''To live harmoniously, we need to be supportive and helpful to all people, creatures, and plant life that share this earth with us. While “being of service” is part of being a good citizen of the world, it also feels good to help others. When we do something for others in service, without the expectation of anything in return, we are turning our actions into offerings. There are many ways to be of service to our community. There are the obvious and much needed volunteer opportunities, such as serving Thanksgiving dinner at a shelter, mentoring our youth, or cleaning up a beach. Then, there is the kind of service that we may not even think of as being acts of service. Learning a new language (perhaps sign language) so that you can talk to more people is a way to reach out to others. Inviting someone who isn’t motivated enough to exercise on their own to join you on your daily walk is a way to give of yourself. Sharing flowers or vegetables from your garden, organizing a poetry reading, offering to babysit for a busy parent, or donating pet food to an animal shelter all are simple ways to offer your services to your community.
There are many ways that you can serve the world. Imagine the impact we would have on the environment if we picked up one piece of trash off the street everyday and chose not to drive our car once a week. Even gardening tactics such as throwing wildflower seeds onto a vacant lot can brighten the lives of others – including the lives of birds and insects. Everyday, you can do something to make this world a better place. During meditation, ask for guidance on what you can do to be of service. This can be a wonderful way to start your day. Smiling at a stranger who looks down in the dumps or teaching your neighborhood kids how to whistle will impact someone’s day or even their life.
Giving of yourself is the best gift that you can give.'' (Daily Om)
Hoje está um daqueles dias estranhos que se entranham na pele e corpo e me toldam o pensamento. Densos. A atmosfera está densa, muito densa e eu sinto-a. Anuciaram chuva que não se viu. Um calor abrasador ficou sem descanso todo o dia de ontem e ameaça outro dia igual hoje. Trevoada, precisa-se, para aliviar esta pressão de panela prestes a explodir. Não a minha, mas a da atmosfera.
A minha mantem-se estável, porque explode a cada momento/dia em que assim preciso, numa sintonia e sincronização divina que me reconforta. Porque se eu retraio, porque não estou no sítio ou contexto propício por exemplo para chorar, se eu me inibo de me expressar, sei que O farás de seguida logo que seja possível, e me impelirás a libertar tudo o que profundamente me magoa, entristece, marca, seduz, deslumbra, alegra, ...
E esse constante e atento afago protetor e amigo que me fazes esse colo que me providencias, apazigua-me, enternece-me, liberta-me, alegra-me, seduz-me, ... e faz-me sentir viva e feliz por Te ter assim na minha vida. Amo-Te e sou correspondida. E essa certeza, essa presença constante - 24h por dia, que eu nunca na minha vida pensei vir a ter, nem desta forma - é do melhor que há. E não se explica, sente-se.
Não faz qualquer diferença que esteja sozinha , porque sei que não 'prego no deserto', porque tenho o teu apoio, abraço, inspiração, caminho e carinho incondicional porque incondicional é o meu amor por Ti, a minha entrega e confiança no meu Dharma e na Tua sabedoria e orientação. No teu Amor por mim.
Não faz qualquer diferença que não compreendam o que digo, que lhes soe estranho, surreal, alienado, que os incomode, e repudie. Para mim, não. É tão natural e simples como respirar. Mas Tu sabes que eu não conto, 'nem da missa metade', que nos preservo naquilo mais pessoal que temos. Da mesma forma que não se contam as experiências amorosas ao detalhe, não por pudor instituido ou prurido mental, mas por imenso e devoto respeito pelo outro. Pelo que é vivido a dois. Intransmissível.
Mas Tu sabes que C. sabe desta missa, - porque também ela sabe porque a sente - com quem partilho este amor imenso por Ti. Por vezes rimo-nos nesta dupla cumplicidade e entre sorrisos e gargalhadas confessamos: eu só te conto a, ti, porque senão a minha família interna-me!, e ainda, não faz mal, arranjamos um quarto lá só para as duas, afinal dizer umas coisas estranhas à plebe, é do que por lá abundará (risos)
Chamarem-me de maluquinha, olharem-me de lado como alien, rirem-se, poderem fazer troça ou ironia com o digo, escrevo, faço, não me molesta nem altera um milímetro o que sou, o que sinto. Sabes porquê? Porque o que (sou)sei, não foi estudado, não o li em livros, não vi em filmes ou documentários, não me contaram professoeres, mestres nem gurús, não me disseram videntes ou outros intermediários fidedignos ou não. O que eu sei, sei porque o vivo, porque o sinto, a cada dia, com crescente intensidade paixão e revelação. E isso basta-me. TU bastas-me. E cada dia é uma festa, com risos, bençãos e lágrimas. Porque cada dia se revela único ao Teu lado. E grata sou.
E é esta Fé, este Amor, esta Entrega Incondicional que me fazem ter a Força que tenho, o Brilho que tenho, a Determinação que tenho, a Confiança que tenho, a Certeza que tenho, ..., que no meio de cada tormenta, de cada privação, de cada prova, de cada tristeza,..., que se me depara, terei sempre o suporte, a resistência, a forma adequada , a orientação, para a atravessar segura e ilesa. O Teu Amor.
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” Siddharta Gautama
''A perfeição não existe. E, como não é um objectivo, não pode ser uma meta. Tu só podes querer chegar a um lugar que seja acolhedor, confortável e leve. Não é suposto o ser humano querer ir para um local desarmonioso e desarmonizado.
Pois a perfeição é isso. É um estado de exigência, de stresse, de angústia e depressão.
É um local em que o ser humano deposita demasiadas expectativas, mas é ao mesmo tempo um lugar desconhecido, pois visto não existir, nunca ninguém lá esteve. A não ser por breves instantes. O problema é que os homens não levam isso em consideração. Querem ser perfeitos. Lutam para ser perfeitos, julgam tudo o que é imperfeito retirando todo o seu valor.
O homem só não percebe que: O céu é perfeito. O Universo é perfeito. O céu alberga seres de luz. O mundo alberga homens, seres imperfeitos em busca do caminho da evolução. E como vão evoluir? Entrando em contacto com a imperfeição do mundo, para, e por conflito com essa mesma imperfeição, conseguirem evoluir, conseguirem avançar.
Agora imagina que o ser fosse perfeito. Não existiria conflito, e pelo facto de ser pelo conflito que se evolui, não haveria evolução. Era tudo perfeito, e a experiência da terra nunca teria existido. E agora? O que é preciso fazer?
É preciso fazer as pazes com a sua própria imperfeição. Aceitar que não somos perfeitos, e nem temos de ser. Devemos, isso sim, fazer o melhor que sabe-
mos, da maneira mais responsável. Só. E só por isso, eu, daqui de cima, já
''The universe can often relay messages to us through signs. Often, we are too busy to stop and consider what may or may not be a sign. We may ask the universe for guidance, yet fail to recognize the sign it sends us in response. Learning the subtle language of signs can help you interpret the guidance the universe sends your way. We all have been blessed with a connection that allows the universe to communicate directly with us. To be able to understand the information relayed over that connection, however, it is necessary that we learn to pay attention and know what to look for.
To see and correctly interpret a sign, you must open your heart and mind to the universe and invite its guidance into your life. Many of us are blind to the signs we receive because we expect angels or our spirit guides to speak to us in a booming voice and tell us exactly what we need to hear. But signs are usually of this earth and therefore easier to encounter. A song lodged in your mind or a number that seems to pop up everywhere you look after you’ve asked the universe for guidance can both be signs. Signs may come through the animal world, from strangers, or jump out of a book in the form of an insightful passage. A sign may be a direct answer to one of your questions. Other signs may point you in the right direction, warn of impending difficulties, or show you a different way. If you want the universe to send you a sign, tell it that you are ready and willing to accept its guidance.
Not everythingyou hear or see will be a sign. If you are receptive and patient, however, the signs you receive will become easier to recognize.It is important to listen to your intuition. A sign can mean many things to different people, and only you can decipher a sign’s meaning is for you. As you practice reading the signs and following their guidance, the universe will send more of them your way.'' (Daily OM)
It’s been called the monkey mind – the endless chattering in your head as you jump in your mind from thought to thought while you daydream, analyze your relationships, or worry over the future. Eventually, you start to feel like your thoughts are spinning in circles and you’re left totally confused. One way to tame this wild creature in your head is through meditation – although the paradox is that when you clear your mind for meditation you actually invite the monkey in your mind to play. This is when you are given the opportunity to tame this mental beast by moving beyond thought – to become aware of a thought rather than thinking a thought.The difference is subtle, but significant. When you are aware of your thoughts, you can let your thoughts rise and float away without letting them pull you in different directions. Being able to concentrate is one of the tools that allows you to slow down your thought process and focus on observing your thoughts.
To develop your concentration, you may want to start by focusing on the breath while you meditate. Whenever your monkey mind starts acting up, observe your thoughts and then return your focus to your breath. Some breathing meditations call on you to focus on the rise and fall of the breath through the abdomen, while others have you concentrate on the sound of the breath. Fire can also be mesmerizing, and focusing on a candle flame is another useful tool for harnessing the mind. Keep the gaze soft and unfocused while observing the color, shape, and movement of the flame, and try not to blink. Close your eyes when you feel the need and continue watching the flame in your head. Chanting, devotional singing, and mantras also still the mind. However you choose to tame the monkey mind, do so with firm kindness. The next time the chattering arises, notice it and then allow it to go away. With practice, your monkey mind will become quiet and so will you.'' (DailyOm)
''There are times when our minds become too full. Our to-do lists, worries, plans, and dreams may be so crowded together in our heads that we don’t have room to think. We may believe that we are somehow taking care of our desires and concerns by keeping them at the forefront of our minds. In maintaining our mental hold on every detail, however, we may actually delay the realization of our dreams and the resolution of our worries because we won’t let them go. At times such as these, we may want to use a surrender box. A surrender box allows us to let go of our worries and desires so the universe can take care of them for us. We write down what we want or need to happen and then place the note into a box. By writing and placing our thoughts in the box, we are taking action and letting the universe know we need help and are willing to surrender our feelings.We give ourselves permission to not concern ourselves with that problem any longer and trust that the universe is taking care of it. You may even want to decorate your box and place it in a special place. Your surrender box is a sacred container for your worries. Not only do you free up space in your mind by letting go of our worries and desires and dropping them into your surrender box, but you are giving your burden over to a higher power. Once we drop our worries and desires into the surrender box, we free our minds so we can be fully present in each moment. Surrendering our worries and concerns and placing them in the hands of the universe doesn’t mean that we’ve given up or have been defeated. Instead, we are releasing the realization of our desires and the resolution of our worries and no longer concerning ourselves with their outcomes. It’s always fun to go back and pull the slips of paper out of the box once your requests have been granted. And it’s amazing how quickly problems go away and dreams come true when we finally let go and allow a higher power to help us.'' (DailyOM)
