No wandering thoughts doesn't mean no thoughts at all. (Click image for video)

Wanting something is not enough. 

We need the right conditions. 

As much as we wish for something to happen, without the right circumstances, it can’t.

What we now have or lack, what we enjoy or suffer, all came about due to our past thoughts and actions. The same principle will hold for tomorrow. There’s no magic wand to wave; it’s all up to us. Now we need to purposely apply this principle to our life.

For example, wishing to find a Buddhist master to learn from is not enough unless we are unbelievably fortunate and our newly arisen wish coincides with the necessary conditions. In that case, finding our master occurs naturally, not unlike a chain of falling dominoes. Lacking such incredible good timing, such good fortune, we need to create the necessary conditions by learning and practicing where we are. When possible, we can also attend retreats.

Having patiently and diligently created our conditions, in time, we will meet the master.

And intuitively know—this is the one.

Whatever the situation, remain balanced in your chanting. (Click image for video)

Being kind is not necessarily being gentle.

Sometimes, true kindness is being stern. 

One of Buddhism’s four all-embracing methods is kind words. Picturing this, we might come up with a doting grandmother whose grandson has just played a joke on her. Smiling, she tsks “Alan” to him. He, in turn, just laughs at her. Ah, such kind words!

Not really.

The kind words will likely be those from the shocked mother who turns to her son and firmly says, “Alan! That’s not the right way to treat your grandmother.” The mother then goes on to explain why it is wrong. She spells out the right behavior for the circumstance and tells her son why he should apologize to his grandmother.

The grandmother says what we imagine a grandmother might say. But the mother’s words are the truly kind ones because they teach the type of behavior that her son will need to get along well with people.

Kind word aren’t soft words, but those that help us become better people.