time,

But end of the day he realized he could cut down just only 36 trees.

Now what happening,

Day by day,

Day by day numbers are decreasing.

He was thinking this is not good for my job.

Definitely,

Finally I am going to lose my job.

I have to do something.

Then what he did,

He was looking for some advice.

There was a wise person,

Then he went to meet that wise person,

Then he told his experience.

That wise person asked,

After you go to your job,

What you are doing very first?

He told,

I just go to my workplace,

I just grab axe,

Go to trees and start cut down them.

That's the thing what I am doing.

I don't want to waste my time.

Then he told,

You are missing something.

You are missing something.

Can you imagine what he is missing?

Can you guess?

Maybe it is hard to guess.

What he is missing,

That wise person told,

You use very brand new axe.

What happen if you keep using that axe?

It is getting tired.

But what you have to do?

You have to shop.

It means it is getting again new.

It means you can cut down more trees.

Then he said,

Before you start your work,

You have to sharpen it.

It means you can cut more trees.

Otherwise you just put more effort,

You are just doing,

But you just miss important things.

Sharpen is the important thing.

Then he was so happy,

Then he went to his job and he continued his work.

Just think about this story.

What you can get this from this story?

Just think about your life.

You are so energetic.

You want to do your best.

You always work so hard.

Maybe today you want to come to the temple.

Maybe it is you feel,

Oh no I can't,

But you are so energetic.

Mind inside and body.

Sometimes we feel tired,

But your mind want to go.

Sometimes your body ready,

But your mind not.

Maybe today you are both ready.

Then you are here.

Sometimes we put our full effort,

But we are missing what sharpen is,

What does that mean?

Mindfulness.

So when you do something,

Always you have to sharpen.

It means you have to focus on it.

If you really focus on something,

You can do your best.

Otherwise you are just wasting your time and eventually you will feel so tired.

That's why I told you this.

Mindfulness and being energetic work together always.

Try to think about these two ideas.

Try to develop your mindfulness.

Also try to be an energetic person.

You are.

That's why you are all here.

You want to learn something.

So if you feel tired one day,

Just think how you were in your beginning.

Try to think about it.

If you have some difficult time,

Just think this is my turning point.

So it means you can do your best.

You can do your best to your family and to yourself.

So thank you so much for coming.

I hope you learned something.

Hope to see you next time.

Have a good night.

Thanks so much.

Reviews

I love listening to your voice.

Thank you. This was a very helpful talk.