THE POWER OF ACCEPTANCE

"You do not have the power to accept this moment.

You do not have the power to allow it. 

This moment does not ask for your acceptance.
It is already the way it is. You don't have a choice.
Your acceptance and your rejection, your allowing and non-allowing, are already too late.
For the moment is not something outside of you, and you are not divided from it, and acceptance is not in time.

And although this moment may not seem acceptable to you,
on a deeper level it has already been accepted,
for it is already life, already 'what is'.
Every thought, every sensation, every sound, every perception,
already here, already shining, already immediate,
already included in the vastness of Now.

You do not have the power to accept this moment.
In your powerlessness, this moment is fully accepted.
And you remain rooted in the deepest kind of YES to the way things are, aligned with a mysterious universe.
And this is true power."

jf/ps/smoh

Peace is not a destination, but the absence of the seeker of it...

Happiness is the absence of the need to be happy.

Peace is not a destination, but the absence of the seeker of it. Love is the death of the hope of a better tomorrow, and the full embrace of today, in its sweet and tender brokenness.

This is the path of the helpless and hopeless; no longer seeking happiness in time, but willing to find grace and gratitude in the most unlikely of places.

And to live without hope is a marvellous thing, for it involves wide open eyes, and a being deeply rooted in presence.

And a heart wide open to the gifts of today, forever wandering a path untrodden, revealing its diamonds in the light of awareness.

The death of hope is the birth of the new, the emergence of the creative.

Simply take your eyes off the goal, bow your head in reverence to this immediacy, and receive into your arms this living day -

the closest thing of all, the greatest gift, the most present.

 

 

 

jf/ps/smoh

 

- to embrace the unknown, free of mind for a moment, to be elated with what is ,to not have constant expectations of how I want it to look or be, to feel this freedom coursing through my being, to rest in the stillness of who I Am, to bow before creation in heartfelt gratitude, knowing ,all that appears is grace...

Our ROLES are Unique...

We don't have to have an opinion about everything. When asked what you think about XYZ, particularly on the news, you honestly don't need to feel obliged to have an opinion, explanation, solution or choice of the side you think is "right" and "wrong" or "good" and "bad" in the story/ catastrophe.

We each have different ROLES within our dimensions and the sense of urge "TO DO SOMETHING!" comes THROUGH our specific roles here. 

Within the limitations of our physical humanness, it is not possible to be a part of DIRECTLY changing MANY catastrophes happening on Earth. 

Our Well-Being, TIME, ENERGY, and FOCUS are our greatest assets. 

Through AWARENESS of our ROLE/S, we can consciously choose how to invest our assets for the greater good of Humanity.

Sometimes the ROLE can simply be to play the best music or write the next poetry we are called to heal Humanity, while for others it will be political or corporate roles. ALL roles are EQUALLY important, none superior to the rest.

Life consists of battles and it is up to us to decide WHICH of them we face. It turns out that many people take the battles as a "reason" of their lives, transform them into a "role", which fits into society., as if this "role" would be the essence of their existence.

Only a minority realizes that it is exactly the opposite:

Life is based on harmony, on gentleness, on loyalty to friends and on Inner Peace.

Only gaining this understanding, we are mature to decide which of the battles will be ours.

Continue to FORGIVE every day, 
yet never FORGET the lessons.

Continue to FORGIVE every day,
never to repeat those lessons.

ps/smoh

Focus on making yourself better, not on thinking that you are better.

Don’t think that you are the wisest and most knowledgeable person on the planet. There are many, many brilliant people out there, all competing for their share of the pie.
Overconfidence can set you up for a fall.

Don’t underestimate your opponent or your enemy. You don’t have a lock on wisdom, strategy or intelligence.
Furthermore, many of the people who you will deal with do not have an upstanding character and will not hesitate to employ underhanded tactics in dealing with you.

You are setting yourself up for defeat if you underestimate others, no matter how insignificant you consider them to be.

It is always better to give others too much respect rather than too little respect. No one has ever lost by being too prepared.

Always prepare for the unexpected. Put yourself in their shoes and try to think from their point of view.

What would you do if you were them?

Also think about what you would do if you were them and had no morals whatsoever?

Prepare for their best strategy.

Then if they turn out to be inept, the conquest will be even easier for you, but if they turn out to indeed be crafty, you will be prepared.

Never think that you are the smartest, most savvy individual around. Others too have the same access to information that you have.

They can access the same internet sites and the same books. They know at least as much as you do about how things work in the real world.

 

ps/smoh

 

 

The unbounded nature I have discovered myself to be,gives me my human nature the freedom and courage to play it all out and work it all out......

The quest for transcendence bores me.

It bores me and distracts me from the real work required to actually grow. It's so up there, and my challenges are so down here.
The karmic field for my soul's expansion is in the heart of my imperfect patterns.

It's in the transforming fires of daily experience.
It's in the heat of my real life - not the detached life, not the pseudo non-dual life, not the projected perfect life - but right here, in this blessed and aging body temple.
It's all I can do to embody my humanness - I got no time to waste striving to rise above it. The imperfect quest for an authentic life is perfect enough for me.

"The impeded stream is the one that sings" - Wendell Berry.

We'll be transcedent when we transcend.
 If bliss is what you are looking for - know nothing !

The thing we often forget when thinking about our own changes and other’s changes is that real transformation takes real time.
No matter how eager we are to see things shift and grow, it will seldom happen quickly.

This is particularly true with respect to emotional maturation. Developmental stages are often like biological structures.
To move from one stage of maturation to another, we have to go through a broad range of experiences, integrate their meaning, and try a new way of being on for size.

It is about becoming a truly different being on many interconnected levels. I spent a lot of years in hurry-up offence with my own transformation and those around me.
It was a waste of time.

Sustainable change is built on a foundation of patience.

ps/smoh

Don’t just drift through life. Live intentionally and on purpose.

For too long, society has defined the good life in terms of physical possessions. But fullness of life is not found in the things we possess.
There is a wonderful freedom in owning less. It is wise for each of us, from time to time, to stop and evaluate our lives as we seek to make the most of them.

We should start choosing our thoughts like we choose our clothes for the day. Be content with what you have but do not become complacent about who you are. Don’t slip into mediocrity by living your life based on popular opinion.

Fill your life with stories to tell, not stuff to show. I filled my life with great stories to tell. Now no-one listens anymore they are too busy with faces in their phone….

Complaining is almost never a positive reaction to our circumstance. Is offering advice about how to complain less really just a way to complain about other people complaining?

Some needed adjustments to our life habits are painfully obvious. But there are other, equally valuable life improvements available to us that fly a bit under the radar.

May we, as those who seek to live intentional lives, break free from the selfish tendencies and instead, choose to err on the side of generosity. May it be expressed in our gift-giving and may we be generous in our gift-receiving as well.

ps/smoh

I like that I inquire when I want to and I believe my thoughts unflinchingly when I don't.

It just occurred to me how disagreeing with someone is or can be a rejection of their offering not only of their words but also of themselves. 
I like the idea of putting more attention on receiving from the person rather than on merely agreeing or disagreeing with them. 
I feel a bit sheepish like how did it take me so long to see this.

 Even in the desire of another to convince us in their view point there is a deeper impulse within them that cries out to us to recognize and know as an aspect of them. 
Once we apprehend it a connection is established and the joy can flow between us.

Specifically, it's better to be in a "student role" in life so you are receiving, regardless of role or context. Good teachers listen and receive their student's point of view. 
Asserting one's view just seems like compensation, some conditioning regarding putting one's point of view forward, and probably includes some narcissistic and existential validation.

Neither agreeing nor disagreeing but focusing on what people is saying, yes. Curiosity is needed and a wish to be present. 

This "like" here or not it a bit seductive sometimes, but it is an easy and quick way to say "ok I am with you supporting whatever but I don't have time now to listen or say more." Like patting an ego-structure.

Especially important is this when somebody says something that feels outrageous or upsetting.
 "I hear you and do probably not agree. Tell me more so I can understand." 
I have practiced that and common respect was the result. The thinking types are more concerned with being right and the "truth," whereas feeling types are more concerned about maintaining relationship.
As a feeling type, I have learned to banter about ideas, to listen, to change my view when another is offered. So often I don't feel that happens. At this point, often anyway, intellectual discussions are just playing with symbols.

My experience of Improve is such a great training ground for being, simply, present with another. A basic "rule" of improve is "accept all offers."

As I progress in my ability onstage to truly listen to my partner, every moment, accepting all offers and attending to the constantly changing scene with spontaneous enthusiasm and authenticity,

I find ALL of my Life, on whichever "stage" flows beautifully and with less and less disagreement on my part - resulting in a quiet sort of joy and peace that I have no control over!

It has taken me 54 years to begin to grasp this. And a few lost relationships along the way. Working on directing my passion for people, not at people.

People often share an idea because they want to be deeply understood. To be heard and really understood. I try to hear and let things sink in. I have a curiosity for why and how people arrive at ideas that are so different from what I have today.

When I am looking to deepen rapport through agreement, I will sometimes add, "I understand. If I were you, I imagine I would feel exactly the same way."

That's always true, right?

This is no arbitrary rule that someone made up, it is simply what works. To deny what is offered brings the flow to a halt, to accept, allows it to move forward.

Each person in the scene is a director who says some form of, "Hey, let's go this way" and it usually shows up with some declaration of "This is," to which the only proper response is, "Yes, and..."

 

ps/smoh

The closer you get to excellence in your life, the more "friends" you'll lose. People love you when you're average because it makes them comfortable. But when you pursue greatness, it makes people uncomfortable. Be prepared to lose more on your journey.

You change and your friends change and if you can't appreciate and love this change, you lose them.

In my opinion the secret is to find that friends with whom you can change with. It is valid for the close friends.

If we don't like someone and their lifestyle, walk away, say nothing and live YOUR life, take RESPONSIBILITY for YOU and ONLY YOU!!

Far friends come and go, but I never felt bad about it. I liked them when they were in my life; than I greeted the new ones...I greet the new ones.

A happy life consist in tranquility of mind. This mind of mine is deeper than most people care to swim.
There is no end to the depth of my head ^__^

You would be amazed at how much better your life will be.

 ps/smoh

I do like to take lines I like and write around them...

(•_•)
\) (>
/ \
My thought of the day -
at best what thinking accomplishes is more of what it attempted the very first time.

What happened and which method is used to determine what happened?
Is what happened as broad as what is happening, or is it narrower?
Can it be digested, what happened, more readily than what is happening or are they both fundamental ambiguities?

If I ask what happened, knowing full well how broad it was, which is not to say knowing all there was to know,
the potential pool from which a knowing emerges must be greater than any expression of that knowing......were this not the case knowing would have a limit and learning would be impossible.

What could learning accomplish if there is an upper limit?,
What is it I am actually asking?
Isn’t it closer to ‘tell me a bedtime story’?

 ps/smoh

I think people often to want to misunderstand you in order to fit the picture of what you are to them...

(•_•)
\) (> 
/ \  Respond;
from my experience...

With so much going on in this world, peace of mind is almost an impossible goal to reach, if you don't make it a priority.

There is, and always will be, rude people, corruption in our government, malicious enemies, unexpected stress, and of course, the ever present fake friend, all ready to snatch away your inner peace like a thief in the night.
And they will succeed, if you don't make peace of mind a priority.

Practice getting to the point where nothing can disturb your peace of mind, your inner peace.

Once you start being aware of the things that easily rob you of your peace, you can start to better control your response to them by controlling your thoughts.
Ultimately, it is your thoughts that rob you of your inner peace, not the external actions of others. It all depends on how you look at things.

When you start to look at things in a different way, their affects on you start to change as well. For example, when someone who you thought was your friend, blows you off and turns out to be nothing more than some manipulative hack who was merely riding your coattail, trying to parley your success, look at it as a good thing.

Instead of looking at it as you losing a friend, look at it as you discovering the truth and getting rid of dead weight that was weighing you down.

Look at the matter rationally.

This person was never your friend to start with; she was only using you for her own agenda. So losing the so-called "friendship" is a great thing, not something to lose sleep over.

Most everything can be mentally re-framed to see the positive side instead of merely seeing the negative side of the event.

Every coin has two sides;
it is up to you to decide which side of the coin you focus on.

ps/smoh

Rise from the ashes of the old year like the phoenix and become the person you truly want to be.

As we step into the new year, take some time to reflect on your life.

Examine what is working for you, what you have achieved, what isn't working for you and needs to be changed.

Examine your thoughts and actions, and take note of how you have lived up to your principles and in what ways you need to make changes in your life.

The new year is a time of renewal.

It is a time to make firm commitments about how you will live your life, if you haven't already. It is the time to start anew.

If you haven't been walking the path of the warrior or living the warrior lifestyle as you should, this is the time to renew your enthusiasm and your commitment to the principles that you hold dear.

No matter what mistakes you have made in the past year or how you have fallen short, you now have the opportunity to start fresh, to warrior up and live your life with honour and character.

Rise above all of you mistakes and all of the things that have been holding you down.

Rise from the ashes of 2014, like the phoenix, and become the person that you truly want to be.

Now is the time to make those changes.

Now is the time to live your life with honour, character and integrity.

 

Happy New Year to all. May it be your best yet!

"On this New Year I wish that you have a wonderful January, a lovely February, a Peaceful March, a stress-free April, a fun-filled May, and Joy that lasts from June to November, and finally a happy December.
May my wishes come true and may you have a charming and lucky New Year 2015."

 

 

 

ps/smoh