It doesn’t matter how hurt a girl is, when you say how are you she’ll reply I’m okay… ~Unknown
The truth hurts, but believing the lie makes you look foolish, and you’ll still end up getting hurt. ~Sonya Parker
Give a little, warm someone’s soul, tomorrow you may need
someone to wipe away those tears. ~Unknown
Tall Wild Flowers. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
See the light in others, and treat them as if that is all you see.
“Openness reflects ones inner beauty of kindness and respect for all.” ~Anil Sinha
Frosted by Nature – Flower and Spheres. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
A one year old dog is as mature, physically, as a 15 year old human. Obesity is the #1 health problem among dogs. The phrase “raining cats and dogs” originated in 17th century England when it is believed that many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain. Source: Cesar
Whether it’s a pat on the back for a job well done, a hug, or a gentle massage after a long day, touch can soothe your nerves and open the door to true relaxation. Like their owners, pets also benefit from touch and massage – particularly cats. In fact, a growing number of cat owners are finding massage provides an excellent way to strengthen the bond with their pet while improving their overall health at the same time. Source: Power of Paws
Jendhamuni on snow day April 8, 2015.
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
‘If a person foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my boundless love. The more evil that comes from him the more good will go from me. I will always give off only the fragrance of goodness.’ (Buddha).
People today are restless, weary filled with fear and discontentment. They are intoxicated with the desire to gain fame, wealth and power. They crave for gratification of the senses. People are passing their days in fear, suspicion and insecurity. In this time of turmoil and crisis, it becomes difficult for people to coexist peacefully with their fellowmen. There is therefore, a great need for tolerance in the world today so that peaceful co-existence among the people of the world can be possible.
The world has bled and suffered from the disease of dogmatism and of intolerance. The land of many countries today are soaked with the blood spilled on the altar of various political struggles, as the skies of earlier millennia were covered with the smoke of burning martyrs of various faiths. Whether in religion or politics people have been conscious of a mission to bring humanity to their way of life and have been aggressive towards other ways of life. Indeed, the intolerance of the crusading spirit has spoiled the records of religions.
Let us look back on this present century of highly publicized ‘Progress’ — a century of gadgets and inventions. The array of new scientific and technical inventions is dazzling – telephones, electric motors, airplanes, radios, television, computers, space ships, satellites and electronic devices etc. Yet in this same century the children of the earth who have developed all these inventions as the ultimate in progress, are the same people who have butchered millions of others by bayonets or bullets or gas. Amidst all the great ‘progress’, where does the spirit of tolerance stand?
Today man is interested in exploring outer space. But he is totally unable to live as man-to-man in peace and harmony. Man will eventually desecrate the moon and other planets.
For the sake of material gain, modern man violates nature. His mental activities are so preoccupied with his pleasure that he is unable to discover the purpose of life. This unnatural behavior of present mankind is the result of his wrong conception of human life and its ultimate aim. It is the cause of the frustration, fear, insecurity and intolerance of our present time.
In fact, today intolerance is still practised in the name of religion. People merely talk of religion and promise to provide short cuts to paradise, they are not interested in practising it. If Christianity live by the Sermon on the Mount, if Buddhists follow the Noble Eightfold path, if Muslims really follow the concept of Brotherhood and if the Hindus shape their life in oneness, definitely there will be peace and harmony in this world. Inspite of these invaluable Teachings of the great religious teachers, people have still not realized the value of tolerance. The intolerance that is practised in the name of religion is most disgraceful and deplorable.
The Buddha’s advice is ‘Let us live happily, not hating those who hate us. Among those who hate us, let us live free from hatred. Let us live happily and free from ailment. Let us live happily and be free from greed; among those who are greedy.’ — (Dhammapada 197-200)
Thich Nhat Hanh
“We too can see that the Earth is a living being and not an inanimate object. She is not inert matter. We often call our planet Mother Earth. Seeing the Earth as our mother helps us to realize her true nature. The Earth is not a person, yet she is indeed a mother who has given birth to millions of different species, including the human species,” writes Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hahn. The Earth incarnates all of the virtues that we honor: strength, stability, patience, and compassion. She is Mother Earth Bodhisattva who gives us the air we breathe, the water that we drink, the food that we eat.
Giving thanks for all these blessings can be a part of our daily walking:
“With each step, I come home to the Earth.
With each step, I return to my source.
With each step, I take refuge in Mother Earth.”
When we walk, our parents and ancestors accompany us along with our animal, plant, and mineral ancestors. We never walk alone. We walk for our enlarged family and for the entire world.
Thich Nhat Hanh laments that in the name of progress, we have hurt the Earth and caused her to suffer. We must heal ourselves and heal the planet at the same time. To do this, we can do the following practices: mindful breathing, sitting meditation, drinking and eating mindfully, and walking meditation. Nhat Hahn also suggests we write love letters to the earth; he shares ten examples. He ends the book with his cosmic vision of a spirituality we can all practice together.
Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Autumn in Rundle Park. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
When someone brings you down ,you don’t go down you stay up.
Because you have enough FAITH in you to keep you up.
~Unknown
One of God’s greatest gifts is the chance to start again.
No failure, no ending, no heartbreak ever gets the last word.
~Unknown
It’s the circle of life, and it moves us all through despair and hope,
through faith and love. Till we find our place on the path unwinding.
~The Lion King
