This Facebook post by ‘Buddha Heart’, a quote by the master of silence, Adyashanti, caused me to became angry last evening. It prompted much contemplation into the nature of reality and ‘enlightenment’ and finding a quick and easy place to note my streaming thoughts (after many cocktails I might add) was not easy … The dialogue will remain etched in my mind for contemplation for some time … And caused me to reach for Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras this morning ….
“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
~ Ansel Adams
What a brilliant sunrise this morning. I was up late last night, contemplating the nature of things … I could have used a set of blinders to watch the many changing shades and dimensions of both the sun and my mind today LOL. There was a lot of duplicity in what was caught on film in this sunrise, not just in this particular photo, but in others too.
“Happiness is not so much in having, as it is in sharing.
We make a living by what we get,
but we make a life by what we give.”
~ Norman MacEwan
Since I began photographing the sunrise this year, outside of when my friend Bridgette came to visit, today was the first day that I actually heard one of my villa guests join me uptop, and share in the beauty.
But there was this tiny little part of me that wanted to say ‘mine’.
A few weekends ago, I listened to a Zencast about the Buddha’s teaching on the 3 Characteristics or Marks of Existence. These three facts of existence are Not-Self, Impermanence and Suffering.
“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. This is the way great spiritual giants are produced.”
~ Swami Vivekananda
Hello Monday! I’m feeling energized from a restful Sunday, and ready to get back at it. I ran across the above quote by Swami V last week, and it really stuck with me.
The highest good is like water.
Water give life to the ten thousand things
and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject
and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.
In action, be aware of the time and the season.
Water give life to the ten thousand things
and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject
and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.
In action, be aware of the time and the season.
No fight: No blame.
~Lao Tsu
Tao te Ching
“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.”
~ Rollo May
Happy St. Patricks day everyone! I decided to sleep in this morning, and wouldn’t you know it, I was wide awake at 4AM. But I stayed in bed, and simply drifted from thought to thought. This same state continued while I basked in the rising sun this morning. It felt really nice. Our mornings are warming up a bit …
