The gallery of life...

By Vichara

Losing a person to the final stage of death feels like a chip has been taken away from the much larger stone sculpture of life. While we think of the sculpture as permanent and strong it too is subject to the state of impermanence. With every person that we witness leaving here one more piece falls away and is filled with memories. At some point the sculpture may become thin of substance and thick with memories. It will change from a sculpture to a watercolor painting, faded in some places but with brush strokes of love and compassion. There is no wrong or right with this scenario – it is just the way it is. We don’t accept this in servitude to the transition but acceptance with its natural outcome. The gallery of our lifetime will house many works of art and the collections will change daily. Our admission to this gallery is with equanimity. Try not to rush through the exhibits in the gallery but stop and appreciate the transitional beauty.

Sheer will...

By Vichara

We are superstitious about superstitions; Don’t step on the crack unless you… Throw the salt over your shoulder… Turn around three times and spit… Rub the rabbit foot… Don’t let a black cat cross… We use incantations, spells and chanting all in the attempt for the most part to stop something from happening to you, friends or family member. In others words trying to control what may be unavoidable…or not. While many cultures have their talismans and prayers at the core of these attempts to change the outcome is the sheer will. That is it. It is not that any one object contains magical properties; it is the focus of sheer will that will be effective with the outcome. If you want to change you can. Step by step do the work to get it done. Inch by inch gather your tools to build a better foundation. Don’t kill another rabbit for its foot – do the work yourself!

Meeting at high noon...

By Vichara

Two thoughts meet and face each other like Wild West gunslingers at high noon. Who is faster at engaging the synopses that will culminate in a victory with the grey matter of the brain? Who will be faster, hit the mark and gain dominance? The right thought, the wrong thought. The calculated or the impulsive, which one will, it be? In that split second with that one dominant thought our lives change. This thought gunfight happens so many times in a day that we do not keep track. So how do we know that the decision to raise the hand of victory in that microsecond is the right one? Is it in the intuitive moral compass that hopefully cultivated? Spiritual guides that mysteriously lead you through to safety? I am not completely sure with only 57 years on this planet. But I do believe if the paths that we have traversed are infused with the lessons from those of good moral integrity that our hands and hearts will be then soundly guided and we will ultimately win the battle at high noon