First, train in the preliminaries.

Photo from Bird Watchers' Digest

          I was reading last night about the reason some folks put out eggshells for the birds, particularly during the late winter and spring months. The calcium carbonate found in the shell is particularly important as a nutrient for female birds. Their own eggshells are made up of about 95% of this supplement; when they don't get enough, it can negatively affect the survival rate of their chicks. Likewise, the Four Reflections could be considered the necessary vitamins required for a beginning practice. If I don't grasp these basic ideas - the preciousness and impermanence of life, that thoughts and actions produce effects, and that suffering is created by a search for security - it is doubtful my training will be very beneficial or lasting. I'll fail to see the part I play in the painful patterns of my life, and my habits will become like a washing machine forever stuck in a wash, rinse, and repeat cycle. Adopting such ideas may not be as tasty as a slice of illusion, but these principles can become my keys to clarity, allowing me to see the truth of reality.

For more information on the first slogan, go here.