~The End of Suffering

Click on this link to listen to a chant

by Thich Nhat Hanh

…

Pour yourself a cup of tea,

take a break,

a much needed respite

from the busy-ness of your day.

Close your eyes and listen

to this beautiful meditative chant

from the “Graceful Passages”

CD and Book.

…

The CD & Book set

can be purchased at Amazon.com

~A Burning Candle

A Burning Candle

The man to whom is unveiled the mystery of Love

Exists no longer,

but vanishes into Love.

Place before the Sun a burning candle

and watch its brilliance disappear

before that blaze.

The candle exists no longer,

it is transformed into Light;

There are no more signs of it,

it itself becomes sign.

- Jalal-ud-Din Rumi
(Translated by Andrew Harvey)

~~~

~Envision Your Future

First, completely

forget about

who,

how,

and when.

Then,

decide only upon

what you want,

the end result,

with as much clarity

as possible.

I’ll shuffle the deck,

the magic show will begin,

and jokers

won’t be all

that are wild.

Gosh, you’re so much fun to watch

when you read these things.

Deal,

The Universe-Mike Dooley

…

~Finding Time For You

Finding Time for You
Your Most Vital Commitment

Within each of us

there is a well of energy

that must be regularly replenished.

When we act as if this well is bottomless,

scheduling a long list of activities

that fit like puzzle pieces

into every minute of every day,

it becomes depleted

and we feel

exhausted…

disconnected…

and weak.

Refilling this well

is a matter of finding time

to focus on, nurture,

and care for ourselves,

or “you time.”

Most of us are, at different times

throughout the day,

a spouse, a friend,

a relative, an employee,

a parent, or a volunteer,

which means that down time,

however relaxing in nature,

is not necessarily “you time.”

Though some people will inevitably

look upon “you time” as being selfish,

it is actually

the polar opposite

of selfishness.

We can only excel where

our outer world affairs are concerned

when our own

spiritual,

physical,

and

intellectual needs

are fulfilled.

Recognizing

the importance of “you time”

is far easier

than finding a place for it

in an active,

multifaceted lifestyle.

However, even if you find a spot for it

in your agenda,

you may be dismayed to discover

that your thoughts

continuously stray

into worldly territory.

To make the most of “you time,”

give yourself enough time

on either side

of the block of time

you plan to spend on yourself

to ensure that you do not feel

rushed.

Consider how you would like to pass the time,

forgetting for the moment your obligations

and embracing the notion of renewal.

You may discover

that you are energized by

creative pursuits,

guided meditation,

relaxing activities

during which

your mind can wander,

or modes of expression

such as writing.

Even if you have achieved

a functioning work-life balance,

you may still be neglecting

the most important part of that equation:

you.

“You time” prepares you

for the next round of daily life,

whether you are poised to immerse yourself

in a professional project

or chores around the home.

It also affords you a unique opportunity

to learn about yourself,

your needs,

and your tolerances

in a concrete way.

As unimportant as “you time” can sometimes seem,

it truly is crucial to your well-being

because it ensures

that you are never left

without the energy to give of yourself.

…

~Metta Chant

Metta Chant

click on this  YouTube link to listen to a beautiful chant on Loving Kindness.

May I be free from enmity and danger,

May I be free from mental suffering,

May I be free from physical suffering,

May I take care of myself happily.

May my parents, teachers, relatives and friends,

fellow Dhamnafarers…

May they be free from enmity and danger,

May they be free from mental suffering,

May they be free from physical suffering,

May they take care of themselves happily…

~Manifesting Happiness

Everything

that I think that I need to do

is all only in order to propel me

to some place

that when I get there,

I think I will be happier.

So,

everything

that I am doing,

no matter what it is,

all of my lists

of rights and wrongs…

are all about

me getting to a manifestation

that I believe

I will then be happier…

So,

why don’t I

take a short cut

and…

just

go get happy?

~Secrets Revealed

~Steppingstones

~Breathe In Solitude

~Choose Love

Choose Love
What We Are Made of

Love is often presented as the opposite of fear,

but true Love is not opposite anything.

True Love is far more powerful

than any negative emotions,

as it is the environment

in which all things arise.

Negative emotions are like sharks

swimming in the ocean of Love.

All things beautiful and fearful,

ugly and kind,

powerful and small,

come into existence,

do their thing,

and disappear

within the context of this great ocean.

At the same time,

they are made of the very Love

in which they swim

and can never be separated.

We are made of this Love

and live our whole lives at one with it,

whether we know it or not.

It is only the illusion

that we are separate from this great Love

that causes us to believe

that choosing anything other than Love

makes sense or is even possible.

In the relative,

dualistic world of positive and negative,

darkness and light,

male and female,

we make choices

and we learn from them.

This is exactly what we are meant to be doing here on earth.

Underlying these relative choices, though,

is the choice to be conscious of what we are,

which is Love,

or to be unconscious of it.

When we choose to be conscious of it,

we choose Love.

We will still exist in the relative world of opposites

and choices and cause and effect,

and we will need to make our way here,

but doing so with an awareness

that we are all made of this Love

will enable us to be

more playful,

more joyful,

more loving and wise,

as we make our way.

Ultimately, the choices we make

will shed light on the Love

that makes us all one,

enabling those who have forgotten

to return

to the source.

This world makes it easy to forget this great Love,

which is part of why we are here.

We are here to remember and,

when we forget to remember again,

to choose Love.