Tag: Meditation

Putting labels

Karl Duffy3 Comments

File:Verona - maschera veneziana2.jpg

A label is a mask life wears. We put labels on life all the time. ‘Right,’ ‘wrong,’ ‘success,’ ‘failure, ‘ lucky’, ‘unlucky’ may be as limiting a way of seeing things as ‘diabetic’, ‘epileptic’, ‘manic-depressive’ ….. Labeling sets up an expectation of life that is often so compelling we can no longer see things as they really are. This expectation often gives us a false sense of familiarity toward something that is really new and unprecedented. We are in relationship with our expectations and not with life itself.. Belief traps or frees us. Labels may become self-fulfilling prophecies. 

Rachel Naomi Remen

photo rinina25

Seeds

Karl Duffy3 Comments

File:Crocus Buds Flowers March 16, 2010.jpg

I have posted this before but, like most of our practice, it is something we need to remember, or be mindful of. At times we fall into the trap of complaining,  causing suffering for ourselves or others:

We often ask, ‘what’s wrong?’  Doing so, we invite painful seeds of sorrow to come up and manifest. We feel suffering, anger, and depression, and produce more such seeds. We would be much happier if we tried to stay in touch with the healthy, joyful seeds inside of us and around us. We should learn to ask, ‘what’s not wrong?’ and be in touch with that.

Thich Nhat Hahn

photo steven depolo

Endless opportunities

Karl Duffy1 Comment

cropped-blossom-tree-140413-e1366004511329.jpg

When you open yourself to the continually changing, impermanent dynamic nature of your own being and of reality, you increase your capacity to love and care about other people and your capacity to not be afraid.

You’re able to keep your eyes open, your heart open, and your mind open. And you notice when you get caught up in prejudice, bias and aggression. 

You develop an enthusiasm for no longer watering those negative seeds, from now until the day you die. And you begin to think of your life as offering endless opportunities to start to do things differently.

Pema Chodron

Look differently

Karl Duffy1 Comment

File:Cats of Moni Arkadi -) (14075379976).jpg

Things don’t change.

You change your way of looking, that’s all

Carlos Castanada

photo roberto strauss

Time rushing by

Karl Duffy1 Comment
File:Border collie running down the beach at low tide.jpg
A leap year, so we “gain” an extra day, some extra time.  How will we use it?
Why has time disappeared in our culture? How is it that after decades of inventions and new technologies devoted to saving time and labor, the result is that there is no time left?
We are a time-poor society; we are temporally impoverished. And there is no issue, no aspect of human life, that exceeds this in importance.
The destruction of time is literally the destruction of life.
Jacob Needleman, American philosopher, born 1934
photo kyknoord

Sunday Quote: Blessings

Karl Duffy1 Comment

File:Wuxi Taihu lake Changchun bridge.jpg

But listen to me.

For one moment quit being sad.

Hear blessings dropping their blossoms
around you.

Rumi

photo synyan