Padmasambhava was a busy guy. Early in life he decided to abdicate his throne so he could focus on spiritual work. To do this, he traveled all over Asia and learned many different spiritual practices. Along the way he converted demons into guardians and ordinary people into spiritual guides. Rather than wanting what was unholy…
The Discworld books, by Terry Pratchett, give examples of two extremely powerful women: Esme “Granny” Weatherwax and Gytha “Nanny” Ogg. Often in the stories they are shown as friendly contrasts: Granny as isolated, commanding and powerful; then Nanny as accessible, chummy and energetic. Many are familiar with the stereotype of the lone wolf working away…
Mahisa’s mother asked for a gift from Brahma, the King of Heaven. Her first request was that the child be made immortal, but Brahma refused. Then she asked that her child be made vulnerable to women alone and this wish was granted. Mahisa grew up sure that he could never be killed because women could…
The Lone Samurai, by William Scott Wilson, relates the following story: On the way to a famous match, Miyamoto Musashi was passing a shrine dedicated to the god of war. He stopped a moment, intending to pray to the god for victory, but when walking to the altar he realized something important. Musashi had never…
Women are not often seen as Enlightened beings. Instead they are often relegated to supporting roles or are created perfect from the start so they can be arm candy for a hard-working god. Lakshmi, a Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, is no one’s arm candy. She does not start with a perfect life, but…
Kukkuripa worked hard over many years to find spiritual freedom. During this time he found and adopted a dog who devotedly guarded him as he worked, shared the scraps of food he managed to gather, and protected their cave when he was gone. Kukkuripa loved her very much. Realizing a level of attainment, Kukkuripa was…
Jesus or Joseph of Nazareth or Christ…there are many names for this guy. He was important and brave – living a life in service to others and achieving great things. The amazing opportunity Jesus left us is that we can read some of what he said, know about things he did, and walk in his…
Indrabhuti was a Tibetan king who practiced his religion diligently. Wanting his kingdom to grow he arranged for his sister, Laksminkara, to marry a neighboring prince. The young lady wanted instead to find spiritual peace so she ran away to seek Enlightenment. After she realized truth, she returned to serve the poor and teach subjects in her former home. Rather than be angry, Indrabhuti was inspired by…
Hanuman is half monkey and half human. There are many stories about him and most highlight his amazing magical powers such as flight, the ability to change size, and immortality. As a child these gifts often got him into mischief and drove people to avoid him. As he matured he realized his gifts were tools and advantages that made him uniquely powerful. …
Siddhartha Gautama was born a prince to a loving family. The kingdom was prosperous and the boy grew up with every need or want answered without question. As a young man he married a beautiful woman and they soon had a healthy baby. His life looked like perfection and yet he walked away from it in search of Enlightenment. This search led Gautama…
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