Each time you eat can be a way of expanding your awareness and gratitude (not to mention expanding your waistline!) Here is one way to offer grace. Five Gathas by the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. Serving Food In this food I see clearly the presence of the entire universe supporting my existence. Looking […]
These are the fourteen mindfulness trainings from Thich Nhat Hanh, also called Thay. You can see them and more related information on the Deer Park Monastery website. http://www.deerparkmonastery.org/mindfulness-practice/the-fourteen-mindfulness-trainings The First Mindfulness Training: Openness Aware of the suffering created by fanaticism and intolerance, I am determined not to be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, […]
Yes, that’s right. Paying attention doesn’t mean being outraged by what you see. Outrage comes from not paying attention, from having the attention being distracted, whether by judgement, right/wrong thinking, or denial of things as they truly are. Many people notice their outrage when things are different than they want, prefer, or expect. Many people […]
“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.” Thich Nhat Hanh
There’s an old story about a donkey equally between its hay and water, and unable to make a decision, stays stuck in the moment and dies equally from hunger and thirst. I don’t want to stay stuck like that. Man improves himself as he follows his path; if he stands still, waiting to improve before he makes […]
Do not stand at my grave and weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye Do not stand at my grave and weep: I am not there; I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow, I am the sun on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. […]
In an earlier post on this blog, I shared a list of steps I regularly take which add to my happiness. I originally entitled it Steps Towards Happiness. My reasoning was that no single steps would automatically bring happiness to me or anybody. Also, it seemed to me that by heading more and more often […]
“When we’re curious, we can reinvent our world. Old wounds don’t have to continue to poison the present.” Thich Nhat Hanh I’ve noticed years ago that when I’m on a vacation, things seem brighter and more interesting. The sky looks brighter, the clouds more beautiful, and the food tastes better. I’ve noticed this in so […]
“People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong… Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?” Thich Nhat Hanh Like the creative artists we are, we have a choice about how we create our world. Gardens contain a mixture of flowers and weeds. We […]
I liked this quote the moment I read it, and then I changed my mind. “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people […]
