Comments on: Awareness-based Philosophy

By: Kin

Kin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:43:15 +0000

Cool, besides that book. I JUST discovered another jewel… a book from Bruce Lee called “Striking Thoughts”. Someone found and edited the notes that Bruce Lee had thought and written.

Did you know that he was a philosophy major from University of Washington? I had no idea, and that man has wisdom I must say. Everything we have talked about practicing… he got it. It shows in his words.

If you can’t find the books, let me know, I’ll be glad to send you a copy.

By: rob

rob — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:31:51 +0000

Thanks, I’ll check out the ‘Living Zen’ book, based on the excerpt I read from amazon (the one about the whirlpools), it sounds like a great read. Hopefully I’ll be able to find it in one of the bookstores here.

I thought the same thing too – that monks have it easier as they don’t deal with real-world distractions. Then I also thought that they isolate themselves from the ‘real’ world to strengthen their mind and thinking process, so when they go back to the hazards of modern living, they are better prepared for it.

By: Kin

Kin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:08:49 +0000

Hey Rob, I agree, practicing awareness consistently is hard work, especially with all the distraction in our everyday life. Sometimes I feel it maybe much easier to practice it being a monk in a monastery :P But it does get easier over time, and the differences and results are fascinating.

Thank you for the book recommendation. I’ll definitely check it out. For me, the book that’s kind of the “eye-opener” is “Nothing Special: Living Zen” by Charlotte J. Beck, though I have read many that contributed. They are in the book list in the Piggy’s Bookstore link on top.

By: rob

rob — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:18:18 +0000

I’ve been trying to practice these concepts and apply them to daily life. One thing I observed is that practicing them is hard work, but I’m confident that if I keep at it, I get better and better until it becomes second nature. I oftentimes get frustrated when I lapse back into my old way of thinking, then I remember to be ‘aware’, and this gets me back on track.

I read a great book recently: ‘Are You Ready for Success’ by Srikumar Rao (actually a Buddhism book disguised as a life/career guide). Highly recommended. I’ve read lots of Buddhism books, but this is the first one that actually gives practical tips on applying the principles in daily, real-world situations.