FREE FROM AGENDA

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

~ Dalai Lama ~

Compassion is free from agenda, aggression, and demand of any kind. 

It is simply open and generous.

It sees with love.

It knows what it's like to be human,

And it's empathetic and kind. 

Compassion is big enough to hold all the love in the universe. 

PEOPLE AS PLANTS

"Gardens are a form of autobiography."

~ Sydney Eddison ~

Each plant has a growing "habit". Some grow in mounds, some in shoots, and some in colonies- some creep, some climb, some are massively tall and some are low to the ground. It depends on the plant, and considering the way they grow makes sense in terms of their placement in the garden.

     Perhaps, though slightly less obvious, it's the same with us. 

We grow how we grow. 

THE BASICS

"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."

~ Hippocrates ~

Being hungry increases impatience, and being tired increases physical pain.

That we eat and sleep in appropriate measure
are two easy fixes in a demanding world;

So simple,
and yet,
so frequently forgotten.

I eat at regular intervals and allow for enough sleep to feel my best. 

PEACE

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

~ Ghandi ~

Aggression begets aggression, 

so belligerence of any kind, 

even for a "good cause" 

results in increased belligerent energy. 

If we want peace, 

we must learn 

to be peaceful 

with others 

and within ourselves.

Nothing is so important that I need to loose my cool. 

THE 4TH OF JULY!

"Liberty is the breath of life..."

~ George Bernard Shaw ~

It's the 4th of July again- the height of heat and summer- the blasting of fireworks, the sparkle of sparklers, the gathering for picnics- flags flying, corn on the cob. It's festive and fun... in theory, though it doesn't always play out that way.
     What's important to remember is the why of it and what we're really celebrating- our freedom, which is so easy to take for granted, and without which we would be limited and pinched.

I am grateful for my freedom!

JUST FOR US

"Wellness is the art of healing before you're sick."

~ Terri Guillemets ~

We all need personal space and some kind of time to ourselves for optimal well-being. Otherwise, we get so crowded physically and mentally that there is no room for insight or inspiration. This fact is often missed in early relationships when couples want to spend every waking moment together, but it's critical really. Without it, we suffocate and suffer. Point being, if it's not offered up to us by others, we need to claim it for ourselves.

I assert my need for time and space. 

ALLOWING FOR IMPERFECTION

"Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face."

~ Nelson DeMille ~

Spewing negative judgments onto other people and into the world is a dismal exercise. It generates defensiveness and darkness and gets us nothing worth having. We're far from perfect ourselves, so why not allow for the human-ness in others and spread compassion instead? It feels better and opens us to the energy of love.

I catch myself being negative about others and stop.