A dance with Macbeth

by Tomas Johansson

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player 

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage   

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing.

Macbeth is sad in the end of Shakespeare's tragedy.

In the beginning he has been fooled by the witches. They promised him that he should become the king of Scotland, and he then figured out how to let it be a reality.

 But all in vain - in the end Lady Macbeth has killed herself.

Shakespeare himself lived another life. When he got older he moved back to Stratford upon Avon, the little town where  he was born. Away from the busy London, away from fame and the pleasures of a big city. Maybe he was fed up with this.

His circle was completed and soon after he died. I hope his last years were good ones.

He had seen many famous people fall, even kings.

Even today people struggle and fall, but if you don't look for success you don't have to fall  from a high altitude.

There is a guided meditation where we are told to dwell on our nature; we are going to die, we are going to get sick.

And just therefore; be kind to the people around you. That only will get you a good sleep at night.

If you only look for pleasure, power and fame, you will probably end up like a small version of Macbeth.

Try to be pleased with what you have, try to appreciate the little things.

And try to make some silly dance steps - I think Macbeth forgot about that:

Source: http://waterandwave.blogspot.fi/2014/01/a-dance-with-macbeth.html

Medicine Buddha Healing Mantra Chanting

Tayata Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samudgate Soha.

"English translation: 'May the many sentient beings who are sick, quickly be freed from sickness. And may all the sicknesses of beings never arise again.'

Buddha taught that suffering is caused by attachment to things, people, etc. We think things will bring us happiness. but our attachment actually brings us much suffering because we become obsessed with protecting them, ever hungry for more, and depressed when we lose them. A better way to live is to enjoying the abundance around us but not become attached -- "counting nothing as one's own".

Peace, It means not to desire anything because you are , all ready, all that is and all that will ever be!! (there is no need for a selfish thought (or a desire) when you know you are part of all that is and all that will ever BE Already! ) Being at one with the Universe is living in Abundance! Blessings"

What is a Miracle?

by Paulo Coelho

We can define it in various ways:

something that goes against the laws of nature;

an intercession in moments of deep crisis;

healings and visions;

impossible encounters;

a last-minute intervention when the Unwanted Visitor arrives.


All these definitions are true, but a miracle goes beyond even that.

It’s something that suddenly fills our hearts with Love.

When that happens, we feel a profound reverence for the grace God has bestowed on us.

So please Lord, give us today our daily miracle.

Help us to see in each grain of sand in the desert proof of the miracle of difference, and may that encourage us to accept ourselves as we are.

Because just as no two grains of sand are alike, so no two human beings will think and act in the same way.

Help us to be humble when we receive and joyful when we give.

Help us to understand that wisdom lies not in the answers we are given, but in the mystery of the questions that enrich our lives.

Help us never to be imprisoned by the things we think we know, because we know so little about Fate.

And may this lead us to behave impeccably, making use of the four cardinal virtues: boldness, elegance, love and friendship.
 
taken from MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN ACCRA


Source: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2013/01/03/what-is-a-miracle/

A guide to life for my kids

by Leo Babauta


These are the key life skills I'd like to teach my 6 wonderful kids (and anyone else who's interested):

Mindset

1. Flexible mind
2. Embrace discomfort
3. Deal with anxiety
4. Learn self compassion
5. Learn contentment
6. Limit possessions
7. Have a daily gratitude session
8. Learn how to change/create habits
9. Have confidence that you're awesome
10. All you need for happiness is within you
11. Savor life
12. Play
13. Meditate

Health

1. Eat whole foods
2. Exercise almost daily
3. Make your exercise social
4. Consider a vegan diet, for reasons of compassion
5. Limit sugar/flour
6. Learn to cook, & cook meals at home
7. Floss before bed

Relationships

1. Build relationships
2. Open your heart
3. Let love be your rule
4. Be trustworthy
5. Deal with anger
6. Coping with loss
7. Learn how to meet people
8. Meeting new people: be curious
9. Surround yourself with positive friends
10. Let go of jealousy

Work

1. Love what you do
2. Take pride in what you do
3. Start your own business
4. Limit how much you do
5. Learn to beat procrastination
6. Help others
7. Become great at a skill you love
8. Good writing is clear thinking
9. Blog -- as a way to reflect, and share
10. Failure is just a lesson

Finances

1. Spend less than you earn
2. Avoid/eliminate debt
3. Save/invest automatically
4. Don't put off taxes & accounting
5. When you have kids, create a trust

Parenting

1. Be there
2. Teach, don't control
3. Model the behavior you want them to learn
4. Read to them regularly
5. Love them without qualifications, unconditionally
6. Be patient & compassionate
7. Consider unschooling

Source: http://leobabauta.com/kids

The Joy of Being Alone

by Leo Babauta

A surprising number of people fear being alone. Maybe just about all of us do to some extent.

We fear being without a partner, or friends and family. We fear traveling alone in strange places, lost without anyone to ask for help. We fear taking on life without help, for fear of failure.

This is natural, this fear of being alone. We’ve all felt it, deep within us, though we try desperately to avoid this fear.

And this is the cause of our misery: to avoid this fear of being alone, we will socialize endlessly, including on social networks and email. To avoid being alone, we’ll end up with someone who isn’t really good for us, just to have someone to cling to, someone to rely on. We’ll eat junk food or shop to comfort ourselves, because these things are replacements for love.

But here’s the secret: being alone is empowering. The quiet of being alone is joyful.

We tend to see aloneness as bleak, depressing, scary. But it can be seen as freeing, as an opportunity for growth, an opportunity to get to know yourself.

This is something I’ve been learning the hard way. I had the fear of aloneness for many years, but learning emotional self-sufficiency is one of the best things I’ve done.

Sit quietly for a minute, now, and turn inward. Who are you? What are you capable of? What do you think about?

Can you accept yourself, when you look closely at yourself?

Can you see the beauty in yourself, as you learn something new? As you contemplate life?

This is nothing to fear, but to celebrate. Aloneness is beauty.

Traveling Through Life Alone

But isn’t it scary to travel the world alone? To go through life alone if you feel unprepared?

Yes, it can be scary. That’s the reason to learn to do it.

Don’t know how to find your way in a strange city? Start with the place you live — get lost and find your way back. Learn to use Google Maps, then learn to find visual landmarks. Now branch out into nearby cities. Now take a trip armed with your new skills. Ask for directions. Learn to be OK with getting lost.

Don’t know how to pay bills and manage your life? Start with one bill. Teach yourself life management skills one at a time. Become self-sufficient. It’s better to learn to stand on your own two feet than to have to rely on someone else. If you can be self-sufficient, then relying on someone else is an act of strength, not of weakness.

Don’t know how to protect yourself? Learn to avoid bad situations. Learn to be aware of your surroundings. Learn how to get away. Learn how to defend yourself, at least enough to call for help. You’ll feel more confident in going places alone.

Traveling through life alone is a learning process, but you become stronger as you go. It’s like a child who can’t find his way home alone — doing it the first time is scary, but he’s safer and better off having learned the way.

Relationships and Aloneness

Does learning to be OK with being alone mean you can’t be in a relationship? Not at all — but if you aren’t OK with being alone, then being in a relationship is going to be fundamentally flawed.

Why? Because you become dependent. You need the other person, not only to pay bills and help you manage, not only to protect you and provide for you, but for emotional needs. You need the other person to pay attention to you, to give you validation and comfort and love. Now, all of those things are nice, but needing someone else for them means you become needy, desperate, and those aren’t attractive qualities. Who wants to be in a relationship with a needy, desperate person?

Much more attractive is confidence. And self-sufficiency. And strength.

So learn to be OK with being alone. Learn to provide for all of your emotional needs. Learn that you are OK, just as you are, without anyone else to “complete you”.

What if you’re already in a relationship? This is what I’ve been dealing with myself — it’s still doable. It means noticing when you’re being needy, and backing off. Taking care of your needs yourself. This is a slow process, but it works.

Once you’ve got that down, you are in a much better place to be in a relationship. You’re now two whole people, coming together for the benefit of the both of you.

The Joy of Being Alone

Aloneness can be a scary thing, but it can also be a joyful thing.

You can celebrate the times when you’re alone. Get to know yourself. Do things that rely on very little — reading a good book, writing, playing music, dancing alone, sketching, learning a new skill. Go for hikes, discover the world without needing to instantly share it online.

Be alone and be happy with yourself.

You deserve it.

Source: http://zenhabits.net/joy-of-one/

Timing Can Be Everything

by Madisyn Taylor

Every person fulfills their purpose when the time is right.

Since human timetables quite often do not correspond with universal timetables, it’s common for people to feel that life is progressing too slowly or too quickly. We draft carefully composed plans only to find that they fall into place when we least expect. Or, conversely, we are thrust into roles we believe we are not prepared for and wonder how we will survive the demands imposed upon us by unfamiliar circumstances. When delays in our progress kindle pangs of disappointment within us or the pace of life seems overwhelming, peace can be found in the simple fact that we are exactly where we need to be at this moment.

Every person fulfills their purpose when the time is right. If you have fast-tracked to success, you may become deeply frustrated if you discover you can no longer satisfy your desires as quickly as you might like. Yet the delays that disappoint you may be laying the foundation for future accomplishments that you have not yet conceived. Or the universe may have plans for you that differ from the worldly aspirations you have pursued up until this point. What you deem a postponement of progress may actually represent an auspicious opportunity to prepare for what is yet to come. If, however, you feel as though the universe is pushing you forward at too fast a clip, you may be unwittingly resisting your destiny. Your unease regarding the speed of your progress could be a sign that you need to cultivate awareness within yourself and learn to move with the flow of fate rather than against it. The universe puts nothing in your path that you are incapable of handling, so you can res! t assured that you are ready to grow into your new situation.

You may feel compelled to judge your personal success using your age, your professional position, your level of education, or the accomplishments of your peers as a yardstick. Yet we all enjoy the major milestones in our lives at the appropriate time—some realize their dreams as youngsters while others flourish only in old age. If you take pride in your many accomplishments and make the most of every circumstance in which you find yourself, your time will come.

A Citizen of the World

by Madisyn Taylor

An aware traveler sees each new journey as an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of humanity.

As the technology of travel grows ever more refined, the world grows smaller. Whereas a journey of a hundred miles once took many days, we can now travel across the globe in mere hours. The four corners of the earth are accessible by plane, train, and ship, and there are few pleasures in life as soul-stirring and transformative as travel. In a new land, the simplest of joys can be profound—meditation takes on a new quality because the energy in which we are immersed is unfamiliar. Our sensory experiences are entirely novel. Yet the relative ease with which we can step out of our own culture in order to explore another means that we are ambassadors representing not only our own way of life but also the culture of the traveler. As a conscious citizen of the world, you can add value to the locales you visit while simultaneously broadening your own perspective.

A truly aware traveler sees each new journey as an opportunity to improve international relations, spread goodness, and gain a greater understanding of humanity. To immerse yourself in foreign cultures is to open your mind to fresh ways of being. Your natural curiosity can help you navigate the subtleties that define a culture. While you may not agree with all the traditions or laws of a country, abiding by them demonstrates that you understand and respect their value. Staying centered in another culture is often simply a matter of learning about your destination, being patient with yourself and others, and accepting that people may treat you as an example of your country’s attitudes. New worlds will open to you when you take part in the everyday life of a locale—the reality of a destination is in its markets, its streets, and its people.

Traveling presents a wonderful opportunity to practice being open-minded and grounded. The voyages you make help cultivate a worldwide community in which we as humans can acknowledge and appreciate our differences as much as we recognize and appreciate our similarities. Though you will eventually return home, the positive impression you leave behind will remain as a testament to the respect and amicability that marked your intercultural interactions.

Karaniya Metta Sutta

Karaṇīyamatthakusalena, yanta santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca;
Sakko ujū ca suhujū [sūjū (sī.)] ca, sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.
Santussako ca subharo ca, appakicco ca sallahukavutti;
Santindriyo ca nipako ca, appagabbho kulesvananugiddho.
Na ca khuddamācare kiñci, yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ;
Sukhino va khemino hontu, sabbasattā [sabbe sattā (sī. syā.)] bhavantu sukhitattā.
Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi, tasā vā thāvarā vanavasesā;
Dīghā vā ye va mahantā [mahanta (?)], majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā.
Diṭṭhā vā ye va adiṭṭhā [adiṭṭha (?)], ye va [ye ca (sī. syā. kaṃ. pī.)] dūre vasanti avidūre;
Bhūtā va sambhavesī va [bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā (syā. kaṃ. pī. ka.)], sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā.
Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha, nātimaññetha katthaci na kañci [naṃ kañci (sī. pī.), naṃ kiñci (syā.), na kiñci (ka.)];
Byārosanā paṭighasaññā, nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya.
Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttamāyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe;
Evampi sabbabhūtesu, mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.
Mettañca sabbalokasmi, mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ;
Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca, asambādhaṃ averamasapattaṃ.
Tiṭṭhaṃ caraṃ nisinno va [vā (sī. syā. kaṃ. pī.)], sayāno yāvatāssa vitamiddho [vigatamiddo (bahūsu)];
Etaṃ satiṃ adhiṭṭheyya, brahmametaṃ vihāramidhamāhu.
Diṭṭhiñca anupaggamma, sīlavā dassanena sampanno;
Kāmesu vinaya [vineyya (sī. syā. pī.)] gedhaṃ, na hi jātuggabbhaseyya punaretīti.

This is to be done by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties, living lightly,
with peaceful faculties, masterful,
modest, & no greed for supporters.

Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.

Think: Happy, at rest,
may all beings be happy at heart.
Whatever beings there may be,
weak or strong, without exception,
long, large,
middling, short,
subtle, blatant,
seen & unseen,
near & far,
born & seeking birth:
May all beings be happy at heart.

Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.

As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.
With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart:
Above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without enmity or hate.
Whether standing, walking,
sitting, or lying down,
as long as one is alert,
one should be resolved on this mindfulness.
This is called a sublime abiding
here & now.

Not taken with views,
but virtuous & consummate in vision,
having subdued desire for sensual pleasures,
one never again
will lie in the womb.

KARAṆĪYAMETTASUTTA
BÁC-ÁI KINH

Karaṇīyamatthakusalena,
Yantaṃ santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca,
Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,
Suvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.

Người hằng mong an tịnh
Nên thể hiện pháp lành,
Có khả năng, chất phác
Ngay thẳng và nhu thuận,
Hiền hòa không kiêu mạn,

Santussako ca subharo ca,
Appakicco ca sallahukavutti,
Santindriyo ca nipako ca,
Appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho.

Sống dễ dàng, tri túc,
Thanh đạm, không rộn ràng.
Lục căn luôn trong sang
Trí tuệ càng hiển minh

Na ca khuddaṃ samācare kiñci,
Yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ,
Sukhino vā khemino hontu,
Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā.

Chuyên cần, không quyến niệm
Không làm việc ác nhỏ
Mà bậc trí hiền chê,
Nguyện thái bình an lạc,
Nguyện tất cả sinh linh
Tròn đầy muôn phúc hạnh

Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi,
Tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā,
Dīghā vā ye mahantā vā,
Majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā.

Chúng sanh dù yếu mạnh,
Lớn nhỏ hoặc trung bình
Thấp cao không đồng đẳng
Hết thảy chúng hữu tình,
Lòng từ không phân biệt

Diṭṭhā vā yeva adiṭṭhā,
Ye ca dūre vasanti avidūre,
Bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā,
Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā.

Hữu hình hay vô hình,
Đã sinh hoặc chưa sinh
Gần xa không kể xiết,
Nguyện tất cả sinh linh
Tròn đầy muôn phúc hạnh.

Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha,
Nātimaññetha katthaci naṃ kiñci,
Byārosanā paṭighasaññā,
Nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya.

Đừng lừa đảo lẫn nhau,
Chớ bất mãn điều gì,
Đừng mong ai đau khổ
Vì tâm niệm sân si
Hoặc vì nuôi oán tưởng.

Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttaṃ,
Āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe,
Evampi sabbabhūtesu,
Mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.

Như mẹ giàu tình thương
Suốt đời lo che chở,
Đứa con một của mình,
Hãy phát tâm vô lượng
Cùng tất cả sinh linh

Mettañca sabbalokasmiṃ,
Mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ,
Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca,
Asambādhaṃ averaṃ asapattaṃ

Từ bi gieo cùng khắp
Cả thế gian khổ hải,
Trên dưới và quanh mình
Không hẹp hòi, oan trái
Không hờn giận, oán thù.

Tiṭṭhañcaraṃ nisinno vā,
Sayāno vā yāvatassa vigatamiddho,
Etaṃ satiṃ adhiṭṭheyya,
Brahmametaṃ vihāraṃ idhamāhu.

Khi đi, đứng, nằm, ngồi
Bao giờ còn thức tỉnh
Giữa niệm từ bi này,
Thân tâm thường thanh tịnh,
Phạm hạnh chính là đây.

Diṭṭhiñca anupagamma,
Sīlavā dassanena sampanno,
Kāmesu vineyya gedhaṃ,
Na hi jātu gabbhaseyyaṃ punaretīti.

Ai xả ly kiến thủ,
Giới hạnh được tựu thành,
Chánh tri đều viên mãn
Không ái nhiễm dục trần,
Thoát ly đường sanh tử.

12 Indispensable Mindful Living Tools

By Leo Bauta

The focus of my life in recent months has been living mindfully, and while I don’t always remember to do that, I have learned a few things worth sharing.

The first is a mindful life is worth the effort. It’s a life where we awaken from the dream state we’re most often submerged in — the state of having your mind anywhere but the present moment, locked in thoughts about what you’re going to do later, about something someone else said, about something you’re stressing about or angry about. The state of mind where we’re lost in our smartphones and social media.

It’s worth the effort, because being awake means we’re not missing life as we walk through it. Being awake means we’re conscious of what’s going on inside us, as it happens, and so can make more conscious choices rather than acting on our impulses all the time.

The second thing I’ve learned is that we forget. We forget, over and over, to be awake. And that’s OK. Being mindful is a process of forgetting, and then remembering. Repeatedly. Just as breathing is a process of exhaling, and then inhaling, repeatedly.

The third is that mindful living isn’t just one thing. It’s not just meditation. Nor is it just focusing on the sensations around you, right now in this moment. I’ve found mindful living to be a set of very related tools, perhaps all different ways of getting at the same thing, but each useful in its own regard.

I’ll share them in this post, and hope that you’ll consider each in turn.

Why You Should Care

Why bother to spend the time learning these tools? Is it just for some ideal of living a peaceful, stress-free life?

No. A stress-free life doesn’t exist, but these tools will definitely make you more prepared to deal with the stresses that will inevitably come your way.

But just as importantly, they’ll help you overcome the fear of failure and fear of discomfort that’s holding you back, that’s keeping you from making positive changes in your life.

These tools will help you launch your new blog, start a business, write a book, put out your first music album online, find your purpose in life, become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

This is what I’ve found. I’m certain you’ll find these tools just as useful.

The Toolset

This list, of course, is not complete. It’s a collection of things I’ve been learning about, and am still practicing, things I’ve found useful enough to share.

1. Meditation. Meditation is where mindful living starts. And it’s not complicated: you can sit still for even just 1 minute a day to start with (work up to 3-5 minutes after a week), and turn your attention to your body and then your breath. Notice when your thoughts wander from your breath, and gently return to the breath. Repeat until the minute is up.
2. Be Awake. Meditation is practice for being awake, which is not being in the dream state (mind wandering into a train of thought, getting lost in the online world, thinking about past offenses, stressing about the future, etc.) but being awake to the present, to what is. Being awake is something you can do throughout the day, all the time, if you remember. Remembering is the trick.
3. Watch Urges. When I quit smoking in 2005, the most useful tool I learned was watching my urges to smoke. I would sit there and watch the urge rise and fall, until it was gone, without acting on it. It taught me that I am not my urges, that I don’t have to act on my urges, and this helped me change all my other habits. Watch your urge to check email or social media, to eat something sweet or fried, to drink alcohol, to watch TV, to be distracted, to procrastinate. These urges will come and go, and you don’t have to act on them.
4. Watch Ideals. We all have ideals, all the time. We have an ideal that our day will go perfectly, that people will be kind and respectful to us, that we will be perfect, that we’ll ace an exam or important meeting, that we’ll never fail. Of course, we know from experience that those ideals are not real, that they don’t come true, that they aren’t realistic. But we still have them, and they cause our stress and fears and grief over something/someone we’ve lost. By letting go of ideals, we can let go of our suffering.
5. Accept People & Life As They Are. When I stopped trying to change a loved one, and accepted him for who he was, I was able to just be with him and enjoy my time with him. This acceptance has the same effect for anything you do — accept a co-worker, a child, a spouse, but also accept a “bad” situation, an unpleasant feeling, an annoying sound. When we stop trying to fight the way things are, when we accept what is, we are much more at peace.
6. Let Go of Expectations. This is really the same thing as the previous two items, but I’ve found it useful nonetheless. It’s useful to watch your expectations with an upcoming situation, with a new project or business, and see that it’s not real and that it’s causing you stress and disappointment. We cause our own pain, and we can relieve it by letting go of the expectations that are causing it. Toss your expectations into the ocean.
7. Become OK with Discomfort. The fear of discomfort is huge — it causes people to be stuck in their old bad habits, to not start the business they want to start, to be stuck in a job they don’t really like, because we tend to stick to the known and comfortable rather than try something unknown and uncomfortable. It’s why many people don’t eat vegetables or exercise, why they eat junk, why they don’t start something new. But we can be OK with discomfort, with practice. Start with things that are a little uncomfortable, and keep expanding your comfort zone.
8. Watch Your Resistance. When you try to do something uncomfortable, or try to give up something you like or are used to, you’ll find resistance. But you can just watch the resistance, and be curious about it. Watch your resistance to things that annoy you — a loud sound that interrupts your concentration, for example. It’s not the sound that’s the problem, it’s your resistance to the sound. The same is true of resistance to food we don’t like, to being too cold or hot, to being hungry. The problem isn’t the sensation of the food, cold, heat or hunger — it’s our resistance to them. Watch the resistance, and feel it melt. This resistance, by the way, is why I’m doing my Year of Living Without.
9. Be Curious. Too often we are stuck in our ways, and think we know how things should be, how people are. Instead, be curious. Find out. Experiment. Let go of what you think you know. When you start a new project or venture, if you feel the fear of failure, instead of thinking, “Oh no, I’m going to fail” or “Oh no, I don’t know how this will turn out”, try thinking, “Let’s see. Let’s find out.” And then there isn’t the fear of failure, but the joy of being curious and finding out. Learn to be OK with not knowing.
10. Be Grateful. We complain about everything. But life is a miracle. Find something to be grateful about in everything you do. Be grateful when you’re doing a new habit, and you’ll stick to it longer. Be grateful when you’re with someone, and you’ll be happier with them. Life is amazing, if you learn to appreciate it.
11. Let Go of Control. We often think we control things, but that’s only an illusion. Our obsession with organization and goals and productivity, for example, are rooted in the illusion that we can control life. But life is uncontrollable, and just when we think we have things under control, something unexpected comes up to disrupt everything. And then we’re frustrated because things didn’t go the way we wanted. Instead, practice letting go of control, and learn to flow.
12. Be Compassionate. This sounds trite, but compassion for others can change the way you feel about the world, on a day-to-day basis. And compassion for yourself is life-changing. These two things need remembering, though, so mindful living is about remembering to be compassionate after you forget.

The Practice

OK, that seems like a lot to digest and remember, right?

Well, there’s hope. I often forget all of this stuff, but then I remember, and say, “Ah, I was doing it again!” And then I practice again.

And then I forget, but I reflect, and I learn, and I practice again.

This is the process of learning mindfulness. It’s forgetting, and then remembering, again and again.

And it’s worth remembering, again and again.

Source: http://zenhabits.net/toolset/

Sustenance for the Soul

by Madisyn Taylor

Modern life compels us to rush. Because we feel pressured to make the most of our time each day, the activities that sustain us, rejuvenate us, and help us evolve are often the first to be sacrificed when we are in a hurry or faced with a new obligation. It is important we remember that there is more to life than achieving success, making money, and even caring for others.

Your spiritual needs should occupy an important spot on your list of priorities. Each task you undertake and each relationship you nurture draws from the wellspring of your spiritual vitality. Taking the time to engage in spiritually fulfilling activities replenishes that well and readies you to face another day. Making time for the activities that contribute to your spiritual growth has little to do with being selfish and everything to do with your well-being. Regularly taking the time to focus on your soul’s needs ensures that you are able to nurture yourself, spend time with your thoughts, experience t! ranquility, and expand your spiritual boundaries.

It is easy to avoid using our free moments for spiritual enrichment. There is always something seemingly more pressing that needs to be done. Many people feel guilty when they use their free time to engage in pursuits where they are focusing on themselves because they feel as if they are neglecting their family or their work. To make time for yourself, it may be necessary to say no to people’s requests or refuse to take on extra responsibilities. Scheduling fifteen or thirty minutes of time each day for your spiritual needs can make you feel tranquil, give you more energy and allows you to feel more in touch with the universe. Writing in a journal, meditating, studying the words of wise women and men, and engaging in other spiritual practices can help you make the most of this time.

Making time to nurture your spirit may require that you sacrifice other, less vital activities. The more time you commit to soul-nurturing activities, the happier and more relaxed you will become. The time you devote to enriching your spirit will rejuvenate you and help you create a more restful life.

Daily OM