How to develop a happy heart

You build up stress and get “psycho” because of a bad habit: you don’t balance your stress every day. It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill. In the beginning, it’s small and you can stop it. As it rolls, it becomes bigger; eventually, it is big enough to smash your house. If you want to be wise in life and make your life better, you have to catch the snowball when it is small.

Stress comes from within (e.g. anger, greed, ego, worry, and fear) and from without (e.g. family, work, society).

Make sure you organise time to have fun. Every night I take time to clean the dojo. I take care of the garden and give water to the plants. I enjoy taking care of them. I say hello to the baby bamboo, create joy in my heart, and feel their energy. Afterwards, I feel great and sleep great.

Create good habits. Before you go to bed, clean out your life, read philosophy, meditate: you will sleep joyfully (e.g. On Friday I met with Sean Pig. We ate ice cream, enjoyed each other’s company, discussed the Amitabha Buddha philosophy, and gave each other a message).

Make the right calculation with the right people, have the right intention, do the right activity in a joyful way and you will have no stress; you will find that your problems go away.

The best way to deny a negative is to create a positive.

• I organise “Me Time”. From 1 to 3 pm each day, I have no appointments. I end with a 15-minute nap, and then go back to work.
• Go to the dojo.
• If you are in a grumpy mood, follow the philosophy, not what you feel is wisdom, because your thinking is affected by your grumpy mood.
• If you want to calm your energy, read philosophy or other spiritual words, or listen to spiritual mantras or music.
• At the end of day, think about all the negatives that you’re holding onto. See them from the other point of view and develop positive wisdom from it.
• Play spiritual music in the background when you are going to bed.
• If you are trapped in greed or worry, read philosophy to take your mind off it or do something kind or caring for someone else.
• Never compare yourself to other people. Respect every life as an Individual I. Enjoy what they have without envy. Let them inspire you to make your life more perfect.
• Take time off. Do Chi Gong, Tai Chi, stretching, and bowing. This will change your mood to positive or neutrally joyful.
• When you bow, focus on what you truly value. You can ask for help from a consciousness much higher than yours. Talk to your heart, concentrate to purify your mind with pure images and perfect philosophy. Only put your attention on what is valuable, don’t get lost in anything else. If it’s worth fighting for, if you have passion for it, then it’s valuable. It’s like doing meditation, be aware of what has spiritual value.
• Smile: always let the corners of your mouth turn up.
• Each day without bowing, sharing time with spiritual people, practising Tai Chi, stretching, reading philosophy, is a waste. Don’t be a slave to work. If you make time to do even one practice, then it’s a good day. If I don’t release the tension that life creates, when I work I feel like a draft horse! Develop joy; be sharper and wiser each day.
• Do some housework. Feel joy because you are purifying your life. This is one of the ways to become Buddha.
• Take everything lightly; have no worries.
• Write out notes from philosophy classes.
• Be disciplined: read philosophy books.
• Share life today with everyone.
• Experience joy without stupidity: eat a piece of cake, but only one!
• Sit quietly and reflect.
• Music: play an instrument to create focus and calm. When is the time for your passion? It takes just a little bit of practice each day to improve.
• Make time for a long, hot bath.
• Go outside to somewhere natural and relax.
• Do a workout.
• Share a meal.
• Be spontaneous: allow yourself the freedom to do something different. Have coffee, change plans. Enjoy structured spontaneity.

This post is taken from a talk by Forever Wisdom Forest on 30 October 2011 at the Sydney dojo.