11.11.24

Thought

Let the wise man shun the cauldron of confusion,
And proceed on the path of light.

Let him leave the comfort of home,

Forsaking sensual pleasures,

Freeing himself from all obstacles,

Delighting in seclusion (Not an ordinary man’s choice),

And devote himself to cleansing the blemishes of the mind.

Those who have carefully cultivated their minds,

In tune with the elements of enlightenment –

Who, without grasping, delight in detachment,

Cleansed of all corruption and therefore shining brightly,

Send forth brilliant light.

– The Dhammapada  

Quote

James Clear on thought: 

“Anxiety is thought without control. Flow is control without thought.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to be thoughtful and attentive as I listen to others today.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

11.4.24

Thought

The thing I like to compare it to, in my own attempt to understand it all, is painting. The artist has a frame that is noncommittal – it’s kind of void – and he projects something of his own imaginative creation into that by way of paints. It’s important to him whether this color is here and that color over there is in exactly that place. And it isn’t always just reproducing as a camera might; it’s something of his own spirit that’s put forth, and it bounces back to him, telling something about his inner spirit.

Well, the alchemist used metals and various chemical substances in a way the painter uses paint; and his retort, is, as it were, the canvas. By dropping certain substances into the retort and watching them send up mists and so on, he activated his own imagination. And through that, he brought up, into the field of his consciousness, potentialities from his more unconscious system.

– Joseph Campbell, An Open Life  

Quote

Marcel Duchamp on alchemy: 

“Alchemy is a kind of philosophy, a kind of thinking that leads to a way of understanding.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for quality time with family.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

10.28.24

Thought

Heaven and Hell: A Zen Parable

A tough, brawny samurai once approached a Zen master who was deep in meditation. Impatient and discourteous, the samurai demanded in his husky voice so accustomed to forceful yelling, “Tell me the nature of heaven and hell.”

The Zen master opened his eyes, looked the samurai in the face, and replied with certain scorn, “Why should I answer to a shabby, disgusting, despondent slob like you? A worm like you, do you think I should tell you anything? I can’t stand you, get out of my sight. I have no time for silly questions.”

The samurai could not bear these insults. Consumed by rage, he drew his sword and raised it to sever the master’s head at once.

Looking straight into the samurai’s eyes, the Zen master tenderly declared, “That’s hell.”

The samurai froze. He immediately understood that anger had him in its grip. His mind had just created his own hell – one filled with resentment, hatred, self-defense, and fury. He realized that he was so deep in his torment that he was ready to kill somebody.

The samurai’s eyes filled with tears. Setting his sword aside, he put his palms together and obsequiously bowed in gratitude for the insight.

The Zen master gently acknowledged with a delicate smile, “And that’s heaven.”

– Joseph Nguyen, Don’t Believe Everything You Think  

Quote

Christine Evangelou on a crowded mind: 

“A crowded mind leaves no space for a peaceful heart.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to treat everyone I come into contact with today with love and care.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

10.21.24

Thought

If there is a higher form of consciousness attainable by man, other than that which he for the most part can claim at present, it is nearly certain that it is evolving and will evolve, but slowly, and with many a slip and hesitant pause. What would be more marvelous than the first revealment of the sense of sight, what more inconceivable to those who had not experienced it, and what more certain than the first use of this faculty must have been fraught with delusion and error? Yet there may be an inner vision which again transcends sight, even as far as sight transcends touch. It is more than probably that in the hidden births of time there lurks a consciousness which is not the consciousness of “self” – or at least, which includes and entirely surpasses these – a consciousness in which the distinction between the subject and the object, fall away.

– Kenneth Walker, The Mystic Mind.  

Quote

Terrence McKenna on consciousness: 

“You are an explorer, and you represent our species, and the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because our world is endangered by the absence of good ideas. Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to stay present and be loving in all my interactions today.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

10.14.24

Thought

Hugging is a beautiful Western custom, and we from the East would like to contribute the practice of conscious breathing to it. When you hold a child in your arms, or hug your mother, or your husband, or your friend, if you breath in and out three times, your happiness will be multiplied at least tenfold.

If you are distracted, thinking about other things, your hug will be distracted also, not very deep, and you may not enjoy hugging very much. So when you hug your child, your friend, your spouse, I recommend that you first breathe in and out consciously and return to the present moment. Then, while you hold him or her in your arms, breathe three times consciously, and you will enjoy your hugging more than ever before.

– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step  

Quote

Louis L’Amor on endings: 

“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished, that will be the beginning.”

Moment of Gratitude 

I’m grateful for brief opportunities to unplug from the internet and constant news cycle to reset.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

10.7.24

Thought

Were there a force, capable, of changing this changeful world –

For the good

Reversing this concerning descent into madness and negativity

Tell me – would that agent of change… would it be Love

Oh, I know, it’s a heavily burdened word, Love

So many associations. So many expectations. Running the gambit from dark memory to sheer whimsy.

Clear all that, shall we

Shall we redefine it – Love – as simply:

Intelligence and compassion applied fanatically

Then, can that drive all action

Let me know

If so, I’d say, you’re loving your whole world

And is that, perfection.

– James Zealous, Love Poem  

Quote

Shakespeare on thought: 

“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.”

Moment of Gratitude 

I’m grateful everyday for the opportunity to sit and just be.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

9.30.24

Thought

We as humans have evolved to develop a sophisticated ability to rationalize, analyze, and think because it simply helped us survive. Our minds do an incredible job to keep us alive, but it does not help us thrive. It is concerned solely with our safety and survival, but not our fulfilment or joy.

None of this is wrong by any means. The mind is simply doing what it was designed to do. When we don’t understand that its only duty is to help us survive, then we will get angry and frustrated with it. All conflict is derived from an innocent misunderstanding. Our mind’s duty is to keep us alive. Our consciousness’ duty is to help us feel fulfilled. Your soul is the reason why you’re even on this journey in the first place – to find peace, love, and joy for yourself.

– Joseph Nguyen, Don’t Believe Everything You Think  

Quote

Jonathan Safran Foer on thought: 

“I think and think and think, I’ve thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to stay calm and centered as I make conscious choices today.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

9.23.24

Thought

The expression “scented colors” is frequently met with. And finally the sound of colors is so definite that it would be hard to find anyone who would try to express bright yellow in the bass notes, or date lake in the treble. The explanation by association will not suffice us in many, and the most important cases. Those who have heard of chromotherapy will know that colored light can exercise very definite influences on the whole body. Attempts have been made with different colors in the treatment of various nervous ailments. They have shown that red light stimulates and excites the heart, while blue light can cause temporary paralysis. But when the experiments come to be tried on animals and even plants, the association theory falls to the ground. So one is bound to admit that the question is at present unexplored, but that color can exercise enormous influence over the body as a physical organism.

– Wassily Kandinsky, Concerning the Spiritual in Art

Quote

Marcus Aurelius on self worth: 

“I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.”

Moment of Gratitude 

I’m grateful for time to unplug.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val