“Nothing can be by itself alone,” shares Thich Nhat Hanh. “The flower cannot be without the sunshine. The cloud, the water, the gas in the air. The flower can only interbe with everything else.”

My darlings, this is the nature of our interconnectedness — a simple truth extending far beyond the limitations of our human form. And speaking directly to very essence of our being.

We are destined by the construct of this physicality, my loves — to coexist, to rely upon, to be as one. Just as the child continuously seeks the arms of mother, so too — does spirit long for the arms of ‘one’.

Even as spirit is ‘exposed’ to the harsher elements of this world, still — we adapt, we transform, we learn grow.

It is, perhaps, the most fundamental of the Buddhist teachings – reflecting the dynamic interrelationship of all living beings. Though, greater still – the inherent necessity to be as one.

My darlings, we can not exist by ourselves, alone. Just as the flower blooms under conditions of soil and sun; so, too — must the spirit prosper … with arms extended to another’s abiding ‘sun’.

A little something to consider on this day, my loves.

Namaste ~ with peace, love and equanimity towards all.

❤️

My darlings, this morning I am inspired by a passage from the Isha Upanishad. As it reads:

“He who sees all beings in his own Self and his own Self in all beings, loses all fear.”

My goodness, such a powerful statement — wouldn’t you agree? That we, in seeing ourselves in others, might better understand the true basis of our shared humanity.

It is the ultimate depiction of our oneness, helping us to delineate the boundaries between fear and acceptance.

In doing so, we may ultimately transcend the limitations of our own personal experience.

The aperture by which we see this world broadens, as we adjust to the light of unconditional love.

It is he who sees himself in others, who – in turn – deepens his connection to self.

My darlings, the nature of our connections comes into sharper focus when refracted through the prism of our own lives.

Namaste ~ ❤️

I was looking out the window this morning. To the left and far off into the distance stood a single cherry readying to bloom.

Now, you may look at that tree and say, “How foolish, it’s winter!” But the tree knows not the measure of season.

It blooms when it is inclined to do so; when the conditions are right and the roots have been nurtured and the sun is casting the proper shade of light.

In fact, the bloom is comprised of so many different elements — who are we to dare disentangle from the rest?

If only we might begin to see the ‘garden’ as a whole.

“I have seen an old, untended garden,” writes Thich Nhat Hanh. “where the cherry and peach trees still bloom wonderfully and always in time.”

My darlings, are we not the ‘gardens’ if this earth? Our blooms representing the glorious balance between all living beings.

And as I sit hear gazing out towards this courageous and weariless tree, my darlings – I am reminded of all of you.

Namaste, my dearest loves ~ and thank you for the gift of your light within this garden.

❤️

My darlings, this morning I am inspired by the words of celebrated poet, Langston Hughes.

First published in 1931, “Helen Keller” celebrates the vastness of our human potential and the simple truth of an indomitable light.

It’s helped me on so many numerous of occasions to understand, that our story is far more than these eyes may ever tell.

I do hope his words reach you, as well.

“Helen Keller” by Langston Hughes

She,
In the dark,
Found light
Brighter than many ever see.

She,
Within herself,
Found loveliness,
Through the soul’s own mastery.

And now the world receives
From her dower:
The message of the strength
Of inner power.

In peace, my loves ~ namaste ❤️

I was watching a little one the other day.

She was sitting alone by the sidewalk’s edge, gripping tightly to her brand new, over-sized teddy bear.

“You must be sad,” said a woman in passing. “Sitting here all by yourself.”

“I’m not sad,” she scowled. And, pointing to the house behind she smiled, “They’re all right in there.”

Oh, my goodness — from the mouths of babes.

We’ve all felt loneliness at times, my loves. We’ve felt the sting of absence, the isolation of a disruption to routine. But, really what is the basis of this pain when — those we love aren’t very far at all?

In many ways, these ‘points of light’ become our reference point. Without them, we feel uncertain, lost and alone.

But, we are never alone, my loves. All that we ever truly needs resides in these depths within.

Maybe that’s loneliness? That feeling of groundlessness when the mind is unable to resolve itself? It’s not really the pain or the hurt, per se — but rather the wondering if we’ll ever find our way again.

But to think we’re incapable of ‘going it alone’, my darlings that is a common misunderstanding.

“We hear a lot about the pain of samsara,” shares Pema Chodron. “and we also hear about liberation. But we don’t hear much about how painful it is to go from being completely stuck to becoming unstuck.”

So, is it true that liberation can also seem painful? Even though, it’s exactly as we practice and wish — still, we cling tightly to this label of loneliness.

“I’m not sad, they’re all right in there,” she smiled.

Oh, my darlings there can be no truer wisdom. It is the lesson of the ‘middle way.’

Unless we are willing to detach from the limitations of label; to disentangle ‘heart’ from our habitual knee-jerk reaction — we may never know the wisdom these emotions are sharing:

An unchallenged look into our human soul.

When we are able to look without attribution — only then will we finally know our way.

In peace, my loves ~

Namaste ❤️

My darlings, what is the purpose of this one glorious life?

Is it to seek and ultimately find happiness? Or, is it to further enhance our connection with others?

And, what if the two are invariably intertwined? Meaning, we can not have one without service to the other.

Me? I believe that happiness is the answer. That is to say, that the energy may be manifested without contingency or expectation.

From the moment of our birth, we are driven by a central desire and purpose — to find the tranquility of a lasting peace, to engage in that which offers the soul contentment.

The challenge is learning to keep this energy alive, even when faced with an insurmountable ‘injury’.

This life is not without its troubles, my loves. And, so long as we are bound by this physical space, we are bound to experience adversity.

But, that doesn’t diminish our capacity for happiness. Rather, it reinforces the foundation of our human experience.

Having said that, we must always strive to remember – that happiness is derived by an attitude of mind, and not by these external factors.

A little something to consider, my loves.

Namaste ❤️

“We feel that we don’t have solidity, stability,” writes Thich Nhat Hanh “We are not ourselves”

He was describing our capacity to be pulled away; to tumble forward into our own apprehension and fear. We’ve all felt it from time to time — the impulse of old emotional habits. And though we may fully recognize their presence, we feel powerless to shoo them away.

But, we’re not so powerless now, are we?

Irrespective of circumstance and ’emotional tugging’, we can still create a response that represents the truer essence of our spirit. And, we don’t have to run. We don’t have to hide. We don’t have to divorce ourselves from feeling.

We do so by finding refuge within ourselves; by embracing all that we are with a kind and loving heart.

Freedom is possible, my loves — so long as we’re willing to break free of that which keeps us tethered. By asking ourselves within every moment, “What if I could accept life exactly as it is?”

Without worry…

Without expectation…

Without the need to make things ‘right’.

Namaste ❤️