Living With Your Heart

The poster reads:  

Surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good.  Love the people who treat you right.  Pray for the ones that don’t.  Life is too short to be anything but happy.  Falling down is part of life, getting back up is living.

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Sometimes life just seems like chapters. Some good, some bad, but all come together to create the story of our lives. – Unknown

Today, find something to laugh at.  

Today, find time to share a laugh.

Then, find someone to enjoy a laugh with.

Find a way to flow with life.

It is good for your heart.

 

Blessings,

Judy

Pray For ?

 

The poster says,” Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.”

-Bruce Lee

This past year, many of my friends and family have had huge challenges to face.  Sometimes it was financial, sometimes health, and sometimes unbelievable storms that wrecked things. 

The poster talks about praying for strength.  I think that this year - 2025 - we all will need extraordinary strength to deal with all of the events that will transpire.  Some may not touch us directly, however, everything touches us indirectly. 

Today, I wish you strength and peace and hope.

Judy

Daily Necessities

A Statue of the Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India  From Wikipedia

 

 

 

I enjoy the teachings of Buddha and all of the various advices from Buddhist teachers.... the following daily advice is something that "zinged" through me and made me feel like I had discovered a hunk of gold in a cold stream.  

Tips & pointers for building a spiritual life from scratch 

Pray 
Meditate 
Be aware/Stay awake 
Bow 
Practise yoga 
Feel 
Chant and sing 
Breathe and smile 
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play 
Create/Envision 
Let Go/Forgive/Accept 
Walk/Exercise/Move 
Work/Serve/Contribute 
Listen/Learn/Enquire 
Consider/Reflect 
Cultivate oneself/Enhance competencies 
Cultivate contentment 
Cultivate flexibility 
Cultivate friendship and collaboration 
Lighten up 
Celebrate and appreciate 
Dream 
Give thanks 
Evolve 
Love 
Share/Give/Receive 
Walk softly/Live gently 
Expand/Radiate/Dissolve 
Simplify 
Surrender/Trust 
Be born anew 
~~~~~from Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das

Feel the peace and enjoy the journey!

Many Blessings,

Judy

Horse on Sleeping

 

I was getting ready to leave my meditation after having a Lion come in, when I heard the words, “Wait! Wait!  I have something to say!”

I settled back down on the grass in my favourite spot, and waited, as I had been asked.   A large white horse walked into my space, and settled in.  It was clear that she was a spirit animal.

“I heard your discussion with Lion about sleeping, and I thought that I would like to say something on that topic.”

“Go ahead,” I said.  

The white Horse had some good things to say.

• Make sure that you get all your harness off before you go to sleep.  You will be far more comfortable.
• It is good to pray before you sleep.  (I piped in that I did not know that horses did prayers.  White Horse informed me that all animals pray.)
• In nature, horses and all animals must find a safe place to sleep, or, they must have someone stand watch.  It is good to have a secure place to sleep.
• If you cannot sleep, meditate on the wonderful life that you have.  All of us have abundance and we can meditate on abundance.  I like to think about grass, and how grass becomes hay, and as I meditate on this, I just seem to fall asleep.
• If you have a guide or several guides (we horses have guides that will lead us to different places), then ask your guide to lead you to that place of sleep, and to stand guard.  This will keep you safe from all things.
• If sleep doesn’t come, think about Oneness.  Oneness means that we are all part of the same pasture (eco system) and that we must all share and help each other.

I was quite amazed at the variety of ideas that Horse had, and said so.  White Horse got this very shy look on her face and dipped her head, and wandered off.

I came out of my meditation feeling like I had been greatly blessed.

Blessings to you,

Judy

Values from the Elders

 Several weeks ago, a friend mailed me a list of actions recommended by elders in several indigenous clans.  I do not know where this originated, however, each reminder strikes a chord in me.  

When I was growing up, my parents were wonderful examples of Reminder 4.  All guests were treated with respect and honor.  Everyone was fed with the best of what was on hand.  This value my parents learned from their parents, my Ancestors.  

As you read through the reminders, check in with yourself to see how or whether you follow these life values.

15 REMINDERS FROM THE ELDERS:

1. Get up with the sun to pray. Pray alone.

2. Be tolerant of those who have lost their way. Ignorance, presumption, anger, jealousy and greed come from a lost soul. Pray for them to find guidance.

3. Find yourself, by your own means. Do not let others make your path for you. It is your path, and only yours. Others may walk with you, but no one can make your way (or walk your path) for you.

4. Treat guests in your home with great consideration. Serve them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.

5. Do not take what is not yours, whether from a person, a community, from the jungle or from a culture. It was not given or won. It is not yours.

6. Respect all the things that are on this earth, be they people, plants and animals.

7. Honor the thoughts, desires and words of all people. Never break them in, or make fun of them, or imitate them rudely. It gives each person the right to their personal expression.

8. Never talk about others in a bad way. The negative energy you put into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.

9. All people make mistakes. And all the mistakes can be forgiven.

10. Bad thoughts cause illness to the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.

11. Nature is not FOR us. It is PART of us. She's part of your family in the world.

12. Children are the seeds of our future. Sow love in your hearts and water them with wisdom and life lessons. When they grow up, just give them space to grow up.

13. Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of their suffering will return to you.

14. Be true (transparent ) all the time. Honesty is the test of one's will in this universe.

15. Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental person, your Spiritual person, your Emotional person, and your Physical person: they all have the need to be strong, pure and healthy.

May each of you have a peaceful, wonderful day,

Many blessings,

Judy