The Sudden Breeze

A beautiful letter written by Ram Dass to comfort the parents of Rachel, a teenager who was raped and murdered. This letter helped them overcome their anguish and rage over the tragedy. Dear Steve and Anita, Rachel finished her work on earth, and left the stage in a manner that leaves those of us left behind with a cry of agony in our hearts, as the fragile thread of our faith is dealt with so violently. Is anyone strong enough to stay conscious through such teaching as you are receiving? Probably very few. And even they would only have a whisper of equanimity and peace amidst the screaming trumpets of their rage, grief, horror and desolation. I can't assuage your pain with any words, nor should I. For your pain is Rachel's legacy to you. Not that she or I would inflict such pain by choice, but there it is. And it must burn its purifying way to completion. For something in you dies when you bear the unbearable, and it is only in that dark night of the soul that you are p...

I came across this inspirational video from TED.com about Dr Hawa Abdi, a mother and her two daughters who are doctors in Somalia. They built a camp which now has 90,000 people, with 75 percent of them women and children. With only 5 doctors and 16 nurses they meet about 300 patients a day, perform 10-20 surgeries, and still has the strength to manage the camp and a school of 850 children. There are only 2 rules to enter the camp: First rule: there is no clan distinguished and political division in Somali society, anyone who makes it will be thrown out Second: no man can beat his wife, or he will be put to jail and never released. One of the quotes I loved: "...thing that I have realized, that the woman is the most strong person all over the world. Because the last 20 years, the Somali woman has stood up. They were the leaders, and we are the leaders of our community and the hope of our future generations. We are not just the helpless and the victims of the civil war. We ...

Since I was young I had this constant need to learn about spirituality or anything that can empower the mind, body and soul. From religious teachings, self-improvement books, reading the new earth to practicing the law of attraction, it seemed that I couldn't just constrain myself to one method of belief. I realized it's not actually an answer that I seek, it's the discovery of looking into life questions itself that I enjoyed. After having a little fall-out the past months, I laid in bed and I questioned myself... what was I missing in this process? I am trying out this law of attraction... made the perfect vision board, and attracting the romance, the finances, the new friends, but I couldn't seem to hold on to it long enough. It just passes me by... like a butterfly having a beautiful dance near you... giving you that moment of bliss, and in an instant it flutters off never to be seen again. In my mind there will be more butterflies that comes and goes. Was I wrong...

"Mindfulness is basically this: Open your eyeballs to life. Clear your eardrums of interference. Give every single joy and annoyance in your day—be it a scrumptious Belgian waffle sliding down your esophagus or spam spilling over the sides of your e-mail in-box—your maximum attention. Stay out of the bike lanes marked "yesterday" and "tomorrow" and pop your wheelies in the present. Then hang this sign on the front porch of your brain: "No blaming, judging, and belittling allowed here." Life is happening in every breath. Wake up and notice it." - Michelle Burford Full article "The Happiness Experiment" here: oprah.com

...It is tempting to speculate that optimism was selected by evolution precisely because, on balance, positive expectations enhance the odds of survival. Research findings that optimists live longer and are healthier, plus the fact that most humans display optimistic biases — and emerging data that optimism is linked to specific genes — all strongly support this hypothesis. Yet optimism is also irrational and can lead to unwanted outcomes. The question then is, How can we remain hopeful — benefiting from the fruits of optimism — while at the same time guarding ourselves from its pitfalls? I believe knowledge is key. We are not born with an innate understanding of our biases. The brain's illusions have to be identified by careful scientific observation and controlled experiments and then communicated to the rest of us. Once we are made aware of our optimistic illusions, we can act to protect ourselves. The good news is that awareness rarely shatters the illusion. The glass remains...

Brene Brown: This is what I have found: to let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen; to love with our whole hearts, even though there's no guarantee -- and that's really hard, and I can tell you as a parent, that's excruciatingly difficult -- to practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror, when we're wondering, "Can I love you this much? Can I believe in this this passionately? Can I be this fierce about this?" just to be able to stop and, instead of catastrophizing what might happen, to say, "I'm just so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive." And the last, which I think is probably the most important, is to believe that we're enough. Because when we work from a place I believe that says, "I'm enough," then we stop screaming and start listening, we're kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we're kinder and gentler to ourselves.

an excerpt from "Love for No Reason" by Marci Shimoff In medieval Japan, the fierce samurai warriors were revered as kings. They carried large swords and were highly skilled at using them. One day, a famous samurai set out to find an aged monk who was known to be very wise. When he arrived at the monastery, he flung open the door and demanded of the old man, “Tell me, you are learned in these matters. What is heaven and what is hell?” The monk sat still for a moment on the tatami-matted floor. Then he turned and looked up at the warrior. “You call yourself a samurai warrior,” he said. “Why, look at you. You’re nothing but a mere sliver of a man! I doubt you could cut off the head of a fly with your sword.” For a moment, the samurai stood gaping. No one talked to a samurai like that! Then, as if someone had waved a red cloth in front of a bull, the samurai’s face contorted in rage. He bellowed, “How dare you! I won’t let you get away with such an insult.” Pulling his hu...

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them.” -Denis Waitley

There are a myriad different ways to search, but the object of the search is always the same. Don’t you see that the roads to Mecca are all different? One comes from Byzantium, another from Syria, still others wind through land or across the sea. The roads are different; the goal is one. When people reach the goal, all quarrels or disputes that flared along the road are resolved. Those who yelled at each other along the road, "You are wrong!" or "You are a blasphemer!" forget all possible differences when they reach the goal. There all hearts sing in unison. - Jalal-ud-Din Rumi

As I remember 9 years ago today, I can still see and feel the sights and emotions as it was just yesterday. I pray for all the innocent lives lost and that peace, tolerance and compassion will continue to fill our minds and hearts. As I remember 9 years ago today, I was just in between stops from my station that morning when our subway was stopped...we were stuck for about half an hour down there not knowing what was going on until they announced at the intercom that there had been a small plane crash at the twin towers. In my mind I imagined a small 2 passenger plane that must have gotten lost. The subway moved again and they instructed everyone to get out of the subway at my stop... and when I finally walked the steps out of the station to the streets of nyc... the whole experience and the next few weeks felt like a lucid dream...so vividly and overwhelmingly real but unbelievably horrific at the same time. Colossal events and life-changing experiences moves people to re-evalua...

To those who celebrate... may you enjoy a blessed festival this Eid ul-Fitr 1431H

Last night I was able to finish "The Witch of Portobello" by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. I've read a few of his books and his stories continually presents a magical wisdom that constantly gives me "aha" moments. This particular story gave me plentiful of mind-opening thoughts Some words from the book: "Let go of the idea that the path will lead you to your goal. The truth is that with each step we take, we arrive. Repeat that to yourself every morning: I’ve arrived." "You are what you believe yourself to be. Don't be like those people who believe in "positive thinking" and tell themselves that they're loved and strong and capable. You don't need to do that because you know it already. And when you doubt it — which happens, I think, quite often at this stage of evolution — do as I suggested. Instead of trying to prove that you're better than you think, just laugh. Laugh at your worries and insecurities. View you...

Feeling a bit under the weather today but I just enrolled in DailyOM's course 'A Year of Rumi' and I wanted to share a beautiful poem that immediately lifted my spirit up: If you are seeking, seek us with joy For we live in the kingdom of joy. Do not give your heart to anything else But to the love of those who are clear joy, Do not stray into the neighborhood of despair. For there are hopes: they are real, they exist – Do not go in the direction of darkness – I tell you: suns exist. - Jalal-ud-Din Rumi (Translated by Andrew Harvey from A Year of Rumi) "Suns exist" :)

photo source: vi.sualize.us I watched a television show awhile ago about near death experiences, and one of the incident was of a man who was struck by a snow avalanche and was able to survive after 48 hours of being stranded. In the hospital, his wife held him when he finally gained consciousness... and his first words were "You smell like heaven"

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable. Kahlil Gibran

For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated in learning various methods of spiritual transformations...methods that can open me up in new ways of belief and understanding about life, God, the universe, and above all about myself. For the past month I've been following Debbie Ford , an author and spiritual coach, reading her book "Why Good People Do Bad Things" and watching the movie "The Shadow Effect" (Journey from your darkest thought to your greatest dream). Now she has another book "The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse" which program she is offering for free at oprah.com "The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse is a practical program that promises to alter the quality and direction of your life and support you in not only obtaining your goals for the new year, but, more importantly, creating a new loving and nurturing relationship with yourself and with the power that sources you. This program will enable you to take back your power fro...

What is success? To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; that is to have succeeded. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am quite a forgetful person, someone said it's because I am lacking in oxygen :) (Note to self: start exercising!) I tend to forget a lot of things but why do I keep remembering the thing that I want to forget about the most. At times I feel as if I've gone past it and moved on, forgiving and coming to terms, but sometimes memories have a way of creeping back to you. Time for some positive affirmations I found! The past has no power over me, I allow the light to fill me with hope and positivity. I am grateful, for I am a perfect Spirit of the Universe and I share in its abundance in everyway, today and everyday. I am thankful for all that I have, for all that I don't have, and for all that I have been given here and now. Everything in my life, every thought, feeling, face, moment, and situation is a divine gift and I am wholeheartedly thankful. I am thankful for the creative thoughts that rise and allow me to perceive all that is here now. This day, I am content

Thích Nhất Hạnh (Tick-Naught-Han) called by his students Thay (meaning teacher) is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, zen master, peace and human rights activist to name a few. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1967 for his efforts to generate peace and reconciliation. One day I hope to be able to visit Plum Village , his meditation practice center in southern France, where he teaches and writes when he's not travelling around the world. But for now, I'll just share some of his quotes that I enjoy: "You are what you want to become. Why search anymore? You are a wonderful manifestation. The whole universe has come together to make your existence possible. There is nothing that is not you. The kingdom of God, the Pure Land, nirvana, happiness, and liberation are all you." "Does the rose have to do something? No, the purpose of a rose is to be a rose. Your purpose is to be yourself. You don't have to run anywhere to become someon...

I came across a blog by Patti Digh: 37days.typepad.com "What would you be doing today if you only had 37 days to live?". She had a post about Thich Naht Hanh hugging meditation: "Hugging meditation is a combination of East and West. According to the practice, you have to really hug the person you are hugging. You have to make him or her very real in your arms, not just for the sake of appearances, patting him on the back to pretend you are there, but breathing consciously and hugging with all your body, spirit, and heart. Hugging meditation is a practice of mindfulness. "Breathing in, I know my dear one is in my arms, alive. Breathing out, she is so precious to me." If you breathe deeply like that, holding the person you love, the energy of care, love, and mindfulness will penetrate into that person and she will be nourished and bloom like a flower. When we hug, our hearts connect and we know that we are not separate beings. Hugging with mindfulness and concen...