Passing by

Not everyone is able to walk, but most people can, which makes walking one of the most easily available spiritual practices of all. All it takes is the decision to walk with some awareness, both of who you are and what you are doing. Where you are going is not as important, however counterintuitive that may seem. To detach the walking from the destination is in fact one of the best ways to recognize the altars you are passing right by all the time. Most of us spend so much time thinking about where we have been or where we are supposed to be going that we have a hard time recognizing where we actually are. When someone asks us where we want to be in our lives, the last thing that occurs to us is to look down at our feet and say, “Here, I guess, since this is where I am.”

Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World,

Hold it lightly

The water that you see in the waterfall

has already rushed to the great ocean.

Life is like the rushing water of the waterfall. From a distance it appears solid, but when you look closely, you see that it is in constant movement, continuous change, rushing like a cascade of long white rope

Tangen Harada Roshi, Throw yourself into the House of Buddha

All around, sometimes hidden

All we need is to experience what we already possess

Thomas Merton

Where do we find our value?

How do you let go of attachment to things?

Don’t even try. It’s impossible.

Attachment to things drops away by itself when you no longer seek to find yourself in them

Eckhart Tolle

Sunday Quote: Indifferent

Learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference

Marcus Aurelius

Dying slowly

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
if you do not listen to the sounds of life,
if you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,

If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice
.

Pablo Neruda, You Start Dying Slowly