The Dao De Jing teaches that nothing is more soft and yielding than water, and yet nothing is more powerful. Water yields without resistence when pushed, yet simply by following its intrinsic nature, water carves out great canyons, wears down intransigent rocks, cascades through quicksilver rapids, and plunges over thundering waterfalls. People think that softness […]
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I have sailed across the sea To the other shore It is the same shore Yet not at all the same What seems familiar Is freshly new What is this place Beyond knowing Magical I have been here before
Water Moves the Color: Reflections on the Dao De Jing I don’t remember how I first came across the Dao De Jing, also spelled Tao Te Ching, but I do remember that I was in my early 20s. My soul immediately responded to the poetry of this ancient wisdom teaching. Its words have sung to
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When Love crashes through mind’s familiar understanding of how things ought to be, mind can only cry out, “That’s a miracle!” “No,” Love answers, “that’s just the way I am.” ~Emmanuel’s Book III This whimsical quote always makes me smile. Love, apparently, has some attitude, and delights in expressing itself, sometimes to everyone’s surprise. Yet,
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Practicing the external martial arts taekwondo and kung fu gave me lots of experience with humility. Resuming this training in my 50s after being away from it for several decades meant that I was a beginner once again and most often the oldest person in the room. It was obvious from the start that I
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Give me a well-trained tongue that has been born out of silent listening in the sanctuary of my heart. May my words become love in the lives of others. ~Macrina Wiederkehr I whisper this aspiration to myself when I’m preparing to speak to a group, or about to have what might be a challenging conversation.
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[A couple of years ago, I started an inspiration collection of poems, quotes, and thoughts that I keep on index cards in a pretty box. Every morning I pull a card and place it where I can see it throughout the day. This simple practice has helped support me and keep me centered and grounded
Regardless of your position on any particular spectrum – religious, political, or other – it’s hard to deny that there is a lot of emotion churned up in today’s world. Many people are caught up in “big feelings,” as my daughter would say. The polarized division of “us” and “them” has become a powerful force
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Well, the new year is already a week old and I’m still catching up to the realization that it is no longer 2024. I barely noticed Christmas, and before I knew it, I was at the cabin for my traditional New Year’s Eve ritual, thinking, “Isn’t that next week (or even next month)?” But indeed,
I was watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas with my grandchild recently (for the umpteenth time). Every time I see this movie, I’m reminded of its simple message about the holidays. Even when all is lost (spoiler alert), the Whos down in Whoville remember that the true gifts we give each other come from the
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Keeping your heart open does not mean liking or condoning whatever someone does. It does not mean refraining from defending someone who is being attacked. It means keeping your heart open with compassion for the person attacked, for the attacker, and for yourself. Especially for yourself. I cannot criticize myself for thoughts of fear, anger,
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I love having the family all together. I love having significant others and best friends join us. I never cared much about the food, except the pumpkin pie, so over the years the traditional turkey dinner became the traditional Chinese takeout dinner. But we still have pumpkin pie.
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We sometimes judge ourselves for falling short of how, in our opinion, a “spiritual” person should think and behave. If I am feeling upset, angry, despondent, sad, fearful, then I must not be practicing enough. I must try to do better, be better. Maybe I’m too lazy, or unfocused, or not really committed to the
When pushed and pulled to make differentiationsSimply say “Not two” This quote is from a 5th century Buddhist poem by Sengan, Third Chinese Chan Patriarch, translated by Dan G. Reid in The Thread of Dao. The words reach across the centuries as the perfect reminder for today, election day in the United States, a day
All life is your guru. There is absolutely nothing that does not reflect the perfection of creation and the power of love that created it. The very cells of your body vibrate in harmony with all that is. Your understanding or your lack of understanding changes nothing. But your experience changes everything. Once remembrance is
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If you paid attention to the thoughts in your mind and the words that you speak, what would you hear? Maybe spend some time today listening to yourself. Listen without intentionally directing, without judging, without self-censoring. Just listen. What do you hear? And perhaps more important, how does what you hear make you feel? Without
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Everything is so precious Tears of tenderness flow freely The heart is open fully exposed undefended The touch of a feather is exquisiteThe sight of a snowflake sublime Everything shimmers with the energy of aliveness Everything is a miracle Life and death in a single breath So beautiful
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The way to find love is to be love, which is just another way of saying be who you are. You are not lovable because someone loves you. You are not without love if someone doesn’t love you. It is not possible to be without love or to be unlovable. It is only possible to
Talk less, listen moreJudge less, love more A mantra is a word or short phrase that focuses your attention. It can be a sacred mantra that connects you to the divine. It can be a brief, inspiring quote. It can be a reminder or guide to keep you focused on what is most important to
