Wherever You Are: We can always see the stars twinkling in the sky. In the same way, wherever you will be in the world, you can be a lamp brightening the space around you. In the evenings after dusk, I often go out on my terrace and look at the stars. When I do so and then close my eyes, I make the prayer now that I will be able to see each of you with my mind’s eye, twinkling brightly wherever you are. ~ 17th Karmapa

Most people who would like to give up eating meat but have been unable to do so say the reason is because of the flavor and because of habit. Many people say they just like how meat tastes. What keeps them eating meat is craving the taste on their tongues. This is the power that emotions have in the face of our intellect. Because they are enslaved to their emotional craving for meat, many people do not want to give up meat even when they know that it is the right thing to do. Apart from that desire for the flavor, most people have no real reason to keep eating meat. ~ 17th Karmapa

Normally the way that we relate to patience is that sometimes we can be patient and at other times we feel we cannot. The type of patience we need to cultivate is persistent patience, which means that we are patient when we can be patient and we are patient when we feel we cannot be patient. If we lack this, then we will have no way to overcome our kleshas because patience is the opposite of and the remedy to both anger and hatred. ~ 17th Karmapa

There is no way to be a good person without making any efforts, doing nothing. But if we bring to bear the sort of confidence and sincere determination that says, “I don’t care what happens; no matter what, I will be a good person in the world; it is not alright for everyone in the world to be deceitful, with bad intentions and behaving badly, so I myself will be a good person,” in that case, I think at that point we can become good people without difficulty. I think it can basically come about without hardship. ~ 17th Karmapa

Red Tail Landing. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

When you learn to give yourself a break and feel okay about not being able to live up to impossible standards, then you can begin to get the worry-free rest your mind and body so badly need. ~Suman Rai

Every rose that is sweet-scented within, that rose is telling of the secrets of the universal. ~ Rumi

When you teach a puppy the “Come” command, it is best to kneel down so that you are at their same level. At  2 month old puppy can only hold their bathroom needs for 2 hours, a 3 month old for 3 hours, and so on…Until they are 8 months old.  The muscles in their bladder are not fully developed and they need time to slowly make it stronger.  This is an important element to remember when training. Puppies will need to have a bowel movement 15 to 20 minutes after eating.

When you want to teach your puppy to catch a ball, it is often more successful if you first use a soft fabric ball since it will be easier for them to mouth.  A puppy can begin learning commands from the very first day that you bring them home – 8 weeks old is old enough to start to learn basic commands such as “Sit” and “Come”. Source: Facts about dogs

Every problem is open to a spiritual solution. It is found by expanding your awareness, moving beyond the limited vision of the problem.  ~Anurag Prakash Ray