There is nobody like you...

By Vichara

They broke the mold after you were born…no really, they did! Seriously! There will never ever be another you. You are a unique individual with a unique set of physical and mental attributes that contribute to the immediate world around you and the much larger world out there. No really, you do. By just reading these words that I write you inspire me and act as the impetus for me to write more. From that hopefully what I write will help you to think of things a bit differently and help somebody else. As they say that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in an Amazon forest results in the winds that sweep by your kitchen window this morning. So you being here, this incredibly unique individual can make a difference. It’s up to you how far you want to go.

There is no re-boot...

By Vichara

The impermanence of this existence underscores the value of the time we have been given. When you take death seriously, you take your life and the value of life more seriously. There is no re-boot button, no re-start, no re-charge; this is it for all we know. There has not been any scientific empirical proof of the existence of an after life. I know to some those words like this stab like a cold knife into reality but that is not totally the intent. The intention is to bring the attention into focus. To hopefully act as a catalyst and shake all of our collective visions into acknowledging that regardless of what may be going or we are in many ways we’re truly blessed. Building on this resolve is not only good for yourself but for others around you that we encounter everyday. By having our vision a little more focused we can not just only take but give back as well with a renewed spirit infused with love and most importantly compassion.

The joy we discover...

By Vichara

Schopenhauer was out walking one, deep in thought when a policeman, suspicious of him approached and asked, “May I know who you are?” Schopenhauer stood for a long time and then replied, “I wish I could tell you”. It is true; no matter how many ways we are identified the majority of them are external. The clothing style we wear, the car that we drive, the voice, the laugh, how we adorn our office or home and all outwardly personal markers. But we are much more, much more than this collection of bones, blood and flesh and as long as we identify ourselves in the physical sense we will keep using all our energies to satisfy these needs. Try to take just 15 minutes a day, by yourself with no distractions to check in with you and your spirit and try to feed that instead of the external. The Upanishads, the classic Hindu text says, that the joy that comes when we discover who we are is a million times greater than all the pleasures the most advanced civilization could offer.

Love and respect...

By Vichara

When it really comes down to it all in this life there is only two things that we want…to be loved and respected. To you, быть полюбленным и уважать and to you, zu geliebt werden und respektiert werden and for you, om worden gehouden en worden geëerbiedigd and to you, 将被爱和被尊敬. Love – to know that this very primal element has been met and fulfilled and from receiving love it opens up the doors so that we can extent love. Respected – to know that the sum total of our acts and actions have not been a complete waste of time and have had some sense of value. Because when it really comes down to that final moment, that final breath, that final thought and that final last thing you see it doesn’t matter how much you physically have amassed it is love and respect that will matter the most. As I have quoted before from a dear friend “you never see a U-Haul truck following a hearse”. This is not to say we should all be ascetics and lives sparingly (unless you want to). Enjoy what you have but know that it just physical and it suffers from the same kind of impermanence that you do and we all do. It might be smarter and more rewarding not to invest in so many physical things and invest your time and energy in the Bank of Love and Respect. It will yield a higher interest rate for the portfolio of your life.

Now available, Compassion!...

By Vichara

Now available for an unlimited time, not sold in stores with no suggested retail value. No discounts, no shipping costs and immediate delivery. A perennial favorite of all generations – Compassion. Do not hesitate to get some today. Plenty in stock and a never-ending supply in our warehouses – Compassion. Something so strong, durable and refreshing you will want to give some to all that you meet. Call today operators are standing by, 24 / 7…1-800-146-7348, 1-800-1HO-PE4U. Of course this is not a real number to call and of course Compassion is not a product that can be purchased. However the actual warehouse does exist in each one of us and there is no shipping charges.

It is up to you, all of you...

By Vichara

While there are many things that may seem out of our influence, there are still things that we can be thankful for on a daily basis. While there are those that choose to bicker and fight in a sophomoric childish way there is still an ability among us to work together with resolve. While there are some truths that many around us fail to see we must still treat each other with love, compassion and patience. Without these last bastions of hope, these abilities that may be inert in some the fabric of existence will be torn beyond repair. The truth is that we all have the ability but our focus is deflected daily by extraneous distractions from our ego and those (and they know who they are) that place the “smoke and mirrors” in our way to discovery. You in all of the countries reading this, Germany, Russia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Ukraine, Latvia, France, the UK, Israel, Canada, Spain, India, the Netherlands, Australia, here in the US and everywhere have these abilities. Don’t get overwhelmed; it is in the small acts of compassion that great things are born and every one of us has these abilities. One small wave joins another small wave and another until these waves of compassion join together for change. It is up to you.

Key to happiness?...

By Vichara

Is there a key to true happiness? So many books, TV shows and magazines all of them claiming to know the key to happiness that will change all our lives forever. While admirable in their attempt this topic has been investigated by hundreds and hundreds of people, both young and old for centuries. And here I believe as simple and naïve as it may seems, is the key. There is no one key to happiness. With every individual person there is an individual key, unique to that person. As much as there may be commonalities that we may all share in one way or another, when we try to apply one measurement to all it will fail. The one thing that I do believe we all can agree on is the foundation where happiness can flourish is when each person can maintain love, hope and compassion for all others seeking their key to happiness.

Cavalcade of compassion...

By Vichara

I would like to take a moment to quote from one of my favorite spiritual writers, Eknath Easwaran. If you are not familiar with this wonderful professor, I highly recommend him. “So much energy is spent on trying to rise above the fray in order to understand your place in our own lifetime. We are also bound by the limitations that time places on our body and mind. With the fuse lit when we are born we most of the time fail to see the lit fuse until there is very little of it left before we combust from this world to whatever is next”. I know it may seem difficult to do but we should try to recognize that your “fuse” is lit. Not to create a heightened sense of urgency but to enhance the quality of each moment. Elevate the presence of each day from a series of mundane moments to a cavalcade of compassionate.

An eye for an eye...

By Vichara

Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye, makes the whole world blind.” Let’s say now, today, as we wake up and meet the world, a heart for a heart makes the whole world see. By engaging in one simple act of kindness rooted in a compassionate heart, we can make a difference. One simple act will inspire another to another to another, until it becomes a force and not a tiny voice, as some perceive to be. By bucking system of negativity we can stake control of a world with a vision of love, patience and compassion.

Each step...

By Vichara

With each step we take we are either thinking of what someone would say or what he or she have said already. The face they made from a comment or what potentially they will look like. We think of scenarios that could or should happen all while dipping it into the well of what did happen. We agree and disagree with each thought like they are separate beings. Unless all of us have miraculous powers, we can never completely know what could happen. Even as you read this you are thinking about how you would react to something in the future or why something happened in the past and replay those thoughts with you being the ultimate director. While you can be firm in your resolve and strive to the best you can do, you need to be open to the nuances of the present.

Currency of the heart...

By Vichara

There is a very popular movie where the lead actor states that greed is good. Somehow amassing a large personal collection of metal coins and paper will solve and can solve whatever you may need. Why yes since our world is set up in a manner where this currency is the means to obtain goods and services, no matter how large your collection it will only sustain you, it will not save you. If you are lying in a hospital bed with death nearby, this coin and paper will only keep machines going, not you. A dear friend once told me that he has never seen a U-Haul truck following hearse. Use these coins and paper to sustain you within reason but remember the currency of the heart is far more valuable to the world. The more you spend of this currency, through love, patience and compassion, the more it will return on your investment. So go and spend a lot of it today!

Get beyond the walls...

By Vichara

While it is prudent to methodically maintain a safe barrier around us to protect us from those that may want to do harm, it is equally important that it has an element of being porous. This porous element will give an opportunity to encounter those individuals that may need help from you. Being born at this time we have all been given a mission. For some the dossier of events will be few, for some it will be many but we will all be given as much as we can handle. As the heart and spirit grow stronger and more confident we will gain the fortitude to carry more. Again it is good to maintain safety for your own heart but it is imperative to remember, as Siddhartha Gautama (better known as the Buddha) found out, life happens out there not behind any physical or metaphysical walls.

Understanding...

By Vichara

In the science fiction series of books, The Hitchhikers’ Guide To The Universe (by Douglas Adams), there is this small aquatic being called a babel fish. Inserted into your ear, the babel fish will translate any foreign language spoken into your native tongue, thus rendering any miscommunication virtually impossible. Wouldn’t this be amazing if this existed today and could be utilized around the globe to better understand any person we would encounter? But I think it would only work up to a certain point. Understanding what another person is saying is one thing, having an understanding of they mean is a whole other thing. Even with the language barrier broken it still does not relieve us from utilizing a bigger skill, the skill to understand with the foundation of love, patience and compassion.

Death to boredom!...

By Vichara

Death to boredom! If you are bored you have your eyes closed both literally and figuratively. The “tapestry” that is unfolded to us everyday is so rich and dense that unless you see this someone has blinded you. Through repetition of our daily actions, some of them quite mundane, we can loose track of the simple beauty that ordinary things have! In the shower, the steady stream of water reflecting in the morning light can be a shower of feather weight diamonds cascading all around. The coolness of the morning air can hold nuances of fragrances that could unlock memories. Observing a couple people in a crosswalk ignites the imagination in that you wonder what secret plans they are talking about. A flock of pigeons that sweeps repeatedly in a pattern only known to them. Open your senses up to the cavalcade; it’s worth the price of admission.

This waltz...

By Vichara

With all of the onomatopoeia of life that is constantly clanging around us the most essential sound that we could hear is our own breathing. When was the last time amongst the din of existence you deeply heard your own breathing? Being reminded that this simple bodily action ignites the pistons of our existence. Find at least a few moments in a day to feel the inhalation and exhalation. Be mindful and cognizant of this precious gift of life we have been given. The value of which I do not believe many of us will ever appreciate. Regardless of what level of appreciation we may achieve, at least find one quiet moment each day to acknowledge that this waltz on earth may only last for one song.

Honesty...what a concept...

By Vichara

There is a great fear in transparency. Listening to a radio program a very powerful man admitted that in the current financial troubles of the world, that a certain accountability could be needed to dispel the fraudulent appearance of how business practices work…but not too much. In those four words lies the possible confession. In admitting that change is needed, he qualifies it with a need not to go too far because at that point they would all need to be honest. How dreadful, they would need to be honest and admit practices that hide the deception in their daily activities that divert honest monies from those that could equally share and step away from the extreme disparity that continues to be perpetrated on the world’s population. Honesty…what a concept.

Guided by compassion...

By Vichara

“What the outstanding person does, others will try to do. The standards such people create will be followed by the whole world”. Taken from the Hindu sacred text called the Bhagavad-Gita that dates back between the 5th and 2nd century BC, these words have even more relevance considering the moral and political changes we are witnessing. There is a need and cry to cut away the obese malignant weeds of greed and excess and to form a new standard of fairness and compassion. “The ignorant work for their own profit, the wise work for the welfare of the world, without thought for themselves”. This is again from the Gita. The short 18 chapters of this document was used as a moral compass by Gandhi for most of his life and even today still can be one of the many texts to guide our lives. “Perform all work carefully, guided by compassion”.

What we are seeking...

By Vichara

We all just want to be loved, honored and respected. Love, to feel an emotional connection and actually know that someone cares. Honored, to know that our presence here is not taken frivolously. And respected that our words and deeds have merit, not for self-glory but for the benefit of others. Of course these three cornerstones will not be present unless you are engaged outside yourself with the world and not hidden both emotionally and physically. While one of these is possible the other is difficult considering where the majority of us live. Take this fact that you must physically engage as the first step and with each interaction temper all that you do with a deep sense of compassion. The results will be what we all seek love, honor and respect.

A little more grateful...

By Vichara

There are those that even if you were to put everything they need right in their hands there would always be a desire for what “else” is out there. An obsessive desire to acquire and to have more than is necessary. Yes it is nice to be comfortable but in excess it is obscene, especially in our current world and it’s troubles. There are those even in this fast paced electronic world that are thankful for a single pencil and a piece of paper. A single vital meal and the ability to stand on two legs and walk. While yes the element of guilt lays in this message it is only set there to try to have us all be a little more grateful today.

It's your book...

By Vichara

We trip over our insecurities and receive bruises from remarks from others, but we survive. We will stutter from heartbreak and bump into hard truths, but we survive. We may not see our limitations until it is too late, but we manage to survive. These encounters are just pages turning into chapters turning into bounded experiences that create the library of our unique lives. Some of the pages may seem to be a bit ragged and tattered but we should not tear them out and throw them away. They are as important as the front and back covers and complete the story. Today starts a new chapter with fresh new pages that have just been given to you. It is up to you to illustrate them with as much candor and compassion as you can muster. Oh and by the way, it is ok to color outside the lines…it’s your book.

Love and respect...

By Vichara

When it really comes down to it all in this life there is only two things that we want…to be loved and respected. To you, быть полюбленным и уважать and to you, zu geliebt werden und respektiert werden and for you, om worden gehouden en worden geëerbiedigd and to you, 将被爱和被尊敬. Love – to know that this very primal element has been met and fulfilled and from receiving love it opens up the doors so that we can extent love. Respected – to know that the sum total of our acts and actions have not been a complete waste of time and have had some sense of value. Because when it really comes down to that final moment, that final breath, that final thought and that final last thing you see it doesn’t matter how much you physically have amassed it is love and respect that will matter the most. As I have quoted before from a dear friend “you never see a U-Haul truck following a hearse”. This is not to say we should all be ascetics and lives sparingly (unless you want to). Enjoy what you have but know that it just physical and it suffers from the same kind of impermanence that you do and we all do. It might be smarter and more rewarding not to invest in so many physical things and invest your time and energy in the Bank of Love and Respect. It will yield a higher interest rate for the portfolio of your life

The hallway of indifference...

By Vichara

The innocence of the heart can only be revealed when chronic skepticism is torn from the fabric of the person and an open space is created for the heart to discover that it really is not a truly bad world. Bad comes from indifference and the lack of compassion. When your vision is refracted by intolerance and dismissive behavior it becomes myopic and you will always have great difficulty in connecting with the world in a truly meaningful manner. While a innocent heart can be interpreted or viewed as naïve and Pollyanna like the vision from this vantage point is much more expansive and is filtered with much more acceptance. But if you prefer to live in a narrow hallway that has little to choose from or to see that is your choice. My guess is that for the most opening up the expansive window or vision with innocence is preferable and more enjoyable than existing in the hallway of indifference.