Lama Zopa Rinpoche's arrival

Just got news this morning about the arrival details of my root guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, on Tuesday. Yippee!!!! I have not seen Rinpoche for a year. He will be here to give teachings during the CNY period and to give blessings on the 1st day of CNY itself.

Below are some tips from Amitabha Buddhist Centre regarding Rinpoche, if you are keen to see him and to attend his teachings, because Rinpoche is truly an unique teacher in his own right. Hope to see those of you who is attending. Give me a shoutout, will you?

Tips for Attending Lama Zopa Rinpoche's Teachings

Here at ABC, we are a-buzz with activity as we prepare for the Lunar New Year visit by our Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We hope all members and students at ABC, old ones and new, are gearing up to welcome Rinpoche and attend the teachings and events lined up from 14 - 23 February. Click here for more details. With hundreds of visitors anticipated for the duration of Rinpoche's programme, we would like to offer some tips to help everyone create a happy shared experience throughout: Pack Light -  bring the minimal with you in terms of size and number of possessions and the bag to carry them in. We will be arranging for full seating capacity in our gompa and hope to make enough room for everyone that's coming. Sit Tight -  whether you're bringing your family to the Lunar New Year Blessing or receiving the commentary on Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga or the HYT Initiation, you may want to leave your personal clock at home. Remember that Rinpoche takes heaps of incomparable patience upon himself to teach us and to ripen our good imprints and does not usually rely on the conventions of time. So be prepared to practise sitting patiently for stretches of time at the various events.  Plan right - the evening teachings could go late or even last all night. If you have young children or infants, it would be best to organise baby-sitting in advance. It would be ideal to minimise interruptions of any kind and maintain a respectfully quiet environment during the teachings. For this reason, remember to switch your mobile phone off or activate the 'silent' mode.   These are some easy ways in which we can all play a part to enhance the success of Rinpoche's visit. We hope to organise everything as smoothly as possible and really appreciate your cooperation and understanding. Look forward to seeing you at Rinpoche's teachings! Amitabha Buddhist Centre

Bully

My mom is a retiree. She left the civil service umpteen years ago.  She used to work for some prominent people in those days. After her retirement, however, she did not want to stay idle at home. So she has been working in a school library for the past 9 years. The pay is miserable, but it is ok, or so we thought, as it is something to keep her occupied. 

However, the past few months, after the school has shifted back to their renovated building, mom's workload has increased due to new arrangements. Her pay has not increased but she has to work longer hours (checking in earlier than starting time) and leaving later than usual (without  overtime pay). On a few occasions, mom did not even get to eat lunch because the library was occupied by teachers and students throughout the day for lessons (don't they have new classrooms to have proper lessons in? Why use the library?!) and there was no one to take over mom for even half an hour (yes their lunch hour is only 30 minutes).  Mom went hungry and my mom is someone who cannot go hungry, because of her health and also, being hungry makes her agitated and angry.  After a few occasions, my mom brought up this issue with her manager. Instead, in return, she was scolded for being incompetent in her role, her manager said "I don't like your attitude".  The manager even challenged my mom to complain to the principal or the vice principal. This made my mom very upset. She reports to this manager, and 'gives her face' by bringing issues encountered to her, yet she was scolded and brushed off to talk to even higher authority.

Then just the other day, when some workers were doing some shifting at the library, the teacher/s in charge were not present due to some reason, there was no one to supervise the workers and my mom was not briefed on what to relay to the workers. This tyrant of the manager came into the library after a while, and started ranting at my mom for no reason, shouting at her in front of the workers, who were all shaking their heads at the tyrant's scolding.

My mom felt so insulted for being reprimanded for no reason, and in front of strangers too. It seemed the manager had something to grind with mom after the previous episode. Apparently this manager treats all administrative staff and operations staff in a very condescending and rude manner. She leads by simply shouting at her staff to get things done, by being very fierce. Hence this person is not very popular among the staff. 

Of course I am infuriated. Who is this person to bully my mom in such a manner? Even if my mom has really done something wrong, was this how an educated person in a managerial post IN an educational institution behaves?  How do schools supervise and monitor their staff performance (be it a manager, a teacher, a librarian or a cleaner), besides just pushing students for excellent grades?  Are staff in the lower ranks being taken advantage of?  My mom said this manager is even younger than her own children! And in those civil service days, this very manager was just a young girl working in my mom's department and my mom was her senior. I am waiting to see how this manager is going to address the issues my mom brought up. See if she is still going to continue bullying the old and weak. If this continues, I am going to get my mom out of the place. Since the manager has refused to accept responsibilities, and is obviously not capable  or equipped with the necessary skill set to manage, I am going to "higher authority". I am not going to sit back and see other people get bullied the same way in future. They think my mom is just an old ignorant woman. They forget my mom has children who are not going to sit back and see her being bullied.  They do not know I can be very vocal if I want to. They do not know there are different mediums in which people can feedback. Shame, it's a school some more.

Butterfly or angel??

Niece in her latest Chinese dance costume. Not sure what's her next gig gonna be.

Like attracts like

Read this from Moonpointer's blog, so true, isn't it, tit for tat?  

Tit: Our boss is becoming more of a stickler for punctuality...

Tat: What's wrong with that?

Tit: ... while he disregards the extended hours of time we voluntarily worked!
 

Tat:  What you mean is that he should give and take? 

Tit: Exactly! Because we do give much more everyday, even if we are a little late on some days!

Tat: You will notice something soon...

Tit: What's that? 

Tat: The more  bosses want staff to be punctual in arriving, they more they will be punctual in leaving!

Tit: Why is that so? 

Tat: The calculative attracts the calculative.

Tit: Yeah... when bosses lose appreciation for staff's extra efforts, these efforts will lessen! 

So are you ngiao and giam siap (hokkien for calculative and stingy)???  

In the same breath, here is another interesting short article from www.dailyom.com which I whole-heartedly agree with two hands and two legs up, titled Like Attracts Like.  Would like a friend of mine to read this (you know who you are). 

When we look at other people, we see many of their qualities in innumerable and seemingly random combinations. However, the qualities that we see in the people around us are directly related to the traits that exist in us. "Like attracts like" is one of the spiritual laws of the universe. We attract individuals into our lives that mirror who we are. Those you feel drawn to reflect your inner self back at you, and you act as a mirror for them. Simply put, when you look at others, you will likely see what exists in you. When you see beauty, divinity, sweetness, or light in the soul of another, you are seeing the goodness that resides in your soul. When you see traits in others that evoke feelings of anger, annoyance, or hatred, you may be seeing reflected back at you those parts of yourself that you have disowned or do not like.

Because we are all mirrors for each other, looking at the people in your life can tell you a lot about yourself. Who you are can be laid bare to you through what you see in others. It is easy to see the traits you do not like in others. It is much more difficult to realize that you possess those same traits. Often, the habits, attitudes, and behaviors of others are closely linked to our unconscious and unresolved issues.

When you come into contact with someone you admire, search your soul for similarly admirable traits. Likewise, when you meet someone exhibiting traits that you dislike, accept that you are looking at your reflection. Looking at yourself through your perception of others can be a humbling and eye-opening experience. You can also cultivate in you the traits and behaviors that you do like. Be loving and respectful to all people, and you will attract individuals that will love and respect you back. Nurture compassion and empathy and let the goodness you see in others be your mirror.

Karma & Chameleon

How many of you remember the song Karma Chameleon by Culture Club many eons ago? The chorus is addictive and strikes a chord ... which goes like this.... 

Karma karma karma karma karma chameleon,
you come and go, you come and go.
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams,
red gold and green, red gold and green...

I just read an e-Newsletter from Kechara House, entitled Karma & Chameleon. I thought it is a nice article and relevant for a friend who is having a little problem right now to read it.  

A chameleon protects itself by changing its body's colours through a bio-chemical process to 'hide' itself in different environments. However it does not work all the time and they do fall prey to predators. There are no principles in this world which are absolutely dependable. Even gravity fluctuates and all scientific laws operate only within certain parameters.

Buddha said to rely on karma for total protection. Well, Mr. Karma can't protect you directly but if we understand its principles, we can work with it to attain everlasting happiness and freedom from all suffering.

A chameleon may be fascinating for some, but if being one is not your cup of tea, then we have to know what or who Mr. Karma is to make sure we don't become a reptile in our future rebirth. We can never be sure what stupid things we might have done in our previous lives.

The term 'karma' is popularly used as a noun, as in "bad karma" or "good karma". You slipped on a banana skin, and it's bad karma. Someone returned a lost item to you and that's good karma. It's a cool way to describe an event but there's more to it than that.

The law of karma is a special instance of the natural causal laws operating in this universe whereby all our actions of body, speech and mind are the causes and our experiences are their effects.

All of us can understand cause and effect in its generality. For example, when there is thunder and lightning, we can expect rain; when sand and stone are mixed with cement, you get concrete. Things are produced when certain causes and conditions come together.

The karmic cause and effect we are referring to here applies to living beings and animate objects. A table or a boat don't have good or bad karma.

More definitively, karma means action. It operates through volitional or willed activities. To understand karma better we need to know its three main components - actions, their effects and the imprints of actions.

When one engages in any action, upon its completion, it deposits an imprint or potentiality in one's mindstream. When the right conditions are met, it will ripen and their results are experienced. These potentialities can lie dormant long after an action has been committed.

Whenever an action is performed, we get an immediate and a subsequent effect. For example, when we get angry and shout at  someone, our face gets hot and we immediately feel the pain or discomfort of anger. When this is over, an imprint has been deposited in our mindstream which can ripen as further negative repercussions  in the future.

As Buddhists, this is a very important point to understand. When an action has ripened, there is not much we can do about it. Even Buddhas can't help us. For example, we are reborn as humans now and we have to live out our life in this form. It will be futile in this life, to pray to become an angel next morning or in 20 years time.

However, as long as the potentialities stay dormant, we have the opportunity to purify or to remove them so that they don't create problems for us later. We have real hope to have a better future than our present one.

Here's the song Karma Chameleon, sang by the iconic Boy George. Have a nice weekend! 

They should've added 'No Vandalism' too

Posted via web from STUMPBO's posterous

What'ya think she's up to?

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Passed by this lady and she was there hugging the tree with her face hidden for the longest time, without moving. What do you think she's up to?

Spring is here.... la la la....

Spring is here! The Metal Tiger is here (although most prefer to call it the Golden Tiger). Phew I have finally managed to do everything I needed to do to the house, especially applying the feng shui cures. It is forecasted that this year will be a tough one with conflicting energies, because the bazi of the year has 2 Tigers and 2 zodiac enemies, Rabbit and Rooster. And Water is totally missing this year. That's why they say it will be a tough and challenging year. However, Spring is a season I like best in terms of element, as it is of the Wood element, and I need Wood! But in terms of weather, my favourite season is actually Autumn.

Nonetheless, I believe it will be a better year for me than the previous year of the sleeping Ox. This is because Tiger is my friend, AND I have lots of water, so hopefully the balancing effect of the year and personal bazi will help me ride through the year smoothly. Think positive! And let's hope the economy will continue to grow, be at peace with others and ourselves, and also lesser natural calamities.

Contrary to beliefs, I do not think that all Tiger-born people are fierce and cunning, especially the women. I have an aunt who is born in the year of the Tiger, and although she has a nasty mouth which spouts nonsense, she has a kind heart and she gets along fine with me, she dotes on me. I also have an uncle who is a Tiger, and he is such a nice, gentle, hardworking man. And, my niece is also a Tiger, my ally forever! Gonna hug her real tight! Haha! This was the little Tiger when she was small!

May the new Spring bring you happiness and success all year round!

Fish & Chips, literally...

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Lunching with a Mr Cheese. This is fish & chips, literally, sans salad or any sides. Excellent!

God of Wealth among bewildered beings

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I found out that the 财神爷 (God of Wealth) will be coming from the South-east on the first day of CNY which is 14 Feb 2010 and the time is early Rat Hour which is from 1am to 3am. Remember to invite him into your house! Huat ah!!

To do, to do, to do...

I don't have time to blog (in fact I am writing this on my phone outside). Trying to squeeze in these 2, 3 days to get so many things done before 4 Feb. Yes that is the target date I set myself to complete CNY preparations, even though it's still a good more than 10 days to CNY.

What do I need to prepare, you ask? It's the little stuff which many of us may not pay attention to.

1. Salvation Army

It's a yearly ritual for me to clear my wardrobe and pack my old clothes and to decide which pieces I no longer will wear and to donate them to the Salvation Army. I'm no hoarder of clothes. When it's time to go, it's time to go.

2. Spring Cleaning

Although we have a part time maid who comes once a month to clean the house, we still need to wash the toilets, mop floors. And I have cleared and packed the store room, really incredible how much junk we have only one and a half years in this place.  Most of these junk are my parents' stuff, things which they would not be using anymore yet they are keeping and do not allow me to throw. Even then, just the storeroom and kitchen alone, I have thrown away more than 10 bags of rubbish.  Can you imagine how many pots and pans we have as well as tons of Tupperware items Mom bought? If I am living alone I  definitely will have so much lesser junk. Luckily the more tedious tasks of cleaning our numerous windows and all cabinets and cupboards are done by the maid.

3. Repair Works
Coincidentally and luckily some items in the household got spoilt or broken just about the same time before the CNY.  I had my bedroom door handle replaced as the lock was spoilt, had to pay because the so-called warranty is over (HDB really need to review the quality of products by its sub-contractors as I heard many of the neighbours have the same problem). The pump of my water feature also got spoilt, the spring inside broke. So I bought an even more powerful one.  The pipe of the toilet bidet was also leaking so I had it fixed. We also had all the aircon units serviced. Now the aircon in my room is freezing. I got a new set of sofa covers after much difficulty because we wanted to maintain the leather sofa.

3. Feng Shui

Being well exposed to feng shui, it has been my interest and hobby since childhood to read up on feng shui, bazi, flying stars, face reading, animal zodiac signs and even astrology and numerology. Each year I will know from reading, that particular year's flying stars and thus implement the cures to the specific sectors of the house which fall under unfavourable flying stars. For example, the 3 most important areas to watch out for are the locations of the Tai Sui, the Five Yellow and the Three Killings for the current year. So my job is to install the cures / solutions where these 3 areas are. To me, it's better to be safe than sorry.

4. Dressing up

Not dressing myself up, but rather the house. After the springcleaning is done, it's time to decorate the house with auspicious CNY couplets and scrolls. It livens up the atmosphere, you know, sets the mood for the new year. One important couplet I will definitely buy a new one each year is the God of Wealth. It's become a habit. We want new wealth every year, right?

Ok these are just some of the preliminaries for the Chinese New Year I usually do. I've not talked about food and reunion dinners yet. Man, sometimes I wish to just getaway for a holiday during this period in order to avoid the hassle. But on the other hand, I feel these are necessary and important to ensure we have a good and smooth year ahead, even if just psychologically. :)

Wholesome organic meal - Vinegar Rice Set

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Huge moon tonight

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See the huge-ass moon tonight shining brightly. In 3 days time, 4 Feb, it will be  立春 Li Chun, meaning Spring is here. The Tiger is officially here, folks, even though Chinese New Year falls on 14 Feb this year. 

Don't have much time to sit down and blog. But I will try blogging while on the go... for example, in the train, or in the hair salon, or during makan time.