World Cup Fever!!

June/July 2006 is really important for a good number of people in the world! Where I come from it is a really magical time! You can see people of all ages and from all sorts of backgrounds: smiling, shouting, biting their nails, weeping… all sorts of emotions are expressed and welcomed!
Hugging and tapping each other's hands whenever a positive result comes… Hoping in the feet of ten guys and the hands of one keeper…. All that energy …. Thousands or millions of eyes watching the movements…. A form of art…. The sound of a ball being kicked … Being able to shout goooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallll!
I love … seeing people's pride in wearing over their skins the colours of their bit of the earth!
But this year it is different for me… more colourful… I am in a different country and here there is a mixture of every country, of every nation, and everyone is given space. You not only see the flags of this country but of all nations… together…. Can we be like this outside this period? Can we maintain this respect that is bigger outside the fields I think we can… I think we can choose to… I will!!!!! ….but….. I still hope my green and yellow wins…if not though…' the gusto, ardour, liveliness, alacrity, avidity will have made it worth it! It is part of being alive, part of the biggest match! The match of life! Fair play for all… including the play of life! In this… may everybody win!!!

Learning chinese

I started learning Chinese at a very young age. My dad couldn't read or write Chinese so he decided to send me to learn Chinese instead. Learning the stroke order and stroke type was hard work. Then it seemed such a waste of time to me. I did not have the vision to see beyond the strokes and hard work. However, now after meeting many people from different cultures I have begun to value what I was given then.

I was chatting with two friends recently. They started pointing at some Chinese characters on a piece of paper and asking me to explain their meanings. The first word was 'tolerate' and the second word was 'righteous'. I explained as best as I could. My friends were Europeans and to them the characters meant nothing, they might as well have been abstract pictures. I had to be creative in illustrating the Chinese characters visually. These are some of the images which came to my mind at that time... (See image below).

This image shows the Chinese character of 'Tolerance'. The visual description is of a blade plunged into a heart. To me the character symbolises more of suppression rather than of tolerance, and for many years, I took tolerance and suppression to mean the same thing. Only after years of self-discovery have I came to understand that tolerance is not suppression. I suppressed many things which ended up in 'volcanic' eruptions of emotions later. It is out of love though that we tolerate - love for myself and love for others. When I am in love I don't even notice other’s funny habits and their personality traits do not annoy me. This is what tolerance is about. Tolerance is love and love is tolerance. Both go hand in hand.

This image shows the Chinese character of 'Righteous'. The straight lines which form the character seem to symbolise order and integrity. To me righteousness is not about ‘doing the right thing,’ as sometimes when I have done what I thought was the right thing I have later found that it was mixed up with the influence of others' opinions or my ego or my stubbornness. Righteousness is about acting from a space of absolute truth. So what is my truth?

Anyone out there who have a similar way of playing with words and characters?

everything in one's vision...

I have been thinking a little bit more about how we 'choose' or as may be the case 'not choose' the way we see things. How I see something/someone is usually in relation to how I see myself, which is tricky because then very rarely do I see things as they actually are.

I read something recently that said if you want to change the world begin by changing your vision. When you think about it...when your vision of someone else does change that is for the better, then the way you interact with them will also becomes more positive too. Most importantly of all is how do I choose to see myself as it's through these spectacles that I will see the world around me.

So I've been checking which spectacles I've been wearing. What quality of vision do the spectacles you are wearing give you? Our vision is something so subtle...we often think, let me change the way I am interacting with someone or let me change my behaviour towards someone but rarely do we think of changing how we see ourselves and so how we see each other.

Today I had a go at taking off the everyday spectacles that I usually wear and decided to wear instead the kind through which I don't see the body, the role...but just a star at the centre of the forehead and this star was unique and peaceful. I have to say everything became so much easier and my mind stayed free.

In Prison 2

My flatmate locked me IN our apartment today. I mean, how can this happen? It can. It did. It reminded me of my visit to the prison the other day -- only a few hours deprived of freedom and it can be a scary thing (especially if it means missing a few work meetings). To explain the reason for my absence to colleagues would sound worse than the famous "the-dog-ate-my-homework" excuse. Luckily meditation has taught me not to get affected by these unpredictable 'surprises' in life. So I sat down, read a beautiful text… and fell asleep.

I dreamt that I was in prison and there was no way to get out. This prison had no bars, no doors and no other inmates. It was like a shadow that accompanied me wherever I went, chasing me like a ghost. A constant and invisible fear. I began to run -- but I could not escape this claustrophobic sensation. Breathless, I stopped and sat down... and then it was as if something within me was being cooled down, as if an angel had placed its invisible wings around me, protecting me and allowing my mind to become quiet and still... until I was able to experience a nice, warm, comforting sensation in the form of a wave of light. I actually felt I was pure light. Weightless and sparkling, light and free... no longer trapped, no longer trying to escape. I was being lifted from ordinary fear into a sphere of absolute beauty. Floating like a star in a golden sky. The experience was so beautiful I woke up in bliss!

I learnt two lessons: (1) I hold the key to freedom -- I just need to remember it and (2) I don't hold an extra key to my flat -- so I definitely need to remember that!!

Monday Spiritual Joke #3

Two men meet on the street.
One asks the other: "Hi, how are you?"
The other ones replies: "I'm fine, thanks."
"And how's your son? Is he still unemployed?"
"Yes, he is. But he is meditating now."
"Meditating? What's that?"
"I don't know. But it's better than sitting around and do nothing!"

Rough edges smoothed out

I was recently presenting some new ideas to a group of people in a work situation and came up against some resistance. It's at times like this we can create friction just with our imagination and we wonder: "What are they thinking?....." and then we get tense. If I look at it from another angle though, which says....."It's OK" whatever their reaction is. However they react is completely valid and they need to know that I respect their opinions. I need to do this in order for this moment to move on and for "us" not to get stuck. I was reflecting on the experience with a friend and my friend had something very special to share about this: "each of us needs consoling", not in a yucky kind of way but in a way that says - yes, you have a point - I can see that, I can understand it (from your perspective). I need to learn to let go of my ego defences, to keep my heart open and let them know, "yes it can be like that can't it, and what about this.....?" It feels so much better than someone saying, "No, it's like this...."

World cup fever! *Goooaaallll*

It's the world cup fever again! I'm not a soccer fan but when the world cup arrives I find myself in the swing and joining in the commotion around town. I like watching matches with unpredictable teams playing, it is much more exciting and not regimented.

When England was playing against Trinidad and Tobago the whole country came to a standstill. I was driving home from work during the match after work and the streets of London were dead. It was great day for drivers, cruising home in stress-free traffic conditions.

I was looking at how much energy is being generated across the world whilst the world cup is happening. Every goal scored is scored with such intensity. If everyone was to come together with one aim, one support for one positive goal and with such energy we could work wonders could be achieved in the world. However, we all have our own motives and agenda. Until we are able to rid ourselves of these selfish agendas of 'I want' and 'I need' then transformation of the world cannot take place. Let the commotion of positive thoughts start with me...

In Prison

I am working for a charity which in turn works with other charities. Two days ago I visited a prison to see a project, where prison inmates can join and train to become qualified counsellors to other inmates in issues such as: drug abuse, housing problems, life out of prison, getting training, moving on…

Shamefully when I first went I was very cautious, this being my first time in a prison, and a little weary of what I would find. I was suspicious of the prisoners, I was afraid of them: it was almost as if they were not human in the way I was thinking about them! When we started talking though, I discovered that by being part of something worthwhile they had regained a sense of self-worth, and that by enabling others to change, by pointing other inmates in a positive direction, they had some sense of fulfilment. By giving, they got back: they felt a sense of being of value, they felt good about themselves maybe for the first time in their lives! In fact, more than any qualification they had received this is what enabled them to move on, to get off drugs and to have hope. One of the guys told me: ‘My solicitor told me I was going to be free after my judgement and instead I got sentenced to life. I thought of killing myself. Now I have hope, I can dream of a future, somewhere, at some time…’. Knowing they had performed wrong actions these people were grasping at the only small chance they had to get out of the vicious circle of habitual actions and past conditioning, and to go beyond what had happened, to forgive and to forget – themselves to begin with.

It is easy to think we are free when we are not locked away behind prison walls. It is easy to soak all the prejudices society subtly (or not so subtly) communicates to us and become a judge of others – be they in prison or in the office next door. On my way home, I reflected on the many prisons I allow myself to get into: the prisons of habit, the prisons of prejudice, of negative feelings, of wasteful thinking, of not accepting others and myself, of holding on to the past: they too refletc a lack of self-worth, of self-respect and of the very determination these prisoners have so much inspired me to have! “If you love yourself, start by setting yourself free!”

Monday Spiritual Joke #2

An 85-year-old couple, after being married for almost 60 years, died in a car crash. They had been in good health the last ten years, mainly due to her interest in health food and exercising.

When they reached the Pearly Gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion, which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen, master bath suite and a Jacuzzi.

As they looked around, the old man asked St. Peter how much all this was going to cost. "It's free," St. Peter replied, "this is Heaven."

Next, they went out in the back yard to survey the championship-style golf course that the home was located. They would have golfing privileges every day and each week, the course changed to a new one representing the great golf courses on earth.

The old man asked, "What are the green fees?"

St. Peter replied, "This is Heaven, you play for free."

Next, they went to the club house and saw the lavish buffet lunch with the cuisine's of the World laid out.

" How much to eat?" asked the old man.

"Don't you understand yet? This is Heaven, it is free!" St. Peter replied, with some exasperation.

"Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol tables?" the old man asked timidly.

St. Peter lectured, "That's the best part - you can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is Heaven."

With that, the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, and screaming wildly. St. Peter and his wife both tried to calm him down, asking him what was wrong.

The old man looked at his wife and said, "This is all your fault! If it weren't for your blasted bran muffins, I could have been here ten years ago!"

Relative perception

I am currently at the point of realising how incredibly relative our perception is.

The other day someone asked me to walk up the stairs… and there I was - walking up the stairs in my usual manner. Once again at the bottom of the stairs, I was asked to imagine that I was a king and then I was asked to make my way back up the stairs again. I found myself straightening my back, lifting my head and slowly stepping up. I was the same one, I just had a different perception of myself. I was walking up the stairs as a king would:-).

The summer is now coming. Next time it gets very hot outside, imagine that you are a master of coolness and see how you feel! I tried this and it made a 6 hour journey on a coach enjoyable even though the temperature was more than 50C (the bus didn’t have air-conditioning).

This proves that I can really change my perception!

Open offices

I at least do not work in a 'cubicle', though I work in a small open office. There are many advantages of open offices and I do believe they can facilitate communication. How often do they really though? Yes, you get to hear everything your neighbour is saying, but does that actually bring people closer to each other? Real communication comes from being open and from truly listening, without any criticism or judgement. In an office environment we tend to be too concerned about being politically correct and fear exposing ourselves by talking about who we deeply and spiritually are. Hence, we are no longer genuine. We also lose the ability to inspire, because we sort of “blend into the wallpaper”, we say what we are expected to say and do what everyone else does. What a boring life!

Out of curiosity I was asking a colleague about her children: ages, names, etc. She immediately stopped after a while and started asking me personal questions as if to say, "I disclose a bit, now you disclose a bit" so that then we are both "equally vulnerable" to each other. This seems to be quite a fearful state of mind to be in! I caught myself thinking sometime after this "I wonder what she'll do with this information", but this thought is also a facet of fear.

So I have decided to step out - not out of the open office, but out from the 'closed life'. I have decided there is plenty within me that is beautiful, colourful and special (also within everyone else!) and so why not share it? Sharing is about living from that space of inner beauty, inner peace and inner joy. To live from that open space inside where there is no fear of others’ opinions or intrusions, but where others are welcome and can therefore feel they belong. It is about a way of being which inspires others to open up to their own uniqueness. It isn’t about being vulnerable but rather about not being afraid of being genuine. I am trying it, how about you?

Why do I get irritated so easily?
I have been watching my thoughts like a motorway and one by one, blocking each road and giving my questions a space.I know that it is only me that can do something about my thoughts.

Then an answer....blooming in my mind like a flower.“Hey, whenever you feel something negative inside you, just say “ I love you" to yourself, "I really do”. And I did, and it really works!!!

Hayfever Season

It is now full on Hayfever season here in London , and I found myself waking -up this morning a little breathless. I have had this for several years now hayfever exacerbating my asthmatic symptoms, so it was nothing new - I reached for my inhaler, for a little light relief.......and then a little later......boom, boom, boom went my heart beat, really fast.........(I thought it's not supposed to have that affect on me!) As it was a very special time for me, "my meditation time" that I like to keep "sacred", I sat there for a few moments tuning in to it, and tuning out...of it, it was still going on: boom, boom, boom........until I eventually I tuned out of it. Later on that morning I was thinking to myself, "thank God for Meditation". If I hadn't have had that time of peace - I would have been an absolute wreck.

unshakable yo-yo!

As a teacher I have had to learn how to work with different people at the same time, to take one topic and the students' different interests into account and make them all happy and content. Imagine 10 students, 10 lives and 10 stories in 10 heads!
I am really learning that 'imagination' and misunderstandings are the biggest blocks between the students and me. When I forget my role and get too emotionally involved..... I have sometimes thought of putting up a sticker on my forehead saying:
DETACHED!
The other day a student made a negative comment about my teaching during a lesson. I wilted a bit! Just a bit! Then later on in the day
I saw her in the supermarket. We were in the same queue and she began to tell me about how much she had learnt this year! I said to myself, 'see Funky, how you cannot base your self esteem on other people’s opinions if you don't want to be like a yo-yo, up and down!
I am feeling dizzy! I want to be immovable and unshakable in front of defamation and praise and love myself for who I am!'

Salary Dropped & Increased Wealth

After many years working in banking, I have decided to change careers - and the change could not have been more radical: I am now working for a charity. Well, I knew I would not get the same salary in the new job as I had in my previous one, but the drop was HUGE! In the first months, it was hard to adapt. But as time went by, I realised that my life had not changed that much (I could still do pretty much everything I used to do before). Most importantly, the change was all for the better: I was doing a much more meaningful job and I realised that one can live very well with less. I also saw how my consciousness changed: from one of fear (of lacking something) to one of freedom (from depending on a lot of money). And I realised also that abundance comes from within. It is a result of fulfilment and of being eager to share. Has anyone had a similar experience?

The equation goes like this:
Daily life + meaning = fulfilment = sense of wealth.
With more fulfilment there is less desire. With less desire there is less lacking (with or without money). Does that make sense?

My bus journey...

My car has been in the garage for almost two weeks now and I am reliant on public transport to get to and from work, usually I drive. I have chosen to take the bus instead of the tube because I find the bus journey is a lot more entertaining - I get to look at the architecture of the buildings and at the billboards I miss whilst driving.

One thing I have definitely noticed on the bus is the people I travel with, they are almost the same ones every day. For the past two weeks I have met the same people at the same bus stop, all of us catching the same bus at the same time and sitting in the same seats. Now I even note that the guy with the brown coat and shiny shoes was not on the bus last Tuesday, and that the lady with long black hair and a big red bag was not at the stop this morning. I don't know what goes through other people's heads... I like to observe the behavioural patterns of people as this helps me make sense of my world and their worlds though.

I thought that I would try something new on the bus today. I picked my subject carefully, the old lady who has been sitting opposite to me for a couple of days now and with whom I have made eye contact several times. As I boarded the bus I smiled at her and said: good morning. I thought it would be safe to choose someone older and the same gender as myself, as I did not want to give any one the wrong impression.

Her reaction however was not one that I had anticipated. She was dumbfounded - it was as if she had received a shock to her system, and she avoided eye contact with me for the rest of the journey and on all journeys there after.

I wonder how she would have reacted if I had bemoaned the weather?

It seems as if we are more immune to misery, depression and violence coming our way from others than to a genuine smile. Is it so difficult for us to accept and return a smile, to share good wishes? We have built so many barriers and walls to protect ourselves from being hurt, however this has also resulted in those good feelings for ourselves and for others also being imprisoned behind those walls. It is important not to be vulnerable to situations and people, but is it not equally important to be part of the world? Should the question not be 'What can I give?' instead of 'What can I take?'. There are so many 'takers' and too few 'givers'. The more I take, the smaller my heart shrinks. The more I give, the bigger my heart grows. So, let me keep smiling for my sake and for the sake of the world.

Monday Spiritual Joke #1

One day whilst he was in London Buddha was approached by a street vendor who asked him if he would like to buy a copy of the Big Issue. Buddha decided to purchase a copy and he pulled out a £10 note.

When Buddha asked for his change the vendor smiled and said, "Ah... change must come from within..."

feel free

Sometimes I need to feel - I am free!, and I just go for it. You know the feeling I mean.......having the breeze blowing on my face as I stand there on top of a high mountain; sensing the environment around me as I ride around on my motorbike; jumping from a boat straight into the middle of the sea for a swim; seeing the moon rising in different places every day....
However, am I free inside my mind? Do I experience this "cool breeze" in my thoughts? Well I have to confess, not always…from now though...with the same determination I used to go for the external situations ...
I will go for it ….go for it inside!
tell u latter!!
:) FUZZZZZZZZZZZ

life is a game. seriously!

I saw someone in the mirror(!) sulking and said to her:
Hey Funky, life is a very, very serious…….GAME!
Don’t take it seriously, take it as a game you seriously love and enjoy!
The more you take a game seriously,
the more you do your best.
And you get the most out of it and don’t miss out any joy.
Then, you will say,
“ Oh man, this live music at the tube station puts a smile on my face every morning!”
Rather than saying,
“ Oh man, this is sooo loud!”

What I paint on my face...

I went to see the Blue Man Group last week and it was excellent. I would recommend everyone to see that show. It's ingenious and full of life. I can't tell you more than there are, three men in blue performing on drums and using props in such a clever way. What captured me most is, the three blue men do not speak. They just communicate with each other and the audience through their eyes and body language.

I found it amazing how we do not need to utter a single word for others to figure out what we are thinking or feeling. Everything is written on our face and shown through our body language. If someone who has gone through hardship they will have lines written on their face or if someone is going through depression they will have they eyes, face and body language of hopelessness. I have to be careful what I 'draw' on my face as it reveals my internal state. What kind of face do I want to have? - I ask myself. I want a face that sparkles, eyes that twinkles and personality that shines through my behaviour.

I can!

"I can."

It's a magic couple of words - let them change your attitude, your perception, your intention - for your greatest good.

Just ask yourself, "how do I want to be, how do I want to feel?".

Go within, become quiet and calm, make the decision, if you want to change you can.

"I can?"

Yes you can!

"I can!"

What I was thinking about...

rivers

what i retain, dies.
i let go – and
everything flies free
thoughts people
words stuff
origami birds in the wind
yet - they sing
we all belong
to Life
like rivers
we are
tracers of the Earth
and
mirrors of the Sky

Let us be rivers who fly
above
the resistance to retain
things places
people moments
Let us be
ones who marvel
in Life
and hence never
ever
die.

Can we transform the world?

Someone asked me this question the other day. My answer was ‘yes’ without any hesitation.
I was just thinking: Well, I am only one out of the 7 billion people living on this planet, but I am still a part of the world, however small!! And when I transform myself, the world automatically transforms, because I am a part of it.
Also, when I transform myself into a cheerful, calm, gentle, loving, peaceful and happy person just as Qazom described earlier, then people will notice that I have something they haven’t got and will observe me closely. That is going to be another opportunity to transform the world, by being an example.
And my final thought on how we can transform the world when we transform ourselves is by making our thoughts so positive and powerful and by sending good wishes and pure feelings to the world.

So when we transform ourselves, the transformation of the world becomes inevitable!

Stocking for the rainy days

If one lives in London one should never complain about the weather, bad weather is one of the 'givens' of this wonderful city. OK, it is supposed to be spring now, I know. I guess everyone knows too -- and maybe this is why everyone is talking about the weather in such bad mood. Or they're just in a bad mood, period.

A couple of weeks ago, the sun was shining until 9pm, everyone was outdoors, they all had smiles on their faces... like a caterpillar into a butterfly, everyone was 'colourful' and happy. This has all changed, as the weather has. As I rushed out of the rain under the canopy of the bus stop today, a man miserably announced: "tomorrow will rain as well". And turned away. I began to wonder how come we all stock so little sunshine inside of us!

How can a few rainy days (or a few unexpected and undesired events) wipe out all the happiness from us? Are we meant to be fluctuating like plastic bottles on a tide? This feeling of being at total mercy of circumstance does not seem right to me. So I have decided to work on my "sunshine stock", i.e., to cultivate positive feelings, to store inner warmth, to shine pure, vibrating energy, to be above the dark clouds that appear in life. And to be in a good mood, period. Come rain or come shine!

Are these your keys?

If God gave me the keys to peace, love and happiness and then I gave them to you (a copy of course), would you use them or admire them?

Ok so here they are, to use at your own free will!

"Now what?" I hear you say. Experience: Go within....become quiet - still, observe your thoughts, let go of everything and....use the keys - remember they were given to you to use, you're worth it! Try this: Walk it - you can walk cheerfully, calmly, gently Talk it - you can talk lovingly, peacefully and happily Share it in all that you do - just keep it flowing and keep going How do I know they work: Your mind will become free - calm at first, it will then get lighter and lighter, eventually you will fly it's a guarantee. (Spiritually speaking) Warning: Beware not to get side tracked or make excuses for not using them. Keep the attention on using them and not on what's happening out there.

Sold your soul to the devil?

I met up with a friend of mine during the weekend. I have not seen her since we graduated from university. During our conversation, she blurted out, "I've sold my soul to the devil." I asked, "What do you mean?" She replied, "Since I started working I found it hard to keep to my vegetarian diet and I went back to eating some meat again. I'm progressing so well with my career that all I do now is working day and night. I know my colleagues better than I know my family and most of all I'm unhappy and I don't like myself. But I'm doing this for a few more years and I'm out of here." My heart goes out to her after hearing her story for she has to battle each day with her so-called-devil and her conscience.

When we lose our principles and values that we hold so dearly in life, it feels as if "we sold our soul to the devil" and yet it is a conscious decision we make. Once we strike a deal with "the devil" - it takes a lot of courage and clarity of mind to back out from the deal.

I'm not willing to sacrifice my happiness over a few more papers and bricks and yet I can't choose to ignore the fact I have a family to look after and stomachs to feed. The key is to learn the art of balancing our outer life with our inner life. There are many clips of moments in our lives for taking time out (while waiting for the bus / train, in the bathroom, waiting for the computer to boot up, washing the dishes but we choose to fill the gaps with our ipods and tv...) - touching base with what is real inside and true for us is essential in creating the space for us to not get caught up with routines or the rat race...

wings and friends

There’s a story about a butterfly that wanted to come out of its cocoon. A man saw it and wanted to help the struggling poor little thing to come out of a tiny hall on the cocoon. He did, the butterfly was happy but somehow it couldn’t open its wings and stayed like that forever. His intention was good but it didn’t help the butterfly to grow. What he didn’t know was in order for the butterfly to complete its growth and fly, it needed to go through that tiny hall so that the liquid around the hall would stick on its wings and make them strong.

I saw myself as the butterfly. Sometimes we feel happy when we ask and get something we need from other people because it is much easier than doing it ourselves, like giving encouragement or respect. But there are friends who are real and they give you what you need, not what you want. You see the bigger picture later on, how they empowered you without you realising it although you might be disappointed with them because they didn’t give you what you wanted.

I said to myself: Be a true friend, love your real friends and win the race of loving yourself before anyone else does!!

“Poor me” attitude

Sometimes we tend to fall into a “Poor me” feeling and feel sorry for ourselves, especially on a grey day.
The other day I saw a man without a leg on a bike. He had enthusiasm and courage to remain active and independent even though he was missing something most of us take for granted. However, he didn’t seem to feel as if he was missing something, he was out there, travelling just like all other people… Then I realised that he doesn’t really need to feel any different from the others. We are all souls! His soul is not damaged, it is his body that is damaged.

Only when we identify ourselves with our body do we feel damaged when the body is damaged.

A Flower Is An Educated Weed

I was taking a walk in a garden with someone who loved her garden...and it was a beautiful garden...she tended to her garden daily. As she pointed out to all the beautiful flowers, we passed by some weeds and she said 'weeds are just plants growing in the wrong place'.

I immediately thought about the weeds in my mind...sometimes we carelessly scatter seeds (thoughts) in our mind, holding onto thoughts that are no longer useful to us, not valuing the garden of our mind and so weeds begin to grow. Using both wisdom and love I can know when, where and what seeds to plant in my mind...and as I discover the weeds in my mind let me not reject them but with compassion, transform them.

~a weed is but a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered~
~a weed is but an unloved flower~
~a flower is an educated weed~

Itch itch and scratch scratch - guess what?

*sneeze* *sneeze* It is spring time now and summer is coming, and I'm starting to suffer from the infamous hayfever. Itching eyes and running nose are taking residence of my body. It is during spring time where one is supposed to enjoy the sun and the growth of life. However this comparison came to mind, that we can be compared to being walking 'pollen' dispensers! We leave our mark wherever the wind (i.e. life) takes us, leaving seeds in people's hearts. We can distribute either good or bad pollen. Bad 'pollen' causes a series of 'allergies' to be set off, not only in ourselves but also to others. Our actions, behaviour, words, smile and body language all leave an impression in people's hearts. So why can't I be the good 'pollen', who plants seeds of smiles, kind words and wisps of niceness deep into the hearts of many? Is causing allergies just a behavioural pattern that we have acquired or have we been pre- programmed to?

Nothing is impossible!

"I have plans that are unbelievable, but then wanting to be a guitar player seemed unbelievable at one time." - Jimi Hendrix

It seems that all that is needed in order to succeed is to believe that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

Make a plan and go for it, the success is yours!

Spiritual Investment

There are good and bad investments. When it comes to investing our money or our savings we are relatively careful. We read about the investment we are interested in and weigh up its risks versus its returns. When we invest properly the return could be many times more than...However when we make a bad investment we not only lose our initial capital but we might also end up in debt.

This also applies to us spiritually. We reap what we sow. We have to be aware of how we invest our energy and thoughts. I have found that when I invest my thoughts positively everything seems to go my way. In contrast, when I start having wasteful or negative thoughts my 'spiritual bank account' goes down quickly and before I know it I am left in a pickle.

So, let me invest my thoughts and energy carefully, beginning by paying attention to my thoughts and by checking my account of thoughts regularly. Where did my thoughts go a minute ago? Were they wasteful or positive, necessary or unnecessary?

Have you ever heard of 'clever' spiritual businessmen? - let you and me be one.

Just Be : )

I'm a human being, pleased to meet you?
Are you a human being or a human doing?

A do do do, a da da da - that's all I have to say to you........

I was thinking to myself, just be content!
Let's change the song. Stop the record!

A be be be - that's all I have to say to you!

Yes do do do, and while you do, be be be!!!!!

Be happy
Be content
Be light

Be - you can't loose anything - yet, you find everything in abundance!

Just Be : )

Be a STAR!

“All the world is a stage…” - William Shakespeare.

If the world is a stage, then we are all actors and we all have our own roles.
Do you ever get tired? Well, if you get tired it means you are not playing. Remember? Roles are to be played and not lived!
Play your role and enjoy it.

Be a STAR!

a peaceful room of your own

Here is a commentary for busy minds. Imagine having a peaceful room of your own in the middle of a busy street in London! Sounds great!

I am standing in the middle of a busy street… There are people every where, traffic and noise… I see some steps and walk up them… I look back and I see the scene slightly from above… It looks different… I continue to climb up… I come to a door and I open the door… There is a long corridor… I go through the door and I close it behind me… The noise is blocked…
I walk down the corridor… The noise recedes… There are doors on both sides of the corridor but I don’t go through any of them… Then I see a door that I want to step through… It opens into a very simply decorated room…sunlight from above…
a gentle breeze is coming into the room…the carpet is very soft… In the centre of the room there is my favourite chair… I sit on the chair… breathing out all tension… There, I feel totally comfortable... This room is mine alone… This is my retreat… All my worries melt away… I absorb the silence, stillness and peace… I capture that experience and hold on to it……. I gently stand up and look around with appreciation, because it is my space…
I go back to the corridor… walk down……… I am back in the street now……… I feel such a different feeling now, because of that inner experience.

As you practice this visualisation, it becomes so real that you could just go there and reconnect with that experience.

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.

Angels

I was toying with the idea of angels. Surely they are not beings with wings and halos... but people who sparkle. People who inspire through divine actions. People who have pure, kind, generous feelings -- those who are light. Imagine the uniqueness of the thoughts, words and actions of angels! Imagine making that visible in you... fly!

Happy Measure

The BBC has put together a six-part series on what it could be that makes us happy. I was reading about it over the weekend and found this article rather intriguing, click on the link below to see the full article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/4783836.stm

We all seek happiness in everything we do – hoping that the bigger house or the better job or the better partner will make us happier. We all know that physical things are just temporary and yet we seek these things to make us happier. This happiness perishes with these perishable things. So where do we find imperishable happiness i.e. spiritual happiness? From deep within ourselves. Here no-one is the source of my happiness or sorrow - only myself. So let me start counting my blessings and enjoying the present… Join me!

Time?

To say "I don't have time" to something that I consider to be important is a lack of self-respect. Where am I spending my time? Can I honestly say that I am using my time in the best possible way? Actually, if I am using my time in a worthwhile way, there will never be the complaint "I don't have time". Wow, I have to learn this lesson :-)

BOL

Aligned to Truth

Respect your every thought, feeling and action,
respect everyone else's' thoughts, feelings and actions.
You will remain in a state of contentment,
love will fill your every action - aligned to truth,
a conduit for life itself - soft like velvet.

Do your problems look big?

Most of us tend to occupy ourselves with problems, we make a big deal out of them and then panic or sulk.
Here is a saying that might help:

“Stop telling God that you have big problems.
Tell your problems that you have a BIG GOD.”

It worked for me…

Encompass All

Ramu and Shamu both claimed ownership of the same mango tree. One day they approached Birbal and asked him to settle their dispute. Birbal said to them: "There is only one way to settle the matter. Pluck all of the fruits on the tree and divide them equally between the two of you. Then, cut down the tree and divide the wood". Ramu thought that this was a fair judgement and said so, but Shamu was horrified. "Your Honour" he said to Birbal "I've tended that tree for seven years. I'd rather let Ramu have it than see it cut down." "Your concern for the tree has told me all I wanted to know" said Birbal, and declared Shamu the true owner of the tree.

I came across this story a few days ago and asked myself: at the end of the day, am I here just to take my share or do I live and act to encompass all of life's needs? Do I put other’s needs, even those of nature, before my own? Do I value the seeds that I have planted or do I only want to taste the temporary fruit of them?


Yesterday, I was looking at some photographs in someone's office - one of which was of the Pope. This person said that a few years ago he had the fortune of meeting the Pope and how when the Pope died he had felt the loss. He said if you ask most people to name individuals who have really touched the world, making it a better place, they could probably count them on their fingers. He mentioned other individuals like Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King...and I thought, just as in the story above, they cared for the world, they cared for other’s needs before their own. When you let go of the need to take - your consciousness opens, your heart opens, and so everything and much more comes back to you.

Flower

Hi guys, just sharing with you what I was asking myself today...

If I were a flower, which one would I be? What kind of colour, fragrance, sweetness, inspiration would I bring? Where would people like to keep me? What would I remind them of? What kind of plants would surround my environment? Would I let go of my thorns? How long would I last - and would I make each moment eternal? Actually, this does give a LOT of food for thought!

- BOL

Expectations kill

Recently I have been getting easily irritated and annoyed by people and trivial matters. When I dove deep into the root of the problem, I saw my own expectations of people and how they should be. If they were not doing what I thought they should be doing or if they were not doing what I had asked them to do then that made them wrong in my eyes.

A friend of mine shared with me that it is essential to see every one as a unique individual and allow them to play their role, and not to try to change their role or play it for them. She asked me "You wouldn't like someone to play your role for you would you?"

I am still practising it - I will let you know how I get on...

Get out of the BOX!

Can you connect the nine dots with four straight lines without lifting the pen from the paper? You must not cross any dot more than once though:-).

If you cannot do it within 5 minutes, then you might wish to reconsider your approach to solving problems. Try not to assume what hasn’t been said and do not allow your assumptions to limit your options by a box. All you need to do here is get out of the box and think freely just like in life!

Very often in life this box actually represents the limitations coming from the expectations of society or what we assume them to be. We are expected to get angry, to run after wealth, to do things fast, to fear loosing…

Well, we can either be that or get out of the box and choose to stop and reflect… to turn within! Choose to be calm, generous, fearless, loving! Be free! Be original!
The choice is yours! The world is yours!

Winds of Change

On a spiritual level it can be said that there are 2 different types of storms in life:

Self created
Externally created

This week life has been teaching me to become aware of 'the winds of change' inside and outside.
Within these winds there is a momentum - who knows where it's heading? It could ultimately wip up into a cyclone and before you know it where am I?

So let me know myself so well and become so giving, of peace and love in everything I do, that even in the biggest cyclones I head straight for the their centre, no deviation, seeing them for what they are - a storm for me to master. Gently moving with the storm, cool and calm, agile - observing the winds of change with acceptance and understanding and free to be me.

Happy, light, cheerful - just like the sun!

Uplifting

A friend of mine sent these images to me and I would like to share them with you. I hope you enjoy them.

Optimism will let me see the silver lining.
Pessimism only lets me see the lightning.

Looking at this image I ask myself:
Do I want to be just mediocre?
No. I want to be different and lead a brilliant life!

I found this quote quite astonishing because laziness is one of those things in me which I comfortably hold on to and use from time to time. It is such a tiny mouse but it has a huge effect on the elephant. I need to buck up now.

-Yogi Bear-

Humility

I made a discovery today: that humility is the ultimate wisdom. Think about it: no need to prove myself, to argue, to 'be right', to 'defend my ego', to complicate things, to show off... wow, the list goes on and on. So I can be simple, I can be light, I can live peacefully and happily in full self-respect. True humility does not take anything away. On the contrary, it allows me to recognize where my true value comes from.

-BOL

Real love...

“I would be full of love if …” – Does this sound like an expression of real love?
Real love doesn’t really depend on anything, it is unconditional, and there are no ifs…
Unconditional love is true love.
True love is not giving, it is something you become, it is a state of being.

So be LOVE, your real self!

"Everything comes to us that belongs to us

if we create the capacity to receive it."

Touching Life

Every one of my waking moments offers me an opportunity to touch life in a meaningful way. The ability to identify those unique 'touching points' and to make such a special contribution, which brings beauty to each scene of life, only happens if I am in tune with life. When I am present at each moment - not physically, but with my full awareness. It is the quality of my thoughts that enables me to touch life in a precious, wonderful way even in the simplest of scenes.

Spiritual vanity

Mirror, mirror on the wall, what do you have to show me today?

Generally no one likes to be told about their weaknesses or to see their weaknesses. I have found though that when I have examined my 'internal' self the result has been that I have gained a better understanding of myself and that this has allowed me to see what I needed to change in my attitude and my vision. However, there is a step inbetween and even before I can change my attitude or my vision I need to accept my own weaknesses and be very gentle with them and find something positive to replace them with. These weaknesses cannot be chassed off so easily. They have been my "friends" for such a long time, coming every time I feel "lonely" to visit me again and again. They keep me company. So let me find new "friends" to replace them i.e. positivity, gentleness, respect, kindness, calm, love, bliss and the list goes on... All I now need is courage, determination, patience and compassion for myself.

PS: When I see the weaknesses of others, they become my weakness - scary isn't it?! (I think I have mine to deal with - thank you very much and I'll leave theirs for them to deal with!)

Laughter feels good!

I came across a scientific study on laughter the other day. The scientists said that both laughter and the anticipation of laughter initiate changes in the body that “appear to carry important, positive implications for wellness, disease-prevention and most certainly stress-reduction”.

SO, LET’S GET SERIOUS ABOUT LAUGHTER!

Laugh and be happy and healthy!

Parent Training

Sometimes (very often actually) my mind races ahead into this, that and the next thing.
It's a bit like an excited child that really doesn't know what's best for it and then looks to me to get it out of the mess. You can't blame the kids!

So what do I need to do?
Parent training comes to mind.
Let me look after my wandering child.
Gently giving it good things to focus on that brings pleasure, happiness and understanding.
A good mum always puts her child first even before herself!

Don’t choke!

To avoid choking is a matter of paying attention,
being accurate and doing everything in its own time!


I think that this can also be applied to life!
So, avoid being excessive, astonished or surprised with things that you see or hear.
Don’t be breathless!
If we look around we see that lots of similar things are happening in everyone’s life!
Do not let anything obstruct your way, take out your peace!
For that! Pay attention, be accurate and know that everything has its own time!

But if you choke, DO NOT GET DESPERATE!
Just take your time, breath slowly, and it will pass!
-Fuzz-

Spontaneous Reflection

I was in Sainsbury’s this weekend doing my grocery shopping. Whilst I was queueing up at the checkout a young boy, about 9 year old, was in front of me. He had a few lemons in his hands. The checkout staff started chatting to the boy and asked him what he is going to do with the lemons. The boy answered, "I'm learning to be a juggler. Shall I show you?" The checkout staff answered, "Sure, let’s see it!" The boy took three lemons and started juggling. Seeing this I had to smile, it was not your everyday scene. I looked around and saw that all eyes were on him. Other customers in the queue and checkout staff turned to look and they all had a smile on their face. It was nice to see how an innocent boy with his spontaneity could brighten and lighten the atmosphere in the supermarket.

I went home to look up the word 'Spontaneous' and found the meaning was - a process that occurs without external influence or excitement. It seems that spontaneity is a natural process. Children still hold this state of mind because of their innocence and openness to life. As we grow into adolescence and adulthood we somehow lose the ability to live life as new each moment. We put a lot of energy into analysing situations and give so much importance to what others might think, stopping us from opening our hearts and being spontaneous in life.

So, let me live again!

Whatever happens is good!

I just remembered a story that someone told and thought I would share it with you:

Once upon a time a king and his advisor (a wise man, as advisors normally are:-)) went for a walk through a forest. They were both enjoying the walk up to the moment when the king somehow managed to cut one of his fingers. The finger started to bleed and the king was devastated. Hoping to make the king feel better, the wise man said: “Whatever happens is good!”

Already annoyed with having cut his finger, the last thing the king wanted to hear was that his finger was bleeding for a good reason! He turned around to the wise man and said: “What kind of advisor are you if you see good in my suffering? I don’t think I need such an advisor. Please leave, I don’t need your assistance any longer!”

The wise man shrugged and started to make his way back to the city, leaving the king behind by himself in the middle of the forest. Being convinced he had done just the right thing, the king continued his walk as soon as his finger stopped bleeding. Just around the corner, he came across a few men of the local tribe. Not looking at all like one of them, the king attracted their attention. “So well groomed, clean and fragrant.” – the natives thought – “Let’s catch him and take him to the chief”. A few minutes later, the king found himself to be caught within four arms and screaming at the top of his voice “I am THE KING, let me go!”. However, that wasn’t a language the natives could understand, so he was loosing his voice in vein.

Having been impressed by the latest catch, the chief decided to sacrifice the king to the gods and ordered that the king be tied up and kept until dawn. After a long sleepless night, the king’s hopes for freedom raised when two natives approached him to untie his hands. However, he wouldn’t even have dreamt that he was just being prepared to be sacrificed as an offering to the gods. While they were freeing his hands, one of the natives noticed the cut on the king’s finger and ran to inform the chief. “A cut on his finger?” – the chief yelled – “We can’t offer imperfect beings to our gods. He is no good, let him go!”

Having been freed and having remembered what the wise man said, the king finally understood the goodness behind having a cut on his finger. He ran back to the city without a breath to find the dismissed advisor. “Please forgive me for dismissing you, you are the wisest man I have ever met.” – the king screamed out of happiness when he finally found the wise man - “Please come back to work for me again!”. Having heard the whole story, the wise man answered: “I am so glad you dismissed me then. If I had been caught by the natives with you, I would have been their next choice for the offering after having noticed the cut on your finger, so thank you for saving my life!”

Essence-Full-Living

As I was going to work today and the myriad of tasks spun through my mind like a web ...... a little whisper came to me......

what's your purpose today?



‘To remember the seed of peace, love and happiness. To be a seed of peace love and happiness.’

I was inspired. I can feed the roots of life, grow in all directions!
It all starts deep within the roots of my own consciousness.

I've got my work cut out for me today and it feels great!

CHICKEN RUN, EAGLE FLY

This is a story I heard recently...

Once upon a time an eagle accidentally laid an egg amongst some chicken’s eggs. When the egg hatched the chicken community accepted the eagle chick as one of them. They named him Beagle. The chickens in that community taught Beagle well, he grew up learning how to cluck, peck and scratch.

One day Beagle looked up and he saw an eagle soaring in the sky above. He asked the chickens "What is that flying object in the sky?" The chickens replied "Oh, that's an eagle. They are very strong birds. They fly high in the sky and they are very independent and full of strength." Beagle started to flap his wings and imitate the eagle. He even managed to lift off from the ground a little. The chickens teased him continuously though. Beagle then asked the chickens, "Why can't we fly like the eagle?" The chickens chuckled and laughed. "Beagle, we are chickens silly! Chickens do not fly." He then started thinking to himself, "Yes, I'm a chicken and not an eagle. Why even try to fly?"

Do you know what happened?

A few years passed by and Beagle died. He died believing he was a chicken and never having taken flight.


The moral of this story for me is:
Don't stop with the dream as then it will just remain a dream, instead let me courageously take action to make it come true. Also, never let the words of others deter me from pursuing my dream as at least I will die having had the courage to find out for myself and knowing the truth.

Mind creativity!!

I have been away skiing these last few days and I had a lot of thoughts!
Good thoughts!
The scenery helped a lot!
The gentle wind blowing across my face, sunshine, huge white mountains, silence. …
I was in the company of my mind, thoughts that were gentle like the breeze and in agreement with the atmosphere!
Now I am back and I can still feel the gentleness of those surroundings.
I guess it is all about being creative!
All about creating your own inner atmosphere!
-FUZZ-

Detached

Imagine that every scene of the day you are sitting in a grand piazza, observing yourself playing your part and other people playing their parts - detached, as if you are on holiday.

Let me know how you get on?

Enjoy your part!

Full Stop

Put a full stop. Put a full stop to the second just passed. Put a full stop to worry, to problems, to rushing, to noise. Put a full stop to all that is misplaced inside of you -- that memory, that bad feeling, that mistake. Put a full stop to too much thinking. Then live that point. Be a point. Simple. Full. Filled. Light.

Decisions, decisions, decisions

I loath making decisions or being presented with different options. Why? I fear that either I will make the wrong decision or not choose the best option. We are thrown into making decisions on a daily basis - whether it is buying a house, choosing a job or deciding what’s for dinner. Recently I’ve been presented with many opportunities to develop my decision making skills. I have learnt from these experiences that there are no right or wrong /good or bad decisions, only the one that suits me best. So there's nothing to fear. I now known that whatever I decide or choose can only be the best.

Blogging from India

I'm currently blogging from India, Rajasthan. For those who are wondering what I'm doing in India - I'm here to recharge my spiritual battery for the year.The plane journey to Ahmedabad was about 8 hours and I had been allocated a window seat. Normally as soon as I hit the plane I am fast asleep until the plane touches down. This time I was with travelling companions and I was very "thoughtful" to sleep only for three quarters of the journey, so to keep them company. Before landing, the flight attendant requested I lift the shutters up. I looked out of the plane and saw the beautiful scenery of India - sky blue sea and neatly laid out green patches of fields. Those of you who have been to India would know that India does not look anything like that close up.

Then a thought came to me. If I were to go beyond and see everything from a space, all scenes and situations ofmy life would only look beautiful. It is when I go down below that I get caught up with details of the situations and that I allow negativity and stress come to me. Therefore, everytime I get caught up in any situation, I have to learn to take myself beyond the situation and I will see the bigger picture.

Wake up and sing for life!

Today I woke up and put the radio on....
This is what I heard!

Fame
I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly
High

I feel it coming together
People will see me and cry
Fame

I'm gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame
Fame
I'm gonna live forever

Baby remember my name
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember

I was singing along to music in the background........... remember ,remember....
Got the message?
Remember!! Sing! Be happy ! Give happiness!

-Fuzz-

Hearth for the World

Whilst I was going to work today on the train, I was comfortably sitting back reflecting. After being so cold outside, I was now so warm, the heating was particularly high. There was a good feeling inside, there was love and warmth in my heart, the meditation had been particularly enjoyable today - an image came to mind, 'a roaring warm hearth on a cold day'. The feelings and the situation all merged into one.

I thought to myself, today I am going to be like a 'hearth', that warm and comfortable place that you are magnetically drawn to when you walk into a room - where there is a sense of deep comfort and peace.

Try this:
First turn up the heating (only joking!)
First light the flame of love in the heart,
let it grow,
fan the flames with thoughts of unlimited love,
become that flame of love in the mind,
picture it,
let the heart and mind become one - a furnace of love

You are a hearth for the world!

HAI KAI

The constancy of the sun -- You
the ocean, the nectar, the dawn
of the world -- which has begun anew

Sorrow – to take or not to take?

I heard someone say the other day “I didn’t give sorrow, they took it!”
Hmmm!?! That made me think, “ Is sorrow given to us, or do we take it ourselves?”

Well, no one can make me take things I don’t want to take, so why can’t that be the case with sorrow? There was the answer to my question: “It doesn’t matter if someone is trying to give me sorrow if I decide not to take it.”

It’s up to me!
It’s up to you! Be sorrowproof!

What is true confidence?

True confidence is when I am at peace with my strengths and my weaknesses.

Now that's what I think is, what do you think it is?

Be the Change

So often we look at the problem and not at the solution.

I've tried this a number of times and it's worked - when something doesn't work out or something doesn't feel right...just ask yourself, 'What is it that I need to do now?' 'what is it that I need to change within myself?' Make the change happen there in that moment - visualise yourself being or interacting in a different way. You change the way you feel not by holding onto the negative thoughts but by creating positive thoughts. This is what it means to be proactive and not a passive bystander to yourself and the world. As you change, the world around you will change and will respond differently to you.

I chose the image of these horses because they capture the sense of freedom & vitality when you allow nothing to hold you back...even if that which is holding you back is your own mind - you are able to overcome that with understanding and your own willingness to stay free.

You can choose

We always have the opportunity to choose our company. So why not start with the mind? Choose the company of the thoughts that bring happiness and lightness
Have a gr8 week
- Fuzz -

Don't think!

"Don't think" is not about not thinking. It is about not thinking 'waste', about giving space for oneself. Like a mental zen garden, everything as it should be, delicately placed in perfect composition. It is about enjoying your space. A space filled with fragrance and color, where things are allowed to flourish in their own time. And where time is not the enemy, the drink of patience slowly savored.

Do you feel your life could do with a bit more springtime? I mean, inner springtime. The seeds are there, perhaps you can even see flowers. Life could be lighter. Happiness, rather than pleasure, would bring that constant smile on your face - a taste of permanence. Then one is free from the noises of worry, over-thinking, hurry, agitation, irritation - all of which clog this inner spring like a never-ending traffic-jam. Thoughts repeating like patterns in a wall-paper. Or feelings that travel around in circles. So "don't think" is like going green and not paying congestion charge in your mind. It is a fast from 'junk' thinking, so that you have time to digest the good thoughts, those which bring benefit to you and everybody else. Like redecorating yourself, painting the inner walls, buying new furniture, throwing away old letters, tarnished maps, mouldy stuff. Getting lots of plants, bathing oneself in light. Creating a breathing room to the soul. A place to see and live greatness. Light a star within. Take the lid off your soul!

Newness

If a thought comes more than three times into my mind, it has become a habit and therefore has lost its freshness and power to inspire. If my thoughts are always new, then everything I do will be like a breath of fresh air. Like newly picked flowers, one offers them as a gift. Newness is a gift for life itself!

Smile

I read something last night that made me (reflect) on the importance of
(wearing) a smile everyday:
"(True) happiness is the result of being connected with the divine, (it can
be experienced in a minute), the result is the presence of God in the world,
(and can be seen through people's smiles)"

It is so easy to wear a smile, the simplest thing to do, yet we forget it
very often. Today I will be aware of this and I will try to keep my
smile....

Frida

Truly happy, just like a child

I read somewhere recently that according to Goethe, the only people who are truly happy are those who are, just like children, made blissful by the smallest things… I couldn’t help but start thinking why it is that children seem to be happier than adults…
It would be nice to feel as happy as a child, wouldn’t it?
They are simple. They have a simple inner life and simple thoughts…they never think hard.
They respond spontaneously, instinctively.
They don’t have the baggage of the past, they don’t have the ability to imagine the future and therefore don’t worry about it. They only live in the present moment, always ready to play.

So is there something that adults are missing out on? How can we make ourselves feel happy?

Well, one thing is definitely obvious: happiness can be experienced only in the present moment! So why should we be stuck in the past or worry about the future? Whenever we live in the past or the future we are actually missing the present moment and if we do it too often we end up missing most of our lives. Is that how we really want to spend our lives? No?

So what are you waiting for, let’s play… just like children would :-)!

Gema

Mother of my mind

As Gods' child I have all rights to peace, love & happiness - yippee!
Now where does that put me?
'High!' I hear you say.
Responsible, I thought. I have to look after these treasures, take care of them and let nothing else get in the way!
How?
Today I heard... 'Be like a mother (a good one!) who doesn't see weaknesses in her children, she just wants to guide them. To do this she uses her powers to tolerate and accommodate.'
I thought to myself 'I need to be a good mother to my mind!'
Whatever thoughts that arise in my mind ......It's OK,let go....and become nice and easy.....not trying to control. I can be just be how I want to be... loving, calm, relaxed...It's a silent conversation, the mother corrects by mirroring what she wants to see in the child.

Benefit in Everything

Once there was an old farmer who had been planting and reaping crops for many years. Then one day, his horse ran away. When his neighbours heard about his horse they came to visit him. "Such bad luck" they said sympathetically. "Maybe, maybe not?" the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned with three wild horses. "How wonderful!" the neighbours exclaimed. "Maybe, maybe not?" replied the old man. The following day his son rode one of the wild horses… he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbours came to offer the farmer sympathy for this unfortunate event. "Maybe, maybe not?" answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army, on seeing that the son's leg was broken they passed on by. The neighbours congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "Maybe, maybe not?" said the farmer.

I often find myself coming back to this story---it reminds me that rather than quickly judging a situation… to choose to wait and see. Somehow ‘in waiting’ I find that I can just watch and enjoy the magic of life unfold in front of me, instead of feeling one minute high and one minute low. I now try to stay constant and to wait and see what's next. Is it possible that there's benefit in everything?

OTIS

The power of good wishes

Hi Everyone,

I have been quite quiet in ‘blogging’ for some time as I had a very important exam last week. I had been preparing for this exam for quite a few years. You can just imagine how one might feel before entering the exam room after so many years of hard work!!! I had been dreading this day for a long time…

As I entered the building in which the exam was going to take place, I met a couple of people who wished me good luck. I continued down the corridor and by the time I reached the end of it, another 3 people wished me good luck. I was beginning to feel more confident about my exam, but I wasn’t sure what was influencing my feelings. I continued on my way to my office and whoever I came across, wished me good luck. I thought to myself how very nice it was that all these people were truly wishing that I would succeed in this exam. I rushed into my office to do my final revision.

When it was time to go to the exam, I made my way to the exam room… and that’s when the miracle happened… I don’t think I can find words to describe that feeling… everyone around me was sending me into the exam room with such strong good wishes that the moment I entered the room I felt very confident that I would do well. This thought relaxed me and the answers to the examiners’ questions just flew off my lips without any hard thinking. I couldn’t believe that I was coming up with all those fluent explanations… And I was sure that this wasn’t a consequence of my real confidence but had to do with all those people who really wished me well from their hearts.

Now I am definitely convinced that good wishes coming from the heart do have power and I will be sending them to everyone. Amazing!

Gema