Inspiration – Cultivating Joy

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“This is the path we take in cultivating joy: learning not to armor our basic goodness, learning to appreciate what we have. Most of the time we don’t do this.
Rather than appreciate where we are, we continually struggle to nurture our dissatisfaction. It’s like trying to get flowers to grow by pouring cement on the garden.”

~ Pema Chodron taken from “The Places That Scare You”

Do you find yourself thinking about the things that aren’t going the way you want and complaining about circumstances, other people … yourself?

Next time you catch yourself resisting or resenting, imagine that you are pouring cement on your garden. Take a deep breath and appreciate simply being here and being alive. 

Open your heart
And put away the cement mixer.
Feel the load lighten.
Let this nurturing space
Bring joy and loving kindness
To nourish every part of you.

Spring will come again

Let the world keep turning.

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Namaste

13 responses to “Inspiration – Cultivating Joy”

  1. Namaste. Amber ❤

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  2. Thank you Val. A lovely reminder. ❤

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  3. Thanks, Val. What perfect imagery to create something different…my cement mixer becomes a watering bucket! 🙂

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  4. This is an amazing awareness. Thank you Val.

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  5. Good thoughts, Val. I’m planning on using this Thanksgiving as it was intended, to give thanks and be grateful for the MANY blessings I have, abundant riches within and without.
    Lovely rose and corydalis(?)… is that in your garden?
    Have a lovely Thanksgiving!

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  6. we continually struggle to nurture our dissatisfaction – I found the word choice here to be so brilliant. Brings out the polarity of our tendencies, and the pouring of cement perfectly brings home the point. Simply being here and alive is so precious truly!

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  7. May we quit pouring that cement! To be aware when we’re doing that. Thanks for the inspiration, Val, as always.

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    1. Thank you Kathy. I hope you had a loving Thanksgiving 💝

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  8. It’s all good here, Val.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. Happy Thanksgiving Nancy ❣️

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  9. What a punch line. Let the world keep turning. Love that.

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