Although the experience of this natural disaster brought with it much suffering, the irony is that it also brought the opportunity for learning and growth and in this case the beauty of the spirit of kindness and compassion. Obstacles are problems, given to us humans to solve. This post-experience reflection with a guide gives you another voice that can ask questions and draw comparisons to abstract ideas that are now more completely understood. One very common tendency and temptation most people struggle with is to become fixated upon sufferings, humiliations and the false opinions of others. In living in the aspiration of Amida Tathagatha, we not only come to notice our own limitation and ignorance as a human being but also are able to live hand in hand with one another as fellow practicers. It wasn't that I had planned such a day but it was inevitable after my wife and I received a call yesterday from a good friend who told us that his wife had just passed away a few hours before he called. When I offered them supplies for their homes, their response was, “Please give it to the other family; they may need it more than I do.” I had much difficulty distributing the supplies. All power and telephone lines were down. Reflection 63: How do You Speak to Others? Challenges are a part of everyday life. His Will always offers us hope, confidence and joy as we move forward in life (See, Reflection 270: The Details of the Will of God, Reflection 272: The External Manifestation of the Heart, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, National Liturgical Calendars of the World, Reflection 343: Glorifying the Lord in All Things, Reflection 342: The Refreshment of the Passion, Reflection 337: Helping the Anxiety of Others. The Importance Of Overcoming Obstacles In Life. We are living in an unprecedented time as globally, we are all dealing with the interruptions, disruptions, and changes to our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Do you have examples of tackling complex problems in your neighbourhoods? Instead, look only at the Will of God. Namo Amida Butsu. Amidst all the uncertainty about the virus and how long it might take before life begins to return to normal, there can be no doubt that nursing and the provision of health care will come out the other side of this pandemic stronger and better prepared to face future challenges. In this edition of Leadership Wired, we’ll look at “The Big 5,” a list of the top challenges experienced by leaders, and we’ll discuss steps to develop an appropriate attitude toward each challenge. Help me to discover Your Will as the only Truth that I must know and help me to embrace Your Will with my whole being. One very common tendency and temptation most people struggle with is to become fixated upon sufferings, humiliations and the false opinions of others. Learn by example and become a better writer with Kibin’s suite of essay help services. Lord, help me to remain focused on the Truth as it is seen by Your watchful eye and known by Your perfect Mind. Stuck on your essay? ”Your self-esteem won’t come from body parts. No matter who the person is or how old they are, everyone faces various obstacles and challenges that make their lives difficult. A Day in My Life: Living Under the COVID-19 Pandemic. Rev. Address to Maple Grove United Church on August 20, 2017. Journal reflections completed at lower levels of reflection (Wessel and Larin, 2006) – need to engage students in reflecting at higher levels; Could be viewed as a time consuming process by many students who are pre-occupied with their studies and are coping with work demands. The Teaching and Learning Issues presented here explain the challenges faced in teaching a particular topic. Assessment of damage by families was the first step and then to secure shelter, food and water. Reflection 240: Sweetness or Bitterness in Life? Overcoming Obstacles “Challenges are what make life interesting. For Shinran, he was keenly aware of the suffering of others. You need to step away from the mirror every once in a while, and look for another reflection, like the one in the eyes of the people who love you and admire you.” – Stacy London. Meaningful Reflection on Life Challenges. With this he just floats as he no longer struggles. Family members get sick, people get older, you don't always get the job or the promotion that you want. Some people are faced with physical limitations such as not being able to pick something up or walk up a flight of stairs while others may be faced with mental limitations such as being unable to comprehend … © 2020 Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. Regular periods of self-reflection effectively allow you to: Learn from your failures, mistakes, … Similarly, whatever it is that causes you grief or suffering can easily become the focal point of your life. Much of the island was in a chaotic state. With an appreciation of struggle in the many kinds of conditions that we face, we can come to understand and appreciate the true beauty of life. Here I thought to myself, how is it that in this time of real struggle, there still exists a wonderful spirit of support for one another. Today was a day of reflection. An interesting observation I had was that the people of Niihau who are known to be hardy people who live simply, began sending their generators to Kauai for families to use as they knew they could do well for themselves with using basic supplies such as charcoal and kerosene lamps. We gather here today in the spirit of Buddhist brotherhood and fellowship — of loving hearts that shall always be guided to be quick to help and sympathize and to be slow to criticize or hurt. What is the Truth? Outline existing research or learning techniques that are relevant to your challenges. Shinran in the Collected Works of Shinran says, “In the final analysis it would be splendid if all people say the Nembutsu, not with thoughts of just yourselves, but for the sake of the country and for the sake of the people of the country.”. Amida Buddha who represents the ocean has been there all along. Reflection 20: Give Your Life to Jesus Every Day, Reflection 19: The Lord Accepts You in His Mercy, Reflection 18: Mercy Given Through Priests, Reflection 17: Turn to Our Blessed Mother in Prayer, Reflection 15: God is Relentless in His Love, Reflection 14: True Satisfaction Only Through Mercy, Reflection 13: An Invitation Within the Silence, Reflection 12: Adoring the Trinity in Your Soul, Reflection 11: Adoration of the Most Holy Trinity, Reflection 10: Apostolic Movement of The Divine Mercy, Reflection 9: Meditation on His Passion at the 3 O’Clock Hour, Reflection 8: Pondering the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Reflection 7: Instituting the Solemnity of Divine Mercy, Reflection 3: The Creation of the Angels as an Act of Mercy, Reflection 2: Creation as an Act of Mercy. Be intentional about reflecting back their strength of character. Before this course, I was more inclined … My Greatest Challenge: A Self-Reflection. Think about challenges you have overcome. Monshu Koshin Ohtani shared a message at the 13th World Buddhist Women’s Conference held three weeks ago in Honolulu. Firemen, police and rescue personnel risked their lives to save other lives. There are optimists who choose to see the bright side of this world. The point in Buddhism is to be aware and the teachings of Buddha to guide you. As you seek to look beyond the struggles of life and focus only on the Truth, you will discover God’s glorious Will. Briefly describe your current learning career and trajectory Briefly describe the learning aim that is of importance to you Describe your biggest mental challenges in achieving your learning aim. The Sangha and temple activities can be a great support as we help one another in learning and thereby naturally transmitting the teachings to others. Most obstacles are extremely hard and challenging… Regardless of how it happens, loss is one of the life’s biggest challenges. Subscribe to our daily Divine Mercy Reflections via email! . 30. It can feel abrupt and disruptive. Life is something that is much more complex than anyone can imagine. 29. It’s that which is in the Mind of God. Be gentle when honesty requires a hard look at something in another’s life. Amida’s boundless compassion supports us assisting us in the awareness that our self-centered nature is so strong and that even though you know that Amida surrounds you, you are still attached to self. In our Jodo Shinshu practice, it is in the realization of Amida’s Compassionate Vow that there arises within our hearts a natural expression of gratitude for salvation that is assured. Many even died giving up their lives while attempting to rescue people from the burning buildings and recovering those lost and covered in debris from the collapsed buildings. Jennifer Hyman 1. Amida’s calling is the call from self-power to Other power. Be conscious of building people in a way that challenges them to continue moving forward in their lives. Basically all normal life activities came to an abrupt halt. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. The 9-11 attack and its destructive result bring to bear upon us and upon people throughout the world the notion of suffering. When he is absolutely clear that he is unable to deal with the struggle himself, he lets go. We need to study in the sense of supporting dharma learning. If you did not receive an email please check your spam and other folders. They confided in one another and supported one another. With this gratitude which comes from a deep appreciation, having had to experience the struggle of life, the wish is to share this with others. Believe it. The book is a collection of dharma messages by each of the active ministers. Amida’s Great Compassion is now and has always been supporting us toward this goal. The reason that I am amazed by my existence thus far is because of what I learned in this course about all the different stages of development and the theories that influenced my development. Thank you for inviting me here to your beautiful Lahaina Temple for your Autumn O-Higan Service. You have conflicts in your life. Nothing less, nothing more, nothing other. Ken Tanaka gave the keynote address at the 13th World Buddhist Women Conference where he presented a metaphor of a person struggling alone in the ocean who is exhausted dealing with suffering and yet continues to rely on himself in dealing with his struggles. However, loss gives you the opportunity to reflect on what is truly important so that you … These tendencies must be overcome by a commitment to look beyond these obstacles and to gaze only on the Truth. Peace however, begins with me. I think that life is difficult. Plus, if a challenge remains difficult for you, you can devise new ways of trying to overcome it. DEKKER’S ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN PAIN / 18 Comments. David Nakamoto. What is it that you are most aware of day after day? Or. The word Higan is a Buddhist term and was originally taken from the Sanskrit term “Paramita” which is translated as “gone to the other shore.” The words “other shore” refer to the “World of Nirvana.” In contrast to this, is the transient world of illusory birth and death. Reflection 271: Looking Past the Obstacles in Life One very common tendency and temptation most people struggle with is to become fixated upon sufferings, humiliations and the false opinions of others. 55 quotes have been tagged as life-challenges: Amit Ray: ‘Life is not always perfect. Please check your email now and click the confirmation link to confirm your request. In Buddhism, to be truly compassionate is to feel the suffering of the other person. Overcoming them is what makes them meaningful”. These tendencies must be overcome by a commitment to look beyond these obstacles and to gaze only on the Truth. This, of course, was Hurricane Iniki. God's blessings! I share these profound words of the Monshu as they relate powerfully to the events such as the 9-11 attack. No matter how difficult our situation may be, we must firmly accept Shinran Shonin’s wish of “May there be peace in the world, and may the Buddha’s teaching spread,” and make every effort to build a world in which all the lives, regardless of race or country, can fully live with joy and to the utmost. 9 November, 2020 | Recetas municipales is a documentary produced by ZEMOS98. I let go of the idea that I am a victim of my circumstances. Loss. We had all faced challenges in life that could have broken us: betrayal by a spouse, MS and an abusive relationship. Read More . We gather here today in the spirit of Buddhist brotherhood and fellowship — of loving hearts that shall always be guided to be quick to help and sympathize and to be slow to criticize or hurt. There are pessimists who might enjoy … For example, if you are unjustly humiliated and others have an erroneous opinion of you, it can be exceptionally hard to keep this from dominating your thoughts. In deep gratitude and appreciation for the countless blessings we enjoy, we repeat the holy name. Your reflection process is best led by a workplace guide such as a supervisor, mentor, or a faculty member after the experience. If you tend to let yourself become drawn into the confusions of life, work to change the focus of your attention. The Primal Vow of Amida Tathagatha which calls out to “the sentient beings of the ten quarters” is directed equally and without discrimination toward all living things. Reflection Of Life Author: Byron Pulsifer, ©2012. The word ‘Church’ is derived from a Greek word which literally means “the gathered ones”. For this reason, you’ll end each day of the Challenge with a reflection— A note on how the day went, something you’re thankful for, an intention for tomorrow, a story, even a motivational quote. No one really counts the number of obstacles they face in their lives because as the years go by, they just keep piling on endlessly. What is the Truth? Overcoming obstacles are never easy to begin with. A Reflection on My Life Development Until Now As I look reflect upon my years of existence I am amazed by the process. As shown in the basic Buddhist Teaching of dependent causation, all life on the earth is interconnected and lives in mutual respect of each other. The challenge will not wait. Dekker, a service dog, takes on new challenges as he draws from his dog-wisdom to give advice to humans in pain. I was asked to speak to you today about the organization … Be mindful of the reflection you hold up to those close to you. No matter how frustrating, confusing, or scary this crisis gets, fear doesn’t have the final say. When we experience one or more of these burdens, we can be tempted to make them the central focus of our life. This suffering, however, can bring the opportunity for learning, and growing can arise. It could be something as big as being born with a disability or something as simple as learning how to ride a bike. / 8 Comments. WHAT IS THE SECRET OF AGING WELL? Reflection 356: The Beating of Your Heart, Reflection 355: Idle Talk, a Sign of an Idle Soul, Reflection 351: To Know or Experience God, Reflection 349: Losing Your Peace of Heart, Reflection 348: God Fulfills what He Reveals. Along with achievements, you can also get insight into the many challenges you have faced in your life. These quotes help us deal with challenges in life and at work, helping us set goals for ourselves and understand our own motivations. His Will is glorious, inspiring, hopeful and renewing. Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. Jesus, I trust in You. 2. Life Challenges. Ones ” persistent you can devise new ways of trying to overcome it agency! Conference held three weeks ago in Honolulu inevitable and I am a victim of my life: Living Under COVID-19... Building people in a different light St. Thérèse, the Little Flower September 22-30 Image... ‘ life is something that is part of our life that are relevant to your beautiful Lahaina Temple for Autumn. Diary # 1360 ) my circumstances become the focal point of your life after day improving your life #. Are relevant to your beautiful Lahaina Temple for your Autumn O-Higan service that the lotus blossom blooms in sense. 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