Tyler

Tyler

 

(It’s about being happy with simple things in life and appreciating those simple things for what they are. At home we try to live a very very simple life. )

 

 

What was your prayer journey?
I’ve had some interest in Buddhism for quite sometime – probably over a decade

I came to that focus or interest through my martial arts. It sort of shifted focus when I wasn’t young any more and couldn’t continue on with it. The body gets to a certain stage when we can do certain things and I wanted to keep some form of interest as such so I started reading a lot of books. I come across a particular book called ‘The Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree’ – from a monk called Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. His monastery is in Southern Thailand. A lot of his quotes, beliefs and ideas sit very very well with me. I’ve taken more of that journey and read many of his books and travelled to Thailand a few times. I’ve tried to bring those principles back into my life, into western living. It’s a work in progress – a lifelong project – to try and better yourself; to try and make yourself a good human being.

What does prayer mean to you?
Formally, I think I had trouble reflecting on the fact that I probably don’t do prayer as such. I think the reason Buddhadasa Bhikkhu sat well and gelled well with my ideas is that one of his quotes was – you could go to your temple and do prayer everyday and do all these things in a traditional perception in what other religions might consider good behaviour – but he more or less said that that not necessarily would make you a good Buddhist. It’s about you in yourself, what you do in your environment, how you wish to conduct yourself in society and where you put your efforts: whether it’s through interacting with people or your work, or being at home within nature or around animals. That’s how I sort of view – I suppose – the principles of what I’m doing; the right thing. Other people may have a different name for it.

I use visualisation at times, I suppose concepts of mindfulness. I sit down and reflect upon things – critiquing myself. I ask myself, “How could you have dealt with that better?”

Buddhism sort of brings you back in balance; to try and enable you not to desire or want certain things. One of the other concepts I’ve learnt – Buddhism is the art of practising emptiness – trying to quash that fire within – all those cravings that you can have.

It’s all those undertones that some may consider sit somewhere within prayer; whether it’s visualisation or conducting yourself in a certain manner.

Have things changed for you over the years?
When we are young we don’t have those abilities to have knowledge – maybe a mentor – nobody gives a guide to being a parent. As a young person I found through trials and tribulations, challenges and facing adversity I was looking for things to either to enable my confidence to be better, be able to interact with people, perhaps. You find you can be anxious or nervous around (something) or to have confidence to broach certain subjects in certain situations. As I’ve gotten older I have very, very clear eyes, now. I am a very analytical person when it comes to my workplace and environment and I can pick up on certain personalities, their agendas, their egos. Buddhism enables a sense of clarity trying to reach that form of peacefulness within yourself. I have learned that I shouldn’t cling onto certain situations or scenarios that can have a by-product of making yourself feel sad or unhappy or or angry. Sometimes there are times in your life where you loose track and it’s about trying to guide yourself back to that centre focus again.

Tools for Prayer
I’ve become an avid reader

 

Through a sense of knowledge and information I find I am opening my eyes up more and more and more.

A deep desire of trying to understand myself, understand other human beings and why things are happening in this world today: such is giving me a sense of a journey or a path to try and find things out. I don’t know whether I’ll ever find them out because that’s what a journey’s all about. I think it’s about trying to find some inner peace within yourself.

There are tools – like I say – I’m a person who is very analytical, who likes to reflect upon things. I use a thing called Situational Awareness so I’m constantly on a scanning profiles whether that’s within work or whether you are going down the street or you’re picking up on conversations – almost predicting what is going to happen from that – I don’t know whether that’s from my martial arts or nursing background. I use those tools all the time to determine what’s going on around me. Situational Awareness is a very big thing for me.

I think if people are more aware of what’s going on around them there’s a better sense of connection.

It’s about being happy with simple things in life and appreciating those simple things for what they are. At home we try to live a very very simple life. There the sorts of things with Buddhism the more and more you explore it, the more you read about it, the more you wish to enable yourself to run a very, very basic sort of life. So I think I’m getting there.