For who ? For ourselves. Did we do something, some ritual that affirmed our faith today ? In what ? In ourselves. Our ability to connect with our inner selves. For if we do not, who is this person that is working, loving, talking etc. It’s certainly not you.
It’s an everyday search for me. For that something that can put me in touch with myself. My connection to consciousness. My connection to loving nature.
Of course many people have faith. Which is a wonderful ability. I don’t have blind faith. I am more of a searcher. Questioner. Good, bad ? I don’t know. No value judgements on any faith or the question of faith. Or on myself.
Some people do it with meditation first thing in the morning. I have never been able to do that. I have to connect to something, however small, however little, to loose my sense of individuality. That’s the daily struggle. Against my own exaggarated sense of myself. I am so used to it. I have relied on it for so many years. So tough to let go now. Not that I have never questioned it before. But now, it is really important for me to be truly ‘active’ rather than ‘reactive’, which is what I have done most of my life. And how do I know what that ‘true’ action is ? Unless I am constantly in touch with something larger, more immense, more universal than myself ?
Yes I know. By letting go. By allowing yourself not to be addicted to the result of your action. By allowing chaos to invade your life. Yes, I agree. All of that. I do allow chaos to prevade in my life. I am impeteous (spelling). But then the individual in me fights back hard.
It’s an everyday battle. This battle to let go of one’s addiction to one’s sense of individuality.
Yet, the smallest of things can provoke the sensing of my flowing into something much much larger. Something infinite.
This morning it was my 5 year old daughter waking me up with a loud ‘Peekaboo’ and the tinkling of an early morning laugh.
Sometimes it;s just getting up early enough to watch the first shades of dark blue brush across the sky. Something deeply stirring about that.
Sometimes it’s unexpected gestures of affection that were not sought. Or given so instinctually that you were not aware of them.
Sometimes, it’s writing a poem. But only if the words are coming from somewhere else. As if something is flowing through you, a river of emotion you can physically feel that flows through your being.
But it is always so unexpected. So much that I am constantly aware now. My senses hightened. Waiting for that unexpected moment.
When something deeper will reach out and engulf me, and give my life, and all my actions, however small, a deeper and all encompassing context. On a daily basis.
So say a prayer for me. And for yourself.
Shekhar
who comes to my heart and knocks so hard on the door, that i finally opened it and let them in, only to find that they had vanished as mysteriously as they had arrived. now here i am left with a feeling of being lost…where have you gone, after pounding on my door for all this time and then suddenly…disappeared…
remembering your last words to me…
“:)breathe me in and i’m always with you, love is all we need and you will survive”
Guidance from Eileen Caddy
There has to be a Deep Spiritual Hunger
There is a gradual and consistent breaking down of universal thought forms which is taking place at this time, and a replacing of them with new thoughts, new ideas, new ways, new words and new phrases. There are times when the old can be discarded quite easily and quickly but at other times it has to be a gradual process, a wearing away by constant repetition. It does not happen overnight as many hope it will. Be very patient and very tolerant as you go through this interim period of change over, much of the old has to be broken down and transmuted. This needs patience, persistence and perseverance on the part of those who are presenting the New to mankind. Old habits are not easy to break and if they are bad habits it is even more difficult. There has to be the desire to break them before even the first step can be taken. There has to be a deep spiritual hunger within a soul before that soul is ready and open to accept the New, which is being presented at this time. Never be disheartened or discouraged, persistence will win through in the end and the New be recognised, accepted and lived. All is very well.
27 January 2012
“:)breathe me in and i’m always with you, love is all we need and you will survive”
Cultivating inner awareness, introspection and reasoning can be more effective than meditation and prayer.
~Dalai Lama
These words touched the soul in an intricate web upon web of bliss. Thank you
Wow…after all this time, company!
Shall we share some tea Alphie?
Cinda
Aum
~f a i t h~
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
—ALBERT EINSTEIN
Guidance from Eileen Caddy
To Take Anything or Anyone for Granted Takes All the Sparkle Out of Life
Do you not know that the best things in life are free? They are there for all to enjoy and to glory in. Do you appreciate them to the full and give eternal thanks for all these wonderful things, or do you take everything for granted and in so doing miss the joy and wonder of it all? To take anything or anyone for granted takes all the sparkle out of life.
3 February 2012
In Honor of My Friend and Dear Brother, David Simon
Dear Chopra Center Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I share with you today the news that Dr. David Simon has passed away. David has been my friend, partner, teacher, trusted colleague, and younger brother for more than twenty years. He has touched my heart, influenced the way I think, and expanded my spirit. David approached life from a place of pure potentiality and unlimited possibilities. His wisdom, courage, and love will continue to inspire all of us for decades to come.
In his books and workshops, David loved to share poems from spiritual masters who lived many centuries ago yet whose beautiful insights into love and our eternal nature continue to resonate with so many people today. David’s favorite poems were reminders that while we appear to be separate, limited individuals, we are all expressions of an infinite divinity. Here are a few beautiful lines from the poet David called “my beloved Hafiz”:
The Sun Never Says
Even
after
all this time
the sun never says to the earth,
“You owe me.”
Look
what happens
with a love like that —
It lights the whole world.
As a talented physician and author, loving father, husband, and dear friend, David shared his unique gifts with the world. Through his dedication and authenticity, he helped so many people go beyond their limited perspective of themselves and reconnect to the love, joy, and peace of their true selves.
I have felt privileged to work closely with David for many years, and I am grateful that we have had the opportunity to develop seminars, retreats, and programs on mind-body healing and spirituality. While David, as he would put it, has now let go of his temporary human disguise to merge again with the unbounded ocean of consciousness, the gifts that he gave so freely during his life will continue to benefit and inspire everyone he touched through his words, wisdom, and heart.
If you would like to share your thoughts, prayers, and intentions for David’s family, please visit lovefordavid.com.
Love,
Deepak
Dianna Cooper ~ Beyond 2012
Transforming Relationships If our relationships are not working we must recognise that we can’t change the other person. They are only a mirror of an aspect of us, so naturally we have to change ourselves. Then the reflection changes. First we must stop expecting others to meet our needs. We are responsible for our own happiness, our own independence and sense of security. Expecting someone else to be responsible creates a co-dependent relationship.
When we fall in love or first enjoy a friendship, we see the best in the other person and, of course, they respond to this. However, when niggles and less attractive behaviours arise, we tend to focus on those and they soon grow out of proportion. We can re-balance by consciously seeking the good aspects.
People tend to be very intuitive and pick up the thoughts and feelings we send out and they respond to them. If you were to say what you constantly think when you are cross with someone, you would expect them to react exactly as they are doing.
Your friend or partner will be giving you clues about his or her feelings. However, if you don’t listen and respond, you will miss the opportunity and allow the rift to grow wider. So what can you do?
The greatest healings take place when we listen to the other person. Sit and hear what they say to you without interruption or judgement, really trying to understand their reality. Then really accept and validate them.
Exercise
Listen to someone today with your full attention, in an effort to understand them, without judgement or interruption. Record what you learn and how you feel. Note any changes you notice in the relationship.
~Diana Cooper
Notes From Neale
My dear friends…
As we explore ever more deeply each week what I have described as The Holy Experience, we have said that the easiest way to engage the experience is to share it with others. Yet how to share this experience?
First, we must decide what The Holy Experience is. For me, it is the experience of Oneness. It is the experience of Oneness with God and Oneness with each other. And the easiest way I can think of to cause yourself to know that you are not separate from anyone else is to cause everyone else to know that they are not separate from you. That is why sharing the Holy Experience with others works.
And the easiest way to cause others to know that they are not separate from you is to act that way.I This means that you may have to change your whole ground of being. You may have to alter the entire way that you relate to other people. You can begin by working hard to understand, by earnestly seeking to know, how another person is feeling.
The next time you are with someone, try to gauge what they are feeling. Don’t just listen to their words, look deep inside to see if you can get a handle on what they are feeling. Read between the lines. Look past the words. Practice Active Listening. It can work miracles.
This is a form of listening in which you tune into the communication of the Soul rather than of the Mind of the person before you. Feelings are the language of the soul. This is not a language that it is impossible for you to understand. In fact, just the opposite. You can often understand a person’s feelings a lot faster than you can understand their words.
Think of how many times you have listened to a person who is distraught or frightened or very sad or deeply disappointed. Often, their words come out in jumbles, and make no sense at all. You may even have caught yourself saying, “You’re not even making sense.” You might even have used this as a defense during some verbal exchange.
A person who listens to words rather than feelings often will throw another’s words back in their face, reciting perfectly what they’ve just said word-for-word in order to show them that they are making no sense at all. Right about then is when the other person will say, “Can you hear anything at all about how I am FEELING?” Right about then is when you know that you have been listening to that person’s Mind, and have made a decision to have nothing at all to do with their Soul. If that other person thinks that he or she is your “soul partner,” this can be a devastating experience. They will wonder why you cannot hear them at the level of Soul, but insist only on taking their words apart, one by one, and analyzing them to show them how silly they are being.
A few experiences such as this can change a relationship forever. Someone who was once very close to you can decide that it is not safe to remain that close–that perhaps they were never that close–because you have no idea at all of how they are feeling.
The fastest way to let someone know that you and they are One is to feed back to them exactly what they are feeling. This means giving up defense in all verbal exchanges–even arguments–and realizing that, if the two of you are One, there is no one to defend against. There is only to understand what the Totality called the Oneness of You is now experiencing.
This means honestly looking at your own feelings and opening to the feelings of others.
Love and Hugs,
Neale
Ode to the love and light of Whitney Houston…
Aum
Loving Valentine’s
being with what is
aum
http://psychedelicadventure.blogspot.com/2009/05/future-of-food-documentary-must-see.html
worth watching…
aum
~~~ sadhguru.org~~~
there are no words to feel this . . .
it just needs to be experienced
~ ~ ~ Aum~ ~ ~
“This life for me is an endeavor to help people experience and express their divinity. May you know the bliss of the Divine.” – SADHGURU
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev – It is just that you have a vision and you give your life towards it. This is one of the easiest ways to attain the highest also. The whole Gita is just about this – to simply give yourself to what you want, not caring whether it is going to happen or not going to happen. It is a spiritual process by itself.
,,,for Aaravinda…peace, love and harmony with what is…
aum
“For the very first time in the history of humanity, we have the necessary capability, resource and technology to address every human problem on the planet. The only thing that is missing is human consciousness. If this one thing happens, we can create a truly beautiful planet.”
– Sadhguru J. Vasudeva
Peaceful March First…aum
Hugh solar flare XClass exploded on the sun today…radiation storm expected to reach earth by mid tomorrow afternoon…
http://solarham.com/
Aum
Guidance from Eileen Caddy
Patience, Persistence, Perseverance and Unwavering Faith is Needed
Never at any time underestimate the power of Love and your work as bearers of Love. Each day as you unite and radiate out Love and Light to individuals, to countries, to the whole world, a tremendous work is being done. A power and force goes out uniting, welding together, bringing peace, harmony, understanding. Never feel it is a waste of time because it shows no outer results. I tell you a wonderful work is being done which will manifest in the days to come. The inner work has to be done before the outer will appear. Great patience, persistence, perseverance is needed to do the inner work, and unwavering faith. Be faithful at all times, even if at times it may appear to be blind faith with little or no result. Who are you to judge what is going on? The foundations always take longer than the building itself, for the foundations have to be strong and unshakable. Be everlastingly grateful for every test and trial and be strong and of good courage and know all is very well.
9 March 2012
‘ When He smiled it was as though the gates of Heaven were thrown open. I have never seen eyes more alight with Divine illumination — they shine like stars…
He greets you and clasps you not by the monkey-hand of the mind, but by the invisible divine feelers of his heart. He touches you by the fourth-dimensional touch: the touch of the Master that detaches the mind from the fetters of its own dear ego-world…
To be in His presence is by itself a stirring experience, to receive a few words of counsel from Him is a rare blessing, to be the recipient of His benediction is to be assured of a special fortune… ‘
–Notes on Ramana Maharishi
~ Aum Kavitha Aum ~
I looked at my teacher,
the tree,
outside my window and it said to me
“You have travelled and listened to the wise ones.
Have worshipped with them.
Loved them.
Been their best friends.
Have seen compassion, yes.
But also Ego.
Ego is fear.
Fear of loss of individuality.
Who am I in this world that surrounds me?
The answer is is there if you look carefully at the world that surrounds you,
Without prejudice.
Without memory.
Just look and observe and you will see you are nothing but an inherent part of all creation.
Perhaps an incredibly essential part of creation
but no more essential than a leaf that fell from my branch.
You are Nature itself.
Just because you have mobility and imagination does not make you individual.
The wind that passes by me has greater mobility and imagination
than you could imagine through your imagined prejudices.
Your imagination is a gift to reveal in the true meaning of existence.
But you use it to define and so confine yourself.
You are both God and the servant of God.
You are everything that was ever created and everything that was destroyed.
You are also everything that will be created and destroyed.
Here and now you are everything.
Then why would would you want to be merely you ?
Sit still like me and you will observe.
Feel my 1000 leaves rustle in the wind and you will know.”
~Shekhar
Notes From Neale
My dear friends…
Self-creation is a Holy Experience. It is sacred. It is you, deciding Who You Are.
What do you think of yourself in the morning?
First thing in the morning, what is your idea about yourself?
How about the last thing at night?
What is your final assessment of Self just before falling asleep?
This is you, deciding about you. Some people call it “wrestling with your conscience.”
In the quiet moments of your day,
what do you think and do?
When you are with your Self and no one else,
how does life proceed for you?
Do you eat well, or do you “sneak” a treat that you would not have if someone were watching?
Do you meditate every morning,
or only the mornings that another is there?
Do you exercise each day, or only on the days that another reminds you, cajoles you, shames you into it? Who are you when you are alone?
Are you reconciled with your Self?
When you talk to your Self, in your mind or even out loud, is your Self happy with you?
How do you make the Self happy?
How do you bring the Self joy?
The answer to these questions says a great deal about you.
From where does your joy originate?
Is it from something exterior to you, or from something interior?
Is it from something you are doing, or something you are being?
And how do you bring your Self peace?
Finally: who do you think you are, anyway…?
And we will continue our explorations of all of this here next week. Until then…
Hugs and love,
Neale Donald W.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Dear Shekhar,
Invitation to a Gathering in celebration of some
“unique special beings”
who have helped me to journey thus far…
So, for my 49th Birthday … your presence would be most
appreciated…that I may honour you in person.
Please feel free to bring something to share in the eats or drinks… and
an instrument to jammm or poem to read or any creative expression
you would like to share.
Most importantly, just bring yourself, that’s what matters to me…
a gift is not necessary, since you are already a gift to me
When: Saturday March 24, 2012
Where: Our home
Time: 6:03pm
Blessings…
Aum
Hi Cinda, where is your celebration ? I am not sure I will be in town, but if I am then … let me know, shekhar
Hi Shekhar,
The gathering is being held in Toronto, Canada
at my home…
If you are able to be here, I will forward the adress to
you…
Blessings
Aum
not going to be in Toronto I am afraid but all my best wishes to u, shekhar
Shekhar…your presence is honoured in spirit…Cinda
Aum
Dear Shekharji,
Since my childhood, you have been my one of the attractions. I have been respecting you a lot, in spite of not knowing you as a great film-maker or film-devotee 🙂
Somedays back, I saw your videos with Sadhguru_Jaggi Vasudev. I just love him. I could see your genuine love, respect for him as a Guru/friend.
Just wanted to share my happiness with you.
Warm regards to you.
Do take care.
Tushar Gupte
Mumbai
~ A u m ~
Sadhguru Jaggie Vasudev
~ A u m ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnwpQG1o_yw&feature=related
Ode to Isha sounds…
Aum to the family and friends of Danny…who passed on Sunday…Aum shanti shanti shanti Aum
You may participate in or share this experience…
Aum
http://www.wombblessing.com/index.html
Life and Death…and Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjLouLHH-_I
by Anita Moorjani
Guidance from Eileen Caddy
Let Your Life Become a Constant Prayer
Wait upon Me in quietness and confidence. Go deep within and find that perfect peace which nothing can disturb. Outwardly the chaos and confusion grow steadily and the strain and tension in the world mount; as this happens, go into the secret place of the Most High, become ever conscious of Me and of My presence. Let your life become a constant prayer – in fact pray without ceasing – and nothing outwardly can possibly affect you because you know there is no power but Me.
6 April 2012
Ode to Jesus and Moses…
Aum
Notes From Neale
My dear friends…
Over the past several months we have been looking here at the Holy Experience and yourself. Now let’s look at the Holy Experience and your significant other.
Everyone has a significant other–whether they are in an intimate, romantic relationship or not. Of course, the term “significant other” does not refer only to a person with whom you sleep. It refers to any being with whom you share the largest portion of your life. That could be a sister or brother, a parent, a child, a close friend.
When discussing the Holy Experience and yourself, I said: “Always, with your choices, you are answering a single question: Who am I? Every act is an act of self-definition. When you embrace the implications of that sentence utterly, you begin the process of the Holy Experience with your Self.”
Now I am going to say the same thing, only as it pertains to your significant other.
Always, with your choices, you are answering a single question: Who is this other? Every act involving another is an act of definition of the other. When you embrace the implications of that sentence utterly, you begin the process of the Holy Experience with your significant other.
Everyone is who you say they are. If you say they are your best friend, they are. If you say they are your enemy, they are. If you say they are your most trusted companion, they are. That is because you are the one doing the deciding.
Other people tend to show up in our lives exactly as we think that they will. Even if they don’t in their world, in our world they do. This is another way of saying that if you have a definite thought about someone, it almost does not matter what they do. You will still think of them in the way that you do.
Have you ever noticed how two people can have nearly polar-opposite experiences of the same third party? One person says that the third person is wonderful, while the other says that the third person is horrible. Both are right, for both have created their experience of that third person in their reality.
It doesn’t matter what that third person does. In fact, that third person can do the exact same thing to both of the others, and one of the others will think it’s wonderful while the second will think it’s horrible. I’ve actually seen this happen!
I saw a person bid $10,000 once at a local charity auction, and two people with whom I am acquainted saw it in entirely different ways. The first thought it was wonderful and incredibly generous; a typical gesture of a very kind and open-hearted man. The second thought it was show-offy and incredibly gauche; a typical “over the top” gesture by an ego maniacal power grabber and attention-getter.
It has always seemed to be that The Holy Experience has to do with always seeing the Other in the highest possible light, with the highest possible motives–and even if they are making a “mistake,” or behaving “badly” in our estimate, that we hold them in compassion and forgiveness and love.
And we’ll continue to look at this as our exploration of The Holy Experience proceeds in this space next week.
Hugs and love
Neale D. W.
A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.
–Mahatma Gandh
As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene….No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.
–Albert Einstein
Dear Dad,
You would have been 88 on April 15th, if you were
still in this dimension, existing as a human in my life.
Not sure what form you have taken, I do feel your spirit at times and
when I look at my hands and see the hard work you have done through
some of the lines…I see you.
In the wisdom around, I hear you
In the sounds of masterful drumming, I hear you also
When I have deep discussions about spiritual concepts with others…you are there
because we’ve had so many together.
When I feel a sense of independance and speaking up for myself…you helped me to cultivate that
My love of the arts…was encouraged by you
A sense of protectiveness and security, I felt in your presence
Faith…you left me with
for I know…you are not truly gone
I love you Dad…
We do keep in touch,
Cinda
Aum
Thank you for everything!
“All Things Must Pass”
George Harrison
Guidance from Eileen Caddy
You Can Draw From the Very Source
When you take time to be still and realise that you are My hands and feet, that I have to work in and through you My wonders to perform, that I need channels to work in, you realize how vitally important it is to keep those channels clear at all times and that you hold a great responsibility in your hands. Waste no precious time in idle thinking and dreaming or in the patter of words, which are spoken without any meaning behind them. Realize that within you, you have All Power, All Intelligence, All Wisdom, All Understanding; that you can draw from the very source of Universal Mind, Universal Consciousness.
20 April 2012
Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti
…to all the Educational Assistants of TDSB, who are put on the layoff list,
marking June 29th, 2012,
as the final day…
may we all have the “faith” we need to help us through this
Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti