Recipes For Life : Outline

The Bible tells us that man was newborns, children, and adults are all here by the grace of God. Yes, as humans we add meaning and purpose to our life. However, our main purpose from day one is to worship him. (126)

Madeleine Thien’s “Simple Recipes” is a story about a young woman reflecting on a harrowing event from her past- the abuse of her older brother in her childhood home. The story begins with the narrator’s current self who begins to reminisce on a moment of childhood love between her and her father which is jarringly replaced with a haunting scene of parental abuse between her brother and father. This moment in time changed the way that the narrator saw her father as she states that, “this violence will turn all my love to shame and grief, (Thien 504) and is a moment of trauma, A psychic injury… caused by emotional shock the memory of which is repressed and

Every person on this earth has a great purpose they are going to fulfill throughout their life. I believe my purpose here is to serve God for what he is calling me for. It took a while to know that he was calling to me to become a nurse, and every day that goes by

However one can not meditate without wisdom. This idea seems to say that the practices of the bhikkhu must include meditation and gaining wisdom. The Buddhist monks engage in these practices because it is the way of the Buddha. Within the text, it is very clear that the Buddha finds meditation of great importance. If not directly speaking about meditation, the Buddha speaks about having a disciplined mind. “It is good to restrain one’s mind, uncontrollable, fast moving, and following its own desires as it is. A disciplined mind leads to happiness” (V. 35). As well as having a disciplined mind, the mental state that the bhikkhu strives to cultivate is one that is at peace, developed, and guarded. “…the bhikkhu whose mind is at peace experiences a more than human joy...” (V. 373). Just the same, a mind should be guarded because a guarded mind brings happiness. “A wise man should guard his mind for it is very hard to keep track of, extremely subtle, and follows its own desires. A guarded mind brings happiness” (V. 36). Through cultivating the mind, the bhikkhu has certain effects on society and in turn society has certain obligations with respect to the bhikkhu. Because the bhikkhu leads a life without desire and hate, he becomes an example for society; showing what kusala is and what a person should strive to be. In return, it is up to society to make donations and offerings to keep the bhikkhu content.

<p align=justify>Meditating on love creates loving feelings to beings; meditating on loving-kindness is to embrace the whole universe with love and help you become a more loving person. Meditating on compassion helps wish to free beings from suffering and doing everything you can to help them. Meditating on sympathetic joy is rejoicing in the happiness of others, developing a genuine gladness. Meditating on even-mindedness develops an even love for all beings and controlling one’s emotions, having a clear and genuine goodwill to all. It helps focus on others and detach from the world, which is key to attain Nibbana. Meditation is also important as in the mental training of our mind to reach the real goal.

Twenty-five established rules allowed the doors of comprehension and the ability to personally relate and reflect to the authors’ view-points to open. As each of these rules plays a defining role in understanding the ability to practice civility, each rule is also a key component in assimilating how to improve on your meditation skills; understand what civility and mediation represent, Forni makes a solid statement that intertwines the two: “if anything, these rules may feel like a “longcut,” since civility requires work and dedication. But they do offer a path to serenity and contentment” (M., 2002, p.41). Since civility and mediation share multiple common grounds and house a wide variety of rules, three will be singled out in which I have found, the most beneficial to my own personal growth and understanding.

it. We have a purpose for our lives. By God creating man and woman in the Garden of Eden

Finding your purpose in life is easily the most meaningful day other than the day you were born. In a Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah seemed to find his calling at a young age. He found this calling through hardships and breakthroughs, this calling lead him to happiness and success after a traumatizing experience. Your purpose will not be found by sitting around, but it can be found at any time in your life by taking on new opportunities, challenging yourself, and you will recognize when you have found that purpose.

Mindfulness is another way of meditation. Meditation was used to seek to improve one’s psychological or physical health, or spiritual growth. (Brantley, 2007). The history of Mindfulness comes from Buddhism and his search for enlightenment and a foundation of the four noble truths. The Buddha teaching focus on the four noble truths which consist of knowing suffering exists, there is a cause of suffering, there is cessation of suffering and there is a path that leads to the cessation of suffering. (Van Gordon, 2015). The four noble truths were not only there to represent the Buddha’s experiential understanding of suffering, but also to express the truth (Van Gordon, 2015). Studies of Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths teach us that there is always going to be suffering in our life but to find ways to overcome suffering (Tsering, 2005).

The purpose of man is to praise and worship God, proclaim his glory, and to accomplish his will."… And whom I have created for My glory, …” (Isaiah 43:7 New International Version). God created all things in harmony. He established a perfect creation that he loves and over which he rules. The highest honor is given to mankind as the only part of creation made in God’s image. Humanity was created to love as God loves, to worship and praise his glory and commune with him as he does with us.

Isaiah 43:21 reveals God’s purpose in creating us; to give Him praise through worship. As a leader/minister, preaching the gospel, teaching, providing an environment conducive to growth and flourishing, reproducing the character of Christ, and leading others to worship and delight of God is my real responsibility. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.”

Madeleine Thien’s “Simple Recipes” is a short story that depicts an immigrated family facing problems of cultural preservation; “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway portrays a couple facing difficulties in decision-making about their unplanned pregnancy. Despite the difference in plots and themes respectively, both stories discuss about relationships are being put at stake as a result of different factors emerge in the plot. In the two stories, competing values, problems with communication and lack of understanding between two people emerge as elements that can ruin a relationship. Therefore, the two stories reveal that selfishness is the initial and eventual cause for broken relationships.

The article opens up by mentioning a father and a son. The son watches his das which is a doctor check up on a patient. The patient constantly is asking him if “ You want to be a doctor…”, the young boy ignores him but after several tried the boy finally give an answer stating “I’m probably going to be a mad scientist.” The article then fasts forwards to a boy being older and taking care of his father and finally visiting him as he is about to die. The article ends with the boy finding the “The Recipe for Life.”

Many sadhakas will tell you that they have received many sparks of understanding while meditating mostly during early mornings known as the auspicious brahma muhurta. Our scriptures also mention the effectiveness of doing meditation during this Brahma muhurta. This is the time when the phenomenal world is most silent. The sun wouldn’t have arisen to activate the world into its motions. Our physical body wouldn’t have streamed at that time to go into the daily chores of the day. The pervading calmness and silence sensitizes our physical faculties- free from distractions and vikshepas. It is easier to remain focused at that time. That situation is most conducive to grasp the intricacies of knowledge. Silence is the characteristic of this

Meditation can destroy the stress accumulated during the day and bring you inner peace. Now we'll show you how easy it is to learn to meditate when you need it most.