Thursday, October 28, 2010

Present in the Moment with a Grin

There is no need in life to be continually just pushing along, drudging along.  If you are awake and open in living situations, it is possible for them and you to be creative, beautiful, humorous, and delightful.  This natural openness is right effort as opposed to any old effort.  Right effort is seeing a situation precisely as it is at that very moment, being fully present, with delight, with a grin.

From "The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation"


Hey Everyone - I love this excerpt!!  What a great way to look at the challenging days that we all face.  Make a copy and put it somewhere so you can remind yourself of the importance of enjoying the present moment!

Monday, October 25, 2010

How to Look at Fear

When fear occurs in your life, you should examine the nature of fear.
This is not based on asking logical questions about fear: "Why am I
afraid?" "What is the cause of my fear?" It is simply looking at the
state of fear or panic that is taking place in you. Just look at it. We
can always find good reasons to be afraid. But in this case, rather than
taking an analytical approach to fear, you should just look at your fear
directly.
From: Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery, Pema Chodron