The Eight Fold Path

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1. Ethics

  • Right Action

  • Right Speech

  • Right Livelihood

2. Meditation
 • Right Mindfulness

  • Right Effort

  • Right Concentration

3. Wisdom

  • Right Understanding

  • Right Thought

With the right intention, the effort that you put into the actions you take will be focused and the outcome will be far better than had you not done this. Focusing on your thoughts and only the positive aspect of things will influence your actions in the right way. Having the right intention will always lead you to make the right action.

An example of this is helping others before you help yourself. You’ll understand that if this benefits everyone, you’ll also benefit and gain something over and above this and you’ll be overcome with the feeling of fulfilment and joy.

Another way to understand right action is to think of it as selfless action, action done while free of a sense of self. Action in which you don't see yourself as separate from other things. Your only intention is to be awake and be present. Your actions are appropriate and free, like a leaf falling naturally from the tree.

This is total freedom of mind after practicing ‘right action’.

Sticks and stone will break my bones, but will words never harm you? Wrong, the universal effect of those words once released into the universe can have a detrimental effect on the receiver and through Karma back at you. One single word is enough to break the spirit of another and you should be mindful of the language you use towards others and around others.

Think before you speak, avoid saying things offensive, lying, or damaging to another persons character. Avoid talking about others not present, adding to rumours and a third party skewed view on someone else, if you have nothing good to say, it’s best to avoid the conversation; instead make the point of only saying positive words, words of encouragement, support and positive affirmations. Speak as though you are enhancing the spirit of others and lifting them with your words of appreciation. You’ll soon see this language coming back to you, further lifting your spirit also.

Being in a livelihood that causes harm to others and the environment is a big no no. Remember the energy that you’re putting out will come back around and you’ll not benefit in the long term. 

Illegal trade that causes harm like selling weapons, sex, slavery or any endeavour that violates the rights of individuals, animals or any living species should be avoided completely. Work in a role that provides a service to others, a role you can be proud of and one where you achieve respect from others around you. Respect your colleagues, customers and suppliers, and treat them as you’d expect to be treated yourself.

If your livelihood involves anything that is a detriment to individuals, anything living or the planet, consider your position and how it sits with you, you should feel grateful for your career and not regret, this is the time to look at changing your role in your professional life.

Imagine your higher self, imagine your higher self but from a perspective outside of your body looking down on you and your actions. A view that is almost judging your every move, word and action. Now act as though you were being judged, pay attention to the present, keep an open mind and be alert to everything around you and immerse yourself in it positively. This is Mindfulness.

Another way to explain this is to focus only at the job in hand, if you are washing the dishes, wash the dishes. If you’re making tea, only make the tea. Concentrate only on the process and not let the mind be full of those everyday thoughts of past and future events. This is the distraction from being in the present moment, these are the distractions from Mindfulness, the only moment you are living and should be mindful of. Use the breath to centre yourself when the mind wonders, concentrate and focus only on breathing and when the thoughts naturally disappear, the mind is quiet and the task at hand is being focused on once again.

Mindfulness is seeing everything around you and maintaining control, being present and focused on what you must do to make a difference to not only yourself but a difference  in this world. Avoid distraction, avoid loosing focus and maintain it. Mindfulness can be achieved easier through meditation, and this should be a practice you should introduce regularly and eventually into your daily routine.

What ever you try to achieve, without effort you’ll find it very hard. What ever you invest your energy into requires effort, this is the driving force that moves your intentions along. This is also known as motivation. With strong motivations you’ll find temptations will not be so influential on your decisions and that you’ll easily be in control of your actions and speech.

Right effort is the encouragement of a healthy and wholesome state of mind and is closely associated with Right Mindfulness.

We are taught that sharpening the mind and focusing on a single task or object at anytime requires concentration. Using techniques like meditation and mindfulness enables you to focus and remove yourself from distractions and control your reactions.

Sharpening the mind enables you to be more observant, alert and in control of anything happening in the environment around you as it unfolds. With the right concentration you will be aware of your position in the environment around you, observing changes and adapting as   they unfold; so as you are part of it, reacting to it and being at one with it. 

Right concentration is applied to action, speech, effort, thought and observation.

This means that you should see the world for what it is, without opinion or prejudice. Realise that life and the world around you is ever changing and that you move with it in the present. Be more in touch with your actions, the reasons behind them and the way they take effect.

Accept nothing is permanent, remove any desires and thoughts that surround the idea that nothing changes. People, places, objects and your entire reality changes constantly, accepting this and letting go of permanence, releases you from the potential grasp of Dukkha.

Understand that your life is fluid, like a river it flows and meanders, never stopping, forever changing; flowing fast and slow it should always move and never stop. Never try to hold back the river, block it or collect it like you do with your sense of permanence, it will become stale, stagnant and loose it’s clean life giving properties. 

Be like the river and let your understanding of life flow, accept change is inevitable and accept it as easily as gliding over the rocks that pose as obstacles and around the bends that lead you around a journey that is never straight forward.

With your mind focused on not causing any more suffering in the world, right thought conditions you to think before you act. You should maintain full control over your actions by thinking things through clearly. Are your actions selfish or for the good of everyone? Should you apply selfish intention you’ll find more harm will come than good. Practice thinking and assessing your actions before applying them. 

Think before you speak, is your verbal input going to have a negative effect or a more positive one? By training your thoughts to a more positive line of thinking, you‘ll quickly find those around you reacting positively and in turn you’ll be rewarded. The universe hears your thoughts as well as the spoken word, enhancing your life with positive thoughts creates positive intention.