7.31.23

Thought

There is an innate wisdom within all of us that can help guide us through life if we tap into it:

 …not a matter of belief or doctrine, but rather of direct experience. It is about awakening to the true nature of reality, and realizing our own innate wisdom and compassion. It is about letting go of our attachment to the ego, and embracing the interdependence and interconnectedness of all things. It is about finding freedom from our own self-created suffering, and living with an open heart and an awakened mind.

— Alan Watts, The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Quote

Thought leader Christian D. Larson on belief:

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle."

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful that I had the chance to hold my newborn niece for the first time last weekend. 

What are you grateful for?

Happy Monday,

Val

7.24.23

Thought

Famed psychologist Carl Jung proposed that there is a shared unconscious among all humans, made up of archetypes and universal symbols inherited from our ancestors:

The collective unconscious is like a deep ocean, full of life and mystery. It is the realm of the gods and the ancestors, the place where the past and the future meet. It is a source of wisdom and guidance, a map of the soul that can help us navigate the complexities of life.

— Carl Jung, The Red Book

Quote

Writer and professor Joseph Campbell on surrender:

"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

Meditation of the Day

Thich Nhat Hanh’s simple “In-Out” exercise:

Breathing in, I calm my body.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment.

I know this is a wonderful moment!

Happy Monday,

Val

7.17.23

Thought

Non-attachment — engaging with flexibility and with no fixation on achieving specific outcomes:

Non-attachment is the practice of letting go of our attachment to our ideas, our views, our perceptions, and our opinions. When we let go of these things, we open ourselves up to new perspectives and new possibilities. We become more flexible, more adaptable, and more open-minded.

— Thich Nhat Hanh, The Art of Power 

Quote

Author Helen Keller on perception:

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."

Last Week Follow Up

First off - thank you all for the responses you send me each week! I received one question in particular from last week’s email that I wanted to address here:

“About today’s meditation from Rumi - do you have ideas how to seek and find all the barriers you have built within yourself against love? What are your thoughts about seeking and finding those barriers?”

One practice that has been immensely helpful to me is trying to drop the idea of “should”. That people “should” act a certain way or that things are “supposed” to happen exactly according to my plan. I find that when I’m able to get rid of “should” and settle into the present moment, the barriers fall away and all that’s left is love.

What are some practices you use to drop the barriers within?

Happy Monday,

Val

7.10.23

Thought

“Kintsugi” is the practice of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered precious metals, celebrating the history and beauty of the object:

...the vicissitudes of existence over time, to which all humans are susceptible, could not be clearer than in the breaks, the knocks, and the shattering to which ceramic ware too is subject. This poignancy or aesthetic of existence has been known in Japan as mono no aware, a compassionate sensitivity, or perhaps identification with, [things] outside oneself.

— Christy Bartlett, Flickwerk: The Aesthetics of Mended Japanese Ceramics

 Quote

Poet Rumi on egoic barriers:

 "Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

Intention of the Day

My intention today is to speak with loving kindness to all I encounter.

What is your intention today?

Happy Monday,

Val

7.3.23

Thought

Living life as an artist is a practice.

You are either engaging in the practice

or you’re not.

It makes no sense to say you’re not good at it.

It’s like saying, “I’m not good at being a monk.”

You are either living as a monk or you’re not.

We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output.

The real work of the artist

is a way of being in the world.

-Rick Rubin. The Creative Act

Quote

Spiritual leader Buddha on the nature of existence:  

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful that the sun was shining through the windows when I woke up today.

What are you grateful for?

Happy Monday,

Val

6.26.23

Every Monday, I’ll be sending out “Meditation Mondays” – short emails with thoughts and quotes that are inspiring me.

The goal of each Mediation Monday is to share these ideas with you in the hopes that you’ll find some inspiration in them as well. Take what resonates with you and leave the rest behind.

Thought

The practice of gratitude can shift our perspective in life and open up our worldview:

When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn't get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don't get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying 'You're too this, or I'm too this.' That judging mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.

— Ram Dass

Quote

Novelist Marcel Proust on gratitude:

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for you, taking time to read this and to contemplate these ideas with me.

What are you grateful for?

Happy Monday,

Val