Ruling Your World: Ancient Strategies for Modern Life

Author : Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Excerpt from Ruling Your World

You're stuck in the airport security line, late for a flight. The line isn't moving. You're angry at the security personnel for taking so long, you're irritated at the other passengers for having so much stuff, you're mad at your boss for sending you on this trip in the first place. By the time you get to your gate you're deflated and exhausted. Then someone cuts in front of you in the line to board and you snap. "There's a line, you know!" Is that really you, standing in an airport, yelling at a stranger, emotions raging?
It happens to most of us more than we'd like to admit. Something sets us off and, in an instant, our lives suddenly seem out of control and overwhelming. But what if you could approach every part of your life - from the smallest decisions to life's biggest setbacks - with total confidence, clarity, and control?
Actually, we all have that power. The secret is simple: if you just stop thinking about yourself all the time, happiness and confidence will come naturally. The key to this life-changing outlook lies in the ancient strategies of the warrior kings and queens of Shambhala.
The kingdom of Shambhala was an enlightened kingdom of benevolent kings and queens and fiercely trained warriors. No one knows for sure whether this kingdom was real or mythical, but there are ancient guidebooks to this land and practical instructions for creating a Shambhala in your own world, bringing peace, purpose, and perspective into your life and environment. In Ruling Your World , Sakyong Mipham, East-meets-West Renaissance lama and leader of the worldwide Shambhala organization, shares the lessons of the great warriors that show us how to rule our minds and our lives with confidence. You don't have to go through life simply reacting - with the help of Sakyong Mipham, we can all learn to rule our world.
" We live in a world where suffering is the constant. If we find pain in our life, we shouldn't be shocked, or take it as a personal insult. We haven't failed as human beings if we suffer. In fact, suffering lays the ground for compassion - consideration for others and ourselves. Everybody has bad days, everybody has difficulties, and blaming somebody else is not going to change that truth. Blaming is a way of running from that truth. When we take the path of blame, each complaint lays the ground for the next, and nothing gets any better. Thus the cycle continues. That is the meaning of the word samsara - circular, always feeling the rub of suffering and then looking for a way to make it go away.
"The remedy for samsara is a reality check. There is always something to complain about; blaming others for that is not going to bring peace or happiness. If we can relax our mind instead of blaming, we might see the humor in how the world works. We will remember that underneath it all, we are already happy. Recognizing, acknowledging, and releasing thoughts by bringing our mind back to the object of meditation helps remind us that the frantic agitation of blame is unnatural and temporary. The wisdom and love beneath the clutter of negativity are natural and permanent.
"In discovering this space, we are spawning a new relationship to our life. We are switching tracks. The maturity we develop by following the path of virtue gives us the base by which we can feel compassion for others instead of blaming them. Instead of obsessing on our own satisfaction, we begin to see what is going on with others. We can see that the person we are blaming needs help, and so we help him. Helping him reduces our desire to blame, and increases our desire to be of benefit." - from Ruling Your World