Tag Archives for wisdom

Inspiration – Dandelions

dandelion wisdom

© creative commons stock photos  ID 82961274 | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Sometimes traditional stories hit the right spot. This one often does for me.

Nadia spent the whole autumn sowing and preparing his garden. In the spring, the flowers opened, and Nadia noticed a few dandelions that he had not planted. Nadia pulled them up. But the seeds had already spread, and others grew. He tried to find a poison that would kill only dandelions. An expert told him that any poison would end up killing all the other flowers too.

In despair, Nadia sought help from a gardener.‘It’s just like life,’ said the gardener. ‘Along with the good things, there are always a few inconveniences.’‘What should I do, then?‘Nothing. They may not be the flowers you intended to have, but they are still part of the garden.’

 

May we embrace all aspects of our garden and the unexpected that life brings our way.

Growth and Happiness

We all want to grow and become something ….. it seems to be a part of being human. Yet, what is that all about?

Some of us want to be successful in the eyes of others.
Others keep looking for the perfect partner, house, career, experience etc.

Some of us have a need to assert who we are and let go of the constraints of the past.
Others are drawn to acknowledge and appreciate all that has been, and the people who have supported them to where they are today.

Most of us want to be happy, but are bemused and confused at how elusive happiness can be.

I don’t have the answers, but what I do know is this. When we shift from looking for happiness outside of ourselves and start to question who we are, and what we have taken for granted, we are actually opening up a part of ourselves that has been hidden.

This part within us is yearning to be noticed. To be heard.
It may not be ready to be heard by our parents, siblings, partners or colleagues, but we must listen to it.

Honor and love this part of you.
This is who you truly are.
Let it flourish and grow.

Inspiration – Dandelions

dandelion wisdom

© creative commons stock photos  ID 82961274 | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Sometimes traditional stories hit the right spot. This one often does for me.

Nadia spent the whole autumn sowing and preparing his garden. In the spring, the flowers opened, and Nadia noticed a few dandelions that he had not planted.

Nadia pulled them up. But the seeds had already spread, and others grew. He tried to find a poison that would kill only dandelions. An expert told him that any poison would end up killing all the other flowers too. In despair, Nadia sought help from a gardener.

‘It’s just like marriage,’ said the gardener. ‘Along with the good things, there are always a few inconveniences.’

‘What should I do, then?

‘Nothing. They may not be the flowers you intended to have, but they are still part of the garden.’

 

May we embrace all aspects of our garden and the unexpected that life brings our way.

Knowing in a new way

A wonderful message about wisdom compared with knowledge and being present. Thank you Karl for sharing on Mindful Balance 🙏

Mindfulbalance

Wisdom is not the gathering of more facts and information, as if that would eventually coalesce into truth.

Wisdom is precisely a different way of seeing and knowing the “ten thousand things” in a new way.

I suggest that wisdom is precisely the freedom to be truly present to what is right in front of you. Presence is wisdom! People who are fully present know how to see fully, rightly, and truthfully. Presence is the one thing necessary for wisdom, and in many ways, it is the hardest thing of all. Just try to keep 1) your heart space open, 2) your mind without division or resistance, and 3) your body not somewhere else — and all at the same time!

Most religions just decided it was easier to believe doctrines and obey often-arbitrary laws than the truly converting work of being present. Those who can be present will know what…

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Tao Inspiration – True Wisdom

book of knowledge

True wisdom is a loss of misconceptions rather than an accumulation of knowledge.
Do not hoard facts and call yourself wise.

Sages realize they have always had enough,
And so do not seek more for themselves.  *

~ Lao Tzu

These words made me pause today. Gathering more and more knowledge doesn’t make us wise.

Wisdom comes from within us, and through our experience of life.

If you are always seeking more knowledge, then you may be missing out.

… You are enough.

Tao symbol

*Braun Jr., John; Tzu, Lao; von Bargen, Julian; Warkentin, David (2012-12-02). Tao Te Ching (Kindle Locations 1067-1071). . Kindle Edition.

Tao Inspiration – for the times we live In

river rocks

River Rocks by Silvia Hart

Water is unquestionably soft and yielding,

Yet it can carve massive canyons

And sweep away entire cities with ease.

This is because it does not rise up in solid fragility like the structures of humanity,

But flows in low places, fluid and flexible like humanity itself.

There is great strength in what seems weak,

Great instability in what seems strong.

The creation of grand structures implies their inevitable destruction.

Humble, flexible, transitory existence implies true continuity.*

~ Lao Tzu

I find these words somewhat reassuring for the times that we live in. Continuity comes from flexibility and the ability to be fluid to meet what comes along.

There is great strength is what seems weak. Let us go with the flow, and be like water.

 

*Braun Jr., John; Tzu, Lao; von Bargen, Julian; Warkentin, David (2012-12-02). Tao Te Ching (Kindle Locations 1028-1036). . Kindle Edition.

* Tao Inspiration for our Times

winder weather

Sometimes a passage from the Tao te Ching comes to light at just the right time. With the storms in the Western US and the upcoming change in government, this seems to be a timely share.

Water is unquestionably soft and yielding,
Yet it can carve massive canyons
And sweep away entire cities with ease.

This is because it does not rise up in solid fragility like the structures of humanity,
But flows in low places, fluid and flexible like humanity itself.

There is great strength in what seems weak,
Great instability in what seems strong.

The creation of grand structures implies their inevitable destruction.
Humble, flexible, transitory existence implies true continuity.

In this way, things imply their opposites.

We all know this, because we have seen it.
Somehow, in living our lives, we forget.*

~ Lao Tzu

“Things imply their opposites” yet we make judgments, along with our plans. Are we  really ready for the unexpected?

The future has yet to unfold.
Be open. Be ready.

Be ready to be fierce. Be ready to be kind

 

*Braun Jr., John; Tzu, Lao; von Bargen, Julian; Warkentin, David. Tao Te Ching (Kindle Locations 1028-1041). . Kindle Edition.

* Inspiration – Love and Wisdom

flow of life

“Sometimes I feel I am everything, I call that Love.
Sometimes I feel I am nothing, I call that Wisdom.
Between Love and Wisdom
my life continuously flows.”

~ Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Such a beautiful way of looking at life in balance.

Let us all keep flowing between Love and Wisdom.

Namaste

Inspiration – shifting allegiances

inspiration

Image courtesy of tinybuddha.com

 

“We must shift our allegiances from fear to curiosity, from attachment to letting go, from control to trust, and from entitlement to humility.”

– Angeles Arrien

Imagine if we all did this, how the world would be different …

Lets commit to shifting our allegiances by checking in with ourselves today and every day:

From being fearful to getting curious

From being attached to letting go

From controlling to trusting

From feeling entitled to being grateful and humble

This is mindful living.

Namaste

* Tao Inspiration – Truth

simple truth

“Truth is not fancy, and does not need to be.
In fact, decorations only hide it from sight.

You can’t force people to see truth.
Arguing with them will only draw their attention away from it.”

~ Lao Tzo *

Lets keep it simple and true today.

yin_yang_ying_taoism_sign_chinese_taijitu_orange_round_sticker-r58ee9fdd48744ae8970231ffa6d90d10_v9waf_8byvr_324

 

 

*Braun Jr., John; Tzu, Lao; von Bargen, Julian; Warkentin, David (2012-12-02). Tao Te Ching (Kindle Locations 1064-1071). . Kindle Edition.

* Inspiration – Within You

acorn to mighty oak

All that you need, you have within you, waiting to be recognized, nurtured and allowed to grow.

An acorn contains within it a mighty oak tree.

You contain the same within you.

Just as the acorn is planted and tended to enable it to grow, so you must activate the dormant seed within you.

Are you ready to burst your bonds and become free?

To do so, choose the right environment and supportive people around you. Nourish your body so that it is a fit container for this emerging true self.

and Find your Middle Ground.

It doesn’t have to be a world changing thing to start to bring about this growing spurt, no matter what age you are!

Find the time, (and perhaps courage) to recall an earlier part of your life and see it as a compassionate observer. Notice how far you have come… and the fork in the road that you may have been ignored.

Buy that bathing suit/swimsuit that you know will allow you to feel the freedom of swimming or simply floating again. Let go of what other people might think!

Be curious to know more! Climb that tree to see what’s on the other side.

Take a moment to notice your breath when you become anxious. Then take a class to find out more about breathing and meditation and how it impacts your health and well being.

Turn off your smartphone.

When we pause and find our middle ground, we open the door to a whole new way of living life in balance, with creativity and never ending possibility.

* Tao Inspiration ☯ – Follow the Current

River of Life

River Of Life by Heather Hennick

Tao is the unknowable fundamental of the universe.

Follow its current,

And it is the source of joy and wonder.

Fight against it,

And it is merely a refuge.

Eloquent words and admirable deeds yield profit,

But those lacking such things, do they not come from Tao as well?

Your greatest gift is to be a conduit for Tao.*

~ Lao Tzu

 

The last line really resonated today. To be a conduit of the goodness and wholeness of our very nature would be the best gift for all of us to share.

 

*Braun Jr., John; Tzu, Lao; von Bargen, Julian; Warkentin, David (2012-12-02). Tao Te Ching (Kindle Locations 836-842). . Kindle Edition.