On learning Patience

I guess I am thankful for the "crazymakers" in my life for they teach me to be patient and tolerant.
Namaste,
Michele

Karma

Marko playing ball.


PEOPLE GET INTO A HEAVY-DUTY sin and guilt trip, feeling

that if things are going wrong, that means
that they did something 
bad and they are being punished.
That's not the idea at all. The idea 
of karma is that you continually get
the teachings that you need to 
open your heart. To the degree
that you didn't understand in the 
past how to stop protecting
your soft spot, how to stop armoring 
your heart, you're given
this gift of teachings in the form
of your life, 
to give you everything
you need to open further."

~Pema Chödrön on karma,
from "Start Where You Are"

being here now

Mira took this at Hessler Street Fair :)



We cannot be present and run our story-line at the same time. -Pema Chodron

bird talk

All too frequently we relate like timid birds who don't dare to leave the nest. Here we sit in a nest that's getting pretty smelly and that hasn't served its function for a very long time. No one is arriving to feed us. No one is protecting us and keeping us warm. And yet we keep hoping mother bird will arrive. We could do ourselves the ultimate favor and finally get out of that nest. That this takes courage is obvious. That we could use some helpful hints is also clear. We may doubt that we're up to being a warrior-in-training. But we can ask ourselves this question: "Do I prefer to grow up and relate to life directly, or do I choose to live in fear?"

-Pema Chodron

Letting Go

Bud Preston's website: click here
Hello!!
Above is a picture from Mira and Marko's guitar lesson yesterday evening.
They both started lessons this summer.
I was so crushed when Mira wanted to quit playing her violin.
She had played the violin for the last 5 years and I enjoyed hearing her play.
However, she was tired of orchestra, tired of the rules and tired of not playing modern songs.
I tried to convince her to stay in it for high school, but then I realized it is not about me.
(hard for me to do.....because I wanted her to be a violin player...I had plans that she would travel with the Medina Orchestra to Russia during high school and that I would go to her concerts throughout her four years at the high school......but it is not my life....and she must follow her own passions....not mine)
so guess why she quit......because she wanted to learn how to play the guitar.
so now Mira and Marko take guitar lessons together.
Mira plays Mark's guitar.....and Marko plays his new "Gibson."

Below are words from Pema Chodron.
She offered these five pieces advice at a retreat this year.
I found them very fitting......have been going through some major stressors lately....those of you who know me well know that.
I have been practicing on learning to "let go."
at times it works really well and at other times I am filled with a lot of anger and feelings of being betrayed.
Last week at Omega Institute, I meditated each morning for an hour and each evening for an hour. which consisted of sitting on these cushions with our legs crossed in total silence...just keeping your mind blank, then at the end the instructor would lead us through a "loving-kindness" meditation where you send love to yourself, love to a teacher in your life, love to someone close, love to someone you have issues with, and you keep stretching it until you are sending love from you heart to every living entity on the planet.
On the last day of meditation, the meditation leader, gave me this piece of paper and told me that it was a gift from her to me.
did you ever notice how the words from someone can be exactly what you needed to hear?
It is really weird....well not really....(truth is something you stumble into when you think you are going someplace else-Jerry Garcia)
but it was like it was really written for me.
so now I will share it with you...read below and have a great day!!!
Namaste,
Michele


At the close of the rainy season retreat at Gampo Abbey this year, Pema Chodron offered these five pieces of advice.

1. The mundane details of our life eat us up. Therefore it is important to keep asking
ourselves again and again: What is the most important thing? Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing? Let that perspective be your guide.

2. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself. At the gut level, you might want to go for the most comfortable thing. Always go for the stretch. Sometimes the stretch is to stay,
sometimes to go. Sometimes to say, Yes, sometimes to say, No. You don't always know. The key is to be willing to go through the shedding and unmasking process.

3. Rest in the insecurity.
Remember that when we lose ground we habitually panic and look for something solid to
hold onto: that's a description of samsara. Go at your pace. And don't push it.
But continue to train in resting and with insecurity.

4. Don't believe everything you think. If you can follow this advice, you will be in good shape.

5. Take exactly what appears as your path.

this last one means, wherever we are, this is our awakening, our sacred space. Listening deeply, we open the doors of our true nature, which is called Buddha nature or God nature
or Allah or the Tao. The mind is clear and bright. Compassion arises. We find our way.

So True!

Mark made this...I thought it was pretty cool.



"...Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know."
-Pema Chodron


I just wish there wasn't so much for me to have to learn. just kidding....I know everything is unfolding just as it should....but sometimes I forget!!!
Michele