Beginning Anew

Beginning Anew

 To begin anew is to look deeply and honestly at ourselves, our past actions, speech and thoughts and to create a fresh beginning within ourselves and in our relationships with others.

                                             www.plumvillage.org

 Leaving an old year behind and entering a new one, many of us feel like grabbing the occasion to make a clean slate and begin anew. We look at the areas of our lives where things don’t work very well, and decide to bring about changes.

After the holiday gluttony many people decide to start living a healthier life with more exercise and better eating habits, but you can also look at other daily habits, or at your relationships, and bring about positive changes there.

The thing is not only to make beautiful promises, but to really act out these changes. Sit down and honestly assess various areas of your life to find out where you really need to bring in some change for the better, and perhaps even make a written commitment or a plan. 

I have decided to work harder on letting go of the small moments of irritation in life, according to the motto “Stop, Drop & Breathe”. In my journal I will follow the development: every evening I’ll note when I failed – and when I succeeded! ☺

Season's Greetings

Season's Greetings

Christmas is such a cosy and beautiful celebration, and ever since childhood I have enjoyed how it marked long and dark winters with happiness and light.

However, as an adult I have chosen to affiliate with other spiritual traditions than Christianity, as it feels odd to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the son of a God that I don't believe in. So I've "re-invented" the tradition for myself, looking left and right for inspiration.

The early Christians seem to have used the date  of the already existing winter solstice celebration to make it "theirs". And yes, we need something to lighten up this period of very short days and long nights. The Jewish Hanukkah celebration, the "festival of lights", is one source of inspiration. 

It feels so right to celebrate the LIGHT, both in Nature, and from within: in the outer world the sunlight is slowly returning after the 21st of December, and inside us, we have the warm light of love, care, and understanding. Both are worthy of a proper celebration, when I light lots of candles, enjoy togetherness, and show extra generosity both to my beloved ones, and to people in need.

Happy Christmas, Light Feast, Winter Solstice or whatever you call it!

Beginning the Day

Beginning the Day

Every twenty-four hour day is a tremendous gift to us. 

I begin my day by making an offering of incense while following my breath. I think to myself that this day is a day to live fully, and I make the vow to live each moment of it in a way that is beautiful, solid, and free. 

You can do the same thing when you wake up. Breathe in and tell yourself that a new day has been offered to you, and you have to be here to live it.

Thich Nhat Hanh: You Are Here

It only takes me a couple of minutes to start off every day in full awareness: I smile to myself and the universe, and gently burn a stick of incense or light a candle. I solidly stand in front of it, and decide to do my best to slow down enough to live this particular day in mindfulness.

I want to offer my full presence to every act I do and every person I meet. Every time I succeed in slowing down and being fully HERE and NOW, both I and my life become more beautiful, solid, and free.

Silence is Golden

AA wrote: Love it, I will apply the THINK method :) Thank you <3
BB wrote: das war schön gesagt... weisst Du, über dieses "sprechen müssen, etwas zu sagen haben" , ja, darüber denke ich auch immer öfters nach...Nichts zu sagen, sagt oftmals viel mehr!  :) Aber "sprechen zu müssen" ist vielleicht vielmehr einfach das Bedürfnis an einer Gemeinschaft teilzuhaben, hat man nichts zu sagen,wird es schwer mit dem Umgang mit Menschen, denn "etwas zu sagen zu haben" ist auch eine Einladung zum Sprechen für die anderen. Aber Dein Gedanke ist schön.....

Silence is Golden

He who knows, does not speak. 

He who speaks, does not know.*

Lao Tzu

We speak too much. That is: we speak even if we have nothing important to say. Why? 

All along the day I notice the desire in me to speak, to be listened to. What is the real cause of that wish? Is there a need for recognition behind this urge to express myself? Maybe the child in me still feels the need to be seen and heard by my parents… 

By looking for recognition from others, I put the power over me in their hands. My task consists in learning to find the recognition I need within myself. And to realise how important it is to think before I speak:

T - is it True?

H - is it Helpful?

I - is it Inspiring?

N - is it Necessary?

K - is it Kind?

*Celui qui sait ne parle pas. 

Celui qui parle ne sait pas.