People are willing to go to war and even give up their lives for a cause, but they cannot give up the causes of their suffering.

Gesture of Balance 

The opening heart is the most beautiful flower of all.

The greatest beauty in the world is compassion, love shinning free of attachment and grasping.

Mandala Gardens

Questioning and being aware: these are the most precious teachers.

They dwell in the heart of every human being who begins to awaken to the waste and danger of an unexamined life.

In taking responsibility for our lives and backing up that decision with action, we take the first step toward greater understanding of the nature of human being.

Knowledge of Freedom

Bringing positive change into our lives can be a simple matter, for it begins to happen as soon as you decide to expand your abilities.

Open yourself to new, different ways of being. 

Skillful Means

The issue is actually quite simple. If the merit of your efforts outlives the energy you give, the price is not too high to pay. 

Mind over Matter 

Merit is not an easy concept for Westerners to understand. In one way, however, it is simple.

When you act with compassion, free from anger, that is merit.

When you make a gift freely, or cultivate peace within yourself, or for others, that is merit.

When you care for another; showing your love, helping them heal, that is merit.

When you devote your efforts to transforming the suffering of the world, the pollution of the planet, and the inner toxicity that plagues us all, you are manifesting the power of merit.

Whatever you do out of goodness is a manifestation of merit. 

Challenging Journey, Creative Journey

To understand who we are and what we are doing, we must understand the meaning of silence.

Within silence there is a balance – mind and body become transparent, and we discover who we really are.

When everything becomes simplified through silence all the tangles of our inner knots and problems gradually dissolve.

True silence comes from within.

It is not merely the absence of speech: it is pure, naturalness – absolutely calm, without fixation, without preparation.

Nothing is required except, simply to be.

Revelation of Mind

The language of the heart is compelling and has meaning for all human beings.

It penetrates beneath the waves of self-deception, emotionality, and sentimentality to real depth of feeling.

It depends not on words and concepts, but on genuine sensitivity to universal needs and values. 

Knowledge of Freedom 

Yet very few individuals use their life experiences in such an empowering and energizing ways.

Focusing on the future or sorting through memories of the past-planning, worrying, imagining what may or may not come about and speculating upon how best to respond to endless “what if’s”-our minds are far away from the immediacy of the present.

We tend not to notice what our eyes are seeing, our ears hearing, and our bodies sensing, or even what is going on in our minds.

Of all that we do every day, we remember very little, and the quality of our experience is dulled by mind’s lack of attentiveness.

In this situation, it can be difficult to enjoy the full measure of our life experiences, and even more difficult to learn from them.

This is deeply unfortunate, since the ability to learn from experience is among the most precious benefits life offers. 

Introduction to Revelations of Mind 

Thoughts and feelings that arise in this openness lack all power to disturb us.

They reveal their illusory nature – light, transparent, they arise and dissipate in flowing, dream like rhythms.

Beyond the clouds of self-doubt and uncertainty, we can see brilliant stars and cooling moons, beautiful sunrises and bright shining sky that fills body and mind with confidence and joy.

The senses dance in celebration and beauty flows freely through our being.

Free from the tyranny of thought, we can reconnect with our sacred center and experience the sky-like quality of mind.

New Dimensions of Freedom

4^th July