The art of co-existing peacefully with your own conditioned and connecting mind is the art of living well. If this is achieved, then whatever you do and wherever you go, a measure of success is already yours. A solid foundation of peacefulness within your life is the platform upon which you can do truly great things. Peace: make a foundation. But of course the paradox is that if you grasp for peaceful moments too much then it doesn’t work, perfectionism is anything but perfect. Rather if you sincerely aim to benefit others and relinquish your clinging, even to being peaceful, then you can make progress. Easier said than done though, life is practice. And if you can accept your own craziness then it’s one of the sanest decisions you’ll ever make.
If you would like to gain far greater wisdom than my paltry offerings above and hope to create a solid foundation of peace and equanimity in your life then I recommend you attend online classes given by my Buddhist teacher: a highly experienced and respected Rinpoche with a deep knowledge of Buddhism, various other religions, fields, and – importantly – people. You don’t need to be a Buddhist to join the classes, you just need a respectful and open attitude and an interest in learning. I cannot recommend these lessons highly enough.
A visual summary of the five precepts and ten good deeds in the Buddhist tradition. This has not yet been checked by a qualified teacher and is based on my own limited understanding and some online research. If you see any mistakes feel free to let me know. Hope it helps!
使用 SimpleMind 應用程式製作 Made using the SimpleMind app
My attempt at summarizing the 10 good deeds: Love & protect all living beings, give generously, maintain discipline & self control, be truthful, promote peace & togetherness, speak kindly,speak plainly & about meaningful things, maintain non-attachment, be peaceful & compassionate, maintain clarity & wisdom.
Hand ups beat handouts hands down. The best way to help someone is often not by handing out money or food, but by giving them the means to earn it and feel valuable – one of our most basic human needs. Here is one possible way:
Here’s a collection of WISE QUOTES that could be made into wisdom cards.
Here are what I believe to be some of the most helpful and special quotes of all time. This collection is unique because it can almost be read as a single flowing text owing to the interconnectedness of the ideas. This collection started as a series of simple life guidelines I wrote for young English learners interspersed with related quotes. Over the years more and more quotes were added and much of my own slightly shoddy writing discarded.
Attention teachers! Sharing a relevant topic related quote in class can be a really interesting way to start discussions and get learners thinking.
I have found these quotes ideal for English classes and I keep a record of what quotes I have shared with what classes so that I can make class specific quotes lists and we can have fun review sessions. These quotes can also be used as part of the ‘Wisdom Cards‘ idea.
Helping people to make a foundation of peace in their minds, through visual representations of beneficial ideas.
The Logo Explained
This is not a religious website. The image just shows, what I (the artist) believe, are our true underlying goals for everything we do: health, peace, love & happiness. Almost all the things we do, all our efforts, all our projects, are simply to experience at least one of these things. Something that increases these things for others is what we generally call a ‘good’ thing, and something that reduces these is what we often call a ‘bad’ thing. Paradoxically we don’t achieve these states by grasping for them too directly, but by helping others to achieve them. Perhaps they are like the butterflies of life that rest upon our shoulder when we stop chasing them. They are all just states of the mind (health is mental and physical), so they are not dependent on external conditions. They are from inside not outside. We don’t need the latest phone, car or luxury item to be happy. We don’t need to worry too much about we look to others, because these things are not inherently connected to health, peace, love and happiness. Those are often only false connections we have made.
Body represents physical health, the glowing head is mental health, the sea is peace, the heart love and the sunshine happiness. Long may we all experience health, peace, love and happiness.
”Love all, serve all, help ever, hurt never” (Sai Baba)
Confucian Repentance: 不二過 No Second Pass (perhaps meaning to not let it come to pass a second time) A visual answer to the great question of how we can learn from the past but also be present. How to be careful yet care free. By being clear without excessive thinking (知而無念), & resolving sincerely to do better from now on. You can always make up for a mistake in the last moment by doing better in this moment.
picture made using procreate app on ipad
“Turn your face toward the sun and let the shadows fall behind you.” (Maori Proverb)
Be Clear About What You’re Doing & Do Meaningful Things
This is, in my opinion, a brilliant guiding principle. Many people live in a cage of unnecessary rules and many seem to have far too few guiding principles at all. If you just try to be aware (conscious of what you’re doing) and do meaningful (helpful or productive) things then for some this can make life much more enjoyable and productive.
Example:
You promised to do the washing up but an old friend you really like whom you haven’t seen in ages comes round.
Too few rules: You go off with your friend for hours and hours and forget about the washing up.
Too many rules: You tell your friend to go away because you have to do the washing up right now.
Aware + meaningful things: You welcome your friend inside (making people feel valuable is highly meaningful). You check to see if the washing up can be done later. If so, you enjoy being with your friend and when they leave you’re clear that you need to do the washing up.
Here are some more examples:
Too few rules:
You lounge around in front of the TV all day most days, with no idea what you will watch or what you’re really doing.
You often don’t get the work done you should have done and go out drifting around not doing much useful.
Too many rules:
You would really enjoy watching TV but never do because you see it as a distraction.
You forbid yourself from ever going out and keep yourself at your desk and work.
Aware + doing meaningful things
There are some shows which you really enjoy or which give you lots of knowledge, you know when they’re on, you watch them and then turn off the TV and do other stuff.
You often work well with focus and once you’re finished you go out. When you’re out you do fun or useful things. Sometimes when you’re working you feel like going out for a walk, so you head off to a cafe with your notebook and keep working. When you catch yourself daydreaming for too long you bring your focus back to the work.
Keep faith, hope and optimism alive always. Be the light you’d like to see.
The Peacemaker Foundation 
