30 Jan 2017

Should we put a conscious effort to search for a life partner or a soulmate?

Hello, friends!

I am able to contemplate on this topic as the silence of the winter allows my heart to listen and fully encounter the answer hidden within us.

All of us have felt this at some point in our lives. There is a deep longing for someone. No matter how busy we become, how noisy the surroundings may be, there is this feeling that we have to share this life with someone. I think that this is completely natural. In all aspects of this Universe, there is a balance between two opposites that creates a harmonious Oneness. Warmth is to cold, left is to right, high is to low, strong is to weak, sky is to earth,  light is to darkness, good is to bad, and the list goes on. Without the other, the other cannot exist. This is one of the teachings of Buddhism called the Co-arising and inter-being. The same with the humans. We are capable of unlimited creations yet, without the co-creative energy from our "opposite" or our partner, our creations are limited. It is ironic, yet I think this is true. 

So, now you may be thinking, I am now without a partner, so, should I look for one? 
My answer is both yes and no.

Yes, you should have that feeling of seeking, and no, you should not feed that feeling. That longing should be there but you should not seek. That feeling is a crucial element in our growth. If we allow that feeling to consume us, our actions will become desperate and may result to misdirected passion and imaginations. We should, rather, use that feeling of longing and turn it upon itself. Use it as an inspiration to improve yourself, do what you aspire to do in your life. Do not let that longing stop you and wait for that person to arrive before doing your greater purpose in life. Most of us get caught in the past and trap ourselves in the longing for the future. I have encountered many couples who are guided by the light and have shared with me their encounters and all of them met their partners as they were pursuing what they felt was their calling in life. Life allows situations to happen only when all conditions are present. One of the most important conditions is that we must first and foremost have a sincere trust to the workings of this Universe or others may say that one must trust God completely. We must trust that the person we are longing for already exists and we simply have to trust that our paths will cross and that time, we will surely know. Similar to what the alchemist has been following in Paulo Coelho's book, the Alchemist, we must also be sensitive and alert for omens being spread around by the Universe.

In my experience, the more I put conscious effort in searching, the more I lose sight of that person. The more I travel far, the more I lose. I finally realized to surrender everything to God and to the Universe, by surrender, I mean trust my whole self, purpose, and faith to the Greater Workings of this Universe. It is actually very simple, I just have to do what I have to do, enjoy my purpose, be the person I want to be with. I have encountered many people and I am now confident that the way I perceive the person is already guided by the Light. Trust the Middle Way, do not pursue someone, but do not be lazy and do nothing. 

Simply put, be conscious of your longing but place your efforts in your purpose as an unlimited Creation. He or she already exists and they are also longing for you. You are both building yourself, calming your energies, reinforcing your foundations, so that when you meet, you will not be burned by your emotions and passions.

So just relax, enjoy the ride, as long as you and that person carry the same faith and aspirations in life, both of your paths will cross when Life allows it.


The omens for the arrival of your partner may come in many forms. For me, the arrival of this creature in my life is one such omen. She teaches me about patience, understanding, commitment, and compassion.



19 Jan 2017

Your Soil-Mind and Soil-Heart

The soil.

Everyday, as we step out of our dens, it is there. 

Where our homes rest upon, where our deceased loved ones lay, where our food grows, where the trees grow, where we spend our whole life, the soil is there.

The soil accepts and receives whatever is given to it. Whether good or bad, it does not discriminate. It  is honest. Provide it with organic matter and fertilizers, take good care of it so that it does not erode, allow biological diversity on it, then the soil will return the efforts you have given to it. Provide it with harmful substances, leave it bare with no vegetation, overuse it, then it will turn on you, such as the historic dust bowl. It is one of the most honest beings I can imagine.

Let us consider our hearts and minds as the soil. It is delicate in such a way that whatever we feed into it, it will give it back. Feed it with hatred, greed, intemperance, and other negative nutriments, and it will provide you back with the same energy. Feed it with love, peace, joy, and understanding, then it shall provide you back with more of the same energy. Be mindful of your soil-mind. Be alert as to what nutriments is being added into it. The soil-mind needs balance- plentiful positive or plentiful negative will result to misdirected passion and to misguided decisions. The soil carries millions of seeds, good and bad, and it is in our control what seeds will we allow to germinate. Then again, even if we allow bad seeds to germinate, as long as we are alert enough and carry out our practice, we can return the balance.

Know when to rest your soil-mind. Soils need a fallow (rest) period to replenish its vigor, so is the mind. Let it rest, let it rest. Do not cultivate it, do not plow it, let it stay and settle. The seasons will tell you when to start again. 

Trust that the soil is part of a diverse, all-encompassing Mother Earth. 

Your mind and hearts are also part of One massive Whole and these are not yours alone. These belong to no one yet these are everyone's. Take full care of your soil-mind/heart for it is always part of your ancestors and descendants, just as how we should give utter importance to the lands from our ancestors. 

"This year again the motherly terra gave us the food for the life. If it were not for the soil, or if the soil was poor, or if we did not have the skill to make use of the soil, could we exist now? Our life is worth living because the soil is there. The soil covers everything of our life. When we thank the soil with our whole heart and with our enthusiasm, it will accept our heart beyond any human knowledge. The soil lived in the past, is succeeded in the present, and bears all the possibility in the future." 

This is written by Shoko Sugano. I encountered this quote when I visited a Soil Museum in Furano. I couldn't agree more with what she said.

Earth and all the Cosmos is the largest Bible we can read and these can teach us the Truth of Creation. Through the Creations we can be in touch more with the Creator. Why not start with the soil?


"Humble as the Soil, my Spirit takes root on the vastness of Mother Earth's understanding"

15 Jan 2017

My New Partner



Her name is Mapp. Double P. It's actually an Ainu word meaning "to Love" and it's also the same name as the place where my land is. She's the first dog I ever took care of personally and I am very happy I chose her(or maybe she chose me?). She's an Ainu dog, a breed that has been with the indigenous people of Hokkaido for a very long time and has good hunting instincts, resistance to frigid temperatures, disease, and venomous animals.

Even though she's a dog, I learned many things from her about partnership and building a relationship. I can summarize what I learned in three points.

A relationship is something you choose and commit on

When I chose her, it's not just simply because she was cute or sturdy, but I chose her as my long-time partner and this goes beyond simply sticking together in good times but also wading it out through difficult times. Both of us have to adjust to each other and accept each other's rhythms and find the middle way. Maybe that is why the Buddha has taught us the middle way. Do not be too passionate, and do not be too lazy. Do not be too attached, and do not be too detached. A commitment is only possible when you do not strain too much on holding on but also do not let go. You simply have to have a strong foundation and trust and a deep knowing that what can happen will happen and what should happen, will. But, it is also important to know that your effort and will can also have an effect to the relationship. Your commitment together is the wheel and both of you are on the wheel. Sometimes, you are above, sometimes you are below, but as you go up and down, you move forward. Once you have committed to each other, make sure that this commitment is based on faith, grounded on your divine aspirations, and guided by both families. If this is not the case, then better think again about pursuing your commitment.

The initial spark you both had is just an infinitesimal part of True Love

Do not misunderstand the spark you had with someone is the sign of True Love. Yes, you may be attracted to each other but attraction is just the icing on the cake. There are many layers that you have not seen, many layers yet unknown and this will crush your expectations of that person. The question is, are you open, understanding, and calm enough to face these. True Love, according to Buddha (from Thich Nhat Hanh's explanation) has four elements- loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity or inclusiveness. Loving kindness is the capacity to make the other person happy. Compassion is the capacity to not only feel his or her suffering but also  relieve the other person's suffering. Joy is the capacity to make the other person experience joy. Inclusiveness is the all-embracing aspect of love. This includes loving the negatives and helping him or her improve, loving not only him or her but also the people around you, loving all the moments even if it's unpleasant. Practicing all these elements of True love needs patience and effort and that's what brings grace in cultivating this Love. It's not just a shallow attraction, this Love undergoes the pleasantness of summer and the cold of winter with the purpose of shooting upward, deepening inward, and sharing it's fruit with everyone.

Leave it all to God

I seldom speak of God because usually when one speaks of God, an image is instantly thought up of in the human mind. When I speak of God, I mean the Creator, the Natural Laws, the Universe's Workings. Leave it all to the God. You do what you have to do, do what you can but first and foremost, have a strong foundation of faith and trust to the Greater Source. There is nothing demeaning in accepting the fact that you surrender everything to God. Yes, we are in a way Creators as well but the Natures's Laws are based on one Divine Working that makes everything perform in one perfect harmony. Even Love is something that works in the dimension of Nature. Love attracts, it springs up within us, grows, and when left without care, withers. 

When you leave everything to God, you are not being lazy and unmindful, in fact, it is opposite. You are removing your ego, your expectations, your pride, and you are now courageous to step up and trust the path in front of you. You become more mindful of your steps because you always ask the question "Is this the Will of God?". You are now not moved by simple emotional outbursts of infatuation, loneliness, and longing. You are guided by the stronger force that leads you away from these superficial emotions that often lead to misguided decisions. You continue to build yourself, make yourself more worthy of the perfectness of Creations, and make yourself the best of who you are so that when God presents you with your partner, you are ready to ride the wheel of Life with that person. The Creations are perfect but among these, one stands above the rest and that is your partner, so is it not rational that he or she be worthy of a person worthy of being called a Creator?

So, leave it all to God. No more pride, no more expectations, no more unnecessary dramas, no more tension.

This partnership has taught me a lot and I'm sure more learnings will arise as we proceed on with life.   


Shipping container tiny house part 2: Ceiling and flooring installation

Hello my friends! It's been a while since my last update on the building of tiny house. The progress has been slow because of the holidays and continuous snowing and very cold temperatures. I was able to finish the ceiling and almost finish the flooring.

After removing all the ceiling, the rotten plywood, and the deteriorated insulation, I inspected the ceiling for any leaks and rotten framing. There were some leaks here and there but the framing was not rotten. I placed ten centimeters thick glass wool as insulation.


After the glass wool, I had some spare styrofoam insulation so I placed that as well under the glass wool.


After placing all the insulation, I installed a layer of waterproof sheet (vinyl sheet) so that any moisture from the inside of the room will no go into the roof and make the wood rot. The next essential point is to enable good ventilation within the room so that fresh air can enter and any excess moisture will be moving out of the room.


After the vinyl sheet is the plywood to cover everything up. I am considering of placing another layer of a ceiling material on top of the plywood to have a better interior feel but for now, this will do. Placing a 12mm plywood by yourself is no easy task. It's quite heavy and bulky and to place it properly squared makes it a difficult task. The trick I used is to find a 2 by 2 wood or any long piece of wood then use it as  sort of a foot for the plywood so while fixing the position, it wouldn't fall. Then, after finding the square, simply screw it in place. 



After the ceiling, I decided to work on the flooring. Usually, the next step is the walling but since the shipping container is slightly not levelled, I decided to fix the flooring first. I levelled the framing using a simple carpenter's level. I first framed the whole container, then started installing the inner frames. I used some metal straps to strengthen the floor. In between the frames, I placed ten centimeters thick glass wool insulation. Then, finally on top, I placed a plywood. Above this plywood I will place again a flooring to make the interior look better.



I'm not sure if I can finish everything by March but in this pacing, I think it's probable that I will. I have to make sure that this tiny house will be airtight so as to store all heat more efficiently and hopefully maintain a cool temperature during summer. Now, onto the walls and kitchen!

1 Jan 2017

Changing the world one hectare at a time

It was not a difficult decision to make the very first post for 2017 to be about the importance of one hectare of land. I have read this amazing series of books called the Ringing Cedars of Russia by Vladimir Megre. The following contents of this post will revolve mainly around that book so there may be some spoilers on some parts of the books.

Why give so much importance on a piece of hectare of land? 

Centuries, maybe even millennia, have passed when humans were still connected and in harmony with their lands. The land provided them with food, clothing, shelter, and all their other needs. People gave their love to the land and the land reflected it back to them such as the Sun has continuously reflected back to Earth our Love. Somewhere, at some point in history, people were enticed to be separated from their lands, do other jobs, forget the coolness of the soil, the tenderness of the grass, and the refreshing spring water. At some point in history, people were made to believe that to have a "civilized" sense of existence, we must graze down the forests, create cold, lifeless structures, and create a network of roads. Many children in this current era are born with all these technocratic creations already available, and many are made to think that this is how we should live. We have forgotten who we are. We have lost our sense of self because the moment we are born, most of us are fed as slaves to the system. This is the current reality. In the history of the human race, an immeasurable amount of blood has been spilled on quarrels of land. Taking away the land from the people equates to losing their freedom. 

Why is this so? 

Anastasia (the main character in Megre's book) makes everything clear as to how a hectare of land is essential to the growth and creation of a fully-fledged human.

A hectare of land has an area of 10,000 square meters(imagine about 24 basketball courts). This hectare of land is the start of everything. On this piece of land, the humans become true co-creators in all of its facets.

Food Needs

A hectare of land produces more than enough food for the family and provides a surplus for selling. Being able to produce your own food needs implies far deeper than simply satisfying the physical needs. Being able to grow your own food means you no longer take part in the decaying food system offered by system. You are able to touch, to feel, and to appreciate the food you are eating. You are aware of what goes into the soil, what amount of care is given to your food. As a parent, it is of utter importance that you are aware of what you feed to your children. Garbage in, garbage out. If you feed your child unmindfully, this will not only affect the physical growth of the child, but also the psychological side as well. 

I can only imagine the happiness when the day comes that I am able to have children and feed them the fruit from the tree that I planted on the day they were born. This connection is unbreakable. You planted the fruit trees with all the loving thoughts for your children and wife, then you take care of it with all the love you can give. Finally, the fruits will be harvested full of Love and offer it to your family. This, I feel, is the true connection among generations.

Shelter

On this land, you build your own house. You breathe the air, the pollens that your land provides. You are always at home and feel the protective energy from it. In every moment, you are in touch with the Creations and the Creations can give you all the insights and teachings they can give. The shelter will be built with only loving intentions for your family, for the creations and for the future co-creations. You are always surrounded by the light you radiate as your land reflects it back to you. You live in the Kingdom of the Creations by the Creator. You are always in the Presence of the Creator's shelter. Your home is no longer just the place where you sleep, your home is the whole land itself. 

Child-rearing

On this land, you will be able to raise your child as a Creator. The child will always be directly in touch with the Creations and he or she will obtain direct insight from these. As you work on your own land, you will be able to teach the child the deep connections of Nature. The child will no longer be bound by the four corners of the classroom, the illusory grading system, the corrupted history, and the false social system. Instead, the child will be free, free to be creative, to explore, to fail, to see reality, the Creations as they should be seen. You will co-create with the children, produce the food with them, cook the food with them, and eat with them. The importance of life, their purpose, the beauty and grace of the Creations will be amplified through the child's eyes.

Place for the raising of consciousness

On this land, you and your family will be able to raise your consciousness and be in direct communication with the Creator through the Creations. In my experience, just by simply mindfully observing the plants and animals in my land, I am able to attain insights that I have never attained before. The food that you produce and eat, the shelter you have built, and ethers you breathe- all are coming from the land that you have offered your Love, and this will surely help you be more aware and conscious of your Being. The effect is not only on you and your family but also with your friends and visitors. They will be able to feel your love and energy and hopefully spark something within them to pursue the same course of lifestyle as well.

These are just a few points of the importance of the hectare that the Books share and there are much more that I have missed and I feel that you yourself must read.

Sadly, the reality is not so friendly. Lands these days are expensive and to build a homestead, it takes money and a lot of time. Right now, I am in the process of trying to find the answer as to how to make things quicker for other people.

Hopefully, I will be able to find the answer soon and help people co-create more hectares of Love. 

Let us help each other out!

I am waiting for you, let us Co-create!

Let's plant trees! 

Let's build a house! 

Let's Co-create!

Happy New Year!


"Conjoint Creation and Joy for All from its Contemplation"
(Co-creation, Vladimir Megre)