mistaking peace

''Peace is not the absence of chaos, commotion, or challenges.

Peace is to be in the midst of those things while remaining calm with love in your heart''.

by Yehuda Berg

beauty

 

''People always say: ‘It’s inner beauty that matters, not outer beauty.’
Well, that’s not true.

If it were, why would flowers put so much energy into attracting bees?

And why would raindrops transform themselves into a rainbow when they encounter the sun?

Because nature longs for beauty, and is only satisfied when beauty can be exalted. Outer beauty is inner beauty made visible, and it manifests itself in the light that flows from our eyes.

It doesn’t matter if a person is badly dressed or doesn’t conform to our idea of elegance, or isn’t even concerned about impressing other people.

The eyes are the mirror of the soul and reflect everything that seems to be hidden; and, like a mirror, they also reflect the person looking into them.

So if the person looking into someone’s eyes has a dark soul, he will see only his own ugliness.

Beauty is present in all creation, but the danger lies in the fact that, because we human beings are often cut off from the Divine Energy, we allow ourselves to be influenced by what other people think.

We deny our own beauty because others can’t or won’t recognise it.

Instead of accepting ourselves as we are, we try to imitate what we see around us.

We try to be what other people think of as ‘pretty’ and, little by little, our soul fades, our will weakens, and all the potential we had to make the world a more beautiful place withers away.''

by Paulo Coelho

in the presence of difficulty

''Compassion is the ability to see the deep connectedness between ourselves and others.

Moreover, true compassion recognizes that all the boundaries we perceive between ourselves and others are an illusion.

When we first begin to practice compassion, this very deep level of understanding may elude us, but we can have faith that if we start where we are, we will eventually feel our way toward it.

We move closer to it every time we see past our own self-concern to accommodate concern for others.
And, as with any skill, our compassion grows most in the presence of difficulty.
We practice small acts of compassion every day, when our loved ones are short-tempered or another driver cuts us off in traffic. We extend our forgiveness by trying to understand their point of view; we know how it is to feel stressed out or irritable.

The practice of compassion becomes more difficult when we find ourselves unable to understand the actions of the person who offends us.

These are the situations that ask us to look more deeply into ourselves, into parts of our psyches that we may want to deny, parts that we have repressed because society has labeled them bad or wrong.

For example, acts of violence are often well beyond anything we ourselves have perpetuated, so when we are on the receiving end of such acts, we are often at a loss. This is where the real potential for growth begins, because we are called to shine a light inside ourselves and take responsibility for what we have disowned.

It is at this juncture that we have the opportunity to transform from with in.
This can seem like a very tall order, but when life presents us with circumstances that require our compassion, no matter how difficult, we can trust that we are ready. We can call upon all the light we have cultivated so far, allowing it to lead the way into the darkest parts of our own hearts, connecting us to the hearts of others in the understanding that is true compassion. ''

by Madisyn Taylor

sand mandala

Chenrezig Sand Mandala from Dropbear on Vimeo.

'This sand mandala was made in Melbourne, Australia in 2004. The mandala was produced over 10 days and condensed into 3 minutes in this timelapse. Two Tibetan monks, Ven. Kunchok Rinzin & Ven. Lobsang Tendhar were the creators of this amazing piece of art.

The mandala is a visualisation tool, a symbol of a perfect world in which we are all perfect beings practicing pure loving kindness and compassion. Visualising
ourselves in the centre of the mandala creates the conditions for us to behave towards
others with kindness and compassion, a powerful tool for growth and transformation.

(...)

The monks also create the mandala and then deliberately destroy it.
This is to help us understand that all things are impermanent and exist only in relation to and in dependence on other things. Therefore feelings of pain, joy and happiness pass then return.

Nothing is permanent in life there is constant change.'

on solitude

''For those who are not frightened by the solitude that reveals all mysteries, everything will have a different taste.

In solitude, they will discover the love that might otherwise arrive unnoticed. In solitude, they will understand and respect the love that left them.

In solitude, they will be able to decide whether it is worth asking that lost love to come back or if they should simply let it go and set off along a new path.

In solitude, they will learn that saying ‘No’ does not always show a lack of generosity and that saying ‘Yes’ is not always a virtue.

And those who are alone at this moment, need never be frightened by the words of the devil: ‘You’re wasting your time.’

Or by the chief demon’s even more potent words: ‘No one cares about you.’


The Divine Energy is listening to us when we speak to other people, but also when we are still and silent and able to accept solitude as a blessing.

And in that moment, Its light illumines everything around us and helps us to see that we are necessary, and that our presence on Earth makes a huge difference to Its work.''

by Paulo Coelho

do you feel useful?

''Ask a flower in the field: ‘Do you feel useful? After all, you do nothing but produce the same flowers over and over?’
And the flower will answer: ‘I am beautiful, and beauty is my reason for living.’

Ask the river: ‘Do you feel useful, given that all you do is to keep flowing in the same direction?’
And the river will answer: ‘I’m not trying to be useful, I’m trying to be a river.’

Nothing in this world is useless in the eyes of God. Not a leaf from a tree falls, not a hair from your head, not even an insect dies because it was of no use. Everything has a reason to exist.

Even you, the person asking the question. ‘I’m useless’ is the answer you give yourself.
Soon that answer will poison you and you will die while still alive, even though you still walk, eat, sleep and try to have a little fun whenever possible.

Don’t try to be useful.

Try to be yourself: that is enough, and that makes all the difference.''

by Paulo Coelho

 

 

 

transforming our curses to blessings

 

''There is a secret to transforming our curses into blessings.

In moments of difficulty, it’s not enough to just say, “It’s all good,” or “This is for the best.”
The spiritual work is to seek the treasure in the situations that seem so messed up.
It may take time, but if you are persistent in your search, you will discover the hidden blessings thereby transforming the curse.''

by Yehuga Berg

down days

''Everyone has moments they feel depressed or aren’t in the best of moods.

Part of behaving in accordance with the Light is to show mercy in times like these – not only to others, but also ourselves. No one benefits from feeling the pressure to be perfect all the time.

Allow for the down days. They are an important part of the process.''

by Yehuda Berg

 

 

 

no obstacles

''Challenges come to teach us something, to make us stronger, or to shatter our belief system about what we can and can’t overcome.

Once we understand the real purpose of whatever challenge we face, we will see the truth:
There are no obstacles. Only opportunities to grow''

by Yehuda Berg, in Daily Kabbalah

small gestures make a big difference

'We often feel that we don’t have the time or energy to extend ourselves to others with the small gestures that compose what we call common courtesy.

It sometimes seems that this kind of social awareness belongs to the past, to smaller towns and slower times. Yet, when someone extends this kind of courtesy to us, we always feel touched. Someone who lends a helping hand when we are struggling with our groceries makes an impression because many people just walk right by. Even someone who simply makes the effort to look us in the eye, smile, and greet us properly when entering a room stands out of the crowd. It seems these people carry with them the elegance and grace of another time, and we are always thankful for our contact with them.

Common courtesy is a small gesture that makes a big difference.

An essential component of common courtesy is awareness and common sense—looking outside yourself to see when someone needs help or acknowledgment.

As a courteous person, you are aware that you are walking into a room full of people or that your waiter has arrived to take your order. Then, awareness leads to action. It is usually quite clear what needs to be done—open the door for the woman holding the baby, move your car up two feet so another person can park behind you, acknowledge your sister’s shy boyfriend with a smile and some conversation, apologize if you bump into someone.

A third component is to give courtesy freely, without expecting anything in return.

People may not even take notice, much less return the kindness, but you can take heart in the fact that you are creating the kind of world you want to live in with your actions.
When you are out in the world, remember to be aware of others, lend your hand when one is needed, and give this help without an ulterior motive.

Through these small actions, you make this world a better place in which to live.'

by Madisyn Taylor

accepting yourself

'Accepting yourself for all you are means accepting all of the flaws and all of the Light.
Sometimes we judge ourselves harshly for the things we aren’t instead of appreciating the awesome Light within us.

This is why we become takers instead of  givers.
When we don’t acknowledge our own Light, we seek it in the form of energy from others – attention, approval, gratitude, etc.

Embracing all of ourselves, enables us to become a better conduit to share more with others.'

by Yehuda Berg

 

assumir as tarefas quotidinanas

A vida quotidiana não é senão uma sucessão de tarefas que é necessário realizar; todos os dias é preciso ir trabalhar, todos os dias há que pensar na família, na mulher ou no marido, nos filhos, nos pais, etc. Por toda a parte há problemas a resolver, novas situações a enfrentar, e muitas vezes é difícil.

Mas não se deve fugir a esses esforços.
Sejam quais forem as tarefas de que o destino vos encarregou, deveis incumbir-vos delas o melhor possível.

Se as descurais com o pretexto de que são fastidiosas ou indignas de vós, parais na vossa evolução e, de qualquer maneira, sereis obrigados a voltar para as assumir até ao fim.

(...)

Dir-me-eis: «Mas há momentos em que a situação fica insustentável, não se consegue suportar mais, fica-se esmagado.» Sim, eu compreendo.

Então, ide tomar ar por uns momentos e depois voltai para enfrentar a situação. 
 Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov.

the journey of commitment

''Loving and committing to another person is a spiritual process whether it involves a wedding or any other type of commitment ceremony.

Often when we enter into a relationship, we allow our emotions to lead us forward without thinking more deeply about what true commitment involves.

If we can understand that sharing our lives with another person is not just based on love but also on the hard work of being able to compromise and enter into a dialogue with them, then we are much more likely to find the key to having a successful relationship with our partners.

So many people have not experienced a loving relationship between their own parents and therefore have no role model of what love should feel like or look like.

Many of us have been exposed to the idea that love should be romantic and sweep us off our feet. While this is a natural part of any relationship, the true test of our love comes from our willingness to explore this world with another person; to not only share in the delights that we encounter but also to negotiate the bumps in the road together.

Generally this often takes the form of a mutual exchange of ideas, but because any relationship is based on the needs and experiences of two people, we might also face a certain amount of misunderstanding.

Learning to be open and receptive to our partners and to treat their wants and ideas with respect can help us navigate even the most difficult situations.

One way to do this is to take a deep breath, holding our partner in a space of love, and allow ourselves to listen fully with our hearts to what they have to say.

Should this become difficult to do, we can also turn toward people whose relationships we admire for advice or guidance. Knowing that there are resources out there to help us and being up for exploring them with our partner will only serve to deepen and strengthen our relationship.

Entering into a committed relationship is in fact a spiritual journey that we undertake with another person.

By being able to love and care for someone else with an open heart, we will find that we can reach a greater level of personal transformation, evolving along our path and learning powerful lessons about ourselves that we might not otherwise be able to do on our own.''

by Madisyn Taylor

 

the boundaries of experience

''None of us are born with a guidebook that provides explicit rules for thought and behavior that will enable us to navigate life successfully.

To cope with the myriad of complexities to which all of humanity is subject, we each develop a set of habits and routines that ground us, their continuity assuring us that life is progressing normally.

Most of us know, whether instinctively or by experience, that transformations can be uncomfortable, but we always learn and gain so much.

Any initial discomfort we experience when expanding our comfort zones diminishes gradually as we both become accustomed to change and begin to understand that temporary discomfort is a small price to pay for the evolution of our soul.
Your current comfort zone did, at one time, serve a purpose in your life.

But it is representative of behaviors and patterns of thought that empowered you to cope with challenges of days past.

Now, this comfort zone does little to facilitate the growth you wish to achieve in the present.

Leaving your comfort zone behind through personal expansion of any kind can prepare you to take the larger leaps of faith that will, in time, help you refine your purpose.

Work your way outward at your own pace, and try not to let your discomfort interfere with your resolve.

With the passage of each well-earned triumph, you will have grown and your comfort zone will have expanded to accommodate this evolution.

Whether your comfort zone is living with your parents, or perhaps being too shy to socialize, or maybe it's not realizing your spirit self whatever it is, start small, and you will discover that venturing beyond the limited comfort zone you now cling to is not as stressful an experience as you imagined it might be.

And the joy you feel upon challenging yourself in this way will nearly always outweigh your discomfort.


As you continue to expand your comfort zone to include new ideas, activities, goals, and experiences, you will see that you are capable of stimulating change and coping with the fresh challenges that accompany it.''

by Madisyn Taylor

 

 

 

---

resonance-beings of frequency (doc)

trabalho físico e trabalho espiritual

 
''Para imensas pessoas, o trabalho físico é incompatível com o trabalho espiritual. Ora bem, elas enganam-se, porque qualquer atividade física pode ser espiritualizada se se souber introduzir nela um elemento divino e, em contrapartida, uma atividade espiritual passa a ser extremamente prosaica se não visar um ideal superior.

Todos os que tomam a vida espiritual como pretexto para abandonarem o trabalho no plano físico não são espiritualistas, na realidade, mas preguiçosos.

Muito poucos seres são capazes de manter um verdadeiro trabalho espiritual durante várias horas. Os outros deixam-se levar apenas por divagações que os enfraquecem, que os transtornam; muitas vezes, fariam melhor se fossem lavar roupa, cozinhar ou tratar do jardim.

Ainda há muitos mal-entendidos sobre esta questão. A espiritualidade não consiste em recusar a atividade física, mas em saber utilizá-la para se elevar, se harmonizar, se ligar a Deus.
 

Tenho ouvido frequentemente pessoas que se intitulam espiritualistas dizerem que, ao trabalharem no plano físico, perdiam a sua luz! Meu Deus! Mas o que compreenderam elas da natureza da luz?

Os homens primitivos sabiam mais do que elas a este respeito. Quando queriam acender o fogo, por exemplo, eles pegavam em dois pedaços de madeira e esfregavam-nos um no outro: este atrito produzia calor e, passados uns momentos, aparecia uma chama, a luz. A luz é, pois, o resultado do movimento e do calor. Sim, aquele que faz trabalho no plano físico pondo nele toda a sua convicção e consciência sente nascer em si o amor, "o calor", por esse trabalho; o seu coração rejubila e jorra uma luz no seu espírito.

Deveis, pois, compreender que o trabalho no plano físico é indispensável para a evolução de cada um.

Mesmo que ninguém vo-lo peça, vós próprios deveis obrigar-vos a ele; isso refletir-se-á de uma maneira benéfica em primeiro lugar na vossa saúde, mas também na vossa compreensão das coisas.

E em vossa casa, sempre que tiverdes ocasião de limpar, de arrumar, de lavar, de coser, de fazer pequenos trabalhos, fazei-o, nunca vos mostreis negligentes.

Dizei a vós próprios que não é deixando o trabalho material para os outros que dareis mostras de que sois mais evoluídos. Precisais de vos desembaraçar de uma vez por todas desses conceitos errados. Se imaginais que trabalhando fisicamente perdereis a vossa luz, muito bem, é preferível perdê-la, porque essa não é a verdadeira luz!

A verdadeira luz ninguém a perde trabalhando, pelo contrário. Se trabalhardes, ela não vos abandonará; é graças ao trabalho que compreendereis melhor as coisas, que fareis descobertas, não é deixando-o para outros, alegando que estais em conversa com os anjos ou com o Senhor.

A verdadeira luz está ligada ao verdadeiro amor, o verdadeiro amor está ligado à verdadeira vontade e a vontade treina-se pelo trabalho no plano físico.''

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

 

Sharing Space and Energy

''Our homes are our havens.

These places where we come to rest, recharge, and dream in safety and comfort allow us to better face the challenges of the world outside our doors.

When sharing a living space with others, an awareness of the thoughts and feelings of everyone involved is essential in creating the peace we all desire.

Regardless of where we lived before, each time we cohabitate with others it is important that we make the effort to share the space in a way that supports everyone.
We need to remember that in a shared space, everything we sense can also be sensed by another person. Peace will not likely be the result when the senses are filled with the sight of unwashed plates, intrusive sounds, unpleasant smells, the feel of a foreign substance beneath bare feet, or the taste of food tainted by an uncovered onion in the fridge.

But if we communicate and listen with respect to those with whom we share a space, we may find that one enjoys washing dishes to end the day, while the other can take out the garbage during their evening walk. Working with another’s schedule, you can still meditate or exercise to your favorite music while the other is out, and save reading for the times when they are trying to sleep.

Being thoughtful of the energy that is required for something to be cleaned up may make everyone aware of being neater, whether that means taking off your shoes at the entrance or wiping up juice spilled on the kitchen floor.

In the same way, pent up resentment toward your living partners is just as easily felt.

Keeping the energy clear requires the effort of communication, the awareness of another’s feelings, and courtesy toward the space you share.

While that sometimes requires changing your schedule or habits, there are many times when having a caring someone nearby is worth all the effort.

Living with others can help us learn to mingle our energies at home as well as at work and in the world at large in a way that benefits us and everyone around us. ''

by Madisyn Taylor

opening a closed connection

''There may be times when we feel like our connection to the universe is closed. Maybe things don’t seem to be going well in our day, or our lives, or we may feel out of our element.

The truth is, the universe is always there for us.

We know that we create our experience with our thoughts, and this is another way we need to make a conscious decision about how we want to experience life.

It is up to us to do the work of making the connection, because nobody can do it for us, though sometimes the universe may send us wake-up calls.

You can think of it as getting some fresh air.

We are always breathing and the air is always around us, surrounding us, moving through us. But we may need to step outside of where we are in the moment—physically, mentally, or emotionally—and make the conscious choice to take a deep breath in order to feel the air coming in and going out.

Whether this means stepping outside physically or merely shifting our thoughts, it is only our perception that changes; the air remains the same.

It is just as easy to reconnect with the universe.

Using the same technique as a breath of fresh air, a deep breath can bring us back to our center. As we inhale, we fill our bodies with the oxygen needed to replenish our most basic physical needs, allowing the air to circulate within us. Exhaling, we release the stale, the used, the potentially toxic air, removing any blocks that may keep us from going deeper into the stillness that lies at our center where we connect to the universe.

Feeling closed off does not need to be a negative experience.

When we become conscious of it, we can think of the wholeness of a closed circuit, which allows electricity to connect and flow properly.

Our bodies work the same way, and when we make that connection in our minds, it can help bring us back to the connection we seek. ''

by Madisyn Taylor

being present

''Being there for people means being fully present for them: physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally, as well.
 
Sometimes we pretend to be there, but in our minds we might be thinking of all the things we have to do.

This is a big challenge for me personally. I’ll be texting five people and writing an email while trying to watch a movie with my wife, and she will tell me, “You can’t really be present while doing all these things at once.” As much as I may tell her that I can and that it’s possible, the truth is I know that I can’t, and that it’s not.

If we want to really share, we can’t be wrapped up in other things.''
 
by Yehuda Berg

tending the emotions

''Most of us have had the experience of holding back our emotions for such a long period of time that when they finally come out, we have something resembling a breakdown.

For a certain period of time, the overwhelming flood of feelings coursing through our bodies consumes us, and we stop functioning.

Often, these outbursts take us by surprise, welling up within us as we drive to or from work, watch a movie, or engage in some otherwise mundane task.

We may feel like we do not know what triggered us, or if we do know, it does not make sense of our overpowering emotional response.

This is because we are releasing feelings that have accumulated over a long period of time, and whatever inspired the release was just a catalyst for a much larger, much needed catharsis.
When we find ourselves in the midst of such an experience, it is important that we allow it to happen, rather than fight it or try to shut down.

Wherever we are, we can try to find a private, safe place in which to let our feelings out.

If we can not access such a place immediately, we can promise to set aside some time for ourselves at our earliest possible convenience, perhaps taking a day off work. The important thing is that we need to give our emotional system some much-needed attention.

It is essential that we allow ourselves to release the pent-up emotions inside ourselves so that they do not create imbalances in our bodies and minds.
(...)

Making room in your life for tending your emotions on a regular basis will keep you healthy, balanced, and ready for life.''

 by Madisyn Taylor 
  

Releasing the Reigns

''Our perception of humanity as a whole is, to a large extent, dualistic.

We paint people with a broad brush—some are like us, sharing our opinions and our attitudes, while others are different.

Our commitment to values we have chosen to embrace is often so strong that we are easily convinced that our way is the right way.

We may find ourselves frustrated by those who view the world from an alternate vantage point and make use of unusual strategies when coping with life's challenges.
However ardently we believe that these people would be happier and more satisfied following our lead, we should resist the temptation to try to change them.

Every human being has been blessed with a unique nature that cannot be altered by outside forces.
We are who we are at any one point in our lives for a reason, and no one person can say for certain what another should be like. The reasons we try to change one another are numerous.
Since we have learned over time to flourish in the richness of lives we have built, we may come to believe that we are qualified to speak on behalf of the greater source.

The sum total of our knowledge will never compare to what we do not know, however, and our understanding of others’ lives will forever be limited.

The potential we see in the people who are a part of our lives will never be precisely the same as our own, so we do these individuals a disservice when we make assumptions about their intentions, preferences, and goals.

Our power lies in our ability to accept others for all their quirks and differences and to let go of the need to control every element of our existence.

We can love people for who they are, embracing their uniqueness, or we can love them as human beings from afar.

Your ability to influence people may grow more sophisticated because others sense that you respect their right to be themselves, but you will likely spend more time gazing inward, into the one person you can change: yourself.  ''

by Madisyn Taylor

He (LC) knows..a thing or two..

our higher self

''None of us are perfect. We all do things we shouldn’t and our karma is probably not the best.
We all have at least a little chaos coming to us now and then.

Kabbalists teach that each of us are two beings. We have the imperfect self who reacts, has doubts and does negative things.
Unfortunately, this is how most of us act most of the time.

But there is also a second perfected being we can tap into; one who is aware and acts in accordance with the spiritual laws of the universe, so that it may shower upon us maximum fulfillment and success.
An amazing secret about this second being is that, because it is our perfected self, it has never done any of the negative things we’ve done in this life or lifetimes past.
The perfected us has never hurt anyone, never missed an opportunity and never made a poor decision.

The more we decide in our day to day choices to connect with our higher selves, the more we can correct our karma and protect ourselves from chaos.
Just knowing this can inspire us to tap into our perfected selves more and more every day''

by  Yehuda Berg, Daily Kabbalah

 

 

allowing our children to be

''Parenting asks us to rise to some of the most difficult challenges this world has to offer, and one of its greatest paradoxes arises around the issue of attachment.

On the one hand, successful parenting requires that we love our children, and most of us love in a very attached way.

On the other hand, it also requires that we let go of our children at the appropriate times, which means we must practice some level of nonattachment.

Many parents find this difficult because we love our children fiercely, more than we will ever love anyone, and this can cause us to overstep our bounds with them as their independence grows.

Yet truly loving them requires that we set them free. Attachment to outcome is perhaps the greatest obstacle on the parenting path, and the one that teaches us the most about the importance of practicing nonattachment.

We commonly perceive our children to be extensions of ourselves, imagining that we know what’s best for them, but our children are people in their own right with their own paths to follow in this world.

They may be called to move in directions we fear, don’t respect, or don’t understand, yet we must let them go.

This letting go happens gradually throughout our lives with our children until we finally honor them as fully grown adults who no longer require our guidance.

At this point, it is important that we treat them as peers who may or may not seek our input into their lives.

This allows them, and us, to fully realize the greatest gift parents can offer their offspring —independence.

Letting go in any area of life requires a deep trust in the universe, in the overall meaning and purpose of existence.

Remembering that there is more to us and our children than meets the eye can help us practice nonattachment, even when we feel overwhelmed by concern and the desire to interfere.

We are all souls making our way in the world and making our way, ultimately, back to the same source.

This can be our mantra as we let our children go in peace and confidence. ''

by Madisyn Taylor

Perfect order

''When you look at the solar system, you see there is a perfect order to the universe. When you learn about the animal kingdom and the food chain, you see order there too.

When you go into the underwater world, and experience the oceans and the tide, you come to understand the same thing.

Why do we think that our individual lives are any different?

Whatever we are going through, there’s a purpose for it. We may not see it because we are in the middle of it! We can see the order in the other systems because we are viewing them from the outside.

But if we could step outside ourselves and look from a distance, we would see the perfect order of our day, our challenges, and our life.''

by Yehuda Berg, the daily Kabbalah