The Wounded Healer

Just saw a youtube clip by Humanity Healing on the Wounded Healer.
The premise was very good, that a truly effective healer, is one that has been wounded before.
Because if you do not understand the pain, how can you treat it effectively....
And because of the pain, you would wish to help others reduce their suffering.

Is that really the case for our social workers, counsellors, doctors?

They should also understand the fact that healing comes from the heart, not the mind, that the various techniques taught in school, does not always apply, esp if you do not have the compassion and heart to help/serve.

May all healers out there, work with their heart, and have the compassion and wisdom to benefit and heal others with the right motivation and means

Buddhism & New Age

Had a discussion with a Venerable about New Age modalities (in general), and I was

trying to see the "linkage"/relevance (if any) to Buddhism. More rather, I was trying

to make sense and ask, if a Buddhist should practice new age modalities.



I entered Buddhism via the new age route. Yes, it sounds odd, but my "mentor" is a

Buddhist, and while she uses new age methods to provide some immediate clarity,

the end suggestion (whenever suitable), was always Dharma.



But through my chat with Venerable, I have a better view and understanding of the

New Age/Buddhism "divide" (if I may use such a term)



- New Age can be viewed as a shortcut, that provides immediate guidance/results.

But often enough, the root problem is still not resolved



- Buddhism & New Age has different goals. So if you are clear that your goal is

liberation, than the key focus should still be on practicing the Dharma



- So the question is: If Dharma is that good (as gold) why should we be focusing

on the "less precious" (new age) [This is relative, depending on your perspective]

The right view and firm understanding of the Dharma, should motivate us to

cultivate and not rely on methods that provide instant results, because we would

know that cultivation takes a long long time, and even the shortcuts (Pureland)

are not easy to "access"



- The premises that new age modalities work on, are very similar to Buddhism,

and there are always equivalent methods in Buddhism that also works as well



- From a Buddhist's point of view, it is very easy to be over attached to the results

of new age that we forget to practice properly.

Cultivation is a long term thing, and we should be clear about that; if it really is

that easy, I guess everyone would have been enlightened already



Well, I still have my attachment to instant results, but I have a clearer picture now.

May I continue to practice and cultivate for the benefit of all sentient beings.



Amituofo

我们要把佛法生活化，菩萨道人间化！

Long time since i wrote. Went through my draft folder and saw this topic.
Well, it is as good as any to start.

Key point, is the cultivation of Dharma in our everyday lives, and to practice the Bodhisattva path.
Of course, it is easier said than done.

But that should always be our aspiration as a Buddhist.
May we all strive to perfect the Dharma in our lives