Suspended and Surrounded

Those who are free of resentful thoughts

surely find peace.

Buddha

 

 

 

In preparation to be present in front of a visiting Tibetan Monk, I spent the morning being led through various spiritual exercises.  The energy in the room was building and layer by layer I was shedding the outside world.  When the Tibetan Monk arrived, he too led various spiritual exercises accompanied by chanting.  Layer by layer, I was shedding my inside world too. 

 

Forgetting place and time, I realized I was in a state of total bliss.  I was calm, peaceful, and worry free.  Thoughts had finally silenced and I was clearly rooted in peace.  I was unaware of my body and felt as though I was one many particles gently floating in the air.  I felt as though I was nothingness.

 

Eventually, I had to ground my self to shift back into reality.  This experience had been so profound, I never wanted to forget it.    I wrote about it, but words would never capture the total experience of mind, body, and spirit.  I have tried to duplicate the spiritual feelings numerous times, but I am successful only by a small percentage. 

 

I am grateful for the bits and pieces of this spiritual adventure remaining with me.  I carry them into creative visualization trying to reawaken my senses.  I am envious of the many Masters living  in a perfected state of bliss.  It seems incredible to me that there are those who live a prayerful existence every day of their lives.  It must take exceptional  discipline, focus, and the ability to constantly let go to establish such a blissful state for lengthy periods of time.

 

I can experience peaceful moments and extended time of calm, but to be mindful all day long (unless I was cloistered) seems so impossible for me.  With peace and calm, I will continue to contemplate in hopes of visiting this state once more.   Bliss ... being totally untethered from all of life ... feeling a peaceful calm ...  suspended  and surrounded by everlasting  love.

 

 

 

 

Light as an Engery

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.

Buddha

Light is an energy that just keeps on giving.  The more this energy or light is given to others, the more we personally receive.  If we do not understand light as an energy, think of it as love.  We extend love to others and it returns to us in greater depths.

Light is a positive energy giving a vibration that allows us to feel good.  When we receive light, love or energy, it is like a deep hug.  Darkness or anger is a harsh or abrasive energy that gives us the need to turn away.

A simple example would be when we are in a grocery store and we see a small child, so sweet and innocent.  Our eyes may linger on the child extending love.  The mother may be totally unaware of our presence, but the child feels our extended love or light or energy and locks his or her eyes on our face.  The child may be shy or smile or turn and watch you walk away, knowing there has been a brief exchange of love, light or energy.  The same is true with pets or animals.  They sense if we are welcoming them with love or casting displeasure their way.  They react to whatever energy we extend.

We as human beings respond to love, light or energy every day.  If we are pleasant with an obviously stressed out person, it offers them a moment to pause and reconnect.  If we choose to be angry at the stressed person, the harsh energy builds not being healthy for either one of you or those surrounding you.

Begin each day aware of the light, love or energy residing in our heart.  Carry this energy as a beacon of light for others to experience kindness, acceptance or perhaps even courage to move forward with just our smile and good intentions.  We may never see this person again, but whatever goodness we extend, returns to us ten fold.  It will come in unsuspecting ways and more than likely from other people who are simply extending their own love, light or energy. 









This is My Day

The spiritual teacher

only points the way;

we must do

our own traveling.

Buddha

Most every day, I walk 3 to 4 miles.  It would be impressive to say I do it for the exercise, but that would be an untruth.  I walk to be connected to nature and to feel the energy from all that surrounds me.  The vibrancy of flowers enriches my spirit and the swaying of the beautiful trees empowers me. 

This particular morning it is raining and very humid.  The humidity feels oppressive like it is weighing me down.  I feel almost claustrophobic.  I retreat from the porch with my coffee and try to settle in with a daily inspiration.

The daily inspiration explains to me that I will always have friends, guides, and loved ones, but I must not expect to be rescued by anyone.  Although this is not new news to me, I some how allow it to make me feel lonely. 

I next turn to incoming e-mail and find myself directed to a video explaining awareness and how we must stand back and be a witness to our physical life.   As an observer, we notice a distance or a separation between our spiritual self and our physical self.  This, too, I know, but on this rainy morning, I am not looking to highlight my separatness. 

On my second cup of coffee pondering what I have learned (no one is coming to rescue me and I am separate), I find my self wondering if it is too late to crawl back into bed.  This might have been a consideration had I not already neatly made the bed a few hours ago. 

Picking up my journal, I find my self expressing resistance, avoidance, and some levels of resentment.  As I write, I am hoping that whatever it is that is bothering me will jump right out of my pen.  And in some ways, this happens.

Buddha says, "We must do our own traveling," and I know this in my heart to be true.  No one can make this journey for me.  It is a hands on, experiential assignment that I have some how signed up for and I know I will see it through.

This is my day and I can make of it whatever I want.  I get to choose to be lonely or to shift into a different perception that will bring peace and contentment.  Hmmm ... which will I choose?

Like A Shadow ...

We are shaped by our thoughts;

we become what we think.

When the mind is pure,

joy follows like a shadow

that never leaves.

Buddha

The curtain casts a shadow at the window while I drift into reverie.  I become the shadow dancing in the breeze.  I gaze out the window watching shadows fall over neighbors homes and trees. 

When younger, shadows were perceived as a frightening
thing, but as I grew older I realized a floating darkness simply brought a contrast to a view.  An artist uses shadows to enhance the depth of the painting and the same is true in life.

Let us begin to perceive shadows as an accompaniment to help us discover the depths of a situation.  Allow the shadows to help us discern the accuracey of a stiutaion instead of grasping at false facts out of fear.  Step through the shadow or fear and you will discover joy waiting for you!

Holding the Hot Coal

      Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal

with the intent of throwing it at someone else;

you are the one who gets burned.

Buddha

Anger is what is called a secondary emotion.  In other words, it is not the first emotion we have felt during a particular situation.  We feel something before anger like betrayal, dishonesty, disappointment, etc...  We feel so uncomfortable with that initial feeling, we repress it and move all of our energy into the secondary emotion, anger.  As we vent and rage, we can release the stress of the situation, but we do not process the original emotion.  If we do not release the anger, it too becomes repressed and in time can build a smoldering volcano impacting our health as well as relationships.

So anger has very little to do with addressing the issue at hand.  In fact, anger, if acted upon, creates a whole new scenario where we are perhaps acting out just as poorly as the first person or even worse.  Anger has very little to do with the healing intention.  Anger is deliberately or uncontrollably striking back either verbally, emotionally or physically, creating or deepening the original offense.

Do not misunderstand what I say.  Anger is normal and needs to be processed in a safe and positive way.  It is the negative behaviors that stem from anger that are not okay.

If the only person we can change is ourselves, then we are obligated to speak our truth, expressing the hurt feelings whether verbally or by using the written word. "You hurt me."  This simple statement honors  feelings within, without doing further damage.  Do not be the one left holding the hot coal.

And Shine!

Like the moon

come out from behind

the clouds!  And Shine!

~BUDDHA

It is always a matter of choice.  When we wake up of a morning, we can decide if we want a good day or a bad day.  We set the tone through our perceptions and intentions. 

Today, I will greet everyone with a smile.  When I engage with someone who is critical or negative, I will contribute their actions to their own perceptions and intentions, rather than take ownership of what they share.

If I find a really great parking place at the store, I'll leave it for the next patron and find the next available spot.  Shopping down the aisles, I will be more attentive to others around me, greeting those who seem lonely.

I will genuinely thank the clerk eye to eye, and tell the checker how much I appreciate their good job.

Pollyanna are you thinking?  Perhaps so, but if I act this way consistently,

it will become my habit and my general nature.  I will be able to perceive  happier surroundings and treat others in a more friendly manner. 

I think I need to just SHINE!

Search For Self

Like the moon,

come out from behind

the clouds!  And Shine!

Buddha

We are all called to step out of our darkness and be present in the moment, being fully all that we can be.  It is a calling that will prompt the shedding of all that no longer serves, and at last placing those old burdens down. 

We are being asked to love, listen, and accept others whether we are aligned with them or not, as this would be called respect of diversity.  There is no obligation to fix, change, or persuade any one else to a particular way of thinking.  We need to live by our own example.

Suffering occurs when we resist the change that brings new growth.  To resist new growth is to in a sense die as the fear of change triggers despair and aborts the search for what we seek to know

Fear encourages us to react when ultimately we need patience to wait.  It is in the waiting that what we seek can become clear and generate affirmations to carry us forward again. 

Release the pain that resides within, and in that space fresh light comes in to help begin anew.  Do not give up this search for self for it is what you are here to do.  Step out from behind the clouds of your life and stop hiding this very special 'you'!

Like A Shadow

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought,
pain follows him.
If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought,
happiness follows him,
like a shadow that never leaves him."

Buddha