Teachers I

Decades ago, one old monk at school told us the following story: as a young novice, it had been his task to rise especially early, before the others in his community, and fill and light all the oil-lamps in the Abbey, in preparation for the first prayer of the day.

In the days before the mass electrification of the country, one can imagine how a bitter English night must have felt inside the dark vaulted interior of the place; the pale limestone walls cold and echoing, whilst one slight and shivering figure shuffled a jerry-can of black lamp-oil from station to station, with only an old set of wooden library steps to assist him in reaching up for the empty lamps, then replacing them again, full and unwieldly, with increasingly tired outstretched arms.

One morning, due to whatever combination of cold and tiredness, the inevitable occured, and, in some dark corner behind the alter, down fell one of the lamps, full of bitumous liquid, though, luckily for the mortified novice, not yet lit. The porous stone almost immediately soaked up the oil, and despite his best efforts that day, and for years to come, the floor of the Abbey remained indelibly marked with a dark splash where the old oil lamp had shattered.

Our old monk probably never forgot the lesson, about taking care of the smallest things, as everything leaves a lasting impression; last February, in an Abbey now better heated and lit, like everywhere else, after the old monk's funeral, I went looking, and, there, still, was a faint darkening in the smooth stone floor.

Not all mistakes are bad, not when they can still teach long after the teacher is gone and forgotten.

THE CHEERING AUDIENCE, THE ACTOR AND ANNIE LENOX!

Annie Lenox has a beautiful song:
‘Hey, hey I saved the world today
Everybody is happy now'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa_lkpBVkXU
This is how I felt yesterday.
‘I killed my ego yesterday!
Everybody is happy now!’
I had to go and talk to someone but my ego was saying, no, nO, NO! Then an image jumped into my mind. I saw myself on a cinema screen, the audience is watching holding their breath. They know if I go and talk to my friend, the film will end happily. They can see this because they are not hearing the strong recommendations and reasoning of my ego. I was hearing them saying: ‘Come on, go and speak to her!’ I said, okay then, and I did! It was so cool! The conflict was resolved. I could hear the audience cheering happily and clapping, it was like living in a sitcom! Then I thought about it. How could I kill my ego? Where did I get the power?
Then it clicked, I was practising ‘suddenly dropping a wall’ between the chattering of my mind and myself on that day. I was just going inside, and saying to myself; ‘it is so nice to be in here’. I was trying to feel relaxed, as if I was lying in a hot bath or something. Just realising that space inside me; makes it easy to access at times of need! Try and please share the comments of your audience!

the monks next door...

Not sure if you can see what this image is (I took the photo from my window) - I work from home...and everyday I look out onto the sky and directly opposite to another window where for the past few months they've had this cardboard box resting against the window and on the outer side of the box facing me are pictured four monks sitting around a table. Everyday when I see this I reflect on the story that I once heard and it went something like this...

...it's an old story about a group of monks living with their master in a Tibetan monastery. Their lives were disciplined and dedicated, and the atmosphere in which they lived harmonious and peaceful. People from villages far and wide flocked to the monastery to bask in the warmth of such a loving spiritual environment. Then one day the master departed his earthly form. At first the monks continued on as they had in the past, but after a time, the discipline and devotion that had been hallmarks of their daily routine slackened. The number of villagers coming through the doors each day began to drop, and little by little, the monastery fell into a state of disrepair. Soon the monks were bickering among themselves, some pointing fingers of blame, others feeling guilt. Finally, the senior monk could take it no longer. Hearing that a spiritual master lived as a hermit two days walk away, the monk wasted no time in seeking him out. Finding the master in his forest hermitage, the monk told him of the sad state the monastery had fallen into and asked his advice. The master smiled. "There is one living among you who is the incarnation of God..." With those words spoken, the master fell silent and would say no more. All the way back to the monastery, the monk wondered which of his brothers might be the incarnated One. "Perhaps it is Brother Jaspar who does our cooking," the monk said aloud. "Perhaps our gardener, Brother Timor, is the one," he then thought. Reaching the monastery, he immediately told his brothers what the master had said and all were just as astonished as he had been to learn the Divine was living among them. Since each knew it was not himself who was God Incarnate, each began to study his brothers carefully, all trying to determine who among them was the Holy One. Each so concentrated on seeing God in the other that soon their hearts filled with such love for one another the chains of negativity that held them bound fell away. As time passed, they began seeing God not just in each other, but in every one and everything. Days were spent in joyful reverence, rejoicing in His Holy Presence. The monastery radiated this joy like a beacon and soon the villagers returned, streaming through the doors as they had before, seeking to be touched by the love and devotion present there. It was some time later that the senior monk decided to pay the master another visit to thank him for the secret he had revealed. "Did you discover the identity of the Incarnated One?" the master asked. "We did," the senior monk replied. "We found him residing in all of us." The master smiled.

...this story reminds me of the power of our own vision, & what we choose to see and focus on is what will ultimately be our reality...changing our vision of each other (maybe first of our ownselves) could be the start of visibly see a change in the world.

Monday Spiritual Joke #28

A woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a genie's lamp. She picked it up and rubbed it. Lo-and-behold a genie appeared. The amazed woman asked if she got three wishes.

The Genie said, "Nope. Due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third-world countries and fierce global competition, I can only grant you one wish. So, what'll it be?"

The woman didn't hesitate. She said, "I want peace in the Middle East. See this map? I want these countries to stop fighting with each other."

The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed, "Gadzooks, lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I'm good, but not THAT good! I don't think it can be done. Make another wish."

The woman thought for a minute. She said, "Well, I've been trying to find the right husband. You know, one that's considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, has a great sense of humor and gets along with my family, doesn't watch sports all the time and is faithful. That's what I wish for. A good mate."

The Genie let out a long sigh and said, "Let me see that map again."

Try this out!

I randomly picked up a book recently and just loved this...

Do this simple exercise for one minute each hour and you will be amazed at the result.

Breathe slowly and deeply, relax and think...
I am a peaceful being...
I am peaceful...
I love peace...
and I share peace with others...

I tried it out of curiosity (and a bit of boredom) and just could not believe the change I felt in myself.

So for anyone who's feeling time's tight and in short supply, here's a simple solution.

Diversion continues...

.... Continuing from my previous post...

Diversion does not mean distraction. We can easily distract the mind with the telly or watching a movie. When sitting in front of the telly, my mind is bombarded with what is shown. My mind becomes subservient to the telly and absorbs anything coming its way - without filtering the good or the bad for me.

So, diversion is an active process not a passive one. Diversion is when I fully take charge of how I want to feel and what I want to experience. Diversion takes many forms - a few of them which have worked for me: -

• Writing / blogging
• Going for a swim or doing some form of sports
• Singing out loud in the showers
• Going for a long walk
  
• Cooking and baking for your neighbours and friends
• Cleaning

How does this process help? When my mind is weak at times, by creating a diversion I allow my mind some breathing space to step away from the situation. And when I do come back to face the situation, my mind would have had the clarity and space to deal with it.

I understand that we will eventually reach our destination regardless but do I want to wait for 3 months or 6 months before the road block is cleared for me to move forward or do I want to get there sooner? Again, my choice...

So, do you have any diversions which have worked for you?

Diversion ends here...

Diversion

Rather than letting the headache and flu occupy my mind, I decided to channel this energy into blogging something tonight.

There's nothing insightful of what I'm going to write about but I didn't want my mind to focus on the pain because it is rather affecting me. As I can't seem to meditate or sleep because of the headache and the blocked nose, I decided to blog instead - hoping that this would help refocus my mind, redirecting it away from the pain the body is experiencing. This is called creating a diversion.

There are times when I'm driving through the streets of London where frequently I come across road works or road blocks. However, with every road works or road blocks comes a 'diversion' sign - helping motorist to avoid the area. This situation also applies to my internal world. When my mind comes across a road block (emotional or mental), it is important to learn to follow the 'diversion' signs. If there isn't one in place then let me create one. If not, I would come to a halt either dwelling on the past, future or just trivial matters. So, I have to learn to recognise where to place those 'diversion' signs so that I don't end up meeting road blocks or worst falling into the pit of the road blocks.

I'm already feeling much better whilst writing this blog!

We'll be back soon....

We've taken a holiday from the blogging world but not from the spiritual world. We're getting our acts back together after a very long break and we're definitely missing it.

So, stay tune and you'll have us back on full force!

Monday Spiritual Joke #27

GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the Midwest? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.

ST. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it -- sometimes twice a week.

GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS: No Sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.

GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.

ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD: And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD: Enough. I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have they scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE: "Dumb and Dumber", Lord...

GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

Life is a game...

... and the winner of the game is the one who enjoys it in happiness at all times!

Addiction

I was 'speaking' to my cousin yesterday - online via MSN - him in Singapore and me in London. I have always been fascinated by technology and how it has made the world a smaller place to be in... Anyway, we got into a rather interesting conversation and he thought I should blog our conversation.

The conversation started of with a discussion on addiction...

We are all addicts.

Definition of addiction: something you are emotional or psychological dependent on.

We are all addicted to one thing or another. It's not just substances (drugs, alcohol, tobacco...) either - the 10secs or 10mins hit- that we're addicted to anymore. If you google the word 'addict' you get hits naming a mirad of different types of addiction that are out there - be it shopping, food, television shows or people. One that doesn't come up is the addiction to speaking. I think there are good number of people who are addicted to speaking. There are people who just love speaking about what goes on in other people's lives; there are those who just love talking about themselves and there are those who prefer to talk because they feel uncomfortable with silence.

I appreciate the importance of language and words but if we are talking gibberish, gossiping, speaking hurtful words or just for the sake of talking then all we are doing is just wasting our energy. These types of conversations lead to nothing but exhaustion, a false sense of esteem and frustration.

Only when we use the right words at the right time is there power in our words. Those words will not only inspire others but help them grow and follow their own path. This is clearly seen through out history with great people like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi who have truly made an impact on many people's lives - just by them living to their words and values.

A nice way to live...

A little while ago I was attending a talk in London (you may have seen the summary of talks on 'Let's Get Spiritual', it was one of these!) and the speaker said something that really touched my heart. I can't remember the exact words but at that moment I felt my mind opening up towards something new. To a different way of seeing life that could really make a difference to me!

She related facts about a friend of hers' who always seemed to find herself in places (quite often work places or events) where people feel hopeless or even depressed. At that moment I caught myself thinking; well maybe it's because she is a bit depressed herself that she attracts these types of situations & people... (we are so quick to draw conclusions!)

She had a completely different take on it though- she realised that the reason why she often found herself in these situations was because she is really good at giving hope to people! These situations were opportunities for her to express her specialities!! I thought to myself: "Wah, this is an amazing awareness. If each one of us were to think & act in this way there would be world transformation!"

To be honest I am quite far away from mastering this headspace, it's so much easier to say: "Why is this always happening to me?, Why can't I have what this person has, What have I done to deserve this situation?, How bad must I be... ?"

As I have started to practise this awareness though I found that situations can be triggers that actually have the potential to awaken our specialities. Two questions kept coming up for me. "Do I recognise that life is there to help me?" and "Do I acknowledge my specialities?" As I kept realigning myself to these questions I found myself starting to enjoy life 10 times more, and 100 times more...

Cool, isn't it?

being re-planted...

On a more positive note…things changed today. – I re-planted a plant in a bigger pot…and as I took the plant out of the old small pot…I saw all the roots so tightly woven together…wanting to branch out but with not enough space to do so. Re-planting it felt like I was being re-planted – giving myself more space to breath and stretch and it felt such a relief. Today was a relief. – I had time to do the things that were pending…Connected with being busy – this week was not the greatest…Things happened and internally I held onto the conversations, the reactions and most of the all the feelings. I’m aware that I rush in my mind…jumping from one thing to the next – and today my mind stopped. My day started with meditation and a class at a meditation centre. I got home at noon and did cleaning, then I went for a walk I Hyde park, then I went to do some grocery shopping, then I re-planted the plant in the new pot that I had bought and filled it with new compost. Next I made banana muffins and prepared the ingredients to make bread tomorrow, then I made dinner, then I sat for meditation in the evening…plus throughout the day I did three loads of laundry. At 8pm my flatmate came back with and had brought a beautiful plant with her which she’s just now planting into a pot that we have on the balcony…She just said: it’s amazing timing that you bought compost today…By the way I’m the last person to look after plants – they tend to die on me unfortunately…but I’m determined for a bit of change. I have to be honest and say that tonight was the first time in a long time that I sat and my mind was quiet…restful and it is still restful. In my evening meditation the thought came: why am I here?…Is it to run around working for ordinary things or am I here to offer something of some value?…Just recently I attended a talk and the speaker shared…that to serve is to give peace and happiness. This is what I want to do…this is how I want to live…this is what I want to create inside. Well, it’s Sunday and it’s easy to think in this way – my aim this week is to carry it through – to work on another level…a level of love.

Is anyone too busy?

Is anyone too busy?….I’ve been thinking…Why am I always rushing against time?…I heard sometime ago that being busy is a sign of laziness…and this somehow rings true for me, but knowing this hasn’t inspired me to change the busy syndrome…One thing is for sure that although life may feel busy, I can say that I do enjoy it…Still I do sometimes wish that I had more time on my hands to do what I want/need to do. Recently even blogging became too much…I didn’t have the time and yes life was busy, but I think there is something in developing the art of doing more in less time. Do I waste time?…Well, probably at times – well, I think others reading this will have a chuckle, my 5mins are usually 15-20mins if you’re lucky. If I’m working on the computer trying to finish a design or write up a report my 5mins can easily turn into an hour…On the other hand if there is a deadline I can usually meet it. I remember once when I was in art school and we had assignments that were due, someone told me (at the time I didn’t understand what he was talking about) that I have a very good sense of timing (no laughing if anyone is reading this that knows meJ). I do tend to manage everything in time, but just on time…and do I feel stressed? do I feel stretched?…Well, yes…I am not exactly displaying self mastery at these times…Sometimes it means I stay up late just to get the work done on time…and most of all I tend to drag everyone else into the late nights…My flatmate recently jokingly said in passing: remind me never to work with you…So what is it that I need to change?…Do I want to change?... This is the real key question? I have to say I quite like my process of working…I enjoy the feeling of having pushed myself…and the sense of achievement it gives – Is this good from a spiritual perspective? Probably not…Today I had the thought that… this week I’m going to do another kind of work and that is to take more time in the evening to meditate…so that my clarity of thinking develops and my intellect becomes sharper…As only then do I think I will really be able to save time and use time in a worthwhile way…It is also easy for me to take this time right now as I don’t have any pressing deadlines…At least I should take this opportunity to build a reserve inside so that when I am faced with deadlines it might be possible to tap into an alternate way of working. Let’s see. Thanks for listening!

The mouse story

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.

"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap -- alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

Moral of the story: So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

---
*extract from en email sent by to me by a good friend...

Just be me

I've just returned from a trip I made to India for some quiet moments of reflection and meditation. I always find India such a unique place for solitude, despite the mayhem and chaos which the country offers. Everytime I visit India it is as though it is my first visit and each time I find myself fascinated by the culture, religion, people, noise, language and lifestyle.

I grew up in the East with a mixture of both Eastern and Western values (influences of upbringing, culture, family, TV/Media and colonialism). When I was a kid I used to reject the Eastern values I was taught preferring to be more 'Western' - I would prefer to speak and read in English rather than my own native tongue; to watch Hollywood movies and American / English sitcoms and to listen to music by American / English artists on my walkman. Never once did I ask myself - what's wrong with being me?

However after embarking on this journey of spirituality I have come to accept whatever I'm 'made of' - be it externally or internally. The day I stopped resisting was the day I started being who I am meant to be. I begun to like myself more and see my own potential instead of trying to be someone I'm clearly was not. Otherwise I am not only living in someone else's shadow but I also lose my own integrity and pride by doing so.

So, this time in India, I came to understand that I should stop using my head and start letting things be as they are and as they should be. Destiny has greater plans and 'I' should not get in her way.

Does God exist?

By definition, an atheist is a person who does not believe in God.
So, if God didn’t exist we wouldn’t be able to define an atheist.
In short, if God didn’t exist, there would be no atheists!
However, atheists exist, so… well, the conclusion is obvious:-)!

Travelling light

I went to the coast last weekend to work on a project and a friend of mine asked me to collect some pebbles for her whilst I was down there.

So, to fulfil the request, on the way back I walked down to the beach to pick up some pebbles. The car was parked a fare bit away and my neck and shoulders were aching from carrying the pebbles by the time I got back to it. These were just pebbles and were surprisingly heavier than I thought.

Driving home I thought to myself: we carry so many types of ‘pebbles’ around with us be they past hurts, emotional traumas, fears, worries or negativities. It doesn’t matter how much these 'pebbles' strain and burden our mind or heart we still hold on to them, carrying them around giving us a false sense of security within.

I felt the strain on my body just carrying those pebbles for 15mins. So what kind of impact are these negativities and emotional burdens having on us when we carry them around around 24/7? No wonder we are tired, angry, disappointed and unhappy with life! We drown ourselves looking for quick-fixes and indulgences to temporarily wipe out the heaviness of the burden we experience. Unfortunately the happiness and love we attain from externalities never lasts and even bring more disappointing after they go. They come like a spark and then leave us with nothing to hang on to and we end up looking for more and more until it completely drain us.

I have come to learn that I have to be selective about what I choose to carry in my mind and heart. My mind and heart are sacred to me. Let me begin to store only good feelings and vision and drop all the other 'pebbles' and I can start 'travelling' light again...

The Importance of Feedback

Sorry for my long absence from this beautiful site…

I was wondering why people shy away from giving honest, clear and useful feedback at work since it is so important that we understand what is going well or not so well – and what is expected or not from us. Otherwise it becomes hard to improve and when crisis comes guess who is the first one out the door? Interestingly, having been on both sides of the equation (giving and receiving feedback) I noticed that the fear factor is as high for those who are giving as for those who are receiving feedback. It does not need to be like that though. Establishing a relationship of trust is key, which may take some time to develop. However I have found that one can have a very good time giving/receiving feedback even if it means addressing one's own/someone’s weak performance. It just takes a little practice, as follows:

TO GIVE FEEDBACK

1. Think and rehearse what you will say, check the tone of your voice and your body language (practice in front of a mirror and put yourself into the other person’s shoes to see what 'message' you are giving out)
2. Give practical examples of the behaviour you are talking about (positive or not so), mentioning real situations when you saw that person do that/ or not
3. Check yourself: what is your intention in giving this feedback? What do you want to accomplish? Are you being honest, i.e. giving feedback in such a way that it empowers the other person to progress? Are your words gentle, clear, loving (even if the subject is unpleasant)?
   

TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK

1. Check yourself: have you been doing your work with honesty? Do you deeply respect your colleagues? What kind of ‘energy’ do you believe you bring to your work environment?
2. Now check your performance: do you deliver your assignments on time and to high standards? Do you ‘walk the extra mile’ or ‘barely do the minimum necessary and out the door’? What is your attitude at work?
3. If you are not doing your best, acknowledge it, understand the reason for it (do you not value your work? your time? ) and then decide: do you want to change this situation? If yes, then when/if you receive an unpleasant feedback, you are ready to accept, you have prepared what you will say -- and you can move on. If not, then try to see what would make you be enthusiastic -- and create that in your work!
   

TO BOTH PARTIES
Now prepare yourself:

1. Sit down quietly in a clean, nice, place where you can be left in peace
2. Still your mind (tell yourself: “I will sit here for 5-10 minutes and for that time I will only think what I choose to. Any other thoughts that may come are ok, but I will ask them to return after those 5-10 mins". Keep doing this again and again until your mind is still and focused).
3. Then be present – feel your physical presence in that place, every muscle, every organ, every cell of your body in the present
4. And then go beyond your physical presence – reconnect with your real self, the eternal self, and allow feelings of peace to emerge: "my original nature is peace"
5. When you have enjoyed a silent, peaceful experience, you are ready to visualise the ‘feedback’ encounter
6. See it going very well – visualise the meeting happening in a light, calm, respectful manner; visualise both you and the other person covered in a white light of peace, sharing a nice experience
7. Remember: if you are giving feedback about someone’s weaknesses or talking about their mistakes, make sure to criticise the act, not the ‘actor’. And if you are receiving unpleasant feedback, remember that you are not those acts, you are the ‘actor’ -- and you can always improve or change your part! Also never let that affect your self-esteem. Know how much you are worth: a lot!

Monday Spiritual Joke #26

From the kid's world...

Children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, "Take only one, God is watching."

At the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. Moving through the line a boy wrote another note to leave by the cookies, "Take all you want, God is watching the apples."

----

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."The teacher paused and said, "but no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."