Excerpts from "Buddha Standard Time"

Here are some excerpts from "Buddha Standard Time," by Lama Surya Das...

"He who neglects the present moment throws away all he has."
- Pharaoh Akhenaton 14th century BC (page 7)

"One of the most exciting recent discoveries in the neurochemistry of the brain is that meditation increases the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that positively influences mood, behavior, and emotional well-being. The implication of these studies is that meditation offers a safe, natural way to unwind, calm down, and stabilize one's mood. Aside from daily stress and anxiety, low serotonin levels are associated with a wide range of disorders, including obesity, insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, migraine headaches, premenstrual syndrome, and fibromyalgia. If larger numbers of people meditated, there could be a significant reduction in the use of Prozac and other antidepressants, whose use has skyrocketed in recent years. If you are taking an antidepressant or antianxiety drug, consider incorporating meditation into your life on a regular basis. By connecting regularly with your higher Self in this way, you might find, in consultation with your physician, that you need a lower dosage of the drug, or none at all." (page 50 - 51)

"After particularly traumatic experiences, some people are prone to lose touch with the present when it becomes painful. What was once a lifesaving and adaptive tendency -- dissociating during periods of acute stress when young -- can become habitual, unproductive and self-destructive. In extreme examples, trauma survivors can frequently lose time -- minutes, hours, or even days -- in what is known as a fugue state. But I have found that once they learn to focus their attention on the now in order to reconnect and heal, they discover that they have immense capacities for spiritual growth, awareness, and healthy transcendence. In a way, we can look at the suffering in our lives as either destructive or creative -- and we have the potential to transform ourselves either way." (page 187)

"Recent research suggests that the earth's main frequency is changing. Scientists report that the Schumann resonances -- electromagnetic waves that have been identified as the earth's natural frequencies -- are now rising in frequency, potentially endangering the entire biosphere. Like global warming, the primary cause of this elevation appears to be human activity. Specifically, the tremendous increase in artificial electromagnetic radiation from satellites, cell phones, computer, televisions, and other military and civilian electronic devices and communications networks is overshadowing the earth's steady pulse of 7.83 hertz. Electropollution depresses the immune function, increases stress and fatigue, and contributes to further physical, emotional, and mental imbalance. We are growing more and more out of tune with nature and the cosmos." (page 204)