Your shoreline...

By Vichara


There are many times and points in the day where it truly feels like we are all isolated islands floating throughout the day without barely connecting to each others shorelines. There is even a feeling I get that if there was no pressing need to many would be quite content to just float on through the day until they reach the harbor of slumber land. Is it fear, apathy or just the many years of bumping and floating about that you feel that you are not going to be accepted as you are? Your island is unique as well the billions of other islands that are out there. Our connection is by the ocean of communication that can be at times choppy, dark and difficult to maneuver but there are ways to reach the shorelines of others without too many shipwrecks. As quoted before here each one of us needs to be kind because we are all dealing with our own battles. With that recognition there is a chance that you will may see the waters become clearer and less troublesome and the opportunities are created to see another’s shoreline without judgment and expectation.

It's not too late...

By Vichara


The paddles were out, it was fired up to 360 jewels and there was a nervous, highly charged feeling in the air. Will this be enough?....clear!...nothing…again…clear!...nothing. One more time…clear! Wait a minute I think I feel a pulse. It’s weak but it’s there. Our comrade has fallen but it seems that there is still hope. We have seen better days, better moments when the clouds broke open and the light shot through with confidence. Yes there were times before when our comrade seemed to be weak but fooled many of us and it can happen again. History has taught us there will always be advisories of our dear friend but if we and I mean everyone us tried to find that linking point we could help sustain our friend’s heartbeat. It truly is not that hard. Just one single small act a day will sustain our friend. Come on Compassion our friend get up now and put your arms around our shoulders, we got you.

You are the mechanic...

By Vichara


You get up and empty the dustbin of your mind. You think everything has been emptied and carry on for the day. Then as you reach the 5-mile marker of the day something shakes loose, a memory, a thought or a concern and it gets stuck in the gears and things begin to create a gnashing sound. You try to ignore it like some single fly that keeps coming back to buzz in front of your face but it is no good and it gets louder. If you stop now to inspect it will disrupt your day but the insistent grind will not subside. You can’t call in a technician to handle this it is up to you to pull to a shady spot by the side of the road, stop the truck and quietly through introspection locate the giggly part that has come loose. Pull out the tools and take out the wrench of compassion, the screwdriver of sanity, the hammer of patience and the saw of decision. It may take a while and you may need some illumination but in these situations you are the only mechanic suited to adjust these matters of the heart and mind. After all it is your machine, you should know how to fix it.

Rippling out...

By Vichara


Today I invite you to participate in a chain letter. No this is not the kind that if you don’t send this note to 10 people you know in the next 5 minutes that bad luck will befall you. No, it is a chain letter that has no obligations but simple to execute. Just pick one person you know and send them a quick simple note. Send a single compassionate message in one line or a few words that will create a small wave of positive energy. And like a small stone in a pond watch it ripple out and possibly back to you. If it does and you feel inclined, send another.

Compassionate wake...

By Vichara


We take in one breath; we give out one breath. We take in one good act; we give out one good act. Wait a minute…do you? Have you reached some kind of balance like this? Do you return to the world a positive / good act when you know that you have received one yourself? It doesn’t necessarily need to be an exact equal. There is not a requirement that all gestures need to be grand in return. I’m only checking in with not only myself but with all of you as well. Even just simple genuine smiles that acknowledge the other person’s existence and at least let them know that you know. You know that truly the only path of fulfilled existence is not to take these moments of breathing and reading these words given to us for granted. That you know that even when the obstacles that do seem to trip us up that we will be able to recognize these obstacles. And in this act can rise up taller with a compassionate gait and traverse them with minimal effort. Be cognizant of the wake from your existence and make an effort to ply these waters with a little more compassion today.

Calm rivers...

By Vichara


Everyone is scared. No matter how much confidence one shows. No matter what bravado is brandished about in order to retain some alpha-male or alpha-female position, they are all scared…just like you. In our working pods of life there will always be those individuals that will be compelled to be in control in varying degrees of success. It is unfortunate for those individuals that are in control fail to recognize the basic commonalities that we all share and work from a position of frenetic unfocused degrees. With these somewhat ingrained methods it is difficult to change with force from the outside. One of the keys is for us all is to step back, recognize fears (which by the way are mostly based in our impermanence) and attempt to make that connection based in calm understanding & compassion and find answers together. Calm rivers carry great weight and strength without constant churning.

The signal of compassion...

By Vichara


I look down at my left hand in a slightly disjointed fashion as the fingers massage the small wooden mala beads. I think of how many times each of these little beads have passed through my fingers over the years in my meditation practice. One bead for each time I have orally recited the mantra I use to start each day. I envision the oral recitation being transported through each bead like a radio signal out into the universe. Perhaps trying to connect with other like-minded souls like all of you reading this right now. I guess in this humble way I am reaching out to all of you in this forum where we are not bound by territorial borders in an effort to strengthen the signal of compassion, respect and dialog. A place where regardless of any language barrier we, and of course I, have an opportunity to share my thoughts and images with you. I don’t personally know many of you reading this but I hope this cyberspace signal finds you in good health and spirits. I trust that you take whatever resolves you have that you utilize some of it in an effort to strengthen the signal of compassion wherever you may live. Om Mani Padme Hung.

Wake up!...

By Vichara


As my 10th grade science teacher would say, “wake up your mushrooms! don’t just sit there like a bump on a log, do something, say something, think!” I believe that some of us are consumed by the cacophony of it all and get numbed by whatever is perceived to be our personal responsibilities. Some are fair but others can be overly dramatized in an effort to refrain from accepting what is yours to attend to. My science teacher obviously needed to deal with the teenage mind and its insecurities but his abrupt commands were used to shake us from the confines of traditional instruction and get us to re-engage our minds outside the lines. We may not be fortunate in our adult lives to have a science teacher to give our minds a shake so if we want to make sure we are engaged we need to seek out other methods. For me it is these “thoughts” that challenge my brain in the early morning hours. For you it will be different. It could be in the middle of gardening, cooking or jogging. Regardless of how you do it (without harming others of course) I truly believe that it is imperative to shake your brain up and brush off the world that wants to keep you numb. WAKE UP YOU MUSHROOMS!

Breadcrumbs in the dark...

By Vichara


I want to take you down a path but I have a duty and an obligation to provide the words that will not only guide me but you as well. The words are like breadcrumbs that are left behind for others to locate, use and consume. If they choose not to that is their choice and personal decision. But once they are consumed you now have an obligation to provide and leave behind compassionate crumbs for those that will follow. It is imperative that you do so and it is just plain common courtesy. Juts remember how you felt at times when you were a bit lost and someone came along with words that pointed you out of that dark corner. However much you feel what you may have to say is insignificant there will always be a vital “crumb” embodied in your words. If they come from the heart they will always have value and from that value help guide others. After all that’s what we are here for, to help each other out…right?

Family portraits..

By Vichara


A collection of words was invited to gather, have a discussion and some family photos taken. At first it was a bit chaotic. Some of the words did not know where to go or even if they knew if they should be there in the first place. One of the words put up such a fuss that a couple of the other words walked away in frustration. Things finally calmed down after about 20 minutes but it was all stirred up as some punctuations showed up curious what all these words were gathered together and they were not invited. Well as you can imagine things stirred up once again until order stepped in. The word “order” always seemed to know what to say and it was the explained that they were gathered for a various family photos and if they could please listen to the directions from the photographer. Everyone perked up for a photo and complied with the photographer for the first pose. After many shots they gathered around the photographer’s laptop to see the many groups of this family posing together in some classic poses. First shot looked like this “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail”. The second shot, “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled”, the third “One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody”. Then “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled” and “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle”. One right after another these beautiful family shots poured out and on to the screen and then while the photographer wasn’t looking a couple of the humorous members of the family snuck this one in…”My brother thinks he's a chicken - we don't talk him out of it because we need the eggs.

The quiet screamers!...

By Vichara


All around us the world is screaming to be noticed in passive aggressive ways. A banner from some possible philanthropic organization hung on numerous light poles declaring its attributes. Billboards competing with each other trying to convince you that what they are selling is better than the other company’s wares. Bumper stickers with on-lined alleged truths. Church signs declaring the time is nigh you need to be saved today. They all want your attention believing that they contribute to your life in some way. To some looking for answers they could be there but for others these are just reminders of how dependent we have become. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong in looking for answers as long as you don’t become accepting of whatever is given to you without investigation. All of these passive aggressive screamers do believe they have what you want but it is up to you through investigation using your heart and minds, which ones will fit into your life.

World is turning...

By Vichara


The world will keep on turning no matter what happens. Unless George Lucas knows of a Death Star hovering near by I believe we’ll go on spinning. So what do we do while on this ride? Bitch, complain, whine that there is nothing we can do to help out the world condition? If you feel helpless stop and pull back from thinking on a large scale, where we may not have all of the tools to be effective, and re-focus on perhaps something smaller. From small gestures and compassionate acts you can build a foundation and see immediate results. Which of course builds confidence and sense of purpose. Try a couple today…send a silly postcard through the regular mail just to say hi to someone, put a post-it note in someone’s sock with a message that you care. Call someone for no apparent reason, just to let him or her know you were thinking of them. Call you sister, brother, whomever. Small things create big things for you and those around you.

The "spark"...

By Vichara


I heard an artist yesterday talk about creativity. He said there is a need to be reminded that big things come from small beginnings. There are some that possibly believe that of Beethoven’s symphonies just magically appeared fully realized and he just wrote them down. When of course as with most things there is great toiling to reach the finished end. It is something just to remind ourselves when we feel overwhelmed and discouraged the we all, and I repeat this, we all have the potential to realize that what which we dream. Be it big or small, nurture the “spark” and be patient with its journey. The spark of creativity comes in many different forms but you can make it happen.

Fear and fear itself...

By Vichara


Of course “Fear” wants you to fear it. Fear has had a lot of time to build up its arsenal of things to fear. In fact it has even managed to take many innocuous items and turned them fearful. It is a shame because at the beginning Fear wasn’t so bad. Fear was created as a safety and warning mechanism for those that strayed too far into dangerous situations. Beings that encountered the primal elements of Fear could and would share with others simple things like “don’t go to close to that cactus it will hurt” or “if you don’t want to end up being eaten by that huge thing stay away from that cave”. Then as eons flew by Fear became more mature and cunning and was able to coerce and manipulate other simple and once loved things into fearful things. But Fear also fears as well. What pray tell you ask does Fear, fear? I am glad you asked oh wise being. What Fear doesn’t want you to know is that there is a somewhat secret co-op of ancient primal elements (like Fear was once a part of) that has retained its partnership without being tainted or manipulated. Keeping a vigilant and impermeable position is Compassion, Love plus a few others that you may have encountered. Now you say, wait a minute we’ve seen those elements get bumped and tweaked over the years. Yes they have but it was Fear that was doing it and making sure that it was shoved into your face so you wouldn’t notice the true core elements that still exist for us all. Fear would shove things like “if you don’t love me this way I will ruin your whole life” or “there is only one way to be compassionate and that is to just give me money”. Don’t allow Fear to control your attitude to this world, you deserve much more. The primal and pure elements of Compassion, Love, Integrity, Truth and others exist out there you just need to be patient and let the cacophonic noise of Fear recede and they will appear and guide your hands, heart and mind.

The "universe"...

By Vichara


If the attempt is made, it will be noted by the universe. If you act with truth and integrity, it will gain merit with the universe. If you complete acts of compassion without thoughts of return, it will open up paths to vistas of opportunity never seen before. The universe in a very subtle way works on a system of ROI (return on investment). A billion of events and circumstances have come together to produce you. The humanoid that which you are took great effort to bring into this plane of existence and having reached this high level the universe would very simply like to have some effort put forth. The universe is not expecting everyone to reach great levels of accomplishments but rather simply do things in a way that appreciates reaching this level of existence without degrading or harming other sentient beings. This also doesn’t mean that you can just try to get by doing the minimum. Make an effort with compassion and integrity and it will show ROI to you.

Windows...

By Vichara


Windows of opportunity are always open, as long as you keep your eyes open.

Step right up...

By Vichara


Dispense with the fragments and shards of yesterday, they will not fit into what today brings. They may seem small and translucent but they carry remnants of thoughts that sit heavy in your pocket and will throw you off balance. It is not to be said that they could have some merit they just need to be processed through the filter of being “present” now in order for them to be useful. Regardless this new day that has unfolded into your hands is another gift that has been given to you. There may not be a big fanfare (other than your alarm clock or the nudge of your cat or dog) but it will most definitely be a parade. Yes there will be lions & tigers of conflict but there will also be horses of reason, elephants of patience and giraffes of vision. You will need to don the barker’s hat to assume some relative control of this cacophony of sound and vision because you know what is coming next…the car full of clowns that will most assuredly contain the surreal and the needed levity. Step right up folks…your day has started.

All of this...

By Vichara


All of this skin, bones, nails and hair all just to hold in this grey matter in a protective shell. That super computer that houses all of our hopes, dreams, knowledge and desires mounted genetically up high on your shoulders to get a full view of the vista of life. There is a purpose; cause and reason that it is all positioned so delicately in this order…for whatever reasons you “believe”. Then we take this highly evolved humanoid device we call our bodies and we use it as tools of destruction, manipulation, deception, degradation and convince ourselves that it is all justified for whatever reason we believe. Then whatever success we believed is attained by all of this tends to drift quickly away and a state of disgruntled unhappiness returns and keeps returning. Why continue this path? Why continue to live this way? We are limited frail beings that are only given a limited number of years to exist in this physical plane. Why live in manipulation when you can live in inspiration? All of “this” is impermanent so why spend this limited time in the negative when you can use this time in the positive and contribute to this world instead of destroying it both physical and mentally. It’s your choice.

Thank you...

By Vichara


I need to be completely honest with you all. There are some days when I sit and write these thoughts that I think it’s all just plain crap and nobody is really paying that much attention to any of these. Then I will get one response from someone that is reading these random thoughts and I’m encouraged. Yes a completely natural response. I am human and just want to know that someone is out there. Once I shrug off the vanity of these thoughts I remember through all of this technology that there are parts of the world that are reading these thoughts that I would never dream of ever reaching in any of the old traditional print or hand-written methods. How truly remarkable but I am always thinking while writing – have something to say. So this is what I like to say today, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read these thoughts and possibly sharing them with others. No matter where you are on this planet, the US, Malaysia, France, India, Canada, Russia, Iran, Germany, Poland, Israel, wherever each one of us is the bridge to each other. No matter what our institutional faiths may be we all essentially just want to feel love and respected. Make an effort today, right now not to have the trappings of our faiths get in the way of each of us loving and respecting each other. As I previously written, Gandhi said, “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”. Let’s say today as we wake up to greet the world a heart for a heart makes the whole world see and by engaging in one simple act of kindness rooted in a compassionate heart we can each make a difference.

Minefield of doubt..

By Vichara


When you are walking into a minefield of doubt you have two choices. Let this delusion guide your hands and heart so you only move incrementally or dismantle each mine using careful honesty with yourself to clear the path, free yourself and move forward. Some of these mines will be small and when seen for what they are can be removed with ease. Others will probably take great courage to find the mechanism and the right colored wire to cut. Without a doubt each one of us does have the tools and ability to accomplish this task. If we don’t we may need to ask for assistance. Ahhh, but you are saying to yourself “how can I be sure and trust the assistance, I have doubt”. A valid question but (and you knew there was going to be a “but”) when there is honest intent to dismantle these mines and if there is a need for assistance the honest mechanics will show up to help. However, regardless of the assistance you receive it is you that will need to snip the final wire of doubt for each mine that lies before you.

Engage...

By Vichara


When we are engaged we are all seekers of beauty, love and truth. We are journeyman (women) of the journey that has so many twists and turns it can be difficult to sometimes have the confidence where we are going is the right way. We are unsure collection of bones, blood and brawn that even when we are considered mature adults we still have, tucked away, a nervous child deep inside. We want to be sure that what we do will result in some tangible good but we are only human. We can’t wait for some karmic wheel to spin around in another generation to prove our steps were good; we want to see it now. We can be impatient. Yes patience is a virtue but the very nature of impermanence is the world keeps spinning and there is no pause button. So as you journey out today try to have your steps engaged in honesty with yourself, that will be your beacon. And with this path forged with this light you will find beauty, love and truth. It is out there right now…but don’t forget to pack a lunch.