Buddhist Quote of the Moment

A wonderful painting is the result of the feeling in your fingers. If you have the feeling of the thickness of the ink in your brush, the painting is already there before you paint. When you dip your brush into the ink you already know the result of your drawing, or else you cannot paint. So before you do something, "being" is there, the result is there. Even though you look as if you were sitting quietly, all your activity, past and present, is included; and the result of your sitting is already there. You are not resting at all. All the activity is included within you. That is your being. So all results of your practice are included in your sitting. This is our
practice, our zazen.

Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Gratitude

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a
friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a
vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

Beannacht

Beannacht

("Blessing")

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

~ John O'Donohue ~

Prayer for Life's Journey

May we know that it is the journey that is important.

May we find our own truths and the divine within ourselves and in doing so help our fellow travelers to find their own.

May we see each other through spirit and not through worldly eyes.

Namaste

May the Circle Be Open

May the Circle be open,
But unbroken.
May the peace of the Goddess
be ever in your heart.
Merry Meet,
And Merry Part,
And Merry Meet again.

May the Circle be open,
Yet unbroken.
May the love of the Goddess
be ever in your heart.
Merry Meet,
And Merry Part,
And Merry Meet again.

Solitude

To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.

-- Deepak Chopra

Only Once

All which, because it was
flame and song and granted us
joy, we thought we'd do, be, revisit,
turns out to have been what it was
that once, only; every invitation
did not begin
a series, a build-up: the marvelous
did happen in our lives, our stories
are not drab with its absence: but don't
expect to return for more. Whatever more
there will be will be
unique as those were unique. Try
to acknowledge the next
song in its body -- halo of flames as utterly
present, as now or never.

~ Denise Levertov ~

Earth Prayer

Mother of the Universe...

Let us, when swimming with the stream,
become the stream...
Let us, when moving with the music,
become the music...
Let us, when rocking the wounded,
become the suffering...

Let us live for the grace beneath all we want,
let us see it in everything and everyone,
till we admit to the mystery
that when I look deep enough into you,
I find me, and when you dare to hear my fear
in the recess of your heart, you recognize it
as your secret which you thought
no one else knew...

O Let us have the courage
to hold each other when we break
and worship what unfolds...
Let us embrace
that unexpected moment of unity

O nameless spirit that is not done with us,
let us love without a net
beyond the fear of death
until the speck of peace
we guard so well
becomes the world...

~ Mark Neppo ~

The Whole Kit and Caboodle

Take the whole kit
with the caboodle
Experience life
don't deplore it
Shake hands with time
don't kill it
Open a lookout
Dance on a brink
Run with your wildfire
You are closer to glory
leaping an abyss
than upholstering a rut

~ James Broughton ~

Awakening

A time comes in your life when you finally get it . . When in the midst
of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and
somewhere, the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying, or struggling to hold on.

And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin
to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and
through a mantle of wet lashes, you begin to look at the world through
new eyes.

This is your awakening...

You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to
change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the
next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you
are not Cinderella and that in the real world, there aren't always fairy
tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of
"happily ever after" must begin with you and in the process, a sense of
serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone
will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are . . . and
that's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.)

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself and in
the process, a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to
you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can
really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they
say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not
always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in
the process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as
they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties and in
the process, a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around
you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been
ingrained into your psyche.

You begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about how you
should behave, how you should look and how much you should weigh, what
you should wear and where you should shop and what you should drive, how
and where you should live and what you should do for a living, who you
should marry and what you should expect of a marriage, the importance of
having and raising children or what you owe your parents.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view.

You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really
stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to
discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have
bought into to begin with and in the process, you learn to go with your
instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive and that there is
power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering
through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the
outdated ideals of a by gone era, but the mortar that holds together the
foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything; it's not your job to save the
world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the
importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and
that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love. How to love,
how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.

You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a
relationship.

You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more
lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that
bears your name.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you
would have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.

You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love; and
you learn that you don't have the right to demand love on your terms,
just to make you happy.

You learn that alone does not mean lonely. You look in the mirror and
come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect
10 and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and
agonizing over how you "stack up."

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing
things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is
your right, to want things and to ask for the things that you want and
that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love,
kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

You allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you, to glorify you
with his touch and in the process, you internalize the meaning of
self-respect.

And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to
care for it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet,
drinking more water and taking more time to exercise.

You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and
fear.

So you take more time to rest.

Just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul; so you take more
time to laugh and to play.

You learn that for the most part in life, you get what you believe you
deserve and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that
wishing for something to happen, is different from working toward making
it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need
direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's OK to risk
asking for help.

You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber
baron of all time; FEAR itself.

You learn to step right into and through your fears, because you know
that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear, is to
give away the right to live life on your terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a
cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you
think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting,
good people. On these occasions, you learn not to personalize things.
You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your
prayers; it's just life happening.

You learn to deal with evil in its most primal state; the ego.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must
be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you
and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of
walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple
things we take for granted; things that millions of people upon the
earth can only dream about; a full refrigerator, clean running water, a
soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself, by yourself and
you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever
settle for less than your heart's desire.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind,
and you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay
open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a
stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want
to live as best as you can.

GODDESS, ARE YOU REAL?

The little child whispered,

"Goddess, speak to me."

And a meadowlark sang.

But the child did not hear.

So the child yelled, "Goddess, speak to me!"

And the thunder rolled across the sky.

But the child did not listen.

The child looked around and said,

"Goddess let me see you."

And a star shone brightly.

But the child did not notice.

And the child shouted,

"Goddess show me a miracle!"

And a life was born.

But the child did not know.

So the child cried out in despair,

"Touch me Goddess, and let me know you are here!"

Whereupon the Goddess reached down and touched the child.

But the child brushed the butterfly away

and walked away unknowingly.

The moral of the story---

Take time to listen. Often times, the things we seek are right underneath our noses. Don't miss out on your blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.

ONE VISION

Day and night, no difference.
The sun *is* the moon: An amalgam.
Their gold and silver melt together.

This is the season when
the dead branch and the green branch
are the same branch.

Nightmares fill with light like a holiday.
Humans and angels speak one language.
The elusive ones finally meet.

Good and evil, dead and alive,
everything blooms
from one natural stem.

You know this already, I'll stop.
Any direction you turn
it's one vision.

~ Rumi ~

Radiance

Whether you realize it or not,
the brightness you are seeking
is already radiant within you.

Focus on this in the days ahead,
and see this light arising within
your Awareness and Recognition
of it.
~ Author Unknown

Medicine

I remember when I was a kid, there were two medicines: aspirin and Campho-Phenique, that was it. But they advertise these prescriptions, and half the time, the side effects are 50 times worse than what the thing cures! It's like, "Try new Flor-A-Flor. For itchy, watery eyes, it's Flor-A-Flor. Side effects may include: nausea, vomiting, water weight gain, lower back pain, receding hairline, eczema, seborrhea, psoriasis, itchy chafing clothing, liver spots, blood clots, ringworm, excessive body odor, uneven tire wear, pyorrhea, gonorrhea, diarrhea, halitosis, scoliosis, loss of bladder control, hammertoes, the shanks, low sperm count, warped floors, cluttered drawers, hunchback, heart attack, low resale value on your home, feline leukemia, athlete's foot, head lice, club foot, MS, MD, VD, fleas, anxiety, sleeplessness, drowsiness, poor gas mileage, tooth decay, split ends, parvo, warts, unibrow, lazy eye, fruit flies, chest pains, clogged drains, hemorrhoids, dry heaving, and sexual dysfunction." I'm like, "I'll just have itchy, watery eyes!" ~Jeff Foxworthy

Time

Too Slow for those who Wait,
Too Swift for those who Fear,
Too Long for those who Grieve,
Too Short for those who Rejoice;
But for those who Love,
Time is Eternity

Henry Van Dyke

Create

Just as a picture is drawn by an artist, surroundings are created by the activities of the mind.

~ Buddha

Fairies

Fairies represent the childlikeness that is contained within the heart
and soul of each of us. They represent the mystic, the magick, play and fun.

They tell us that we don't need to grow up, we just need to grow. You
don't have to be on a spiritual path to believe in Fairies, you just need to have a heart that can love...to have just once in your life wished upon a star.

~ Author Unknown

Faeries

If you've ever caught a whiff of a subtle perfume wafting through the air, or caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of your eye, yet when you looked no one was there,

If you've ever heard the faint strains of music when no musicians were nearby, chances are you've had an encounter with the fae.

"When the first baby laughed for the first time,
the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they went skipping
about, and that was the beginning of faeries."
~ Sir James Matthews Barrie

Your Canvas

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can."

~ Danny Kaye

When They Sleep

All people are children when they sleep.
There's no war in them then.
They open their hands and breathe
in that quiet rhythm heaven has given them.

They pucker their lips like small children
and open their hands halfway,
soldiers and statesmen, servants and masters.
The stars stand guard
and a haze veils the sky,
a few hours when no one will do anybody harm.

If only we could speak to one another then
when our hearts are half-open flowers.
Words like golden bees
would drift in.
-- God, teach me the language of sleep.

~ Rolf Jacobsen ~

Limits

Of course we all have our limits, but how can you possibly find your
boundaries unless you explore as far and as wide as you possibly can? I
would rather fail in an attempt at something new and uncharted than
safely succeed in a repeat of something I have done.

~ A.E. Hotchner

You Are Someone

I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
~ Helen Keller

Life

Life is not measured by the numbers of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.....

What a Ride

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow, What a Ride!!"

Painters and Poets

Instructions to Painters & Poets

I asked a hundred painters and a hundred poets
how to paint sunlight
on the face of life
Their answers were ambiguous and ingenuous
as if they were all guarding trade secrets
Whereas it seems to me
all you have to do
is conceive of the whole world
and all humanity
as a kind of art work
a site-specific art work
an art project of the god of light
the whole earth and all that's in it
to be painted with light

And the first thing you have to do
is paint out postmodern painting
And the next thing is to paint yourself
in your true colors
in primary colors
as you seem them
(without whitewash)
paint yourself as you see yourself
without make-up
without masks
Then paint your favorite people and animals
with your brush loaded with light
And be sure you get the perspective right
and don't fake it
because one false line leads to another

And don't forget to paint
all those who lived their lives
as bearers of light
Paint their eyes
and the eyes of every animal
and the eyes of beautiful women
known best for the perfection of their breasts
and the eyes of men and women
known only for the light of their minds
Paint the light of their eyes
the light of sunlit laughter
the song of eyes
the song of birds in flight

And remember that the light is within
if it is anywhere
and you must paint from the inside

~ Lawrence Ferlinghetti ~

(How to Paint Sunlight)

Beloved

Some say you're lucky

If nothing shatters it.

But then you wouldn't

Understand poems or songs.

You'd never know

Beauty comes from loss.

It's deep inside every person:

A tear tinier

Than a pearl or thorn.

It's one of the places

Where the beloved is born.

for Lisa

~ Gregory Orr ~

(Concerning The Book That Is the Body Of The Beloved)

Judgment

All judgment reveals itself to be self-judgment in the end, and when this is understood a larger comprehension of the nature of life takes its place.

Life Is A Series of Lessons

Out of every crisis comes
the chance to be reborn.....
-- Nena O'Neill

It is not our smooth passages that
reveal new understandings, but the
strenuous, uphill battles that benefit
us with the knowledge we need to
grow. Looking on our challenges as
gifts whose resolution promises
greater comfort makes them agreeable,
perhaps even prized. Without
them we stagnate, and life's joys
are few.

Life is a series of lessons. And
our crises are our homework. The
patience and the trust we developed
while living through last week's
crisis has prepared us for greater
benefits from those that lie ahead.
Knowing that a crisis guarantees
us the growth we deserve makes its
sting endurable.

Every crisis is followed by a time
of easy stepping. These restful
periods let us adjust to our new
stage of development, and they invite
us to store up our strength, our
energy for the tests that lie ahead.

From the book "The Promise of a New Day"
by Karen Casey and Martha Vanceburg

God

"Different people call on [God] by different names: some as
Allah, some as God, and others as Krishna, Siva, and Brahman.
It is like the water in a lake. Some drink it at one place and call
it 'jal', others at another place and call it 'pani', and still others at
a third place and call it 'water'. The Hindus call it 'jal', the
Christians 'water', and the Moslems 'pani'. But it is one and the
same thing."

~Ramakrishna

Message from the Universe

I do wonder how some people, who upon seeing gorgeous, billowing cumulus clouds floating effortlessly overhead, don't just want to explode with joy.

Or who, upon seeing a mighty old oak tree, don't run right up to it wildly screaming "I love you."

Or who, upon being caught in the rain, don't blush as each drop gently kisses their skin.

Or who, upon gazing at a star-filled night, aren't paralyzed with awe.

Or who, upon seeing their reflection in a pond, don't cry the happiest of tears.

~ The Universe