Happy Birthday to His Holiness The Dalai Lama!

a wise and beneficial birthday message/gift for us from His Holiness The Dalai Lama on his birthday.
HH Dalai Lama Birthday Message
on a side note: yesterday i had the great pleasure of seeing His Holiness give a public talk in the afternoon around noon. you know what time he got up that day? 1am. at 80 years old and after a full day the previous day, he got up at 1am for his 4 hours of prayers and meditation, then spoke at a breakfast, did interviews, had lunch, and then gave a public talk that went until 3:30pm. he had energy, humor and clarity while delivering a much needed message on compassion, education and art. so impressive and generous! happy birthday your Holiness, deep bows of gratitude and a vow to contribute to this compassion movement!!

#HHDL80 #WithCompassion

meditation is a practice…

  

meditation is a practice


coming back to reality ~
here i am. 

this is my breath coming in 

and going out.

this is my body aching or at rest.
hearing the sounds of this moment.

taking care of oneself in this reality ~
i feel my body. i feel any tension or pain.

i hold it with tenderness and breathe into it
and breathe out of it. 
i hear the confusion in my mind.
thoughts racing nowhere.
i hold this feeling with understanding
and compassion.
letting go and coming back to my breath. 
i hear the lovely sounds of life around me.
i am grateful and smile.

staying open to reality ~
my heart has the capacity to hold 

the entire world and all of life.
my mind, the wisdom to let go. 
i stay open to the present, 
trusting life and my true nature, 
trusting the capacity of my heart to 
stay open and grow.  
and in this space of understanding 
and compassion 
– in this openness – 
i am able to be of benefit 
to others’ well being 
and their end to suffering 
as well as my own.

~j

are we willing?

Are we willing to listen?

Are we willing to see?

Our response to suffering, whether in Nepal, or Baltimore, or the arguments presented to the Supreme Court on this day, reflects our humanity and our ability to look and listen beyond our own perspective and our own initial emotional responses, from a place that reflects our interdependence, our capacity for compassion, and service to the principle of alleviating this world from suffering from where we are in this moment, with what we have in this moment, and who we are in this moment.
#interdependence #compassion #WeAreOne #Presence #look #listen #serve #Nepal #Baltimore #Equality #wisdom #peace #Life #Love

act in faith, act with love…

two quotes to inspire, when times seem dark, when our faith wanes and what we can do, feels like too little…

“You’re not allowed to lose faith. You’re not allowed to lose hope on behalf of all people who are suffering around the world”.
~ Jane Goodall

“My advice for people is to love the world they are in, in whatever way makes sense to them. It may be devotional practice, it may be song or poetry, it may be by gardening, it may be as an activist, scientist, or community leader. The path to restoration extends from our heart to the heart of sentient beings, and that path will be different for every person.”
~ Paul Hawken

Love can be found anywhere…
little heart in palmact in faith, act with love…
wishing you happiness and peace as we practice, in faith, this love together
~j