The Glorious Eightfold Path!
1 VIEW
It is a skillful ‘view’ that sees reality as it is: without permanence—non-static (anicca), without denying the nature of suffering (dukkha); without a conceit of a self (anatta)!
2 INTENTIONS
Such views inspire skillful ‘intentions’ to grow within us; proliferating initiatives that are without attachment, harm, and hate!
3 SPEECH
Such intentions blossom into skillful ‘speech’ that are free of lies, divisiveness, harshness, and unnecessary chatter!
4 ACTION
Such words formulate the thinking behind our skillful ‘actions’; deeds free of killing, taking what isn’t given, sexual misconduct, deception, and intoxication!
5 WORK
Such actions combine into skillful ‘work’; professions that refrain from trading in beings - alive or dead - weapons, poisons, and toxins!
6 EFFORT
Such work provides the time and space to make the skillful ‘effort’ to cultivate wholesomeness through the restraint of sensory stimulation!
7 MINDFULNESS
Such effort to guard the sense doors becomes a skillful ‘mindfulness’; being presently aware to calm our body, our feelings, our thoughts, and our rhythms/cycles!
8 MEDITATION
Such mindful awareness deepens into a skillful ‘Samadhi’; finding quiet seclusion to enjoy the breath, the stillness, the union of our meditation… and such Meditation generates clarity; a clearer, more skillful view into the marks of existence!
