Archive for the ‘dharma’ Category

that song, my destiny

Friday, October 14th, 2011

 

I know that I create my future.  My future is here now in what I wish for, in what I envisage, in what my mind settles on.  I have come to realise that my mind frequently settles on things, images, words, phrases, melodies and visions that I have not consciously chosen.  I have walked around for days with a song playing in my head that I just can’t seem to get rid of.   I am not fooled, I know that just like that song, my destiny lurks there in my mind.  There are images and ideas playing out in my mind, in all of our minds, often so deeply layered over with trivial day-to-day concerns that we do not see them. And they are there, our future is right here in our heads. We all hold our futures within us.

 

 

x bhavatu sabbe mangalum x

 

 

a ladder to the stars

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

 

what does it take to be

blissfully happy?

 

I met her amongst the second hand books. My hands were full when she called, ‘ hello stranger’. I raised my eyes and saw her there, looking older that I remembered, strained and drawn with a heavy hand, she tried to smile. It was an unhappy smile. She was, she explained, in pain.  An unexpected and, as yet, undiagnosed ache in the side of her head,  came and went, like heavy breathing, like bliss.  ’Stress’ I told her, and we both agreed.

 

And that would have been that, except you wanted to tell me something. You wanted me to know. You fed me your uncertainty and doubt. Your worries about the future. You threw your self upon me, wrapped your naked arms around me, and held me close. You promised me, nourished me, admonished and astonished me. Thank you for that, thank you for taking the time to speak. By the time you chose to release me you were no longer resigned to your suffering.

 

I wanted to say, and perhaps I did, I can not recall, that you don’t need to be unhappy. You do not need to be in pain. Do not turn and walk away. Close your eyes and you’ll see; see through and behind that which makes you ill.  It is a simple thing; to turn around.

Open your eyes

Look up and you will see

the light surrounding me.

 

I wanted to say, I wanted you to hear…

 

May you stay forever young

 

May you grow up to be righteous,

May you grow up to be true,

May you always know that truth,

And see the light surrounding you…

 

 

x bhavatu sabbe mangalum x

 

 

I believe in a thing called love

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

 

It was Valentine’s Day a few days ago now. Well perhaps more than a few – ha. It’s just been a very full life lately what with increasing my teaching hours from 9 to 20, I’m still getting my head around the lesson planning. Early morning starts and lots and lots of practice of letting go of anxiety and the sense that I’m not going to get it all done.

 

Anyway I digress, Valentine’s Day. A day that focuses us on romantic love: hearts and cupids, flowers and cards and words of love, desire and yearning. Romantic love is good – it is wonderful to feel the love of, and feel the love for, another.  It is uplifting and reassuring, nurturing and enlivening. It makes colours brighter and heightens our senses to the beauty in all that surrounds us. To be in love is truly a drug.

 

Yet there is even a more powerful, more wonderful, more enriching form of love. This is the love we are capable of feeling for all others; for every single sentinent being. I used to think this meant having a feeling of love for all in a general sense – loving and caring about humanity. It does mean that I guess, and perhaps that is a good place to start, however that offers us limited reward.

 

What is needed to really feel the buzz, to really feel and know and experience life as this huge, wonderful thing that just keeps happening over and over is love for all in a very specific, personal and individual sense. To love all is to love everyone, every single one of us. Once we start to nurture this we start to transform our lives.

 

It is the most wonderful and simplest of feelings to feel love for another living thing. It transforms us, and it spreads happiness and self belief.  Practice feeling loving towards all  you meet – practice not  being selective. Love all instantly, spontaneously, unconditionally . Begin every interaction with a feeling of love and respect for, and interest in the other. All beings, wherever the are, whatever their circumstances. 

 

Wish then well, want them to be happy, free from worry, concern, self doubt and fear. 

 

 

 

So spread the message!! Love, love, love!! Love yourself. Love all that you are, all that you have ever been and all that you will become.

 

Love others – all others – all others. Every single one of us. We’re all here together. Love others and you will love yourself. You will feel the love grow.

 

x bhavatu sabbe mangalum x

our deepest fear

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

 

Caroline and I watched ‘Coach Carter’ the other night. The first time I saw it I was in NZ staying with Tobias and Kate in March 2010. I had never heard of the movie before then; Kate suggested we watch it. Thank you Kate, for once I had watched it, it became one of my favourite movies, and it is one that still brought tears to my eyes the other night. One of the reasons I love the movie is that it introduced me to these beautiful, inspiring words by Marianne Williamson.

 

 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

 

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

 

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

 

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

 

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

 

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

 

May you all shine as brightly and as brilliantly as you are able. May you all live large and manifest the glory and grace of life. May you all be liberated, and though your liberation may you liberate others.

 

x bhavatu sabbe mangalum x

 

 

here I am again…

Monday, February 7th, 2011

 

 

Its all ok, everything is good even when it feels like we’ve come full circle and are back exactly where we were 4, 5 or however many years ago. We all go round in circles – life is not  a linear process, we don’t just start out being born, learn our lessons from every single experience and progressively follow this straight path to death. We go round in circles, revisiting moments in our lives that we have a need to revisit.  Sometimes it takes us more that one go at a certain life experience to fully learn and grow from it. So, thankfully we come round again.

 

Some of us don’t even recognise these cycles at all, most of us only see it every now and again. However if we don’t recognise this pattern and if we don’t choose to pay attention and take action then we just keep going round and round, ultimately wondering why we don’t seem to be ‘getting anywhere’ in our lives.

 

Yet we all know when we’ve come round again - we know it deep inside. We sense a familiar feeling inside and there are familiar signs outside. We know that we’ve had these feelings before and the external signs and symbols remind us of a similar time in our lives not so long ago. Not so long ago that we have no recollection; we know where we are. We know we are here again. The question is do we now pay heed to this knowing, or do we ignore it, dismiss it, resist it?

 

There are of course a multitude of reasons why we may choose to ignore, dismiss or resist what we know.  And quite often this is exactly what we do. We do this however at our peril. There is no escaping these cycles of life. We are back here again for a reason, and if we choose to ignore, dimiss or resist how we feel and what we recognise around us, then we are simply delaying the inevitable. And what today is just an uncomfortable sense of self doubt will become if we delay long enough a life-threatening situation.

 

There is one predominant reason we have come back round again. There is one main reason we find ourselves in this situation again. That is to give ourselves an opportunity. We are here again so that we can choose to do things differently We can choose to be different.  And ain’t that the most amazing thing? Ain’t that the most fantastic opportunity?

 

Usually this most wonderful opportunity is also a most demanding challenge. We are here again because there is another way to respond to this set of circumstances; there is another way to feel and act in this moment. There is another way to be in this moment. Often this other path  is one we do not feel that comfortable taking, probably why we didn’t take it last time around (ha). Yet the bigger our fear the greater the opportunity for us to change our lives. It is our fear that holds us back, by being here again we are presented with the challenge and the opportunity to face that fear and set ourselves free.

 

So my friends whenever you find yourselves in that place that seems so familiar, pay attention. Be in it, feel it, remember it. Remember how you felt, who you were the last time you were here. Who are you now? What do you want to be different, and what do you have to do make it so?

 

Take responsibility for being here, again. Take responsibility for being here before. Know that you are here because you chose/choose to be here. You are here for a reason and trust that you know exactly what that reason is. Try to let go of your frustration, your disappointment, your anger. Try to just simply and gently be in this place and get to know the landscape a little better.

 

Be grateful. Thank the lord, or the universe, or fate, or whatever it is you believe in for allowing you, and assisting you, in being here again. Appreciate the wonderful opportunity you have been given; the challenge you have created for yourself to liberate yourself in this moment.

 

Kia kaha, kia toa, kia manawanui. Be strong, be brave, be steadfast my friends. Know that I love you all. Know that this moment, like all moments will not last. Know that you have within you the courage and the strength to change who you are and what your future is.

 

x bhavatu sabbe mangalum x