1. Right Understanding
2. Right Thoughts
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

Not only is it the most pragmatic of spiritual structures, but in all my religious searching, i’ve found it the most powerful disipline for aligning oneself in a positive humane manner with oneself, with the world, and (oddly) with God. (even tho i know thats not a true part of buddhism)

_ i truly believe that if everyone adhered and worked to achieve this in their own lives, we’d have a world at peace. Not a perfect world, but a peaceful one._

_And not that i’ve “Mastered” any or all of these principles. (that “Right Livelihood” ‘Especially escapes me -!) But the essense behind each of these, the attention to the basis of what trips up us humans in our lives and dealings with others, and perpetuates our pain….this kind of mindful insight is key to resolving the inner demons we project upon the world. (i so wish i could mandate that the most radical fundamentalist Xtains & Muslims had to spend a month at a Buddhist Retreat, examining their OWN thoughts/ speech/ actions/understanding/ etc….instead of being so fixated on what anyone else should change (in their “humble & correct” opinions!)(ahem)

See how powerful following just this one part of the path could be:

Right Mindfulness is fourfold:
.

mindfulness with regard to body
mindfulness with regard to feeling
mindfulness with regard to mind
mindfulness with regard to mental quality

Right Mindfulness is the awareness of one’s deeds, words and thoughts. Being mindful of the heart of matters can help us to overcome suffering with understanding. When sitting, laying or moving, being mindful of the following four frames of references are said by the Buddha to help us achieve great understanding, and can even help us unlock the secrets that are within our hearts.

This will be a forever ongoing practice, a lifetime effort and goal for me. I dont hope for perfection; i hope for ever-present mindfulness and introspection of where i’m at on the Path….