One hand at a time

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The word authentic comes from the Greek, authentes, which means bearing the mark of the hands. Doing small things with love is how we care for each other, one hand at a time. Doing small things with love releases our courage. And each small act we’re led to leads to more.  Doing small things with love is the atom of bravery.  I tell myself when afraid, “to be courageous, I don’t need to become my best self, I just need to open who I already am and courage will fill me”.

Mark Nepo

photo donpaolo

Seasons in life

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Now all you can do is wait.

It must be hard for you, but there is a right time for everything.

Like the ebb and flow of tides.

No one can do anything to change them.

When it is time to wait, you must wait

Haruki Murakumi, Japanese writer 1949 – , The Wind up Bird Chronicle

Different shades

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To me, life in its totality is good. And when you understand life in its totality, only then can you celebrate; otherwise not. Celebration means: whatsoever happens is irrelevant – I will celebrate. Celebration is not conditional on certain things: “When I am happy then I will celebrate,” or, “When I am unhappy I will not celebrate.” Celebration is unconditional; I celebrate life.

Osho

Dignity

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You may not control all events that happen to you

but you can decide not to be reduced by them

Maya Angelou

photo bart everson

Why meditation helps

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Meditation is the discovery

that the point of life is always arrived at

in the immediate moment.

Alan Watts

with thanks again to Ellen for the beautiful autumn photo

An act of hospitality

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Mindfulness is an act of hospitality.

A way of learning to treat ourselves with kindness and care that slowly begins to percolate into the deepest recesses of our being while gradually offering us the possibility of relating to others in the same manner. Working with whatever is present is enough. There is no need to condemn ourselves for not feeling loving or kind. Rather, the process simply asks us to entertain the possibility of offering hospitality to ourselves no matter what we are feeling or thinking.

This week try taking some time to explore the possibility of sitting with yourself as if you were your own best friend.

Saki Santorelli, Befriending Self

photo Carriec