Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism are three major philosophical and spiritual traditions that originated in Asia. Although these traditions differ, they also share many similarities in their beliefs and practices. In this blog, I will share some of these similarities.

The concept of karma
Karma is a concept that is central to both Hinduism and Buddhism. According to this concept, every action that a person takes has consequences, and these consequences will affect that person's future. In both traditions, the idea is that if a person does good deeds, they will be rewarded in the future, and if they do bad deeds, they will be punished.
This 'cause-and-effect' rule of karma shows up in each present moment - the past is affecting the present; it is a reflection of your past actions. Taoism also acknowledges the concept of karma but interprets it differently. Taoism teaches that one should not be attached to the consequences of their actions, but rather focus on living in harmony with the Tao. The Tao, to use.a simple format of explanation, is an alchemic formulae of nature and existence. Along the same lines as gravity existing as a formulae of nature and existence. It is a law or principal.

The belief in reincarnation
​Reincarnation is another concept that is common to all three traditions. All three believe that the soul or spirit of a person does not die when the physical body dies. Instead, it is reborn into a new body. The concept of reincarnation is tied to the idea of karma, as a person's actions in one life will determine their circumstances in the next.

The emphasis on meditation
Meditation is a practice that is central to all three traditions. Buddhism and Hinduism both emphasize the importance of meditation as a way to achieve enlightenment or liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. Taoism also values meditation, but it is seen more as a way to cultivate inner peace and harmony.

The idea of detachment
All three traditions emphasize the importance of detachment from material possessions and worldly desires. In Buddhism, this is seen as a way to overcome suffering, while in Hinduism, detachment is necessary for the attainment of moksha, or liberation. In Taoism, detachment is seen as a way to live in harmony with the Tao and to cultivate inner peace.

The recognition of the interconnectedness of all things
The concept of interconnectedness (or interdependence) is also present in all three traditions. In Hinduism, it is expressed through the idea of Brahman, the ultimate reality that underlies all existence. In Buddhism, it is reflected in the teaching of dependent origination, which states that all things arise in dependence on other things. Taoism also acknowledges the interconnectedness of all things and emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature.

In conclusion, while there are certainly differences between Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism, there are also many similarities. These traditions share a common emphasis on meditation, detachment (non-attachment), karma, reincarnation, and the interconnectedness of all things. 

We create the results in our life
By understanding the similarities of these three philosophical and spiritual traditions, and engaging in practices (tools and techniques) that produce a deeper appreciation for the rich and diverse spiritual traditions of Asia, we discover that we are creating our own suffering in life, and therefore we are in a position to rectify the situation.

Do you want to take back control of your life?
More information can be found Here

We are constantly gifted opportunities to recognize, and practice to release, the habit of conceptual thinking.

WHAT IS CONCEPTUAL THINKING?
Conceptual thinking is the attachment of thought, with the belief that thought is real. This creates suffering.

CESSATION OF SUFFERING.
Any attachment of thought creates suffering.
However, when awareness is developed, thoughts are no longer held captive by the mind; awareness of attachment is achieved, and the pathway to the cessation of suffering is present.
Follow this path and all shall been seen clearly.

Development of awareness
The development of awareness is gained through the practices of mindfulness, surrender, and gratitude. It is the journey itself that reveals the truth; and therefore the pathway must be walked by each individual in order to arrive at the destination of the cessation of suffering.

How?
Become familiar with attachment; attachment is found in the realms of desire and aversion, the causes of emotional suffering. 

There are many tools available to assist one to recognize, and work upon, the release of desire and aversion.
Refer here for examples 

To truly free the Self from all suffering, the practice of Dhutanga will need to be engaged:

Dhutanga: The practices that are hard to do.

As you develop skills, (by using tailored tools or techniques), the aspirant will often be asked to pause and consider what their practices are aiming toward.
If it is to ‘acquire’ freedom from suffering, then practice harder to release the things that are preventing
wisdom. Cease seeking for an answer, and use whatever is staring you in the face, to become wiser.
Whatever you crave is the object of practice!
What can you not let go of? What can you not do without? What can you not surrender? What can
you not quit? In truth, there is nothing that cannot be left behind (ultimately we drop the body and
leave everything behind). Learning to leave things behind, (non-attachment) while in the body, is the
greatest reward you can gift yourself.

Do not be in rush; take one step at a time and the journey itself will bring success.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Having undertaken studies for the past 8 years, and successfully fulfilled the criteria required, Paul is a certified Life Coach, certified Reflexologist, & certified Naturopathic Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Therapist, specializing in mindfulness-based practices; He is also a published author of a self-help series of books, and Podcast host of Mindfulness Mondays, currently on (I-tunes & Spotify).
 
Paul offers 1-to-1 in-person services in Virginia USA, as well as Sydney Australia; and Life Coaching services are offered globally through various web platforms.
Individually tailored tools and techniques are shared, to enable clients to develop a state of positive emotional awareness and behavior.
​
For Links & more information on Paul PettitClick HERE

Any representation of a thing is not the thing itself.

​“I think I am”...are merely words explaining a representation of that which I think I am... and therefore, because it is merely a representation, whatever description that follows is not you.

Unpack this further and we will discover that “I am all things at different moments in time and space”. Therefore it stands to reason, if I am all things, I am in fact no certain or specific thing. And to unpack that even further, if I am no specific thing, I am therefore no thing. “I am nobody.” I always have been, and always shall be nobody.
Upon realization of this knowledge you will become free from attachment. Period. Once free from attachment, the being is left to enjoy moments of time by witnessing each moment pass by. The moment is merely a moment. It is not a representation of the being, nor is it something in or of itself. It too is nothing; and therefore it too is also a potential something, hence it too is everything (it has the capability to produce moments made up of every thing). Each moment is a nothing, and therefore an everything. Yet, like the thing called me, each moment is neither permanent nor real (it is not real because one moment it exists, and the next it does not. if it does not exist in the next moment, it cannot be classified as ‘real’; it is non-existent.
The ultimate answer to who am I?
I am Nobody, which is experiencing never ending moments of being a representation of something. A microcosm that is in a constant state of flux. I am THAT which witnesses the macrocosm, which in itself is in a constant state of flux. I am nobody witnessing the potential of everything that is created from the space of nothingness.

DEVELOPING AFFECT REGULATION:

Meditation is a vehicle that offers training in Samadhi (concentration). Concentration makes the mind firm and steady, which creates peacefulness of mind.  Usually our untrained minds are moving and restless, difficult to control and manage. Such a mind is distracted by the senses, loose and wild, like leaves in the wind.
 
The mind that is trained and controlled will be of immeasurable benefit, offering more blessings than an untrained mind. A trained mind has the ability to witness itself (metacognition) and will willingly adopt positive changes in behavior. However a trained mind alone is still not the answer to emotional freedom. Self-compassion, and the development of self-awareness are also integral parts to developing emotional freedom, the ability to remain regulated during uncomfortable emotions.
 
Mindfulness is the Discovery of Self-Knowledge.
 
The training of the mind can be done many ways, with many different methods. The most useful method, one that can be practiced by all types of people, is mindfulness of breathing. This is where meditation becomes the vehicle for developing affect regulation.
I am yet to meet one client who has not benefited from mindfulness and mediation; which is why I am so passionate to share these gifts.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Paul J Pettit
Born in Sydney Australia in 1963.

Paul is a practitioner of *Naturopathy, Certified Life Coach, Certified Reflexologist, & Certified Naturopathic Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Therapist. He is also a published author of a series of self-help books, and Podcast host of the weekly podcast show Mindfulness Mondays

Paul specializes in mindfulness-based practices.

* Naturopaths use natural therapies to treat pathology or diseases and dysfunctions.
For more information on Paul Pettit - http://www.paulpettit.com

Practicing Mindfulness.35 Daily Mindfulness Moments to create calm
Practicing to focus your attention during everyday moments.
Bringing your attention into focus throughout the day is what is often referred to as “being in the present moment.”
This week, practice bringing your attention into focus, during these everyday moments, starting from Morning through to Evening.
Note: You will periodically notice that you have forgotten to bring awareness to the forefront of what you are doing, which is perfectly normal at first, so be patient with yourself as you move through the exercise
 
During these activities:
Move deliberately slower
Breathe deliberately slower
Bring awareness to each individual action, and body part used, while performing the task
Perform the task in slow-motion to enable yourself to be mindful of each action, and each moment

1.    Waking / stretching
2.    Making the bed
3.    Brushing your teeth
4.    Showering or bathing
5.    Washing you hair
6.    Shaving & moisturizing
7.    Toweling your body
8.    Dressing
9.    Walking to the kitchen
10. Preparing breakfast
11. Eating breakfast
12. Washing Dishes / stacking the dishwasher
13. Making Tea / Coffee
14. Filling-up a water bottle
15. Walking between rooms
16. Washing hands
17. Vacuuming
18. Reading
19. Using a computer
20. Writing
21. Sitting
22. Shopping
23. Using public transport
24. Waiting for the microwave to finish
25. Brushing your hair
26. Being outdoors
27. Logging-in to check your e-mail
28. Seeing/watching a loved one
29. Talking on the phone
30. Listening to music
31. Sitting down/standing up/bending
32. Beginning/completing an activity/task
33. Eating dinner
34. Showering
35. Getting ready for bed

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Paul J Pettit
Born in Sydney Australia in 1963.

​Paul is a practitioner of *Naturopathy, Certified Life Coach, Certified Reflexologist, & Certified Naturopathic Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Therapist. He is also a published author of a series of self-help books, and Podcast host of the weekly podcast show Mindfulness Mondays

Paul specializes in mindfulness-based practices.
* Naturopaths use natural therapies to treat pathology or diseases and dysfunctions.
For more information on Paul Pettit - http://www.paulpettit.com

YOU CREATE REALITY!                         
Are you ever overwhelmed? Anxious? Depressed?
Or do you simply want more from life?
Whatever is real to you in this moment, pleasant or unpleasant, is real. 
However, did you know that you are creating it?
Every result, in every moment, is created by you.

The reason one suffers (or perhaps simply wants more from life) is due to the fact one does not know how to process emotions. When you learn to accept & process every type of emotion, as you experience it, then you will be liberated from suffering, because you will actually get more from life. Guaranteed!
 
How can I guarantee this? How do I know this to be the truth?
Because I have achieved it, as have thousands of others who have learnt the practices of mindfulness I teach.

Mindfulness is the Discovery of Self-Knowledge.
The practices of mindfulness are designed to build continual self-knowledge - {knowledge of Self}.
One ceases trying to change their outer world, and those within it, by engaging in the actions of processing one’s inner world, one's own emotions in each present moment.
 
How?
Start by embracing self-care. Do this for you.
It is through the respect of Self, one develops the skills to impact the outer world in a mindful-manner.
You will feel happier, and therefore it stands to reason that those around you will benefit from a 'happier you'.

Eastern practices share: ‘when I know myself, I know others. When I control myself, I do not need to control others’.
YOU can (and do) create the reality of each present moment, by the manner in which you interact with it.
By learning the tools and practices of mindfulness, you begin to create your preferred result in each moment.

What are the Practices?
Mindfulness practices teach you how to recognize where you are currently going wrong, and how to change the actions that are not giving you the results you seek.

Let's start with a common mistake: 
If something is causing you grief, do you think the discomfort you are experiencing is positive, or negative?
In other words do you try to get away from the discomfort?
If you answered negative (or you try to get away from discomfort),  then you are doing the wrong thing! And this is why your life is not where you want it to be.

Discomfort is not negative, it is here to inform you something is amiss, something needs to change. Therefore it is positive. It is here to alert you (like a trusted friend) that something in your life needs to shift.
​Trying to avoid discomfort through actions of distraction (bad habits) simply creates more issues. However, when you learn how to address discomfort (not avoid it), then you are taking back control.

The practices I teach show you how to shed maladaptive behavior (bad habits), by engaging new tools for processing emotions. You start to walk toward discomfort, not away from it. In doing so you begin to shift the results in your life. Your life changes for the better - for you, your family, friends and the universe as whole.

Mindfulness practices teach you how to take full control of what you can control (yourself & the results in your life).
 
Do you need to learn mindfulness practices?
If you suffer emotionally then the answer is yes.
If you want more from life then the answer is yes.
Are ‘others’ or ‘your circumstances’ controlling how you feel, and controlling your life’s outcome?
Then the answer is yes.
 
You have been relinquishing control for too long, so stop doing the same thing and expecting a different result ...it won't happen 'all by itself'.

When you discover that ‘others’ and ‘your circumstances’ do not control your state-of-being (your feelings), the light of awareness will begin to shine. You will want to learn how to release old habits that have not worked, and start new actions that do work.

By practicing the art of mindfulness you will change the way you (think), (feel), and (act). Therefore the result of each and every present moment has no option but to align with your preferred outcomes.
 
Recognize the aggregates of Self:

1. The Psychological Self       (I Think)                   
2. The Emotional Self             (I Feel)                     
3. The Physical Self                 (I Act)                        
4. Therefore, I am.                   (Result)
5. And therefore this is my life.

To learn the methods that show you how to control these aggregates contact me now. www.paulpettit.com
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Paul J Pettit
Born in Sydney Australia in 1963.
Paul is a practitioner of *Naturopathy, Certified Life Coach, Certified Reflexologist, & Certified Naturopathic Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Therapist. He is also a published author of a series of self-help books, and Podcast host of the weekly podcast show Mindfulness Mondays
Paul specializes in mindfulness-based practices.
* Naturopaths use natural therapies to treat pathology or diseases and dysfunctions.
For more information on Paul Pettit - http://www.paulpettit.com

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION?

• Mindfulness is engaging the practices of being fully present
• Meditation is a tool (practice) to learn how to engage Mindfulness

WHY PRACTICE MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION?

• Mindfulness offers a life of serenity & calm; it releases anxiety, overwhelm, & depression.

• In its simple form, mindfulness teaches impermanence. By understanding impermanence, the aspirant of mindfulness learns to let go of the things that are binding you to your suffering.

• Meditation is the tool showing how simple it can be to let go. By following the steps of awareness, acceptance, and release, one can see the pathway toward emotional freedom.

 
WHERE TO START?
Collection One Is designed to assist beginners, & perhaps broaden the level of understanding for intermediates, by using simplicity over complexity toward the practices of Mindfulness & Meditation
 
This collection of practices assists the aspirant to become familiar with the first step toward awakening, and the development of emotional freedom.
 
The First step is the practice of Awareness.
 By developing awareness of the physical & non-physical Bodies that make-up the thing we call Self, you will begin to shine a light on what is truly taking place each moment of life.
 
During this first step, Awareness of Mindfulness is developed through specific practices of breathing meditations. These meditations create the necessary foundation for deepening concentration and developing insight. They also help us to sustain mindfulness in all situations throughout the day.

PRACTICE ONE: DAYS 1-7 
Be aware of the in-breath & out-breath. Awareness is the first step.
 
1.Identify the breath. Say out loud, “breathing-in, I know this to be an in-breath.” “Breathing-out, I know this to be an out-breath.”
 
Practice this until the Self recognizes these to be true & present. Do not be in a rush to move forward onto the next practice; allow time for the Self to recognize how easily the Self can be distracted by thoughts vying for attention, or a desire to move ahead to ‘the next thing.’
 
For the next 7 days:

• Practice for 3 minutes on day #1 (set a timer). Journal your experience.
• Gradually increase the practice time by 1 minute per day for the 7 days.
• Journal your experience before and after each sitting

If you would like to continue this journey you can join like minded people HERE

Surrender
If one is affected by criticism, it is due to the fierce inner-battle of worthiness and the desire to be accepted by others.

Viewing criticism as a negative reflection of oneself assumes right & wrong exist permanently; yet the terms right and wrong, or correct/incorrect are assumptions at best; and are relative to a current state of time & space, based upon an accepted belief of the majority within that period. Therefore right & wrong, correct/incorrect, are neither true nor false, they are opinions relative to the present moment with an underlying misbelief that things are permanent. In other words, just because it was accepted as given (correct/incorrect) in the past, does not unequivocally mean it is therefore given as correct/incorrect in the present or future.

Impermanence is reality!
When one practices mindfulness - becoming open-minded and unattached toward criticism, the desire to be accepted is recognized as futile. One needs only to be aware that Self is the 'witness' (the true Self) of impermanence; and thus one shall seek no praise and fear no retribution. One shall be that which one is in this moment - period.

Growth
Growth comes from witnessing criticism and praise without attachment. 
How can the Self grow into the next stage of life? Through the practices of non-attachment 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Paul J Pettit
Born in Sydney Australia in 1963.
Paul is a practitioner of *naturopathy, certified life coach, certified reflexologist, & certified naturopathic usui shiki ryoho reiki therapist. He is also a published author of a self-help series of books, and Podcast host of Mindfulness Mondays
Paul specializes in mindfulness-based practices.

* Naturopaths use natural therapies to treat pathology or diseases and dysfunctions.
For more information on Paul Pettit - http://www.paulpettit.com
 ​

The kingdom
There exists a kingdom that contains nothing impermanent.
The ruler of this kingdom has access to unlimited knowledge, and therefore lives in bliss.

There is a minister who serves the ruler by creating everything the ruler desires, and whose existence relies solely on this duty; without this duty the minister would not exist.
 
The role of Self.
The role of Self is to discover the kingdom of the ruler, and in doing so one will instantly acquire the entire state.

To discover the kingdom one must see the ruler; yet one cannot see the ruler (who is always in plain sight) unless one conquers the minister who serves the ruler. However, the minister cannot be conquered until one sees the ruler - therein we have the conundrum.

The solution.
In order to solve this mystery one must accomplish both tasks at the same time. Conquer the minister & see the ruler! At that very moment one will instantly acquire the entire estate.

When one recognizes each piece, success is guaranteed; the puzzle is no longer a puzzle, it is the answer.

• The Kingdom is the state of liberation (the end of confusion; the end of suffering)
  
• The Ruler is the true Self 
  
• The Minister is the mind.
  

Learn to conquer the mind that is creating illusion, and in that instant you will see the ruler of the kingdom -  You; The true Self.

You create reality, based on your thoughts alone.