Carting Around The Past

The Poster says:

Quit hanging on to the past; fantasizing, dreaming, wishing and replaying it.  You can’t change it.  You just haven’t realized it yet, but you have moved on.  You are different now; not of the past, but of now - a different person.  You don’t need what the past had.  Your life is here today.  Your greatest moments are ahead of you and are right where you are now, so seize them while you can, before it is too late. —Bryant McGill

##################

This blog comes from an old journal that I was writing in while I worked at a particular job.  I think the entry still has relevance for many people today.

###############

I was having a bad day.  When I have a bad day, the Angels seem to appear to give me something else to think about.  A bad day, for me, is when things do not flow smoothly.  There are blocks. Even little things like we are out of my favourite chai tea latte in the kitchen at work.

Going back to the Angels….  they reminded me that when we hang on to something or become attached ( read my favourite tea), we constantly set ourselves up for failure and disappointment.  Then I saw the poster above, and I had this moment of clarity around the past, and around attachment.

Later, to make sure that I really got the message, the Angels sent me an OSHO Zen Tarot card called “Clinging To The Past”.  See it below.  Being blocked will limit your abundance.  The clear message is that change is required.  Creator will help you with your healing, however, some Meditation – a chance to listen to Creator (or the Universe) is required. 

The write up is pretty impressive.  Here is part of it.

The figure pictured in this card is so preoccupied with clutching her box of memories that she has turned her back on the sparkling champagne glass of blessings available here and now. Her nostalgia for the past really makes her a 'blockhead', and a beggar besides, as we can see from her patched and ragged clothes. She needn't be a beggar, of course--but she is not available to taste the pleasures that offer themselves in the present.

It's time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn't been so busy clinging to what you have already been through. Take a deep breath, put the box down, tie it up in a pretty ribbon if you must, and bid it a fond and reverent farewell. Life is passing you by, and you're in danger of becoming an old fossil before your time!

- from Osho, THe Great Zen Master Ta Hui, Chapter 10.

When something appears to you several times in a week, then pay attention.  If something appears several times in a day, you are being smacked over the head to get your attention.

This was telling me about clinging to the past.  What does it mean to you?

Special thanks to http://kathryn.mnsi.net/ for having the Osho Zen cards available.

Many blessings,

Judy

More on Breath

The poster says:   The same atoms and molecules of air, the breath that Jesus breathed, Moses breathed, Buddha breathed, that same breath is flowing into you right now!

The interesting thing about air is that it is always present.  It moves and is cleansed, and becomes rain or snow, and then changes to become “air” once again.  This is a good time to take up a meditation practice.  Not a big one – five or ten minutes a day.  And, in that time, be mindful of your breath.  You will be uncomfortable at first, however, things will change after the seventh day, and, it will become more natural.

Blessings,

Judy

Mindfulness of Breathing

 

The poster says:  Just breathe…….

Mindfulness of breathing is a practice of learning to harmonize your attention with what is, in this moment. Short, long, deep, shallow are all fine breaths. Trust your body; it knows what is needed.   - Christina Feldman, "Meditation Q&A"

Last fall, ten of our friends came for a combined equinox and full moon celebration.  The theme was Humor and Humility.  The discussion ranged from community gatherings, sporting events, to discussions about current events and the energies that we are experiencing.  Throughout the evening, the common thread was breath.  Sometimes, to keep going, one just needs to breathe. 

Blessings, 

Judy

Out of Breath, Out of LIfe!

It is true that when we can no longer breathe, we are not supporting our physical body, and we make the transition to the next life.  Transition becomes a matter of “Not Breath”.

Let today be the day that you begin to breath fully.  Let the molecules of oxygen move through your body to allow light into the cells.  Let this be the time of welcoming breath.

Blessings, 

Judy

Living In The Past

I have many card decks.  Periodically, I pull a card for the day, or the week, or even for the month.  I pulled the card for today, Osho card #5, Clinging To the Past, for January 2025.

Below is the explanation for the card.  May you find some information int the explanation that helps you with something that you are facing.

**************************************

The Osho Card for today

These tenses--past, present and future--are not the tenses of time; they are tenses of the mind. That which is no longer before the mind becomes the past. That which is before the mind is the present. And that which is going to be before the mind is the future. Past is that which is no longer before you. Future is that which is not yet before you. And present is that which is before you and is slipping out of your sight. Soon it will be past.... If you don't cling to the past...because clinging to the past is absolute stupidity.  …..

The figure pictured in this card is so preoccupied with clutching her box of memories that she has turned her back on the sparkling champagne glass of blessings available here and now. Her nostalgia for the past really makes her a 'blockhead', and a beggar besides, as we can see from her patched and ragged clothes. She needn't be a beggar, of course--but she is not available to taste the pleasures that offer themselves in the present. It's time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn't been so busy clinging to what you have already been through. Take a deep breath, put the box down, tie it up in a pretty ribbon if you must, and bid it a fond and reverent farewell. Life is passing you by, and you're in danger of becoming an old fossil before your time!

--Osho The Great Zen Master Ta Hui Chapter 10

*******************************************

Blessings,

Judy 

Relaxing by Stressing

Meditation picture from www.ehow.com

 

 

 

One of the things that I have learned about meditation is – there are many more ways to meditate than one could practice in this lifetime.  I quite enjoy the Buddhist meditations.  Here is one that I thought would be a good one for these times that seem to be creating a lot of stress for people.

           *****************************

RELAXING BY STRESSING 

A very effective method to relax the body by stressing all the muscles, holding that 5 to 10 seconds, and then releasing the tension.

1.  Sit or lie in a relaxed way.  
2.  Put an extremely tense expression on the face, straining as many face muscles as possible. (If you practise Yoga, then you might use the Lion’s Pose here.)

3. Take a deep breath and forcefully hold it. (Use a count of three to start with, and then, as you practice, increase the count for holding the breath to ten.)  
4. Now slowly release the breath and the tension of all the face muscles, feel as if you breathe out all stress.  
5.  Inhale deeply again and stress all neck and shoulder muscles, and then let go. (If you feel slightly dizzy, simply keep breathing until the feeling passes.)  
6. Inhale, make fists and stress the arms, and then let go.  
7.  Inhale, stress chest, belly and back and then let go. 

8.  Inhale, stress buttocks, legs and feet and then let go.  
9.  If you still feel tension at some places, just stay relaxed. Don't hold the breath now and slowly breath out, and release all the tension while breathing out. 

Now, sit in this moment of relaxation, and ask your body to enjoy the feeling, and to remember the feeling, so that your body can recall it at will. Note that this will take some practice.  

Let me know how this meditation worked for you! 

Blessings,

Judy

The Lesson From The Useless Eyebrows

Have you ever complained about something, and called it useless?  I know I have.  When I read this Buddhist teaching, I was cast into a place of asking forgiveness from all those “things” over the years which I labelled useless.  Just because I could not understand their place in the system of “things” did not give me the right to call them useless.  I felt quite humble after I finished this story, and, it stays with me. 

                 +++++++++++++++++++++++

The Useless Eyebrows                                                
(told by Ven. Master Hsing-Yun) 

Note:  rough drawings from Judy…

Once, a person's eyes, nose, and mouth had a meeting. First the  eyes said, "We, the eyes, are of utmost importance to the body. Everything must be seen by us to know whether it is beautiful or not, big or small, tall or short. Without eyes, walking around will be very difficult. So we, the eyes, are very important. But we have been improperly placed under the eyebrows, which are of no use. It is just not fair!" 

Next, the nose said, "I, the nose, am the most important. Only I can distinguish a good smell from a foul odor. The act of breathing is also dependent on me. If I do not let the breath pass through, everybody will die. So I am the most important. As important as I am, I have been unfairly placed beneath the useless eyebrows. I am most unhappy." 

Then the mouth said, "I am the most important part of the human body. I can speak; if not for me, there would not be any communication among people. I take in the food; if not for me, everybody would die of hunger. Such an important part as myself has been placed in the lowest part of the face. The useless eyebrows, however, have been put on the highest part of the face. This I cannot accept!" 

After the others had spoken, the eyebrows spoke slowly, "Please do not fight anymore. We, the eyebrows, are surely the most useless things; we admit defeat. We are willing to be placed below you." Having said this, the eyebrows settled down below the eyes. Unfortunately, the person no longer looked like a human being. Next, they eyebrows settled down below the nose. It was still horrible; it still did not look like a human being. Then the eyebrows settled down below the mouth. This looked even more ghastly! The eyes, nose, and mouth huddled to discuss the situation again. They concluded that it was best if the eyebrows returned to their original place on the face; it was the most appropriate spot for them. When the eyebrows returned to their original spot, the appearance was once again that of a human being. Thus, we can see that what appears to be the most useless thing can be indeed the most useful.

Many blessings,

Judy

What Do You Do With Your Days?

 

“Every day that we wake up is a good day. Every breath that we take is filled with hope for a better day. Every word that we speak is a chance to change what is bad into something good.”
Walter Mosley

“Every day is different, and some days are better than others, but no matter how challenging the day, I get up and live it.”
Muhammad Ali

 Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions. --Albert Einstein

We have our days generally planned out for the week.  We want to make our days matter and we want to make sure that certain tasks get done.  Since we love the mountains, we go as often as we can because the mountains inspire us, heal us, and show us animals and trees and birds in new ways.

Each of us gets to choose how we spend our time.  How are you choosing to spend your day?

Blessings,

Judy

Breath and Water

 

Our body consists of water. However the formula for water is H20. That means that each breath we take moves some hydrogen into water because the oxygen makes it so! It seems then that the deep breathing many of us never do is really a good habit. Breathe in, right to your pelvis, and hold for a count of seven. Breathe out for a count of seven. You guessed it! Repeat this seven times. More oxygen makes your skin look younger and healthier. Oxygen and water make you shine!