Inspiration quote

In the final analysis,

the hope of every person

is simply peace of mind.

Dalai Lama

Have a lovely weekend and take care :)

Daily practice

from the Dalai Lama

1- Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and to be loved) and we are all connected to one another. 2- Spend 5 minutes breathing in cherishing yourself, and breathing out cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing, extend your cherishing to them anyway. 3- During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person as well as the "important" people in your life, cherish the people you love and the people you dislike. 4- Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you. These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful. The practice of cherishing can be taken very deep if done wordlessly, allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation that already exists in your heart.

Food for thought

Old friends pass away, new friends appear.

It is just like the days.

An old day passes, a new day arrives.

The important thing is to make it meaningful:

a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.

Dalai Lama

I have had a meaningful day personally thanks to an insight. Since I started trying to see every day as a new chance without dragging along shame about old mistakes and bad habits; I feel free and full of energy again. What a releave hihi :)

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability,
one can build a better world.

Dalai Lama

Truthful sharing

Within the framework of the Buddhist Path,
reflecting on suffering has tremendous importance
because by realizing the nature of suffering,
you will develop greater resolve to put an end
to the causes of suffering
and the unwholesome deeds which lead to suffering.
And it will increase your enthusiasm for engaging
in the wholesome actions and deeds
which lead to happiness and joy.

Dalai Lama

Today my dear friends I wanted to share this saying with you because I got the feeling that my sharing of personal lessons somehow leads to concern with some of you, in spite of the very positive message underneath that I was trying to share with you. Most of my insights spring from situations in which I recognize my suffering and the way I have caused it myself. At some point I get insight in a situation and learn from my mistakes. To me that is a very positive experience that comes after an often self caused suffering.
If I want to share my journey with you in an honest way I cannot merely show you the insights but I will have to show you the lessons too. Otherwise I would be writing my posts with hollow words pretending to be happy and peaceful every day, even when sometimes I am not. Everyone of us has her or his way of learning the lessons of life. Some read books and succeed to practise it right away while others (like me) have to learn from their mistakes in daily life. But the beauty of it all is that we are on our way, all of us in our own tempo and in our own way.To me every moment of self conflicted suffering is a chance to learn my lessons. A chance to get an insight in the situation that causes this suffering. Like my disappointment this week first lead to suffering but later on to a very important personal insight. So let us not be afraid of sharing any form of suffering and negative experiences, but let us try to see these moments in our lives as chances to grow.

I hope this blog will become a place to share our (daily) lessons too, rather than only displaying the insights these lessons have given us . This way perhaps it can contribute something to our journey instead of a place where we are pointing out to eachother where we already are. Big hug to all of you and I am very interested in your view on this matter :)

My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God
as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet.

Gandhi

Thoughts over tea

We can live without religion and meditation,

but we cannot survive without human affection.

Dalai Lama

Today I was drinking my tea while reading the comments on my blog. It felt heart warming to share thoughts like this. It made me realize how important it is to be able to share and feel a connection with other people.

The more I see how many of my actions are conducted by the need to be loved and acknowledged, the more I understand these actions. Isn't it so that the most of our feelings of anger, fear and jealousy find their roots in the fact that we feel denied in our need for love and affection?

I am often amazed by the power of this need and it gives me a feeling of peace when I look around me and see that in fact we are all in need. And how this want for love and affection connects us all. So while I am drinking my tea I think of all the lovely people from all over the world who are drinking tea at this moment too.

We look completely different, have different backgrounds and maybe can't communicate because we speak different languages. But our deepest inner layer is the same, we all need love and affection and as long as we use love to communicate we all can touch and understand each other. Take care and thank you for sharing this Sunday tea :))

There is more hunger in the world
for love and appreciation in this world
than for bread.

Mother Teresa