Winter Solstice
Like the lotus blooms from murky depths Awareness glows in the dark of mystery It shines not to dispel the darkness For the mystery is its origin And deep darkness fuels its flame
Galen Pearl
Living in Peace
Peace is this moment without judgment. That is all. This moment in the Heart-space where everything is welcome. ~Dorothy Hunt We talk a lot about peace, especially this time of year. We want peace in our families. We want peace with our neighbors. We want peace on our streets. We want peace in the world.
Wake Up!
Every time I drive to my forest cabin in the mountains, I pass a hand painted wooden sign nailed to a tree that says “Wake up, America!” While I don’t necessarily agree with the sentiments of the person who posted this sign, I do support the idea of inviting people to wake up. Spiritual teacher
Your History Does Not Define You
In the movie Black Panther, Nakia tells T’Challa, “You can’t let your father’s mistakes define who you are. You get to decide what kind of king you are going to be.” I loved the whole movie, but this line is what stuck with me. So many of us are shackled, limited, burdened by our history.
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Live Contented
The title of this post is said to be what Paul Revere inscribed on the wedding ring he gave his wife. I don’t know if that is true, and I have no idea if either of them lived its advice, but what a simple reminder that contentment is not something that is bestowed on those
Just Like Me
In the realm of true dharmaThere is neither self nor otherOnly spontaneous recognitionAs we say together “not two”~Sengcan Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron says that she practices compassion by reminding herself that everyone she encounters is “just like me.” Just like me, this person wants to be free from suffering. Just like me, this person wants
Your Offspring
Let your deeds be the offspring of the path of light. ~Pamela Eakins Our deeds have an origin. We might act out of fear, or obligation, or obedience, or anger. Or out of joy, or love, or compassion, or kindness. Many of us are taught to submit to an outside authority, so we discipline ourselves
Walking Your Destiny
I accept my destiny to walk this earth awake and at peace, in mastery and not in fear. ~The Way of Mastery How do we walk through our lives? How do we walk through a single day? What guides our steps? Too many of us are driven by fear, by shoulds, by musts, by must
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No Guarantees
There are no guarantees. From the viewpoint of fear none are strong enough. From the viewpoint of love none are needed. ~Emmanuel’s Book II Have you ever known someone – perhaps a friend, a child, a parent, a significant other – for whom no assurance of love was ever enough? This quote reminded me of
Simple Listening
The mystery, the essence of all life, is not separate from the silent openness of simple listening. ~Toni Packer Listening. That’s not something many of us are very good at. While we’re listening to music or podcasts, our minds are often engaged in something else. We pride ourselves on multi-tasking, not realizing that our minds
Treat Yourself Like Someone You Love
Walk sweetly with yourself. Find every reason possible to love who you are. ~Emmanuel’s Book II The Bible tells us to love our enemies as ourselves. The Dao De Jing speaks of extending self-love to all creation. But these teachings assume that we love ourselves. The story is told of the Dalai Lama being asked
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Step Away
Years ago, I was standing on a sidewalk in Paris, close to a line of cars parked along the curb, chatting with some friends. Suddenly a deep voice bellowed from the car closest to me. “Step away from the car! Step away from the car!” I didn’t just step, I leapt several feet, crashing into
Universal Paradox
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ~Matthew 7:7 I asked and indeed it was given to me. I sought and indeed I found. I knocked and indeed the door was opened to me. All as promised. Only then did
Your Birthright of Love
Believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step out of it. ~Rainer Maria Rilke Is it so hard to believe that
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A Disturbance in the Force
I am never upset for the reason I think. ~A Course in Miracles What happens when we feel disturbed? The mind starts thinking. Emotions flood the body with sensation. At least that is what happened to me recently when I got upset after a conversation with someone. I was upset about what the other person
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What Are You Willing to Risk?
Years ago, I happened to be at a church service where a pastor candidate was giving what I called an “audition sermon.” After the service, the congregation was invited to stay and ask questions. One woman, concerned about dwindling church membership, asked, “What are your plans to grow the church?” The candidate paused, and with
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Always and Already
I ran across this phrase “always and already” in a book by one of my favorite spiritual teachers/writers Adyashanti. The phrase filled me with reassurance. We are always and already enlightened. We are always and already existing in Oneness. We are always and already cherished by the Beloved. We are always and already empowered. We
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Life As Is
When an item is sold “as is,” it means that there is no warranty. The buyer accepts the item in its current condition and assumes all responsibility for whatever happens, understanding that there are no promises or guarantees about how long or how well the item will perform. Life is like that, I think. Somehow,
Rest in Peace
Rest in peace. This is something we often say to or about the dearly departed. It’s a lovely sentiment, so lovely that I wonder why we wish it exclusively to those who have died. Wouldn’t it be nice to rest in peace while we’re still alive? Some might respond with the familiar saying “I can
The Power of Choice
I could see peace instead of this. ~A Course in Miracles A friend of mine some years ago had worked very hard to get to a position of success. He had a good job and was well respected in his professional community. One family member, however, was in a difficult situation, mostly of their own
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