Leave it alone

When you have an unpleasant feeling, don’t grab hold of it and turn it over and over.
Instead, leave it alone so it can flow.
The wave of emotion will naturally recede on its own
as long as you don’t feed it by dwelling on it.
To get food unstuck from a frying pan, just pour water in the pan and wait.
After a while the food loosens on its own.
Don’t struggle to heal your wounds.
Just pour time into your heart and wait.
When your wounds are ready, they will heal on their own.

Haemin Sunim, The Things You can see Only when You Slow Down

Sunday Quote: In silence

The First Sunday of Lent, a period of reflection and simplification of outside stimuli.

Anything you want to ask a teacher,

ask yourself,

and wait for the answer in silence

Byron Katie

Necessary for beauty

More wisdom from Dogen. I really like this saying: 

Without the bitterest cold that penetrates to the very bone,

how can plum blossoms send forth their fragrance all over the world?

Dogen, Buddhist monk and philosopher, founder of the Soto school of Zen, 1200 – 1253,

Good food

If we pay attention only to the negative things in us, especially the suffering of past hurts, we are wallowing in our sorrows and not getting any positive nourishment. We can practice appropriate attention, watering the wholesome qualities in us by touching the positive things that are always available inside and around us. That is good food for our mind. Naturally, when compassion comes up, arrogance goes down. We can selectively water the good seeds and refrain from watering the negative seeds. This doesn’t mean we ignore our suffering; it just means that we allow the positive seeds that are naturally there to get attention and nourishment.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Sunday Quote: No mistakes

Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose, there are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Celebrate Life

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