He always seems to have a simplified way of stating things. He does say that he is just a simple monk, and that is true. But I think we are all simple people capable of extraordinary things.

When it comes down to it he talks about practicing loving kindness and compassion. All beings really want in life is happiness, to end their suffering and I believe that is so true. Who wants to be miserable??

The Dalai Lama helps us to reflect on things that really matter, that we are no different from the next person.

I think that what we forget is that this skin that we’re in is just a shell and underneath it is blood, guts, organs and “stuff”. Underneath that is what?? Me. What is me and who am I?
I’m not just skin and bones, if I get my hair cut, that hair wasn’t me, it was on this head that this “me” encapsulates. If I were ever to loose an appendage, it doesn’t change me, or who I am. It’s easy to say that I lost my leg, but was it ever mine to begin with?

Hmmmm…

Lots going on in my head right now.

I also like that Dalai Lama has been talking about how at the basis of Religions, they are all the same too. Promoting compassion for others, faith and love. It helps me to have faith in religions again.

Some random thoughts that the Dalai Lama put out there were that women shouldn’t wear makeup because it’s not a source of beauty, only external beauty. It seems that he finds that amusing.

He has also said that the 21st century should be a century of dialogue. World peace through inner peace.

One of the key elements to find this inner peace is to look within. Practice meditation.

As Patthabi Jois has said: “Practice and all else is coming”

www.kalachakra2011.com

http://dalailama.com/

After loosing my golden a little over 2 years ago to cancer (he was 7) and my newfie last year, again to cancer (he was 4), it’s hard to just be open to that unconditional love that dogs seem to give.

Practice.

He looks at me with his green eyes (look like human eyes) and it’s hard not to melt into them.  Over the past few days it’s been a whirlwind adventure for us.  We met a handful of neighbors and their dogs… thank goodness for Lucky, he’s a good playmate for Owsley.  A tired dog is a good dog.  We also went to see Pat in Austintown and that class was great, Owsley inspected for half the class and slept for the other half.  Then off to The Yoga Room for Kids Yoga and he observed and slept for ALL OF THE CLASS!!!  Maybe because last night was a bit to much… an hour of crying in the crate kept us all up…

Patience.

I think this goldendoodle will be a good fit for the Gatta household.  Practice and patience for all of us.  It helps to keep everything into the moment.

It’s really amazing to see how he really lives in the moment.  It’s a great practice for me to observe this.  Why fear anything if it hasn’t happened?!  It’s awesome to see such confidence with what life has in each moment through his eyes.  Isn’t that what life is about anyway?

Jon Kabot-Zinn talks about living moment to moment, Owsley has perfected this and it seems to be working for him and maybe it can work for all of us.

I think being loved helps us to love even more…  love more, live much and laugh often, isn’t that the quote??

Ahhhh, how sweet.

Blind faith may sometimes get us into trouble, but complete Trust in the Divine will lead us on the path to unconditional love.

Love, it’s with us constantly, never should we doubt it.  We’re born with it, the receiving end and the giving end.  I think we are a conduit for love.

SNEHA,

Maureen

So, because I need to keep teaching, I’ve just been eating a little bit to keep my energy up.  Ginger Ail every now & then… but that was eliminated and ginger tea was added.

Yogurt with some granola and a bit of honey in the morning.  Homemade bread, a slice or two in the evening.  Last night I added some salad to my evening “meal”.  But it’s weird, absolutely no appetite, nor the desire for food.  Tonight I made some brown rice and black beans and it actually, finally tasted good.  Still no desire to go get extras… my belly seems happy, which is always a good thing.

Makes me wonder how those “cravings” control the mind to “need” them.  I’m happy with just being… I guess this is eating to live and not living to eat… there’s definitely no attachment to eating to live.

So hum.

After 3 1/2 hours we called it quits for the day (thinking it was going to be done in 2 hours-ha!… we have many hours ahead)  But this will make it SOOOO much easier for days to come.

We talked about getting ready for summer & the gardens we are about to grow (yes, there are multiple locations).  I really am so excited about gardening!  The food doesn’t compare to what comes out of your own land.

yum!

When I was younger, I loved to try to balance quarters on their edges & try to stack them perpendicular to the table and then parallel and building up from there.

Now that I’m an “adult” I feel that I’m one of those quarters with other quarters teetering on top.  I feel that I’m pulled in many different directions, still trying to balance those quarters on top.

What I’ve found is that the foundation is the key.  If you root deep, you can grow strong.  I then prioritize my life.  What is important, what are my intentions, how can I help others while being true to my being.  With that I root deep and branch out.  It keeps me true to who I am while sharing what I love.  I start by sitting.  I find a lot out about myself on my cushion.

My practice has moved from my mat to my cushion and into my day.  That’s where I am right now and that’s the only place I need to be right now…

Some days though, there’s nothing better than a good old Pincha Mayurasana!

om

So excited, Jim Donovan asked me to teach the yoga at his Great Rhythm Revival in Sherman NY on Labor Day weekend… here’s the link http://www.greatrhythmrevival.com/

Becoming owner of the Yoga Room in Cortland www.trumbullyogaroom.com

Others asking me to do another teacher training…

This is a life that I dreamed of, never thought of living…

I used to be a civil engineer for goodness sake, that was my previous life – a life I lived for a number of years until I woke up… sometimes I still dream, but I know where things lie you know.

things seem silly… politics – silly and childish, materialism – a distraction…

All this is not for me, but an outlet where others can better themselves, find salvation from within, to stop searching for whatever it is because what is needed you already posses…

I see the nursery rhyme:

Is so true… I have a different appreciation for it now.

here it is:  the poor, HAVE to have transportation, don’t have money for gas, for the car, for food (which foodstamps only provide for the shitiest of food and nutrition-shame on YOU-YOU being those in charge for saying that these chemicals put together make up what looks like bread, juice, “snacks” etc… SHAME ON YOU!!!), I could go on…

In the poor neighborhoods they only have convienent stores where price of food is high, nothing is fresh.  No wonder our country is obese… lack of exercise, poor nutrition – not because of choice.  YOU NEED TO EAT!

those of control put out these commercials that say you should look like this, use this, buy that and you will be happy – BULL SHIT!  HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHIN!  Shame on You those that put out commercials that make people unhappy about themselves so they buy your products – you greedy bastards.  I don’t believe in guilt – so I won’t be buying your crap – it’s pointless!  It’s a waste of time and energy.  If it doesn’t help people to be a better themselves (which comes from within) then it’s useless to me – so therefore if it’s not healthy food, decent shelter and fresh water (NOT FROM BOTTLES – ANOTHER LOAD OF BULLSHIT)

why can’t we educate the poor to grow small gardens, even container gardens to have healthy food to feed their mind (because you”THE MAN” are not!)  It doesn’t make any sense!

We could have this amazing productive society if they were fed well, shown that they are worth something and not worthless – we are talking about living beings, not a piece of trash.  If everyone was the same how boring a life we would live.  We’d all were the same clothes, eat the same food, have the same kind of hair, the same… really the same everything, we’d all be robots

Everything is energy!  Where thought goes, energy follows.  Your choice – you choose

That’s the nut shell version… I’m really disgusted by those greedy of having power and money.