To the New Year...

By Vichara


The year is coming to an end and we have exchanged gifts with affection and gratitude. There has been joy and sadness with those that we reconnected with those that have left us. With the flipping over of the calendar we all have both excitement and apprehension. Use that space in between those two to plant the seeds of potential in compassion, love and patience. From here no matter where the road takes it will be well grounded. Let me give you one last gift for the holiday season to take with you to the New Year. “Death” is inescapable, it will come regardless but at the same time “Life” is inescapable as well. Don’t waste it on the past that cannot be changed, use it for the future and what you can do to change the world around you for the better.

The next wave...

By Vichara


We are swimming upwards in the last few feet towards the surface, to the light, to the air, to the New Year that awaits us all. What will happen when we reach the surface, the New Year? Will there be a tsunami that will force you down many leagues an initiate another struggle upwards again to break free or will you initiate the fortitude and resilience that has been lying dormant and finally kick it into high gear. It is up to you; no truly it is when it come down to it. Once on the surface the waves of challenge can be massive like those in our mighty oceans or the size of a ripple in a mud puddle. Every one of you out there has the height and the strength to overcome and to stand tall to what the New Year brings. The power comes from a renewable source that is charged by Love, Compassion and Patience. The more you put in the more resilient and inspired you will be. But again…it is up to you.

Happiness...

By Vichara


If you could be anywhere elsewhere would it be? Possibly what year would it be? Or even what universe? Regardless of where or when it may be I would bet good money that the common element that all of us share is that we want happiness. And I would double down on the bet that it would not be an ephemeral happiness but you all would want a much more longer lasting, deep happiness. We all know from the reminders in this forum that all is impermanent. It is after all, the first of the 4 Noble Truths. But there are ways to be happy but you will not find it in the acquisition of objects or in chemical or alcohol diversions. They after all are all again, impermanent. Unhappiness comes from our desire and craving for things that are well…impermanent. Because when they don’t last, which all things don’t, we are sad. End the unhappiness by eliminating the desires and craving you have for things impermanent and enjoy the moments of happiness as they pass by like clouds. Be “present” with openness for happiness to reach you, be felt by you and pass on its way to be felt by someone else.

The journey...

By Vichara


You can give the world all the answers but they may not still want to listen…or even understand. There have been through time wise women and men who have given mankind some very profound thoughts and ideas. They have given us insights and help establish guideposts to help us better understand life. For me personally these wise people have open portals that opened doorways that lead to paths where I have not only gained insights but also discovered essential truths. Teresa of Avila, Gandhi, Hildegard of Bingen, Blaise Pascal, Krishamurti, Thomas Merton and many others. As this solstice and New Year approaches why not discover a new voice and listen.

Sorry...

By Vichara


Try this exercise…repeat the word “sorry” 25 times without stopping. Finished? I bet half way through the word “sorry” became a jumble of words and syllables and maybe at the end you forgot the word. Without being mindful of our words and action both will lose their meaning and importance. Be cognizant of your words and temper your actions with a mindful heart.

Experts recommend...

By Vichara


4 out of 5 doctors agree, experts say, leading industry officials recommend. There is always some unknown authority guiding our consumer decisions but there is one area that no perceived authority should have dominion over and that is your spiritual domain. There is only one expert – you. And as a guiding mechanism to all of your actions I recommend the new and improved, long lasting and minty fresh Love, Compassion & Patience available everywhere!

Stop...

By Vichara


When was the last time you just sat and did nothing? No, I mean really nothing. Just sit, stop the phone, turn the computer screen off, turn the TV off, turn the iPod off and just sit. Feel each breath come in…….then out…..in…..then out. Feel a wave wash down and out of you and your focus becomes soft and relaxing. Oh no! You know what may come next?!...Insight.

Checkup...

By Vichara


The extent of our compassion is measured by the capacity in our hearts to receive love. If the chamber and vessels leading to this area are clogged with prejudices and hatred there will never be an outlet for you to complete the continuum of a fulfilled life. Take stock of your condition, perhaps it is time to clean house a bit.

Limited words...

By Vichara


Imagine you could only speak a limited number of words each day. Once spent there would be no reserve and you would need to be reliant on other means of communication through your eyes and touch. Instead of spending time in harmful and inane conversations why not parse out your words with thought and deliberation. Cultivating careful conversations would result in a more meaningful day. Ok that’s it for me I only have so many other words so…

Life...

By Vichara


Life does not pay attention to the calendar, it moves along without regard to it. Just because it is a certain holiday or celebrated date life and death will march on through, it just does not care. Don’t expect life to coincide with something that you want to do and don’t expect death to wait to wait even if it is Christmas; they have their own timepieces and agenda. These are the dynamics we must live with, regardless. You may want to protest, scream or cry but it will not and I repeat, will not have any influence on how life and death will comport themselves no matter what you believe or dream. Now that we got that out of the way what do we do with this knowledge? Nothing. This is not abandonment but acceptance with contemplative understanding. You may want things to go your way all the time but this type of living will eventually create and encounter roadblocks. It is best to be malleable with compassionate resilience and life will then flow with you and around you.

The empirical truth...

By Vichara


We need empirical proof. As much as we romantize about living or having faith we ultimately need to have empirical proof on many levels. We want to assume and believe that things will be done and entrust others with tasks and responsibilities but because things are interconnected we need proof. On a physical level most of the time the empirical is relatively easy to produce but on the metaphysical level far greater. We need a meal to eat so we gather ingredients, cook them and the meal appears. Try to have a greater understanding and that there is meaning and guidance to “this” all is much more difficult. It is not like you can purchase a GPS unit that leads you to esoteric answers. Of course this presumes you want answers but I would venture a guess you do. So where does this leave us? With need of the empirical – painted in the corner with faith. Consider faith being a boat. You know that by trial and testing that the boat floats…for the most part. So you climb aboard given that understanding as you push off from the dock you ultimately realize that the boast is only as sturdy as you build it. You are the draftsman, carpenter and captain and sometimes that is all the empirical proof you will have.

Weakness...

By Vichara


Perhaps within our frailties lies our strength. By acknowledging the weakness we can identify the hidden elements that will bolster our ability to gain more confidence in our actions and reactions. We will be dismissive in what would be perceived as weakness but perhaps it contains a lot more than we think. In nature we often see the animals that could be considered easy prey to the much more aggressive and larger. We are then amazed at the resourcefulness of the smaller beings in their ability to extricate themselves from their precarious situations. In similar ways when you find yourself in a situation that may seem hopeless you draw in and open a portal of information where suddenly the solutions appear. The thing is that it has always been there we just needed to tune in a little bit more to receive it. Don’t be fooled by weakness, there is great lessons and knowledge to be gained.

Question things...

By Vichara


Question everything. Question what you were just doing and question why you decided to do it that way. Question the way you spoke to that person. Question why you felt how you did when you left the room. This is not to create a self-imposed paranoia state. No, it is to heighten the senses and how we connect to the world every moment. This is not to make you hyper-sensitve and fearful, it is to strip away the thrashing about in how we spend a majority of our day and to rise up through the turbulent waters of maya to a place where we can easily float along aware of everything and yet bouyent with confidence that all can be resolved with a patient, compassionate heart.

Your own e-ticket...

By Vichara


Prisoners of time, we are all subject to and part of this brother/sisterhood. Bound by the minutes, the seconds, and the sands as they trickle down from an unseen personal timepiece. Our existence here on this plane is subject to some mystical biological clock that we have no chance of seeing or knowing. While pondering this may induce some hyperventilation to some let us use this as a striking point and reinvent our days for a change. When the alarm rouses us from our slumbering state envision that moment in your mind’s eye as a ticket for today’s ride. This is your own personal ticket purchased by your own thoughts and intent subject to the fine print on the back. Don’t bother turning it over to read, everyone has the same terms and conditions. Keep a good heart, good thoughts, good speech, good actions and good intent and the ride will be good.

Fear and more fear...

By Vichara


Perhaps you may feel like an island of sanity sometimes when some around you and the world behaves in an irrational and self-centered manner. You are not alone. The revving and screeching tires of that car cutting you off today, the pompous self-entitlement look that someone may give you, some erratic irrational act that has you shaking your head. All of it based in fear. Fear that they have of not being noticed, fear that they didn’t deserve things in life, fear no one cares for them and numerous shades of fear. We all have fears in one way or another as the world spins in unpleasant and unpredictable ways. The antidote lies in first recognizing this fact and not over reacting when you witness acts of fear and using patience and compassion with yourself and others to help disperse the fear.

Understanding...

By Vichara


Spiritual understanding is neither exclusive nor allusive. Each one of us can attain sufficient understanding in order to gain some solace and refuge from the perceived storms that swarm around our daily lives. It can be attained but as with every task it takes patience, work and a resolute nature that the destination is not just for a select few but for anyone who seeks understanding…anyone.

Stop...

By Vichara


We have a tendency to keep rushing forward in the belief that what we are looking for is in front of us. Perhaps we need to stop and allow what we have been searching for catch up to us.

Changing the landscape...

By Vichara


We are all grasping for straws of humanity in a desperate need to make some sense of lives that sometimes intersect with such indifference it leaves us little strength and resolve to move forward. And even if we close our eyes to the events around us we will still see images with eyelids closed. We need to change our vision, change what is out there and what is inside our hearts as well. Easier said then, as most would say right now, but there are ways. As I have stated in other times it will not be in grandiose actions that will necessarily make the difference in the world around us. It will be in the small gestures initiated with the heart that will have the most effect. Try to do something very small for someone else today to try to change the human landscape. Not with your wallet but with your heart.

Waves of time and light...

By Vichara


The days roll on like giant waves of time and light. The illuminated wave crests and folds into the dark wave that rolls back and opens back to light and so on. Within these waves, the souls, the dreams, the love, the anguish and the energies of billions of beings riding these waves all in an effort not to be pulled into the riptide of negativity. Common fact, we all struggle in various in various degrees, some more than others but we all need to keep trying or we can get sucked under. Our efforts in riding these waves may seem futile at times but it is only with some effort will you at least be able to survive. The key is not blind optimism but in a steady resolve with a kind and compassionate heart. We are all expert surfer dudes and dudettes but at times we may be a bit shaky riding these waves. That is where as fellow compassionate surfers we keep a peripheral watch with our wave companions and lend our support when needed and warranted. Be careful out there today and cowabunga!

Giving to you...

By Vichara


In this time of giving to others you will be encouraged and berated to give as much as you can. While of course admirable to do so be also cognizant of giving to you. Not necessarily in physical objects but give you those moments needed to reflect. Give yourself the opportunity to meditate on what has transpired in this year and how you would like to approach the coming year. Don’t be so critical of what has transpired to the point of immobility to move forward but take what you believe to be a sticking point as another step in growing and as a catalyst to move forward. Remember when the pace of the season may become frenetic give you the time to step away from the torrent to breathe and observe. Through these moments you give yourself an opportunity to learn and understand motivation. It may not seem like a lot to give these moments to yourself but in the long run it will help your sanity and understanding the season around you.

Where you go next...

By Vichara


Shhh, come over here. Look they left the door open and we can see what’s been going on in there. It’s hard to believe that someone was so lax in the security department and left it open but since they did let’s go in. As you go down this first hallway watch your step. The light is not very good in here because they want you to believe there really isn’t much here to see so you turn back, but push on. When you reach the corner you will come to a large room with a lot of shiny, glittery things. These are put here to distract and trick you to stay in this room. If this interests you and makes you fee comfortable then stay but I recommend pushing forward. This next area may be a bit tricky to maneuver through. There are things left behind, forgotten and put somewhat haphazardly on shelves that may not be that level. Don’t worry they will stay there and you can always come back to retrieve those things that interest you. At the next turn there will be a fork in the road, this is the toughest part of the journey because both ways look exactly the same. You would swear that they are carbon copies of each other but there are subtle differences. Don’t rush forward, stand here for a moment and engage your intuitive nature to guide your steps. Where you go next will be up to you…

The pillars of the season...

By Vichara


Here we are again folks at the “thankful” part of the year. As the sands of the year trickle out in anticipation of the new one we reach those two pillars that stand as the gate to a supposed new start. Thanksgiving, the first pillar, is apparently to mark the anniversary of the first settlers sitting down with the natives of this land (U.S.A) and giving thanks that in the act of unity and kindness they had enough food supplies to make it through the harsh winter season. Yes kids before Wal-Mart and the somewhat endless supplies of Mac and cheese and ding-dongs. But over the decades the Rockwellian scene of families coming together has morphed for some into football, food and falling down. The second pillar of the season for the majority of Christians and others is Christmas. The one day in the year that there is a free-for-all in giving gifts to each other that marks the birth of a baby named Jesus, who would later become a great teacher of peace and be considered by Christians to be the son of god, with a capitol “G”. As the years have gone by this calendar date has been warped from the goodwill towards all, peace to your brothers and sisters to a competition of the number and magnitude of gifts that we can stuff under an evergreen tree that has bee sacrificed to be used as an interior decorating piece anointed with shredded silver paper, lights and an impaled angel. Why are we compelled by this commercialism of these calendar dates? Have we drifted too far away from the original intent of these dates in order to not suffer from guilt and peer pressure? We can shrug, say whatever and just follow along like everyone else or start little by little to bring back moments of the original intent. The intent of communion with others is to learn from each other, encourage each other and help each other. And with this communion of supportive dialogue we give each other something far more valuable than any gift. We give each other love and respect.

A step...

By Vichara


The sun is up, you’re breathing and you are probably one of the lucky ones that will have some food this morning. What’s left to do? I’m not talking in the figurative sense but in the literal sense as well. Is there a somewhat unreachable thing you can start to take a few steps forward with? Is there an extra once of forgiveness you can give to yourself or someone else? Is there a step you can take to help improve the lives of others around you? It does not necessarily need to be grand, just a small step. From the small step forward…well you know.

Our actions...

By Vichara


All our daily actions are tempered by knowledge and guidance given to us by others who have helped or hindered us and of course what we have read and seen. All our senses ingesting and digesting the best and worst of humanity. If one were given only violence, one would only know violence. If one were only given compassion, one would only know compassion. Unfortunately and fortunately the world does not work that way. It is a collection of competing contrasts that present themselves to us and ask us to judge and act accordingly. How we act will be how the world sees us. How do you want to be seen and remembered? Our personal legacies may not be as large as people like Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Einstein and others but it is no less important. Each step, word and deed counts and will be counted.

Islands...

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 other’s 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 the reach the harbor of slumber land. Is it fear, apathy or through 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 with the billions of other islands out there but we are connected by the ocean of communication that can be at times choppy, dark and difficult to maneuver. However there are ways to reach each other’s shorelines without too many shipwrecks. As quoted here before each one of us needs to be kind to each other because we are all dealing with our own battles. With that recognition there is a chance that you see the waters become clearer and less troublesome and opportunities are created to see another’s shoreline without judgment and expectation.

Connections...

By Vichara


When you consider me part of you, in the universal sense, you gain more respect for life for everyone. Me being part of you, you part of me. You wouldn’t consciously hurt yourself right? In the karmic sense whatever you inflict on someone else is ultimately to you as well. Be careful where you tread, what you say and the wake you create. This is not to be overreactive or oversensitive but to carry with you a sense that we are all connected in some way even if it may appear small. You will find that it is ultimately not so small.

Waves of compassion...

By Vichara


While you think the world is going on out there it is going on you as well. You are an integral part of the machinations of the world no matter how small it may be perceived. You are important and you do matter even if you don’t think so. As the result of the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in the rain forest creates a storm half way around the world so can a simple act of kindness create waves of change. Open up your heart, open up your wings and impact the world around you with compassion.

Engage...

By Vichara


How much are you willing to risk today? I’m not talking about partaking in skydiving or a similar activity. No, I’m thinking more along the lines of opening up more to the world around you and deepening the connection perhaps already established. We tend to reside mostly in our comfort zone of familiarity. The same people, same places, same roads we travel (with minor differences) and various similar repetitive activities. I bet there are even times that you even recognize these facts yourself. But you have created a zone of comfort that it would be scary to leave. Now I’m not suggesting extreme radical behavior. That would be uncomfortable for 99% of many of us. The risk I’m suggesting is slight deviations in our daily routines, perceptions and interactions that will crack open and create a different viewpoint. The person in line with you getting coffee is human like you and probably seeking the same answers. Try a new route, make new discoveries and explore. There are only a limited number of hours in a day. Don’t waste them sleeping or cowered in fear – engage.

Lanterns of wisdom...

By Vichara


As with everyday when I wake they stand silently on the shelf next to the bed. They are the Sherpas, the soldiers of truth, guideposts, lanterns of wisdom, stepping stones of knowledge, knaves, jests and they are probably the most dependable. Their names are sometimes recognizable and others are like kind old friends. Tolstoy, London, Marcus Aurelius, Huxley, Plato, Gandhi, Kierkegaard, Merton, Teresa Of Avila, Krishnamurti, Milarepa, Easwaran and Hildegard of Bingen. Like all good sentries and sages they await your approach, they do not actively solicit your attention. If you seek, they will provide but only when called upon. Their patience far exceeds anything you may have and if cared for will have great resilience. If you are seeking may I suggest amassing a few if these stalwarts of the printed page for your journey. If one does not provide all the answers they will lead you to one of its compatriots. The investment will be well worth the effort and you will be rewarded and guides to places…only read about.

Friday...

By Vichara


Another week has slid off the table and on to the floor. I found pieces of it scurrying over near the door in anticipation of a couple days off. Then there were a few fragments that weren’t quite sure of themselves and they huddled together in part because of fear of what to do next and in longing just to go back to the confines of the 9 – 5 work day world. I know that may seem a bit odd and most of us relish the time we are away from work spaces but for some they find comfort inside the walls where they work. Within our work areas there are opportunities to get stuck in the mundane but there is also opportunities to discover new things and ideas about us. While there is an element of distain held by some people about where they work we should also entertain the possibility that those environs can also reveal areas of discovery about ourselves.

Sustainable strength...

By Vichara


I think therefore I believe. I believe therefore I act and I act when I believe it’s the right thing to do. Like Atticus Finch (from To Kill A Mockingbird) you strip away the absurdities and intolerance and expose the facts. These facts become the tools you use to pull back the curtain to the truth. If there is any lack of confidence or doubt preserve your strength until you gain the fortitude and knowledge that what you hold has merit and weight. I know that this may seem daunting and unobtainable but like any athlete you use patient methodical training using the pyramid points of power, Love, Patience and Compassion and you will achieve the strength and perception you need. Strength based in compassion will always have more sustainable power then strength with intolerance.

Three wishes...

By Vichara


Do you remember the story of Aladdin, the magic lamp and the granting of the three wishes? I think the Genie was a very wise being in only granting three wishes. I’m sure that the genie could have given Aladdin as many wishes as the Genie wanted to give but it certainly wouldn’t have made the three chosen that special or important. In a grand way he was making Aladdin define what was important and to make wise decisions. In a way and if we have been lucky we have Genies in our own lives in the form of parents, grandparents, teachers, friends and even brothers and sisters. While not magically appearing out of a lamp they do appear and help us re-define and define what we wish for in our lives. Aladdin was only granted three wishes and Genie complied but the results and proceeds of the wishes were totally Aladdin’s responsibility to deal with on his own. You can have as many wishes as you want and can handle but perhaps you could be your own Genie and try to define a little clearer what is truly important to you and your heart.

Measurements of existence...

By Vichara


Does a certain degree of accomplishments elevate the existence of this flesh and bones to a level where they will not be soon forgotten? Is there a level of these acts where your mortal existence will be remembered? Is being remembered a needed element to exist? In our western culture much is placed on the justification of our existence. How many units did you finish? How much farther did you go in getting what was assigned to you done? How many miles did you travel? How many songs have you written? How many awards, accolades and areas of accomplishment have you received? The amount of accomplishments seems to further deepen our place in society and garners much esteem. So what about that proud farmer in a small African village, the cobbler in an eastern European town, the only doctor for miles in Patagonia or that inspired teacher in a small town here in America. Does not the number of things that they have accomplished just as important? To those close to these examples I would think even more so. With the interconnection of beings all of what we do for each other is important, it is just a different degree of measurement. So even more that the statues and pieces of paper the most important measurement in how we will be remembered is by the measurement of the heart.

Behind the slipcover...

By Vichara


It has been said that sometimes people judge a book by its cover. I know that this means in the figurative sense but when I was younger I thought it meant in the literal. You are in a bookstore and you are glancing at the rows of new books with their captivating colors, designs and images that are used to draw your eyes and hands. For some reason I have always been compelled to slide the slip cover off to see the actual book underneath. Did they use the same typeface? What color is the hardback? Is there some other image beyond the splashes of color that was used on the slipcover? A desire to see what was originally intended before the other designer came up with the fancy slipcover. I envision a quiet designer behind the scenes choosing colors, typefaces and constructing what the general public may never see unless the slipcover gets torn and needs to be discarded. In similar ways we sometimes fail to see behind the surface with those we encounter and even with those that we love. In some cases it can be either lack of patience or lack of time but in the end it is still a loss. Taking the slipcover off can be a challenge but it can be so worth it. What could be behind the façade of color and casual conversation could reveal a truly remarkable life.

Be a light on the path...

By Vichara


We may speak in many languages but we all know compassion. Our skin may have many different pigments but we all feel pain. There may be many miles that separate us but love draws us closer and a simple smile will connect our hearts. We may call it many things in each of our cultures but at the core we are seeking understanding and enlightenment. The frenetic energy that can encompass us will act as a deterrent and a diversion but it is only temporal. Once the heart calls for a truce amongst the senses that path to understanding and enlightenment becomes a little easier. There will always be little holes and stones that will be strewn on the path but with conviction of the heart tempered by compassion you won’t stub your toes that much. We are all on the same path so hold up the light a little bit higher and together we will find the understanding.

A matter of perception...

By Vichara


One person’s salvation can be another person’s dilemma; it’s all a matter of perception. In fact all that we see is all a matter of perception. Two people could be standing right next to each other overlooking a rolling landscape with large trees, colorful flowers and in the center a pond teeming with life. One could be in awe of the beauty and the cavalcade of little beings while the other person could be apprehensive about being surrounded by that mush nature and scared for their lives. It’s all a matter of perception. From the mundane to the greatest of tasks if you are observant of others you can see from their eyes and body movements their perception and primal reaction. There may be similarities but each of us sees things in our own unique way. Plato said “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”. As you go through your day try to be a little more cognizant of others and their perceptions. You may be in the same room but their battlefield could be a meadow or a storm.

The cycle...

By Vichara


Eventually each cycle of existence will turn on its intended revolution and move on to its next level, season, destination and demarcation point. It has always been engaged just as your life continues to be. It is in our humanoid form where we have the conscious ability to assist in the cycle with moral and ethical decisions. They may not be easy but it is in these choices where the cycle will either glide along with little effort or wobble with our erratic and unethical choices. The cyclical movement may need to correct itself from time to time from circumstances and conditions that will alter its course but in the end it always right itself on its intended path. And as the revolutions turn you will acquire souvenirs of life along the way. Of these the ones with weight and merit will be retained for dispersion to their intended audiences. This is one of the reasons of our existence. The accumulation of experience and knowledge to be shared with the next cycle of existence and the next and the next…

And over here is...

By Vichara


You can’t argue with the Past, it’s just the way it is with everyone. The Past thinks it knows everything and will border on being truly rude to make that point. Sometimes the Past is even smug and will take every chance it can get to bring up things that you want to forget and that were painful. Oh there can be moments when the Past will allow some good things to slip past the radar but this is only at the insistence of the Future. Even though the Future may seem docile it can be confused and even antagonistic. The Future just can’t help itself because the ground is constantly changing below its feet. Over in the window seat in the café observing this ping-pong match of energies is the Present. Yes there is a serene nature the Present has and you find yourself gravitating to it for some reason. It knows that the Past exists and that the Future will be soon but for right now it is quite content to be full engaged in what is going on right now.

Measurements of love...

By Vichara


Is there a measuring device that will give you a tangible measurement of how much you love another individual? A system of weights and measures where you could place the degree of affection a on balanced instrument and it would detail back the proof of how much? When you tell a loved one how much you love them is there a degree in the pitch and timbre that assures them how much you do? What degree of conviction will ensure that the strength of your love is felt and understood? Perhaps the only way that can be achieved is a unified consistency regardless of incidents and circumstances. We all know that there will be times when things happen that will make you and others question the degrees of love but all of those are temporary. When it comes down to it I guess the only way to measure love is knowing that you can. Great gestures of love are obvious but even what may be perceived as a small gesture can turn the world of one heart.

Key to happiness?...

By Vichara


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

Rolling up the hill...

By Vichara


We arise from our slumber to once again take up our roles as phosphorus beings rolling up the cumulative obligations and duties into various sized spheres. We assemble and push them along whatever incline that has been created to wherever it has been determined. What are these tasks that we assume? Do they serve a greater purpose or just a means to an end? Are these spheres that we labor with part of a greater lesson or just an excuse to fill our time? I would venture this that if we were to be more unified in approach to this “journey” here and help each other find the commonalities instead of laboring in a vacuum then perhaps the incline that has been created becomes level and easier to manage together. I don’t know it’s just a thought.

Roadside assistance...

By Vichara


You get up and empty the dustbin of your mind of the things from yesterday. 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 thing 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’s no good, it get louder. If you stop now to inspect it will it disrupt your day but the insistent grind will not subside. You can’t call a technician to handle this; it’s up to you. Stop the truck and pull out the tools. The wrench of compassion, the hammer of patience and the saw of decision, pull them all out. Open the gearbox in the shade on the side of the road and quietly through introspection locate the jiggly part that has got loose. 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 and how to fix it.

This day that we have been given...

By Vichara


If we were to be literally given the same imagined 9 lives that cats are granted I’m afraid we would waste them as well. I know that may seem harsh and pessimistic but I’m sure you have witnessed, as I have, the number of chances, reprieves and literal stays of execution from this life that we may have witnessed or have read about. Face it today the majority of us are wasteful. We are wasteful with time, energy, thoughts and possessions. Without a defined set of parameters we believe that the “well” will never run dry. But given this life is underscored with definite impermanence there is finality to everything. As they say “nothing lasts forever” and the key is to enjoy the moment and what has been given to you and temper all of this with a deep sense of gratitude. Embrace this day that has been given to you. Don’t fritter it away frivolously.

Homework...

By Vichara


“Homework” even in the traditional sense is never done. There will always be something that you need to brush up on or learn and things you will need to teach to the many classes that pass through your home. Then there is the homework of the heart. The bell may have rung, the classroom empty but there are lessons we have been given that need to be processed. The episodes of the day where personal interactions left you contemplating their meaning. The moment unexpected when someone really needed your help. The look that someone you never met before gave you in that brief conversation. That one comment that left you feeling good about everything. All of these equations and problems will only need one formula to be used to process, gain understanding and receive the answers and that is the formula of the compassionate heart. Used for many centuries this formula will take any problem and render it clearer and understandable. The magical thing is that we already know this formula; we just need to take it out more often and use it.

Now is waiting...

By Vichara


Between the internal and external dialogue that rattles around in our brains it is a wonder that we can ever achieve the clarity and focus to accomplish things in a day. The inner dialogue repeats snippets of what we have heard and conjures up potential dialogue that could happen given an arbitrary set of circumstances. Both are not based in anything that exists anymore or could. They are the padded walls of noise that we bounce around in an effort to make sense of the frenetic energy that surrounds us. This does not mean you are wacky koo-koo it is just another coping mechanism that tries to steer you into being “present”. Like rounding up a dozen slippery eels while your hands are wet and greasy it is challenging. Breathe and carefully put all of these snippets in a bucket and them put it aside. You don’t need them; you just need what is going on this moment. It is what is present now that is important. The past has slid off the table and the future can’t make up its mind which door to enter. Let them deal with themselves you don’t need them. They don’t exist anymore but you do and the present does right now as well. Walk with it.

Being in the middle...

By Vichara


They say that youth is wasted on the youth and that there is no appreciation for what is being given to them. I think much worse is that “present” is wasted on the majority. There are so many fixated on the past and possible regrets and what if’s and just as many consumed with the anxiety of the future. Either one of these states, especially the past, can’t be changed. Being caught in either one of these states robs you of what is going on right now and the guidance to be received for the next step. Being present can be a difficult state of mind for most as most of our daily activities dictate the desire to be in both. But being present has a way of smoothing out the rough spots of the perceived past and will open up the vistas that will come next.

A new resolve...

By Vichara


Until we reach the dawn and greet it with open arms we will be only embracing darkness. Until we hear the sound and open up our hearts the silence will be deafening. Until we see through the fog of deception we will only be deluded. Until we taste the truth warmth of life all that we have ingested are cold scraps. There are times when we need to push ourselves from our complacency and engage ourselves to the next level. It may seem daunting, reaching into the unknown dies have that effect, but unless this is ignited we remain stagnate. I hear “well what do I do”? “what shall I do”?, “I’m not sure which way to go”? Well pull up your socks, shakes off the dust that has settled on your shoulders and look up with the resolve to engage with something foreign to you today. Just one new thing. It may not pan out or it may but one thing is fore sure whatever way it goes it will open up a new door to something else. Now get up and make sure your shoelaces are tied.

Message in a bottle...

By Vichara


When I was a kid living close to the shoreline of one of the Great Lakes I used to imagine it was a vast ocean. In those years of reading stories like Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, Kidnapped and having a wild imagination this body of water might as well have been a vast ocean. At one point I wrote a note of who I was and where I lived, placed it in a corked bottle and sent it adrift in my vast ocean, ok the lake. I imagined this bottle silently bobbing and drifting along making a very long journey to some exotic foreign shore where another boy just like me would find it and be inspired to cast a note back. This exchange could take months, even years but somehow you believed that it would and you would connect with someone out there in the world. Now that we have got older a lot of those young imaginative thoughts like that have drifted away but I do believe on some small level they still exist. We all want to cast out a message in a bottle and connect with someone, even on the smallest level. Regardless of how vast this ocean of humanity may appear there are others that want to connect like you do. Trust that they are out there and send out your message in a bottle today.

The landscape...

By Vichara


We are grasping for straws of humanity in a desperate need to make sense of lives that sometimes intersect with such indifference it leaves us little strength and resolve to more forward. Even if we close our eyes to the events around us we still see images with eyes closed. We need to change our vision. Change what is out “there” and inside our hearts. Easier said then done but there are ways. As I stated in other times it will not be in the grandiose actions that will necessarily make the difference in the world around us it will be in the small gestures initiated with the heart that will have the most profound effect. Try to do something very small for someone else today to try to change the human landscape out there and in your heart.

Fill the pages...

By Vichara


The heavy rain clouds form a quiet somnambulistic pillow that created an opportunity for the mind to tuck into its fold, relax and drift into introspection. Somehow by being isolated because of the inclement weather did not feel claustrophobic but freeing. The overcast corridors lent themselves to be soft corners to lean into and be safe instead of the harsh edges that would be present in the cold light. While some have problems with these days I find comfort and variety in them. A change, a new vista and an opportunity to ponder a new avenue of thought. I know, I know you have perhaps read my suggestions before about taking on a new path but since we are in the change of seasons why not add a change of thought. Make a new discovery. Our lives have only a limited number of pages. Fill that book up on each page until the binding splits and it becomes heavy with joy.