She can act, sing, dance, marry well but is no golden idol like Yogini Moss (elledecor.com)Wwtdd.com but reframed by Wisdom Quarterly
Insufferable Hollywood elitist? GOOP megalomaniac? Or just a really cool person? Gwyneth Paltrow steps in it in her interview with Elle Decor magazine. On being asked to list a few things “she can’t live without,” she revealed a fantasy life detached from most people’s reality. Born to privilege (not in any way by "accident" but thanks to the fortunate fruition of karma seeded in the past), she indeed deserves to surround herself with the finest in life. But is she thankful for all that karma is bestowing on her, or is she bragging, or did her agent answer for her?Gwynnie, what can’t you live without?
1. DeGournay hand painted wallpaper - “I indulged with one wall in my London living room covered in a gorgeous pattern.”
Seriously, this is the first thing? Of course, maybe it’s reverse order and this is the last. What would Sid do? He would have said “an end to suffering for all living beings” or “happiness in the Land of the Shakyas” or good health, a white pony, and a shady tree for spiritual exertions. But times, they are a’changin. Today, we need our wallpaper! What would our interior designers do with bare walls? Paltrow’s choice begins at $650 per panel, and the average cost is thought to be $12,000 per room, but that’s nothing with Coldplay money.
2. Seasonal flowers - “I like single-variety arrangements -- peonies, hydrangeas, and white lilies -- casually arranged.”
Oh, that’s nice. The devas love flowers, and their presence adds a lot of radiance to a room. She wants the very best but does not want it to look like any effort was involved. Expensive things are just lying around. Space-heaven must be missing an angel (akasha deva), and she’s down here with us.
3. Darren Almond’s photography - “His arresting, large-scale artwork brings a sense of majesty to a room.”
Christies has sold a few of his pictures, ranging in price from $3,515 to $16,250. But "majesty" is a dead giveaway, isn’t it. It reveals her blue bloodline all the way back to Tavatimsa. (I’m thinking maybe Elle Decor put her up to this list to sell more of these items and get a kickback from the producers. More
The Buddha often extolled four states that accompany peace, pleasure, and positive karma. Of these the third is perhaps the most difficult yet also the best for us to actively cultivate, particularly when we read about the rich and famous. Ever notice how often they appear in the media -- between stories about the wretched and destitute we feel superior to? Why? It might be to keep us feeling inferior and dissatisfied -- ready to BUY (usually on credit) anything offered promising to make us happy. As if happiness could be bought. There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So be here now. And be happy now. Here’s how.2. Compassion (karuna) is the active side of love, alleviated others' suffering.
Appreciative, sympathetic, or vicarious joy means experiencing pleasure by delighting in the happiness of others rather than begrudging their success or well being. Just as a parent aware of a child's accomplishments and successes. The pain of envy, jealousy, meanspiritedness, smallmindedness are all enemies of this form of happiness that is always available since we think someone is always doing better than us. Altruism is not necessary, just a spirit generous enough to be happy for others. Delighting or lauding others' good karma is good karma! If one were to joyfully reflect with appreciation or vicarious joy on someone else's merit -- such as giving the Buddha or an arhat a gift -- one would share in that merit. The reverse is true, too: Begrudging others' success, fame, beauty, longevity, influence, respect, or wealth is demerit (unprofitable mental karma). Envy, jealousy, disgust at their success leads to our own failure. Imagine that. No one teaches that in Judeo-Christian culture. We reap what we sow, so we are sowing seeds of discontent to begrudge others' actually deserved fruits and results (even if we cannot find when those seeds were planted, owing to their cause in the distant past shrouded by rebirth and recoverable only by the cultivation of absorption in meditation and the exercise of the divine eye).4. Equanimity (upekkha)
This means impartiality, equipoise, looking back on without elation or dejection, non-bias, wishing these states on all beings everywhere without preference or distinction. They are, after all, called the Four Immeasurables or Four Boundless States. Far from indifference, with which many confound it, like the others it is experienced in absorption (jhana) after the first three Divine Abidings are cultivated.Hater (H8R) TV
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