Buying a property or buying a lesson?

Recently someone said to me - "If you are going to attain something, attain something permanent."

This has been playing on my mind for a few days now. I have heard this many times from people and read it in spiritual books but somehow I was unable to put it into context for myself until now.

My husband and I are currently in the process of purchasing a property in North London. Any of you who have bought or are in the process of buying a property know how tedious and precarious the whole process is. I found myself caught up in a whirlwind of questions - 'why', 'when' and 'how' along with the buying process.

After the statement above had been playing in my head for a few days I realised that I had lost sight of our initial reason for buying a property and become too caught up in wanting that so-called-perfect-house. Initially we had agreed to climb onto the property ladder to find a place that we could call home and that would mean not having to keep finding ourselves moving every year, when 'our landlord' decided to raise the rent or sell their property.

I realised a home is a feeling which is created and not something to do with bricks and mortar. You could have the most beautiful house in the world but if it is filled with sadness, unhappiness or grief no one would call that a home and most of all no one would look forward going back to that house.

It is my presence, my pure feelings, my positive energy which make a home loving, caring and full of hospitality. The house is just the scenery where this plays out. If we just stopped chasing after our tails for a second, we might just find what we need deep within ourselves...

(That's what I'm doing now. I will let you know how I get on).

Life Opportunities

Yesterday I left my meditation session feeling really good – we had talked a lot about kindness and I walked to the underground on my way to work thinking about what it really means. I generally walk very fast and on getting to the underground there was an old lady pushing a little cart. I passed by her and proceeded to run down the stairs. When I was at the very bottom I heard a man who had entered the underground with me ask her (he was just then at the top of the staircase): ‘Madam, can I help you going down?’. I then realized that whilst I was thinking about kindness I had just lost the very opportunity to put it into practice! Very much in the same way that many times we proclaim our values with such moral righteousness and yet fail to express them practically when we are “tested on them”. Well, I said to myself: “I hope I learned that lesson, but I lost that opportunity”. Later in the day I was again in the underground and, as I was going up the stairs, there was another old lady trying really hard to carry her luggage down. I rushed up and offered to help her. She accepted with a broad smile on her face. I had a broad smile on mine and felt really good! Not only because I had given something of myself and exchanged a moment of tenderness, but also because of the beauty I could then see in life: when we really want an opportunity to express something positive, life will provide!

Monday Spiritual Joke #12

An engineer died and ended up in Hell. He was not pleased with the level of comfort in Hell, and began to redesign and build improvements. After awhile, they had toilets that flush, air conditioning, and escalators. Everyone grew very fond of him.

One day God called to Satan to mock him, "So, how's it going down there in Hell?" Satan replied, "Hey, things are great. We've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there's no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next."

God was surprised, "What? You've got an engineer? That's a mistake. He should never have gotten down there in the first place. Send him back up here."

"No way," replied Satan. "I like having an engineer, and I'm keeping him." God threatened, "Send him back up here now or I'll sue!"

Satan laughed and answered, "Yeah, right. And just where are YOU going to get a lawyer?"

Can we turn around time?

I finally made it to the Sports Centre the other day. After all that hard work in the gym and the swimming pool I decided to treat myself with a sauna.
I was thoroughly enjoying sitting in the sauna when someone asked me: “Could you please turn the time around?”
There was a sand timer on the wall next to where I was sitting and the lady was obviously asking me if I could turn the timer over, which I did.
However, sitting in silence made me think whether it was possible to turn the time itself around? To make time work for us rather than against us, to make time make the effort to catch up with us rather than us making the effort to catch up with time?
I guess this means doing things with love and enjoying them, so that they are done before the time rather than postponing and then rushing to meet a deadline.

Does anyone out there have more thoughts on this?

Monday Spiritual Joke #11

Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant.

"Sid," asked Al, "Are there any Jews in China?"

"I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?" When the waiter came by, Al said, "Are there any Chinese Jews?"

"I don't know sir, let me ask," the waiter replied and he went into the kitchen.

He quickly returned and said, "No, sir. No Chinese Jews."

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"I will check again, sir." The waiter replied and went back to the kitchen.

While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere."

When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Chinese Jews."

"Are you really sure?" Al asked again. "I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews."

"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have orange jews, prune jews, tomato jews and grape jews, but no one ever hear of Chinese jews!"

The LOVE Story

Once upon a time there was an island on which all The Feelings lived. There was Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge and all the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to all of The Feelings that the island was about to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all of The Feelings prepared their boats to leave, apart from Love who decided to stay. She wanted to preserve their island paradise until the very last possible moment. Eventually, when the island was almost totally under water, Love decided it was time for her to also leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help.

Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, "I am sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."

Then Vanity passed by in a beautiful vessel and Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please!", "I can't help you", Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."

Next Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, "Sadness please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."

Then, Love saw Happiness and cried out, "Happiness, please take me with you." However Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling him.

Love began to cry, then she heard a voice say, "Come Love I will take you with me."

It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived on land the elder went on his way.

Love realized how much she owed the elder and when she met Knowledge she asked who it was that had helped her.

"It was Time", Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked. Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

*This story was sent to me by a friend. Thought I share it with you.

Monday Spiritual Joke #10

A clergyman was walking down the street when he came upon a group of about a dozen boys, all of them between 10 and 12 years of age.

The group surrounded a dog. Concerned lest the boys were hurting the dog, he went over and asked "What are you doing with that dog?"

One of the boys replied, "This dog is just an old neighborhood stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So we've decided that whichever one of us can tell the biggest lie will get to keep the dog."

Of course, the reverend was taken aback. "You boys shouldn't be having a contest telling lies!" he exclaimed. He then launched into a ten minute sermon against lying, beginning, "Don't you boys know it's a sin to lie," and ending with, "Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie."

There was dead silence for about a minute. Just as the reverend was beginning to think he'd gotten through to them, the smallest boy gave a deep sigh and said, "All right, give him the dog."

Beauty tips:-)

The following was written by Sam Levinson and it somehow found its way to my inbox the other day. I loved it, so I thought you might like it too.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.

My responsibility

Last night, arriving home at the same time, my husband JC spotted a car parked on the side of the road with its headlights still turned on. We did not know who the car belonged to. This being London it is quite common not to know your neighbours, you just get on with your day-to-day life and maybe say a 'hi' and 'bye' to your neighbours if you bump into them - that's about it though.

Anyway, if I had been on my own yesterday I would not have taken the initiative to find out who the car's owner was, because it could have been any house on the street. As it was JC, he was quite adamant to look for the owner of the car. After knocking on 5 doors, he found the car's owner, a grey haired man nearing his 60s. He was very grateful because he knew that he would have been in trouble the next day.

When we went back to our flat I asked JC what made him do that? Was it because he wanted to do something nice for someone or was there another reason behind it? He said he felt responsible having seen the car and knowing the despair the person would experience when he/she went to start his/her car the next morning only to find that the engine was dead initiated his action.

I thought to myself (and thinking aloud here), if we all felt such a sense of responsibility towards the world, the world would be a much nicer place to live in. I am not at all innocent in this aspect, I too have been/am negligent and sometimes play ignorant to what is going on around me and to what we are doing to the environment.

This does not mean that I am going to start knocking on the front doors of my neighbours if that's what you think, but I will definitely pay more attention to them when I meet them at their front gates or on my way out, rather than just mumbling 'hi' as I dash in or out of the house.

Monday Spiritual Joke #9

There was a religious lady that had to do a lot of traveling for her business, so she did a lot of flying. Flying made her very very nervous, so she always took her Bible along with her to read as it helped relax her on the long fights.

One time, she was sitting next to a man. When he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and smirk and went back to what he was doing.
After awhile, he turned to her and asked, "You don't really believe all that stuff in there do you?"
The lady replied, "Of course I do. It is the Bible."
He said, "Well, what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?"
She replied, "Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that, it is in the Bible."
He asked, "Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?"
The lady said, "Well, I don't really know. I guess when I get to heaven, I will ask him."
"What if he isn't in heaven?" the man asked sarcastically.
"Then you can ask him," replied the lady.

Patience pays back

A set of lights on my car didn’t work properly and not having much time on my hands, I took the car straight to the garage. I arrived there just after 9am, which is the time they normally open. However, the front door was shut. I inquired in the car-wash next door why the garage was still shut and they didn’t know.
Now I had a choice: get irritated and leave (consequences: waste of energy, faulty lights still there) or wait patiently and see what happened.
Having already invested some of my precious time I decided to wait. Whilst I was waiting I decided to see if I could figure out what was wrong with the lights (I am kind of a DIY person at home, but considering that I don’t know anything about cars, this was a brave decision on my part– well, I just couldn’t stay still:-)!
Anyway, I opened the working lights on the other side of the car and checked what they are supposed to look like when working properly, then compared them with the ones that were faulty and managed to fix them. All done in 10 minutes and for free!!!
I am so glad I didn’t get irritated and left earlier. Being patient allowed me to be creative with my time… well it saved me some money too:-).
By the way, the garage was just starting to open as I was leaving…

Do you believe in research?

........... I DO!
Especially in this!

It is believed that certain compounds in chocolate called flavanols may be responsible for producing positive effects on health. In vitro (that means, in the lab) studies found that flavanols in chocolate may actually decrease the oxidation of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol ". When LDLs become oxidized they promote the build up of plaque along the inside lining of blood vessels, this can reduce blood flow which supports the development of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. Additional in vitro studies found that flavanols may reduce platelet aggregation (these aggregations can cause obstructions in blood flow). Preliminary clinical studies (with real people these times!) have shown that participants consuming flavanol-rich cocoas and chocolates have manifested a number of positive effects relating to cardiovascular health, including decreased blood pressure and improved blood flow through the blood vessels!!

I knew it something that is so tasty and made of a fruit (cocoa!)

should be good!
As not all chocolates have stable amounts of flavanols I would suggest trying different brands!!! Enjoy!!! Be happy!

Do not forget that it can increase your weight, blood sugar and triglycerides if you over do but, after all, nobody is perfect!

Embracing Diversity

I went to a multifaith event on Sunday the theme was "embracing diversity". I know this is currently one of those hot phrases we hear, especially in the corporate world, but it's actually very important that it is there as a "must have" for the world in general. I stopped to think how this embrace goes beyond race and religion, recognising those times when I don't celebrate these differences. Such as, when I come across someone being rude or sharp in their tone and I keep hold of that image of them, and see that moment as defining who they are. Reflecting on this: when I get caught in these "diverse" moments of the day, that seem to be are ever increasing, and I find myself in conflict it's as if life is pleading with me to embrace diversity. To change my attitude so as to not get caught in differences of behaviour; to let go of expectations and let the good wishes flow like a river; to interact with love; to realise that I cannot change anyone and so instead let them feel the embrace of my good wishes and loving feelings as a gift to help them feel better. I know I will feel a lot more united doing this.

Monday Spiritual Joke #8

A priest and bus driver lived together and one day thay also together died. They went to St. Peter standing before Heaven's gate. He allowed the bus driver to go to one of the highest Heavens but the priest had to wait.

He waited for long time and finally went to St. Peter and asked: "Why did that bus driver go to the highest Heaven and I, who all my life spoke about God, had to wait for such a long time?" St. Peter said: "When you were speaking to the people at your church everybody was sleeping, but when that bus driver was driving everybody prayed!"

Power of vibes

As I walked out of Tescos yesterday with my shopping a tourist stopped me in my step to ask me for directions to the National Gallery. It is not unusual to bump into a tourist in Covent Garden, normally I keep my head down and weave my way through the crowd. I presumed he was a tourist because he did not speak any English, only French. My French being limited to two words i.e. 'merci' and 'svp'. I managed to figure out what he wanted though just by the end of his sentence when he said "Galerie Nationale?".

It was 8 in the morning and there were not many people on the street. So it was hard for me to mumble something to him and randomly point him in a direction. I waved my hands and asked him in English whether he had a map and he shook his head. So I gestured for him to follow me. He trailed behind me, we both walked in silence, but somehow naturally there seemed to be an exchange of good energy or vibes (if you prefer to call it that) during that 3 minute walk. I took him to Covent Garden tube station and picked up one of those free magazines that have a map in them and showed him the way to National Gallery. We parted with him just nodding and saying "merci beaucoup" and me saying "you are welcome!".

I realised from this 5 minutes 'epic' that we spend so much time and energy talking, expressing ourselves with words, and yet often so little is accomplished. We still manage to miscommunicate, misinterpret and misunderstood each other despite all those words. I do not deny the power of words, however what about the power of vibrations? We seem to ignore these. My own experience tells me words leave an impression but vibrations leave an imprint on the heart.

War Stories

One day people will stop reading newspapers. On that day newspapers will start writing stories about good things rather than just calamity or entertainment. The former drenches the soul and the latter makes us forget our depth. With either, we remain unfulfilled, empty.

My neighbour was telling me how she was feeling depressed and angry with all the violence she has been watching and reading on the news. Even as we talked, I started to get affected by the conversation. I thought of the many negative messages we are fed every day and which, consciously or unconsciously, we keep in our minds and hearts, like a virus ready to strike at the least failure of our "immune system".

Today, before even opening my daily newspaper, I said to myself: "I am not going to take sides. I will not judge or absorb any negativity". Like a child would, with eyes of innocence and tenderness. You may be wondering "what is the point of that?"

Well, one is that I felt better. I figured that if I did not protect my inner peace and 'joy de vivre' it would affect my relationships, work, home environment, etc. Also, if I had been positive when talking to my neighbour, I could have put things in perspective for both of us, rather than allowing myself to be carried away by her depression or anger.

Heart Warmer

I was walking through one of the shopping districts in central London, and down an infamous street for big issue sellers and homeless people asking for cash. It has recently been very hot here in London and this particular day was extra hot. As I walked by, I noticed a dog lying down cradled in his owners lap and being fanned down, it was a homeless chap, the dog looked so relaxed, and cared for in that moment. It was somebody who appeared to have nothing yet gave everything at a time of need.

Monday Spiritual Joke #7

A Christian, a Muslim and a Buddhist die and arrive at the Gate of Heaven. An angel (or deva) stops them and asks, "Why do you come here? Can you tell me the reasons why you are allowed to enter Heaven?"

The Christian replies, "My ancestors disobeyed God, and I sinned all my life: I killed, I lied, and I was greedy. However, Jesus died for me and all my sins are forgiven. So I deserved to enter Heaven."

"OK," replies the Angel. "Sounds good, but I must give you an entrance examination before you can enter." The Christian promptly agrees and the Angel asks him: "How do you spell God?" It is an easy question, and the Christian passes through the Gate.

Next came the Muslim, who says, "I had not done any good or evil things during my life but I was very devout. I prayed to God five times a day. So, I too should enter Heaven." The Angel replies, "It sounds OK to me, but I have to give you a test also. How do you spell Allah?" The Muslim passed the test.

Finally, it is the Buddhist's turn, who tells the Angel, "I had done all the good things in my life and I followed Buddha's five prescepts: I never killed, I donated to charities, I meditated every day, and I never cheated my boss nor my customers." The Angel replies, "That is very good, but there are no exceptions. You must pass the entrance test also in order to get in." Thinking that the test should be simple, he agrees to take the test.

The Angel then asks him: "How to spell Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva?"

How are YOU?

Today: I went for a walk in Hyde Park at 5.30 this morning (For those who have seen “About A Boy”, this is worth 3 units!). There were some little birds having a shower. They looked so beautiful. All the birds and ducks, and surprisingly quite a number of people, the same as me were enjoying the beauty of a golden morning. But I didn’t feel as great as I was expecting myself to feel.

Then, I had a cold coffee (1 unit). I could hear the zzzzzz in my brain, which I never had before. London was so quiet, you see!!!

Then, I went to my meditation class (2 units). I heard great, encouraging words and things to put into practice. I felt better.

I had breakfast and started to walk to my work place and talked to myself (infinite units) along the way:
- Hey Funky, you should have been flying by now, what’s up?
- Donno!
- You know, use the powers mate. The thoughts. Come on!
Then I started to ask myself:
- How are you?
I took points from the meditation class and turned it into a game:
- I’m full of self-respect, and you? OR
- I’m full of joy, what about you?
- I’m supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! (This is a word that you use when you can’t find the word to describe something, from Mary Poppins, not the meditation class!)

I cannot describe how happy I felt in just a minute! So I shared it! Now, the receptionist and a colleague are practicing it!!!

Hi guys, how are YOU?

Cat Guru

I recently went to visit my parents, they live in Manchester and every now and then I pop up from London. Something always strikes me about these visits. It's always quite a reflective time for me. This time it was the cat that struck me. I had never really noticed it before, how he really lives to live life to the full, no compromise. He accepts and moves on, again and again. Every awakened moment is for fun, and even if he is being naughty you cannot help but love him and his playful attitude. I have a lot to learn from that cat. He never lets go of his happiness and that is what it's all about for him, no matter what you do or say to him. The message for me was just be yourself, know your good and play your part uncompromised no matter what happens along the way, and yes you will be loved for it - we all enjoy a clean mirror.