1.6.25

Thought

Is the truth depressing? Some may find it so. But I find it liberating, and consoling. When I believed that my existence was such a further fact, I seemed imprisoned in myself. My life seemed like a glass tunnel, through which I was moving faster every year, and at the end of which there was darkness. When I changed my view, the walls of my glass tunnel disappeared. I now live in the open air.

– Derek Parfit, Reasons and Persons

Quote

Marianne Williamson on happiness: 

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for the freedom to make choices for myself everyday.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

12.30.24

Thought

The men of experiment are like the ant, they only collect and use. The reasoners resemble spiders, who make cobwebs out of their own substance. But the bee takes a middle course; it gathers its material from the flowers of the garden and of the field, but transforms and digests it by a power of its own. Not unlike this is the true business of philosophy.

– Francis Bacon, Book of Aphorisms  

Quote

Kristin Armstrong on gratitude: 

“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out, and the tide of love rushes in.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to learn and grow from everything I experience today.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

12.23.24

Thought

If one does not become the eccentric, unique, one-of-a-kind person he or she was meant to be, then a violation of some large purpose of the cosmos has occurred. Individuation is not self-absorption, narcissism or self-interest. On the contrary, individuation is a humbling task to serve what our deepest nature asks of us. For some it will be a path which brings public recognition, for others suffering and public calumny, for others still, private epiphanies never seen by anyone else.

– James Hollis, Creating a Life: Finding Your Individual Path

Quote

Henry David Thoreau on connectedness: 

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for opportunities to grow myself, even when such opportunities present as challenges.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

12.16.24

Thought

Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow.

– Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Quote

Alan Watts on presence: 

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to face today’s challenges with courage and an open heart.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

12.9.24

Thought

We no longer walk the earth with wonder. We have purchased the fatal ticket. Instead of being guests of the earth, we are now crowded passengers on the runaway train of progress and productivity; the windows are darkened and we can no longer see out. The gadgets and games in each compartment are quite fascinating. There is constant theatre. Public relations experts offer sensational help in manicuring the image and searching out the best sound-bite.

Even if we wanted to alight, no-one seems to be able to stop the train. We desperately need to retrieve our capacity for reverence. Each day that is given to you is full of the shy graciousness of divine tenderness. It is a valuable practice at night to spend a little while revisiting the invisible sanctuaries of your lived day. Each day is a secret story woven around the radiant heart of wonder. We let our days fall away like empty shells and miss all the treasure.

— John O'Donohue, Eternal Echoes: Exploring Our Hunger to Belong

Quote

Aesop on gratitude: 

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for the sound of raindrops bouncing on the rooftop.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

12.2.24

Thought

How, in such a dark place, gold draws so much light to itself is a mystery to me. But I see why in ancient times statues of the Buddha were gilt with gold and why gold leaf covered the walls of the homes of the nobility. Modern man, in his well-lit house, knows nothing of the beauty of gold; but those who lived in the dark houses of the past were not merely captivated by its beauty, they also knew its practical value; for gold, in these dim rooms, must have served the function of a reflector. Their use of gold leaf and gold dust was not mere extravagance. Its reflective properties were put to use as a source of illumination. Silver and other metals quickly lose their gloss, but gold retains its brilliance indefinitely to light the darkness of the room. This is why gold was held in such incredibly high esteem.

– In Praise of Shadows, Jun’ichiro Tanizaki

Quote

The Dalai Lama on peace: 

“Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to find something to be grateful for in every situation today.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

11.25.24

Thought

Aristotle opens with the question: What is it we desire for its own sake, and not as a means to something else?

The beginning of an answer to that question is that the good life is practicing virtue. But the word being translated as “virtue” is arete, which means skill or excellence at something. So you might have the arete required to do crosswords while I might have the arete to catch wasps. Aristotle is asking what the arete to live successfully is. 

The skill of living successfully consists of developing a character that as a habit chooses the right action. The right action, according to Aristotle, is in many instances the mean between two extremes, both of which are defects. Some examples: at one extremity is rashness, and at the other craven cowardice, but somewhere in the middle is courage appropriate to the circumstances and your own limitations. Likewise, at one extremity are vanity, conceit and snobbery, and at the other excessive humility and self-deprecation, the mean is self-respect and in that sense proper pride. Or finally, in a case where one extremity would be giving all you have to the poor, and the other keeping everything you have all the time, the mean would be something like giving a proportion suited to your means.

– John Gaskin, The Travelers Guide to Classical Philosophy  

Quote

Kyle Gray on creating space: 

“Today I make space for miracles. I recognize that it’s not how big a miracle is that’s important but how much room I create for it.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for long walks to center and ground myself.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val

11.18.24

Thought

We cannot eat raw potatoes, but we don’t throw them away just because they are raw. We know we can cook them. So we put them into a pot of water, put a lid on, and put the pot on the fire. The fire is mindfulness, the practice of breathing consciously and focusing on our anger. The lid symbolizes our concentration, because it prevents the heat from going out of the pot. When we are practicing breathing in and out, looking into our anger, we need some concentration in order for our practice to be strong. Therefore, we turn away from all distractions and focus on the problem. If we go out into nature, among the trees and flowers, the practice is easier.

As soon as we put the pot on the fire, a change occurs. The water begins to warm up. Ten minutes later, it boils, but we have to keep the fire going a while longer in order to cook our potatoes. As we practice being aware of our breathing and our anger, a transformation is already occurring. After half an hour, we lift the lid and smell something different. We know that we can eat our potatoes now. Anger has been transformed into another kind of energy – understanding and compassion.

– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step  

Quote

Tony Green on love: 

“The greatest power that mankind could ever achieve is the power of unconditional love. This is when people love with no limitations, conditions or boundaries.”

Intention of the Day 

My intention is to make points throughout the day to stop and be present.

What’s your intention today? 

Happy Monday,

Val