So much beauty in this world!!!

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Truth

above picture by Matt Platz and below pictures by Karen Bauman.....thank you both!!!


"Our own life is the instrument with which we experiment with the truth."

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Being in the Now

Marko had a lot of fun in the snow last week, but they are all melting now........and I smell spring!!!!!!!
I hope you enjoy the words below!!!!
Namaste,
Michele

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.

_Thich Nhat Hanh

Miracles

The miracle is not to walk on water, but to walk with love on earth
- as if your feet are kissing the ground.
We must remember that our presence alone is a miracle.
We must learn to say 'Yes' to the miracles of life.
Thich Nhat Hanh

does it hurt???

I think Marko took this picture at Omega Institute.

I was driving Marko to school yesterday and he asked me, "mom does it hurt to have a baby come out from inside you." I told him yes, but the pain was so worth it.

so, he says, "well, I am glad that I decided to be a boy. Girls get a lot of advantages in this world, but I am glad I don't have to have a baby." "I am also glad that I am not a seahorse because the boy seahorse has the babies."

have a great day!!!

love,

Michele

WHEN YOU TOUCH ONE THING
with deep awareness,
you touch everything.

– Thich Nhat Hanh

Letting Go

Mira made this and took this picture.
It reminds me to take a deep breath and let go.
hope you like the quote below!!
love,
Michele




"The energy we need is not fear or anger, but the energy of understanding and compassion. There is no need to blame or condemn. Those who are destroying themselves, societies, and the planet aren't doing it intentionally. Their pain and loneliness are overwhelming, and they want to escape. They need to be helped, not punished. Only understanding and compassion on a collective level can liberate us."
— Thich Nhat Hanh in The World We Have

Peace

"If we are peaceful, if we are happy,
we can smile, and everyone in our family,
our entire society, will benefit from our peace."
--Thich Nhat Hanh

the heart

Does the rose have to do something?

No, the purpose of a rose is to be a rose. Your purpose is to be yourself.

You don't have to run anywhere to become someone else.

You are wonderful just the way you are.

This teaching of the Buddha allows us to enjoy ourselves,

the blue sky, and everything that is refreshing

and healing in the present moment.

We already have everything we are looking for,

everything we want to become.

We are already a Buddha

so why not just take the hand of another Buddha

and practice walking meditation?

Just be.

Just being in the moment

in this place is the deepest practice of meditation.

The Heart Sutra says that there is "nothing to attain."

We meditate not to attain enlightenment,

because enlightenment is already in us.

We don't need to search anywhere.

We don't need to practice to obtain some high position.

We can enjoy every moment.

People talk about entering nirvana, but we are already there.

Aimlessness and nirvana are one.

We have everything we need to make the present moment the happiest in our life,

even if we have a cold or a headache.

We don't have to wait until we get over our cold to be happy.

Having a cold is part of life. I am happy in the present moment.

I do not ask for anything else. I do not expect any additional happiness.

Aimlessness is stopping and realizing the happiness that is already available.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

all is a miracle!

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.

But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.

Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize:

a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes.

All is a miracle.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Love

We really have to understand the person we want to love. If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. If we only think of ourselves, if we know only our own needs and ignore the needs of the other person, we cannot love.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

everyday blessings

Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize:
a blue sky,
white clouds,
green leaves,
the black, curious eyes of a child
-- our own two eyes.
All is a miracle.
--Thich Nhat Hanh

coming home

I have arrived.
I am home.
My destination in each step.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

The Vehicle

“It is often said that the Buddha’s teaching is only a raft to help you cross the river,
a finger pointing to the moon.
Don’t mistake the finger for the moon.
The raft is not the shore.
If we cling to the raft, if we cling to the finger, we miss everything”
- Thich Nhat Hanh.

Being Alive

Mark likes stacking rocks....we have these all over the yard..this is one in our front yard....very zen.
Have a nice day!!! Love, Michele

You are me, and I am you.

Isn't it obvious that we "inter-are"?

You cultivate the flower in yourself,

so that I will be beautiful.

I transform the garbage in myself,

so that you will not have to suffer.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

-Marcus Aurelius