Cats who teach me to fly…

Mel and I attended Ven. Chodron’s teachings last week. The teachings were valuable to me. We have always watch her on YouTube and finally, we got to receive her instructions in person.

There were many realisations which I gained during the teachings. Below are the notes that I had taken down for myself to practise everyday .

1. How we live is how we die.

I completely agree with this statement. If I live in fear all my life, I would die in fear and if I am angry all my life, I would die in anger…

Mel’s father was in the hospital two weeks ago. Her father was constantly in fear when he did not see familiar faces. It reminded me of my younger years whereby I cried all the time when I didn’t see my aunt’s face. I understand the fear and I do not like it… Therefore , I made a vow to end it. I will not allow myself to carry such defilement with me to my grave.

2. Humans are emotional needy.

Ven. Chodron tells the ugly side of me and at the same time gives advice on how we could seek happiness.

I have been feeding the cats for a few years and somehow I do feel that I am not being appreciated. And so this is the problem! Why do I need someone to appreciate me? Ven. Chodron advised that if we ever feel emotionally needy, go find someone to say thank you instead. We must learn to appreciate others instead of concentrating on ourselves , the big ‘I’ or ‘me’. I rejoiced immediately when I got to answer to my problem that day:).

3.Once karma is ripened, we cannot do anything about it. And if it has not yet ripen, we can do something to purify our negative karma.

I remember reading a text from Buddha Shakyamuni’s teaching and it goes something like this… He said that if a spoon of salt is mixed in a glass of water, it will be salty. But if it is mixed in a river, u may not taste the salt.

The salt is our negative karma and the glass of water and river are our deeds or merits.

I always remember this.

4. Humans are ignorant.

Ven. Chodron describes human ignorance is like when cows or chickens or other animals are sent to the slaughter house or abattoir for slaughter, they have no control over it and they do not have any choice. And when human faces death, humans freaked out cos they too do not have any choice or control over it if they do not prepare for their future lives.

When we die, only our karma comes with us and nothing else.

5. There are three types of laziness.

First – Humans are so free and not doing anything. Such people are lazy.

Second – Humans are so busy doing everything except practising the Dharma.

Third – Humans find excuses for themselves, saying that Dharma is so hard and difficult to practise and they will never master it.

6. If we practise the Dharma well, we will have no fear when we die.

Yes, I have pledged to donate my organs when I die and even the buddhist leaders advise us not to do that and if we donate our organs, we will have an unfavourable rebirth or fall into the lower realms because cutting our organs out immediately after death would cause us pain and eventually lead us to become angry and thus fall into lower realm.

However, Mel and I have no fear about this. For me, if unfortunately I were to fall into a lower realm and have an unfavourable rebirth, I have only myself to blame, simply because I did not practise well enough. However, if my organ/s is/are useful and successfully transplanted to someone who need it, I will save at least a human’s life.

7. Enlightenment

When asked how enlightenment is like? Ven. Chodron asked us to imagine a place without anger.

Through my understanding, enlightenment is the inner light of wisdom that is permanently free from all mistaken appearance, and whose function is to bestow mental peace upon each and every living being every day.

I vow to end anger.

There is so much more to share… and whenever I have a realisation, it is like I have only just practised yesterday.

After attending the teachings, I tend to realise and apply things very quickly and immediately. It is like why Buddha says this and that….and the next second, I am like…oh..I got it!

An intelligent and wise spiritual teacher is hard to find and extremely rare.

Yes, may Ven. Chodron have a long life and keep turning the Dharma wheel and teach us life after life till samsara ceases:).

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Lele was so tiny and was sitting alone below my block. I have never seen him before. I guess he either lost his way or being abandoned by someone else. And who in the world would abandoned such a sweet and lovely boy.

Lele ran away immediately when I got close to him. He must be hungry I believe. I fed him a small can of fussie cat and he finished all. Looking at him, he is barely 2 to 3 months old. How was he going to defend himself?

After his meal, he began to meow loudly, as if he was calling out for his mother. I have not seen any pregnent cat around and neither did I see any female ginger cat

He refused to allow me to touch him and I had to leave him alone. When i was about to go to bed that night and it was already past mid night, I heard a familiar meow. it was him. I got out of bed and dressed myself and brought some dry and wet food along. It was not hard to find him. I spent almost an hour with him. I left him food and water for the night. Since it is November now, it was raining almost everyday.  

This is Lele. The next morning, I went to look for him. He was hiding inside the gap of a big rock and no matter how I tried to reach him, I was not able to do so. 

I feed him day and night and I never miss seeing him once.

Hiding and still hiding. He is really a sweet boy:)!

And he always sleep after his meal:).

What worried me was there were three monitor lizards around. Three big monitor lizards. 

This is only two of it. Another swam away. I browse the web and learn that monitor lizard eats cat… and Lele was living with them.

On the fourth day, Lele finally trusted me and I grabbed him quickily while I was feeding him. I guess he was so scared that he bite me hard. I was bleeding. But how serious can it be with his baby teeth punching on me:).

Lele’s first night at home. He didn’t like to be caged I know. I kept him in the cage for a few days and let him roam freely in the house. He played alot with the boys and still playing with them today.

A week ago, I posted him on Facebook for adoption. And this is the best photo I have.

What a sweet and lovely boy he is! Till he finds a forever loving home….

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It was a long day tonight. Someone posted on Facebook about a very sick cat which was believe to have no feeder yesterday. The sight of the sick cat upset me somehow. 

This morning, I went to the location that the cat was spotted. I saw the cat immediately when I was there. Her condition is not looking good but she is still able to eat and walk by herself. I saw two bowls of clean water and I am sure that there must be a feeder. I fed the cat wet food and she ate about 3/4 of it. I left the remaining and some dry food for her and I told her I will see her tonight again. Just in case there really isn’t a feeder, at least I can feed her some food to keep her energy going.

Finally, I got all my things done for the day. Despite that I was feeling tired, I want to keep my promise to be there for her. Hoping to give her comfort!

I was so glad to meet her feeder and indeed, she has a feeder . I explained to the feeder how I knew about the cat and why I was there. The feeder told me this cat wouldn’t allow her to touch her until yesterday and she did have the intention to send the cat to the vet. I was happy to hear that and the usual kapo me volunteer myself again. 

I sent her to pick her carrier then went back to pick the cat and to her friend’s place as her friend is able to help her to send the cat to the vet. 

It was a pleasant closing:)! And I am glad for being able to help her and the cat. Right now, I know the cat is in safe hands. I don’t know how the diagnosis would be tomorrow but I am sure the cat “Candy” named by the feeder, will be well taken care of.

This is Candy. I hope all is not too late . 

When I got back home, I was so happy to see all my cats safe and sound. After I cooked for them and finished doing the house Hold chores, I began to feel cold until now. Guess, I am going to fall sick…

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Grace found a good home a month ago and just a week ago, she was diagnosed with cancer… Her polyps pop out from her left ear while she was scratching hard. According to her adopter, Grace bleeds alot. She was sent to the vet immediately.

Today, we sent Grace to Dr Tharm for a second opinion and Dr Tharm suspected that the cancer could have spread to Grace’s lungs. To further confirm if Grace cancerous cell has been spread, Grace had another blood test on her lymph nodes and we will only know the result in a week’s time.

This picture was taken before she went to her new home. I took it purposely so that I can look at it whenever I miss her. 

We rescued Grace two years ago. It was July 2014 if I remember it correctly. She had a big stomach and we suspected something was wrong. In the end, she was just eating too much! The vet said that she is quite old and we decided to keep her. Finally she found a good home a month ago, however, things didnt turn out the way we want to be. I am not giving up hope. I will do whatever I can do…within my ability . 

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My cats and I moved from Sembawang to Bendemeer three weeks ago. All my cats settled down very fast. And finally, I have time today to make my first trip, taking a train from Boon Keng MRT station which is less than 10 mins walking distance to Farrer Park MRT station. I spent almost an hour at Decathlon, City Square Mall. Still love browsing at the sports stuff, especially the camping and mountaineering section… I bought a sleeping bag. It’s not a bulky one. I just need a sheet to lay on the bed when I am in the hotel. Looks like I am preparing my trip to Siem Reap this December. Yes, I am excited about it. It is not a long trip. 3 days 2 nights already make me feel far away from all my fur babies… The purpose of traveling is not to get away from my monotonous daily schedule. It is for me to recharge myself.

I brought my painting along. And I bought two more paintings for my new home.

The reclining Buddha painting and the elephant painting. 

I still love arts, especially canvas painting. I can’t remember when was the last time I visited the art museum. Art painting never fail to capture my eyes.

On the second night after we moved in. I make a light offering to the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. I asked for all sentient beings to be enlightened immediately and may all sentient beings be free from suffering. I specially requested for myself to be enlightened(how selfish I am) for the benefit of all sentient beings. 

This my shrine. 

Amitābha Buddha and his attendant bodhisattvas. Avalokiteśvara (right) and Mahasthamaprapta(left). 

Only eight candles were offered. Each candles represent the people and animals I love… 

This is a bun. Intelligent people make it looks like a lotus and it is beautiful. I bought it 2 days ago to make offering :).

Moving to Bendemeer is a lot more convenient. When will be my second trip and to where? Soon I guess… and somewhere not far…

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