Tom's Blog

I don’t understand why some people have a bountiful supply of money and material things, while others have nothing and are starving;

People should share what they have with others who are less fortunate;

Greed is having more than we need and being unwilling to share with others;

Do we have a moral right to hold on to an abundance until everyone else has their basic needs provided?

If we have been given a lot of money and things, we have a moral obligation to help others who are unable to help themselves.

 

Derek Fowell

Aboriginal Writer

Christians say, “Peace on earth. Good will toward men.”

Israelis say, “Shalom,” and Arabs use “Salaam.”

All are invoking peace, but where is the peace?

Obviously, peace does not arise from our thoughts nor from our belief that it is possible;

There is far more to a person than can be seen in the mirror or heard from the mouth;

We are a long way from our true home and no car or train or plane or boat can take us there;

Love is calling us – not our bodies, but our spirits;

It’s pure love like a mother feels for her baby;

We are creatures of free will to make mistakes and wander about avoid the calling of Love;

But there will never be any peace until we answer the call and begin moving in that direction.

 

Vernon Kitabu Turner, Roshi

Most everyone plays various roles everyday;

When you begin to identify yourself with your role, you confuse who you really are;

The role you identify with causes you to take yourself much too seriously;

You also assign roles to others that correspond to yours in order to achieve a comfort level;

These roles that you play and attribute to others become a part of your ego;

The roles may give you a comforting sense of identity, but ultimately, you lose yourself in them;

They cause human interactions to become inauthentic, dehumanized, and alienating;

If you can get beyond your roles (and, thus, your ego) you can live life with spontaneity, lightheartedness, and joy.

 

Eckhart Tolle

Each day upon awakening, a glorious opportunity awaits you;

You have the wherewithal to make something important happen in your life;

But too often you let trivialities, disappointments, and petty annoyances rule your daily life;

If you put these things into perspective, they are all very small; but you allow them to seem very big;

Begin each day by concentrating your whole being on surrendering to the Love and the Divine Will of your Creator;

Then all of the daily annoyances will drop away into the trash bin, because you have focused your heart and mind on the Love and Light of the Holy Spirit.

How do you deal with a person who rubs you the wrong way?

One way is to imagine this person as a small child, still young and innocent, searching for his or her way;

Innocence is there in all people, if we are willing to see it;

Another way is to visualize the person at the end of his or her life, lying on a deathbed, vulnerable, open, with nothing to hide;

Or we can see the person as a fellow wayfarer, struggling with burdens, wanting happiness and dignity, just like everyone else;

Beneath the aggression and pain of this person is a being, like us, who has potential for understanding and compassion, whose goodness is there to be touched;

Remember this the next time you react to a person who upsets you.

 

Jack Kornfield

Being mindful, feeling compassion, and exercising patience will lead to pleasure and lightness of mind;

Being angry, jealous, and self-obsessed leads to pain because those things constrict the mind;

We should take charge of our lives by knowing which qualities we want to enhance;

It is a basic truth that to relieve only our own suffering will merely perpetuate it;

How can we truly be happy while others are suffering?

Filling our mind with compassion for others for even ten minutes each morning has the power to transform our entire day;

Don’t focus only on yourself and your needs, but be conscious of the needs of others.

 

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

We should never injure or cause pain to or kill any life out of anger or for a selfish purpose;

Remember that God is not a power residing in the clouds;

God is an unseen power residing within us, nearer than finger nails to the flesh;

God is in everyone of us, and thus we have to identify ourselves with every human being without exception;

In the popular language, this is called love;

It binds us to one another and also to God.

 

Mahatma Gandhi

When you have made a decision about something you want, then you have accomplished one-half of the equation;

Giving thought with emotion is what wanting is;

The other side of the equation is allowing, the expecting, or letting it happen;

So often you want something, but you resist it by not giving positive thought to allowing it;

When you are in the state of allowing, there is no negative emotion or doubt;

To have health instead of illness, you must think about health;

Imagine a healthier body and send good vibrations and energy from your mind to your body;

Think positive thoughts and don’t allow resistance or doubt to enter your mind.

 

Esther and Jerry Hicks

The Ladakhi culture is built on community, interconnectedness, and mutual support;

The have the knowledge that they are part of an eternal flow of the universe that is greater than each person;

We can learn from a community where people take responsibility for themselves while offering mutual support for one another;

Our interdependence on others brings joy and self respect;

We may own much more than we need, but still there is a need to belong to a community.

 

Even a man with a hundred horses may need to ask another for a whip.

A Ladakhi Saying

So often people say, “Oh, it’s my Karma, I just have to accept it.”

It is true that you must accept Divine Law;

But the Karma of anyone can be changed by the power of the Creator;

Divine law is merciful;

If you will allow the love and light within you to come to the surface and flow out to others,

You will fulfill what God intended for you and

Your soul will be released from the bondage of your Karma.

 

White Eagle