It’s not as morbid as it sounds. In fact, it’s not morbid at all. I have asked Death to be my teacher, to teach me how to live, and, when the time comes, how to die. When I was practicing taekwondo, I did not like sparring at all. Padded up like Pillsbury dough boys, we […]
My Apprenticeship with Death Read More »
Many of us organize our days around a to do list. Sometimes we write it down and check off competed items with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Or perhaps we note with disappointment the items that remain unfinished or even unstarted at the end of the day. Whether our list is written or simply
Breathe deeply, until sweet air extinguishes the burn of fear in your lungs and every breath is a beautiful refusal to become anything less than infinite. ~D. Antoinette Foy Lately, I’ve been feeling some anxiety. Not debilitating or overwhelming, but anxiety is not something I typically experience, so I’ve noticed it and wondered about its
[Note: WordPress has changed something so that you might have to click on the title of the post to see the rest of the post. Sorry about that – trying to get that corrected.] For this you are here, to reach across and open the way. This is what my nondominant left hand wrote to
For This You Are Here Read More »
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.
Your History Does Not Define You Read More »
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
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
Walking Your Destiny Read More »
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
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
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
A Disturbance in the Force Read More »
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
What Are You Willing to Risk? Read More »
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
Always and Already Read More »
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,
Stories have power. We all know this. Jesus taught love in parables. Aesop’s wisdom was embedded in fables. Biographers tell life stories. Stories touch our hearts, tickle our funnybones, challenge us, inform us, inspire us. And sometimes stories entrap us. I have listened over the last year to one person’s stories about me, stories that
The Tyranny of Narrative Read More »
I was walking with a friend recently, relating to her some of my experience two years ago when I began the year with a prayer to the universe. I prayed out loud every morning asking for liberation, whatever it takes. Apparently, for me it took getting cancer. Not what I had in mind, but I
Carpe the fuck out of this diem. ~slogan on a pair of socks Several years ago, a friend gave me a pair of socks with this slogan on each sock. I don’t know what motivated her to give me this gift, especially since I never ever heard a cuss word come out of her mouth.
Inspiration for Today Read More »
Contentment is subversive. That might sound like an odd statement in the midst of angry protests, marches, boycotts, rallies, and disruptions. But think about it. Our integrated systems of politics, religion, economics, law, and healthcare are all based, in one way or another, on discontent. Our economy, to take one example, is driven by consumerism.
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For by their fruits you shall know them. ~Matthew 7:16 The Bible teaches that we know who people are by their fruits. I’ve been thinking about that lately. By what characteristics do we measure people? What are the qualities manifested by those we hold up as beacons of holiness or enlightenment? What are the attributes
Known by the Fruit Read More »
If a problem has a solution, there is no need to worry. If a problem does not have a solution, there is no need to worry.~the Dalai Lama Worry is so ingrained in most of us that we are not even aware of the “worry loop” spinning in the background of our thoughts. At least
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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