Quietness.
Rare perfection seems incomplete,
Yet does not decay
Rare abundance seems empty,
Yet does not fail
A rare truth seems contradictory;
Rare cleverness seems stupid;
Rare eloquence seems awkward.
As spring overcomes the cold,
And autumn overcomes the heat,
So do calm and quiet
overcome the world.
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
Contentment.
What is dearer, health or reputation?
What has more worth, health or possessions?
What is more troublesome, profit or loss?
Passionate love incurs great expense
Great riches incur great fear
But contentment comes at no cost
He who knows when to stop
Does not continue on into danger
And so may long endure
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
I love this comment from Alan Watts and quotation by a Japanese Zen Master.
Think about it for a while 🙂
Namaste with Love
‘Always’
Mark
Fo Xing: Buddha Nature
Fo Xing 佛性, Buddha-nature (Classical Chinese: 佛性, modern pinyin fó xìng) literally corresponds to the Sanskrit Buddha-dhātu – “Buddha Element”, “Buddha-Principle” the Chinese term translated as Buddha Nature refers to the potential within a sentient being to awaken into enlightenment and become a Buddha. This potential exists within everyone, it is not a question of if you will ever attain Buddhahood; it is a question of when.
Despite its Buddhist origin, this term can be freely used by Tao cultivators, because it’s meaning is universal. For instance, if a spiritually advanced Christian priest becomes truly enlightened, then the title ‘Buddha’ fits him even if he does not know anything about Buddhism. Words are but labels, we must always remember to look beyond the label for the meaning it represents.
You may not think of yourself as a candidate for Buddhahood, but the Buddha Nature is in you, too. It lives in your heart regardless of your background, your education, intelligence, compassion or any other attributes, and one day it will manifest its full expression as you awaken to greater reality.
The presence of the Buddha Nature in everyone is the reason why Tao cultivators would never discriminate against anyone based upon ethnicity, background or any other superficial distinctions. As the sixth patriarch Hui Neng one said ‘People may be differentiated into northerners or southerners, but there is no differentiation in the Buddha Nature’. It is one and the same for all of humanity. It is the Tao in all of us.
Namaste with love
Always
Mark
As I walk, I walk in peace
One step at a time, one step at a time
No priorities, no judgment, no destination
Just walking in peace, walking in peace
My feet touch the ground, I’m home, I’m home
At home, in love and in awe of mother earth
She saves me, provides for me and protects me,
The mother of all, our keeper, our life
One step at a time, one step at a time, she gives life to our world
The rays of the sun caressing my skin, awakens my senses and lighting my way
The wind gently cooling my brow, filling my lungs with compassion and love
Birds sing in the trees, their games of love on wings above, flying so high touching the sky
As I walk in peace, one step at a time making my way through life
I stop, close my eyes and just be
Listening to the world that surrounds me
The bees gently working their magic, passing the love from bud to bud
The flowers in bloom their scent, pure passion and love
My breath is slow, in out, in out, my mind empty of thought, pure calm
Aware of my surroundings a joy to behold, a picture of joy unfolding before me
A wonderful world with so much to offer, plenty for everyone and free for us all
If only we could all walk in peace, walk in peace
One step at a time, one step at a time
Our world is forever changing, one step at a time, one step at a time
On the road to peace, the road to peace
A new world of happiness, of love, peace and joy is unfolding
One step at a time, one step at a time
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
My dear friends,
I posted this video a year or so ago but when I woke up this morning I realised how thankful I am to be me and I have so much in my life to be grateful for. This past weekend has been simply wonderful and I have seen so many happy loving faces, experienced the beauty of nature and had the opportunity to eat lovely food and spend time with beautiful people so I felt it was about time I shared this video with you again in celebration of my re-awakening this morning.
Just a few things i’m continually grateful for.
My lovely wife, her smile, her boundless energy and deep support and love for me
My four wonderful children, their differences and their love for who they are, their friends and their lives
My two wonderful puppies, their endless energy and unconditional love for us
My Life, my health and the gifts I was born with
My work and what that has enabled me to do during my lifetime
My education and how it has helped me throughout my life and how learning keeps me young at heart and of mind
The beautiful sunny day
The birds singing in the gardens below my window
My colleagues for all they do for me, for each other and for our clients
My blog, my blogging friends all around the world, your continued support and friendship amazes me daily
The fresh food I made up for my lunch and the freshly ground coffee
My spiritual awareness and practice and the gifts that allow me to help others who need my support
My weekend and the chance to travel to another province in China
For the smiles I see and the joy that brings to my heart
The thought of peace
My meditations and mindfulness practice
My love for my wife, my children, my family, my friends, my colleagues, humanity and mother earth
I do hope you will take the time to stop for a while and to watch this wonderful video and I hope it will bring as much joy and happiness to you as i has done for me
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
Then a ploughman said, “Speak to us of Work.”
And he answered, saying:
You work that you may keep pace with
the earth and the soul of the earth.
For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons,
and to step out of life’s procession,
that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.
于是一个农夫说：请给我们谈谈工作。
他回答说：
你工作为了要与大地和大地的精神一同前进。
因为惰逸使你成为四季的陌生人，
一个生命的落伍者，
生命的行进是庄严的、自豪的臣服，向着无限迈进。
When you work you are a flute through whose heart
the whispering of the hours turns to music.
Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent,
when all else sings together in unison?
在你工作的时候，你是一管笛，
从你心中吹出时光的微语，变成音乐。
你们谁肯做一根芦管，在万物合唱的时候，
你独痴呆无声呢？
Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.
But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream,assigned to you when that dream was born,
And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,
And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.
你们常听人说，工作是祸殃，劳力是不幸。
我却对你们说，你们工作的时候，你们完成了大地的深远的梦之一部，
他指示你那梦是何时开头，
而在你劳力不息的时候，你确在爱了生命。
从工作里爱了生命，就是通彻了生命最深的秘密。
But if you in your pain call birth an affliction
and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow,
then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.
倘然在你的辛苦里，将有身之苦恼和养身之诅咒，
写上你的眉间，则我将回答你，
只有你眉间的汗，能将它们清洗。
You have been told also that life is darkness,
and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.
And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,
And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,
And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,
And all work is empty save when there is LOVE;
And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself,
and to one another, and to God.
你们也听见人说，生命是黑暗的，
在你疲瘁之中，你附和了那疲瘁的人所说的话。
我说生命的确是黑暗的，除非是有了激励；
一切的激励都是盲目的，除非是有了知识；
一切的知识都是徒然的，除非是有了工作；
一切的工作都是虚空的，除非是有了爱；
当你怀着爱工作的时候，你便与自己、与他人、与上天合而为一。
And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart,
even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.
怎样才是怀着爱工作呢？
从你的心中抽丝，织成布帛，仿佛你爱的人要来穿此衣裳。
It is to build a house with affection,
even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
是用慈爱建造一幢房子，
仿佛你爱的人就要居住其中；
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy,
even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.
是用柔情播种，带着欢乐收获，
仿佛你爱的人就要品尝这果实；
It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,
And to know that all the blessed dead
are standing about you and watching.
是用你自己灵魂的气息，来充满你所创造的一切。
要知道一切受福的古人，正站在你身旁注视着。
Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep,
“He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.
And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet.”
我常听见你们仿佛在梦中说：
“那在大理石上工作并找到他自己灵魂轮廓的人，
比耕地的人高贵多了。
那捉住彩虹，传神地画在布帛上的人，
比织履的人强多了。”
But I say, not in sleep but in the over wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;
And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.
我却要说：不在梦中，而在正午极情醒的时候，
风对大橡树说话的小的草叶所说的更甜柔；
只有那用他的爱心，把风声变成甜柔的歌曲的人，
是伟大的。
Work is love made visible.
And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste,
it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.
工作就是爱的显现。
假如你不能怀着爱工作，而只觉厌烦，
那你不如放弃工作，坐在庙堂门边，
接受那些快乐工作的人们的施舍吧。
For if you bake bread with indifference,
you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger.
And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.
And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.
因为，
假如你心不在焉地烤面包，你烘出的苦面包就只能让人半饱。
假如你勉为其难地榨葡萄，你的忿懑就在葡萄酒中滴入了毒液。
假如你宛若天使般地唱歌，却并不热爱歌唱，你便堵住了人们聆听昼夜之声的双耳。
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
I see your indifference
But I want to warm the cold heart
I see,
In fact, I am yet to accept your indifference
I see your pain
But I want to end the pain
I see,
In fact, I did not accompany your pain
I see your selfishness
But I judge your selfishness
I see,
In fact, it was driven by my selfishness
I see your anger
But try to get rid of your anger
I see,
In fact, I did not let you feel angry
I see your anxiety
But I feel worry about your anxiety
I see,
In fact, I start being anxious
I see your weakness
But I do not know which hand shall I use to give you a hug
I see,
In fact, I am feeling weak now as well
I see your beauty
And I appreciate your beauty
I see,
I am getting beautiful now as well
I see your kindness
And I am delighted with your kindness
I see,
Originally I have such kindness as well
I see you are true
And believing in your truth
I see,
Originally I am also being true
I see you are firm
And see the gentle accompanying
I see,
I am firm and gentle now
I see you are strong
And feeling the flexibility of the strength
I see,
I start having such power now
I see your humbleness
And feeling the self-confidence inside
I see,
I start am being humble as well
I see your peacefulness
And feeling the peaceful mercy
I see,
I am walking towards mercies now
I see your open-heart
And hugging your open-heart
I see,
In fact, I am opening my heart as well
I see you giving
Without any condition
I see,
In fact, I am learning how to share myself
I see your purity
Simply just,
Do what you want to do
Love who you want to love
Walk on the road you want to
Cry when you feel pain
Laugh when you feel happy
Rest when you feel tired
Go on when you are fine
I see myself too
If only see it, that’s only seeing
And accepting what we see
But not immediately thinking what shall be changed
Through seeing
I see myself
And I also see
The original purity and completeness of life
我看见你的冷漠
却想去温暖这个冷漠
我看到
其实我还没接纳你的冷漠
我看见你的痛苦
却想去结束这个痛苦
我看到
其实我并没有陪伴你的痛苦
我看见你的自私
却去评判你的自私
我看到
其实真正涌动的是我的自私
我看见你的愤怒
却想躲开你的愤怒
我看到
其实我没有允许你可以愤怒
我看见你的焦虑
却去担心你的焦虑
我看到
其实我已开始陷入焦虑
我看见你的无力
却不知道要伸哪只手来抱你
我看到
其实当下我也无力
我看见你的美丽
并欣赏着你的美丽
我看到
当下我也开始美丽
我看见你的善良
并喜悦着你的善良
我看到
原本我亦善良
我看见你的真实
并相信着你的真实
我看到
原本我也如此真实
我看见你的坚定
并看到相守的温柔
我看到
我正坚定并且温柔
我看见你的坚强
并感受着柔韧的力量
我看到
我正承接到这样的力量
我看见你的谦卑
并感受到内在的自信
我看到
我也开始低头谦卑
我看到你的淡定
并感受到平静的慈悲
我看到
我正在走近慈悲
我看见你的敞开
并拥抱你的敞开
我看到
其实我也正在敞开
我看见你的付出
不带任何条件
我看到
其实我也学会将自己分享
我看见你的纯粹
只是
做自己想做的事
爱自己想爱的人
走自己想走的路
痛了就哭，喜了就笑
累了就歇，好了就走
我也看到了自己
如果对于看见
只是看见
并接纳所有的看见
而不要想要马上去改变
透过看见
我看见了自己
也看到
生命原本的纯粹与全然
My Dear Friends
Relax and Calm your Mind
All You Need Is Love
……
All Our World needs Is Love
……
All Our Environment Needs Is Love
…..
All Humanity Needs Is Love
……
Love Is On My Mind
Namaste to you all with LOVE
Always
Mark
The ‘Guest House’ A fantastic way to think about our emotions and feelings. Welcome them into your life, don’t judge them for they may be coming to you for a reason!
Mindfulness and meditation practice allows us the valuable time to connect deeply with our inner self, to spend time with ourself and to listen to what is going on with our mind, body and soul. Lets take a quick look at emotions and feelings through the use of meditation and mindfulness and as Rumi says, ‘welcome them into our guesthouse’.
As we sit or lie and start our meditation, we close our eyes and relax our body, concentrate on our breath, in and out, in and out, we can take our time to bring our awareness to our breath, focussing our attention only on our breath, the feeling of our breath as it raises our stomach, inflates our chest or the coolness of the air entering through our nose, the key is to allow the time for our mind to become calm and concentrating on the breath certainly helps us do this, it may take you some time because you may; at the beginning get caught up with thoughts flashing into your mind, you will hear sounds which break your concentration, feel an itch, cough, hear your children playing, the phone ringing etc, but please take my word for it; with practice it gets easier 🙂 So, back to our breath, in and out, in and out, feel the cool air entering your nose, in and out, in and out, feel the air inflating your chest, be aware of the gap/time in -between the top of your in-breath and before the out=breath starts, then feel the air slowly leaving your lungs, moving up through your throat and up and out of your nose, in and out, in and out. If your mind starts to wander, don’t worry, its normal, just recognise the fact that it happened and bring your focus back to the breath, in and out, in and out.
As thoughts enter your mind place a label on them ‘thought’ or thinking’, you can label them more deeply if it help you like such as ‘ work’, ‘children’, chores’ or whatever helps, but try to regain your composure and bring your awareness back to your breath, in and out, in and out.
Emotions and feelings may arise like ‘Happiness’ or ‘Anxiety’, if they come; then accept them in, concentrate on your breath, in and out, in and out, what is ‘Happiness’ why are you feeling Happy? Concentrate on your breath and get acquainted with the emotion of’ happiness’, where did it come from and what are the feelings behind it, maybe your feeling so happy that you have given yourself some time for yourself, maybe your heart is telling you it loves you. This is your journey of discovery so enjoy the feeling. If ‘Anxiety arrives, then accept it too, why is it there, what made it arrive? Do you feel anxious because your spending valuable time on yourself? does that make you anxious? Are you anxious of not knowing the outcome? Are you anxious of time and wanting the session to end? Get acquainted with the emotion and allow it to come and to go.
Concentrate on your breath, in and out, in and out.
Also from Rumi as posted by Dr Victoria Lee
The purpose of emotion
A certain sufi tore his robe in grief,
and the tearing brought such relief….
his teacher understood the purity
of the action while others
just saw the jagged appearance.
If you want peace and purity
tear away the coverings.
This is the purpose of emoton, to let
a streaming beauty flow through you.
Call it spirit, elixir, or the original
agreement between yourself and God.
Opening into that gives peace, a song of
being empty,
pure silence.
In this poem, dear Rumi guides us once again toward deepening our spiritual experience. Stripping away the covering imposed by the false self is always the path. This means letting go of our attachment to the ideas we have about ourselves, as well as to the ideas others have about us. The most fundamental of these may be our limiting beliefs–I am incapable, the world is too harsh, I am too old, too young, too attached to obligations, too unable to feel anything transcendent, too ____; when we allow all that to dissolve, Rumi famously tells us that we will find glints of treasure in the dirt of the demolition of the house we’ve built out of false ideas about who we are. Then the streaming beauty emotion is meant to allow us can flow through us.
Then we may look in the mirror–and in every human and animal face–and know that:
Inside you are sweet beyond telling. There is a sun in everyone!
May you look in the mirror today, dear visitor, and look deeply into any human face; look into the eyes of a child. See the longing and see the beauty!
Mindfulness and meditation my dear friends can bring you so much awareness and help you come to terms with your emotions, feelings and pain.
Good luck on your personal journey of discovery.
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
The Devoted Buddhist
最虔诚的信徒
One upon a time in ancient China, there were two thieves, Jia and Yi, who found themselves down on their luck. Both had been starving for days when they came across a Buddhist temple. The smell of cooked food wafted from its general direction and made them even hungrier.
Yi was the first to speak “Let’s go ask for some food.”
Jia replied. “What if they are not willing to share? We may need to resort to force.”
Yi shook his head. “That is not a good idea. These monks come from the Shaolin lineage.
They are quite capable of defending themselves. You and I would have no chance against them.”
Jia thought for a moment and said, “I have an idea. We’ll tell them we are devout Buddhists.”
Yi was doubtful. “But we are not religious at all.”
“You can say that about yourself if you want. I am going to be the most devoted Buddhist they have ever seen. “ Jia said as he knocked on the door.
“Yes?” A monk opened the door.
“May merciful Buddha bless you!” Jia exclaimed. “ I bring you humble greetings from the Shaolin temple, where I am an enthusiastic patron serving the monks, who of course belong to the same honorable lineage as yourself. O Great Master.”
“How about you, sir?” The monk turned to Yi. “Are you also of our faith?”
“Uh…No, I am not very religious.”
“Very well. Please come in, gentlemen. “ The monk pointed to the hallway and said to Yi: “Sir, the kitchen is in that direction. You will find that it is well stocked. Please help yourself to whatever food you want.”
The Monk then took Jia’s hand with a friendly smile: “Sir, you can follow me to the inner chamber. Since you are of our order, you must already know today is a fasting day. We are glad to see you come such a long way to join us in meditation.
“This way please.”
The Tao
道
This is the ultimate Tao story about deception. With a few quick strokes, it sketches the human tendency to deceive, and the consequences that follow.
Lau Tzu addresses the same subject in the Tao Te Ching chapter 65 with the following lines:-
Therefore, using cleverness to govern the state
Is being a thief of the state
Not using cleverness to govern the state
Is being a blessing of the state
We can understand the above when we recall that Lao Tzu habitually uses this king of metaphor for one’s self, and the country as a metaphor for life. Thus, governing the state simply means life management. Cleverness, in this context, refers to the ploys we use to deceive. Just like Jia in the story, we think of ourselves as being quite clever when we conjure up our various tricks.
Lao Tzu’s message is clear: In practicing deception against others, we are actually stealing from ourselves. We may think we have gained a benefit, but it is an illusion that will soon be revealed as a loss. This describes Jia’s fate in the story. He hoped to win and advantage, but ended up depriving himself of a much-needed meal when his trick backfired on him.
At a deeper level, this story addresses not just the immediate effect of deception, but also it’s eventual consequence. Jia’s ploy backfired right away, but real life may not work out this way. Sometimes it takes a while for the true consequence to unfold. We may think, for a short time, that we have gotten away with it, but the sages teach us that there is no escape from Karma. We will have to answer for our actions sooner or later.
I do hope you have enjoyed this Buddhist story and the metaphors used by Lao Tzu to explain the process and the consequence?
Namaste with Love my friends
Always
Mark
Reflecting On My Life
How often do you take the time to just sit, relax, calm your mind and reflect on your life?
If you are like me; then you will take some time each day to sit, to meditate and to spend some quality time on yourself in a state of mindful awareness. Awareness of who you are, and what your life is like at that given moment in time. This level of mindful awareness is good for you because it allows you to check in with your inner self, to give yourself a body scan using your awareness to check up on your body, to see how its feeling and allow your body the time to speak to your heart. When your mind, body and soul are in synch with each other then you are; as the saying goes ‘Firing on all cylinders’, You will be feeling at your very best, and you will be able to use your intuition to its best and your awareness of yourself will be heightened.
Giving your body a body scan.
The purpose of the body scan process is for you to become aware of what you are experiencing at that very moment, to step out of your daily routines and the confinement of what we call ‘Time’ to relax our minds and come into awareness of that very ‘Moment’, the ‘Now’, the ‘Present’ and for you to rest with an open mind whilst keeping in mind your awareness of what you are experiencing in each and every moment, even when difficult emotions, sensations or thoughts arise. In fact it is very important that we do welcome these feelings, thoughts and emotions and recognize them for what they are, and maybe even label them as ‘Thoughts’, ‘Noise, Warmth’ etc; and then gently bring back our awareness to our breath. With each practice session you will become more aware of your innerself, and the thoughts coming into your mind may start to lessen as you continue to calm your mind. Don’t try to label every though with a different label though; simply label it as a ‘Thought, or ‘Thinking’ and comeback to your breath and rest in the non-reactive, soft hearted and open minded mode within yourself, remembering this is quality time for you and your body, so relax and enjoy.
Here are two body scan videos which may help you go through the guided body scan mindfulness meditations
Namaste With Love
Always
Mark
I sit
I close my eyes
I relax
I concentrate on my breath and calm my mind
In and out
In and out
In and out
Deeper and deeper I go, ever closer to my soul
Thoughts enter my mind
Problems at work, problems at home, my past, my future
My life in thoughts, my ego at work, holding me back from the ‘Now’
Back to my breath, In and Out, In and Out
Thank you thought, I don’t need you now
Off they go disappearing forever, forgotten already and on I go
Back to my breath, in and, out, in and out,
Closer to my soul, one breath at a time
Heart beating slowly, in rhythm with my breath
Oxygen filling my body from limb to limb and cell to cell
Channeling my mind and focus on my skin
Perspiration on my brow, a cool sensation, calm and free
I see a pathway leading down, down and down it goes
I follow with joy as the adventure unfolds
My teenage years and childhood lie before me
Innocence to life, a happy place to be
I stay awhile and dream
I play amongst the trees, smell the sweetness of the flowers and watch the bees
I bathe my feet in the coolness of the stream and watch the birds fly by on wings up high
My journey nears its end
Time to return, to reality as is
My breath takes me back, In and Out, In and Out
Upwards I go with every step on the pathway from my soul
Returning again to life, my life
My meditation ends
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
I love this short video ‘What the internet is doing to our brains’. We all get caught up in it, our days are full of distractions, information comes at us from every angle from the moment we awake to the moment we go to sleep, TV, Radio, Newspapers, Smart Phones, tablets, Computers and of course the never ending stream of information and disturbances from the internet, emails, text messages, chats etc.
We have no time to take a time out, to calm our minds and to just ‘Sit’ ‘to do nothing’, ‘to reflect’, ‘to look inside’ and ‘enjoy our time with ourself’, ‘connecting with your soul’.
If you meditate, you know how powerful even 2 minutes of meditation can be for you, how these two minutes can calm your mind, take you to a place of total relaxation, away from the daily stresses and leave you fully in the ‘Present Moment’
Enjoy the video and take a moment from your day and be at one with yourself.
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
It’s the 1st of May, the sun is shining here in Shanghai, its 10am and already 23c so a great day is ahead of us and to cap it all off it’s National Holiday here in China so we have two extra days off work …yeah 🙂
I’m so full of love, love is in my heart, it’s in my soul and I can see it everywhere, it’s in the eyes of my two little puppy’s when they greet me in the morning, it’s in my wife’s smile and her cheeky grin when she’s making a joke:)
I can see young couples on the street hand in hand, arm in arm, their eyes and body language is full of love, walking in the park, the sweet scent of spring fills the air and the birds and insects are full of love too, its time to get together with friends, with family and enjoy our love for one another. Smiles say it all 🙂
Look for goodness and beauty in your day and you will find them and all your negative feelings like anger and resentment will recede. When you are immersed in all that is good and beautiful around you, you cannot feel angry or resentful . There will be no room in your heart for such feelings, for it will be filled to the brim with joy and gratitude.
Try smiling from your heart. Let this happen naturally as you cultivate your own inner joy from the beauty you see all around you today. This inner smile is vibrant, sparkling and full of life and awareness. You will know that you have done it correctly when someone else smiles back at you 🙂
Go out today, take a deep breath and smile from your heart…Live the day 🙂
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
Mathematics can show us how to solve anything!
Try to add more love, happiness, joy and compassion to your life and minus some hate, resentment, jealousy, envy and greed. Hold out your hands and give out your thanks and gratitude to the world and you will be blessed with a happier and more peaceful loving life!
Namaste with Love my friends
Always
Mark
Have you ever experienced ‘Spiritual Burn Out’ a time or times when you feel exhausted by doing good for others, or a time / times when you have taken all the burdens of others onto your shoulders and not managed to shake them off?
I know I have!
Everyday, I spend my time in the pursuit of doing good, trying to make a difference to our world one step at a time, its either thinking of what to post on my blog today, what articles or subjects will be useful and helpful for my readers, what words should I use to help people gain control over a personal challenge, what words to use to help console someone who’s life is hurting, what words to use for someone who’s grieving for the loose of a friend or loved one, what words to use for someone who has been the subject of physical or mental abuse, what words to use to inspire someone, what words to use to help someone who is in the depths of depression, what good can I do today, what can I do in the way of a workshop for people in my community on mindfulness or meditation. How can I help local students cope with the stresses of working so hard on their studies (In China this can be 14-16 hours a day 7 days a week), how can I use my skills and gifts from god to help others less fortunate than myself, what can I do to help educate about the need to preserve nature for the next generation…..
……
…..’How can I, What can I…..
Each day, I go through this routine and some days I just cannot think, my mind is too full, so what can I do?
I meditate
I reach inside my soul and connect with my heart, I drop all ties to all emotions, I recognise my ego and let it and its powerful thoughts pass me bye and I relax my body and allow my heart to connect with my inner soul, its from this place I gain my strength, its here that the clarity comes through,its here that provides me with the fuel to carry on my work, its here that I am in touch with my higher self, spirit, god and my guides.
While I’m here I always give thanks, thanks for all I have in my life, thanks for my opportunity to do good, to help others less fortunate than I , thanks for now, thanks for what is to come and I ask for support and help along my continued journey to wherever this life will take me.
The amazing thing is, when I take this meditative time out, the fog lifts and I gain a clear vision of where I need to go, what I need to do and the law of attraction provides for me in repayment for my gratitude.
Today is Good Friday the crucifixion of Jesus Christ who gave his life for humanity out of LOVE.
In order to give our LOVE to others we need to give something up, to sacrifice something, even if that something is our time.
Namaste with Love my friends
Always
Mark
As a follow on to my last post I saw this image and thought it was a very fitting follow on. Reach Out, we all need to do it sometimes!
In some countries and cultures, reaching out is very normal and the done thing, to reach out to support groups, councillors, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, religious groups etc but in some cultures and countries it is seen as a sign of weakness and a loss of face to admit to others that you are experiencing a problem.
Look at the words on the arms of the two people in the image and consider reaching out to a friend, a loved one, a family member or a support group if you need help or if you have have time and skills to offer support to others yourself then please consider doing so 🙂
We all need help sometimes!
Namaste with Love my dear friends
Always
Mark
Our lives are constantly littered with times when we have to make important decisions, some are easy to make and some cause us heartache and pain, some we just never make as we procrastinate over the thought process far too much.
I know as I am no different to anyone else, I too sometimes find it very hard to make a decision because I often over complicate the process by having too may reasons why or why not to do something!
We all know that to be in a job or career you love is one of the best things you can do for your life, for your happiness and your wellbeing, we all know that to have a healthy well balanced life with exercise, good balanced healthy food and time out in nature is also good for our lives but when it comes down to it our decisions to do the right thing for us and our life is muddled and confused by the worry and concerns about finance, income, paying our way and this worry then clouds our other decisions about our daily and future happiness!
Many people have made these often very difficult decisions, they have walked away from their boring corporate job, they moved to the coast or to the countryside, started their own small business, set-up an art studio, established a yoga center or doing good work for a NGO or charitable trust, caring for nature or whatever it is that they do…they made the change and the majority of these people never look back; they are as the saying goes ‘In their Element’, living their dream, enjoying life to the full, makings ends meat with a smile on their face and a spring in their step!!!
So why is it that the majority of us never make this change? We never risk it and move on to what our heart is telling us to do!…Why, oh Why!
Letting go of the past to gain access to the now and to move forward into a new life, this is a dream for the majority but a reality for the few. I myself have lived a life of success, I have had all the worldly goods I could possibly need, I have had the opportunity to travel and see the world, I have a beautiful family and a good career but am I happy? Am I living the life I’m destined to live, am I at peace with myself and doing what my heart is telling me to do? These are often questions we raise, ‘How will I let go’? ‘How can I give up this job’?, ‘How can I make ends meet’? ‘What about the children’?, ‘What about the future’?
The answer from many that have made the decision and are now living their dreams are often simple…’Just let go’!… ‘Be positive’, ‘Be grateful’, ‘Be happy’ and karma will do the rest, Your inner-self will not let you down! ‘Listen to your heart’! ‘Go with the flow’, ‘It will all be ok! You will find a way, you will live your dream and you will be happy!
Easier said than done?
I would like to finish this post on a positive note because I’m aware that the sentences above are looking a little negative and of course I do truly believe that if you are positive then positive things come back to you and if you have passion for something then passion will help you make it happen, I also firmly believe in the laws of attraction, surrounding yourself with positive people and doing what you love in your live is the best therapy in the world; so, my dear friends, I would love to hear your thoughts, ‘What you have done to make the transitions in your life, how you believe happiness in your daily life can be found and what our friends out there can do to make these often very difficult decisions!
Namaste with Love
Always
Mark
If you place a mirror in front of you, what do you see? And does it portray the same as what you see in others around you?
I hope the reflection that you see when you look into the mirror is joyous, happy, kind, caring, compassionate and loving!
Namaste With Love
Always
Mark
Endless Light and Love 