i can love
i can CHOOSE
i can learn
i am free
i BELONG
i am loved
i can make a difference
i have a choice
i FOLLOW MY HEART
i am part of the earth
i am by your side
i am committed to a collective well-being
i am happy
i am possibility
i dream
i am equal
i won't give up
i am light
i will seek personal, local and global sustainability
i play with balance
i honor movement and cycles
i celebrate the elements
sun
moon
earth
sky
water
air
metal
minerals...
for you, all life
i will take a leap of faith
i will take action and responsibility
for a new beginning
for the healing of our waters
for the cleansing of our air
for the restoration of our soils
for the celebration of our sky
for the respect of metals found deep in the earth
each day,
i will live more simply
i will rely on less material resources
i won't fall in the trap of consumerism
i will find my sustenance in all my relations
i will cultivate love, peace, empathy and compassion in my heart every single day
i am grateful for all the love i receive
it is truly the greatest gift of all
THANK YOU
Monday, May 31, 2010
kiss the earth
Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
Bring the Earth your love and happiness.
The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
Bring the Earth your love and happiness.
The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Friday, May 28, 2010
blessing for earth-healers
The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature
by Starhawk
We give thanks for all those who are moved, in their lives, to heal and protect the earth, in small ways and in large.
Blessings on the composters, the gardeners, the breeders of worms and mushrooms, the soil-builders, those who cleanse the waters and purify the air, all those who clean up the messes others have made.
Blessings on those who defend trees and who plant trees, who guard the forests and who renew the forests.
Blessings on those who learn to heal the grasslands and renew the streams, on those who prevent erosion, who restore the salmon and the fisheries, who guard the healing herbs and who know the lore of the wild plants.
Blessings on those who heal the cities and bring them alive again with excitement and creativity and love.
Gratitude and blessings to all who stand against greed, who risk themselves, to those who have bled and been wounded, and to those who have given their lives in service of the earth.
May all the healers of the earth find their own healing.
May they be fueled by passionate love for the earth.
May they know their fear but not be stopped by fear.
May they feel their anger and yet not be ruled by rage.
May they honor their grief but not be paralyzed by sorrow.
May they transform fear, rage, and grief into compassion and the inspiration to act in service of what they love.
May they find the help, the resources, the courage, the luck, the strength, the love, the health, the joy that they need to do the work.
May they be in the right place, at the right time, in the right way.
May they bring alive a great awakening, open a listening ear to hear the earth's voice, transform imbalance to balance, hate and greed to love.
Blessed be the healers of the earth.
by Starhawk
We give thanks for all those who are moved, in their lives, to heal and protect the earth, in small ways and in large.
Blessings on the composters, the gardeners, the breeders of worms and mushrooms, the soil-builders, those who cleanse the waters and purify the air, all those who clean up the messes others have made.
Blessings on those who defend trees and who plant trees, who guard the forests and who renew the forests.
Blessings on those who learn to heal the grasslands and renew the streams, on those who prevent erosion, who restore the salmon and the fisheries, who guard the healing herbs and who know the lore of the wild plants.
Blessings on those who heal the cities and bring them alive again with excitement and creativity and love.
Gratitude and blessings to all who stand against greed, who risk themselves, to those who have bled and been wounded, and to those who have given their lives in service of the earth.
May all the healers of the earth find their own healing.
May they be fueled by passionate love for the earth.
May they know their fear but not be stopped by fear.
May they feel their anger and yet not be ruled by rage.
May they honor their grief but not be paralyzed by sorrow.
May they transform fear, rage, and grief into compassion and the inspiration to act in service of what they love.
May they find the help, the resources, the courage, the luck, the strength, the love, the health, the joy that they need to do the work.
May they be in the right place, at the right time, in the right way.
May they bring alive a great awakening, open a listening ear to hear the earth's voice, transform imbalance to balance, hate and greed to love.
Blessed be the healers of the earth.
patience
this is a big one right now...
i feel i can be patient in many areas of my life, but the area that is the most challenging for me to be patient is when things are not running freely and smoothly with people i care about deeply. even though i believe that conflict can be a natural part of life and growth, and i have made peace with that part of conflict. My tendency is to want to deal with it immediately and transform it. I find it hard to sit with conflict, make friends with it and look at it deeply. i usually feel something inside of me shacking and my body feels stiff and ungraceful.
the thing is that not everybody deals with conflict the same way and some people need more time than others to transform an environment. obviously, since this is an area that i need to work on, it's not a surprise that many of the people i care about the most deal with conflict in other ways. it's part of the reflection of myself in others showing me clearly the areas in which i need to grow and polish my life. to all of you thank you for showing me and being willing to live this path of growth side by side with me.
so this year, i chose to be patient and sit with conflict when it arose at home, peacefully looking at it, trying not to judge it and simply wanting to look at it to learn from it. it wasn't easy, it was very hard. every day i reminded myself that this was happening so that any impurities found deep within my family would be purified and our family would shine truly from the deepest part of our hearts. i chanted like i never had before and i was surprised to see that i was happy in the midst of everything. i wanted to create the biggest spring cleaning my family had ever seen in their lives.
now, a couple of months later, this work is paying off and when i had finally completely surrendered all my judgement, expectations and pride. everything started falling into place naturally and beautifully. sometimes we just need time and space with no judgement and pure unconditional love.
climbing this mountain seemed impossible a couple of months ago and i could not understand how everything could change so quickly? i thought what happened to everything i had built? how can everything vanish so quickly in seconds?
i am happy to share that everything was there, nothing had gone anywhere. my family was growing closer together slowly and with patience. i can now celebrate the strong bonds that hold us as a strong team, even if we have differences. they love me so much and i love them so much. i am determined to never forget this, to never doubt their love. i want to always honor them. their happiness is what is most important to me! i vow to always see their potential and grow forever grateful, patient, kind and loving in the face of whatever comes our way.
it's also good to remember that when looking carefully everything is full of love
mom, dad, marcela
I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE
i feel i can be patient in many areas of my life, but the area that is the most challenging for me to be patient is when things are not running freely and smoothly with people i care about deeply. even though i believe that conflict can be a natural part of life and growth, and i have made peace with that part of conflict. My tendency is to want to deal with it immediately and transform it. I find it hard to sit with conflict, make friends with it and look at it deeply. i usually feel something inside of me shacking and my body feels stiff and ungraceful.
the thing is that not everybody deals with conflict the same way and some people need more time than others to transform an environment. obviously, since this is an area that i need to work on, it's not a surprise that many of the people i care about the most deal with conflict in other ways. it's part of the reflection of myself in others showing me clearly the areas in which i need to grow and polish my life. to all of you thank you for showing me and being willing to live this path of growth side by side with me.
so this year, i chose to be patient and sit with conflict when it arose at home, peacefully looking at it, trying not to judge it and simply wanting to look at it to learn from it. it wasn't easy, it was very hard. every day i reminded myself that this was happening so that any impurities found deep within my family would be purified and our family would shine truly from the deepest part of our hearts. i chanted like i never had before and i was surprised to see that i was happy in the midst of everything. i wanted to create the biggest spring cleaning my family had ever seen in their lives.
now, a couple of months later, this work is paying off and when i had finally completely surrendered all my judgement, expectations and pride. everything started falling into place naturally and beautifully. sometimes we just need time and space with no judgement and pure unconditional love.
climbing this mountain seemed impossible a couple of months ago and i could not understand how everything could change so quickly? i thought what happened to everything i had built? how can everything vanish so quickly in seconds?
i am happy to share that everything was there, nothing had gone anywhere. my family was growing closer together slowly and with patience. i can now celebrate the strong bonds that hold us as a strong team, even if we have differences. they love me so much and i love them so much. i am determined to never forget this, to never doubt their love. i want to always honor them. their happiness is what is most important to me! i vow to always see their potential and grow forever grateful, patient, kind and loving in the face of whatever comes our way.
it's also good to remember that when looking carefully everything is full of love
mom, dad, marcela
I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Cultivating the mind of love
renewing my aspiration for enlightenment
i had a couple of very strange days at the end of last week... i got caught totally by surprise. even though the storm has passed, i am still feeling a little shaken up.
today, i choose to renew my aspiration for buddhahood and start anew
today, i choose to renew my aspiration for buddhahood and start anew
| PERFECT IMPERFECTION: Aspiration for Buddhahood |
Having goals can lead us in a positive direction. In the process of striving for goals, we see our unknown potential unfold before us. As we make progress, however small, we feel a sense of fulfillment and excitement. "Yes, I am moving ahead!" This sense of advancement contributes to our happiness.
Buddhism stresses the value of goals. Attaining Buddhahood—becoming absolutely happy—is the ultimate goal of our Buddhist practice. Our "aspiration for Buddhahood," therefore, is the starting point of our Buddhist practice; it means to recognize our innate potential of Buddhahood and resolve to develop it while helping others do the same. A bodhisattva is someone who does just this, who is constantly working toward the goal of attaining enlightenment or bodhi.
In his Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, Nagarjuna, an Indian Buddhist scholar from the second or third century, discusses the three types of enlightenment—the enlightenment of voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones and Buddhas. The enlightenment of a Buddha is the supreme bodhi, that is, the unsurpassed Buddha wisdom. Those who strive to achieve the Buddha wisdom are called bodhisattvas.
Bodhisattvas are said to make four great vows in their Buddhist practice toward enlightenment. They are: 1) to save innumerable living beings; 2) to eradicate countless earthly desires; 3) to master immeasurable Buddhist teachings; and 4) to attain the supreme enlightenment of a Buddha. Put another way, as they begin their journey toward true happiness, bodhisattvas: 1) resolve to help others become happy; 2) resolve to overcome their own delusions and weaknesses; 3) seek the wisdom of Buddhism to the best of their ability; and 4) never to lose sight of their ultimate goal of attaining Buddhahood.
In this regard, Nichiren Daishonin states: "Bodhisattvas invariably make the four great vows, but without fulfilling their first vow, which is to save all living beings, they cannot fulfill the fourth vow, which is to attain supreme enlightenment" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 522). The Daishonin suggests that our altruistic efforts to pray and work for the happiness of others are crucial to our own happiness.
We begin our Buddhist practice resolute and diligent about our daily prayers and Buddhist study. However, as time goes by, our initial "aspiration for Buddhahood" tends to wane, especially when we experience disappointments. Also, after we overcome an obstacle, or when things are going particularly well, we tend to relax in our resolve to continue practicing Buddhism. This is like setting out to climb the highest mountain in the world and giving up climbing discouraged by the first steep ascent, or being satisfied with reaching a small ridge half way up the peak.
In this regard, the Daishonin states:
Many hear about and accept this sutra, but when great obstacles arise, just as they were told would happen, few remember it and bear it firmly in mind. To accept is easy; to continue is difficult. But Buddhahood lies in continuing faith. Those who uphold this sutra should be prepared to meet difficulties. It is certain, however, that they will "quickly attain the unsurpassed Buddha way." To "continue" means to cherish Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the most important principle for all the Buddhas of the three existences. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 471)
In the course of our practice, we encounter various obstacles and hardships. Being a Buddhist does not mean to be immune to life’s ups and downs; rather, it means having a powerful tool to awaken our supreme potential of Buddhahood and overcome our obstacles. When we mistake the goal of our Buddhist practice as having no obstacles, it will be easy to get confused and discouraged by the realities of conflicts and challenges. For this reason, it is important to understand the true goal of Buddhist practice as a dynamic process of developing the state of life in which we can overcome any obstacle through courage, wisdom and compassion.
In one sense, we are constantly reaching for the summit of our Buddhist practice since the attainment of Buddhahood is not a static condition we attain once and for all. With each step forward, our Buddhahood becomes stronger, more deeply rooted in our lives. So what is most important is to "continue" as the Daishonin says. We will always have some challenges with or without our Buddhist practice. But as we continue to practice Buddhism and build our inner strength, we develop confidence that our lives will be ultimately secure no matter what may happen; we enjoy each moment while working for the happiness of others.
To continue our Buddhist practice, however, we must constantly renew our "aspiration for Buddhahood." Our determination to continue to practice Buddhism and strengthen our Buddha nature is the source of enlightened living and true happiness. We will always have some sort of problem as long as we live. In this sense, we will remain "imperfect." But as we continue to practice Buddhism, we can constantly transcend our imperfect self, always growing in our capacity to challenge obstacles. This process of eternal progress and never-ending self-transcendence is in itself the attainment of Buddhahood; it is a state of "perfect imperfection" in which we can enjoy every moment of our lives.
Living Buddhism September 2000 p.6
for more info on this article click here
Monday, May 24, 2010
it was meant to be
i know i ran into you for a reason
the first time i heard you speak, i realized that
i already knew you from a distant time that was now coming together, bringing us together
i felt happy and calm,
being around you felt comfortable and i felt as if i could be myself
you understood me, my life, my choices, even if we didn't say so out loud
i could see it in your eyes and the sparkles produced by your presence in my life revealed how much i was enjoying being around you
you caught me by surprise and it took me a while to let go and surrender to the influence of your soul in the constellations of my heart
you helped me think of an excuse for coming back
to see you
to discover the reason we crossed paths
to unveil the dreams we are meant to manifest through our connection, interaction and interbeing
so right now, i take a chance like you did when you called to see us
like you did when you expanded time and told me stories about your life and dreams
i take a chance on you, because you are beautiful
this is my secret message for you
i wonder if you already know how i feel
i wonder if you feel the same way i do
i know i will see you again
and i wonder how we can make that happen soon?
what excuse can we come up with now?
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
interconnected happiness: interbeing
your happiness is my happiness
my happiness is your happiness
my happiness is not certain until you are happy too
i am you, you are me and we are all together
my happiness is your happiness
my happiness is not certain until you are happy too
i am you, you are me and we are all together
let's stop mining
we can start creating a sustainable future right now!
Monday, May 10, 2010
beautiful teachings
Thich Nhat Hanh's 14 Precepts
-Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
-Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.
-Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.
-Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. find ways to be with those who are suffering by all means, including personal contact and visits, images, sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.
-Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
-Do not maintain anger or hatred. As soon as anger and hatred arise, practice the meditation on compassion in order to deeply understand the persons who have caused anger and hatred. Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion.
-Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Learn to practice breathing in order to regain composure of body and mind, to practice mindfulness, and to develop concentration and understanding.
-Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
-Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest of to impress people. Do not utter words that cause diversion and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things you are not sure of. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.
-Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community should, however, take a clear stand against oppression and injustice, and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.
-Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation which helps realize your ideal compassion.
-Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and to prevent war.
-Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others but prevent others from enriching themselves from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.
-Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only and instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization of the Way. Sexual expression should not happen without love and commitment. In sexual relationships be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.
-Do not believe that I feel that I follow each and every of these precepts perfectly. I know I fail in many ways. None of us can fully fulfill any of these. However, I must work toward a goal. These are my goal. No words can replace practice, only practice can make the words.
"The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon."
-Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
-Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.
-Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.
-Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. find ways to be with those who are suffering by all means, including personal contact and visits, images, sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.
-Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
-Do not maintain anger or hatred. As soon as anger and hatred arise, practice the meditation on compassion in order to deeply understand the persons who have caused anger and hatred. Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion.
-Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Learn to practice breathing in order to regain composure of body and mind, to practice mindfulness, and to develop concentration and understanding.
-Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
-Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest of to impress people. Do not utter words that cause diversion and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things you are not sure of. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.
-Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community should, however, take a clear stand against oppression and injustice, and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.
-Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation which helps realize your ideal compassion.
-Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and to prevent war.
-Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others but prevent others from enriching themselves from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.
-Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only and instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization of the Way. Sexual expression should not happen without love and commitment. In sexual relationships be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.
-Do not believe that I feel that I follow each and every of these precepts perfectly. I know I fail in many ways. None of us can fully fulfill any of these. However, I must work toward a goal. These are my goal. No words can replace practice, only practice can make the words.
Friday, May 7, 2010
my body is my temple
for years, i abused my physical body ignoring my own needs. skipping meals, thinking that i received some kind of validation by looking the way media told me i should look like as a woman. as a teenager loved ones worried about my health, knowing that i was not eating enough. it took me years to heal and understand the reason why i was taking such actions towards myself. the healing process started when i lived in alaska and finally finished when i lived as part of a community where we ate together every meal and all meals were home cooked. eating became a celebration and all the cells of my body knew that in this environment i was loved for who i truly was and living outdoors in nature and having a break from the constant messages of media also helped. life was very simple and i dressed according to the elements i was exposed to, rain, sun, snow, heat, cold, dryness and humidity instead of fashion.
i had this turning point during fall of 2008, my first semester on the bus.
it was october 7, 2008, we where camping in fish creek, ny and the sun was shining brightly. my skin still remembers how the sun felt that day. i felt embraced and nurtured by the warmth of the sun recharging a fiery energy found on my solar plexus. i also remember the place on the maple forest where i chose to sat for hours, in that place of the forest the canopy was not blocking the sun, the sunlight touched the ground creating a sparkly and light atmosphere, where my heart surrendered and opened with no efforts.
in that forest, i read some essays from part iv ecotheology in an age of environmental crisis: ecofeminist spirituality of the book this sacred earth: religion, nature, environment. I specifically liked the article titled ecofeminism: symbolic and social connections of oppression of women and the domination of nature by rosemary radford.
that day
i experienced and discovered that i am nature and nature is me
i understood that protecting the environment is protecting my body
i looked at the reflection of mother earth inside me, i felt that connection strongly
when i don't honor my body and her needs, i am not honoring the earth
when i don't respect my body and her needs, i am not respecting the earth
when i fail to listen to my body, to myself, i am not listening the earth
if i am to protect nature, to care for her well being, i also have to take care of myself
to take care of myself encompasses
loving my body and myself
allowing my body to restore
my mind to be calm
nurturing my body with wholesome organic food, rituals, laughter...
speaking up without silencing words
honoring my moon side while keeping a balance with the sun
harmony with earth will be restored when i live in harmony with myself. when i am not oppressing my body, my self image, but celebrating womanhood, celebrating and loving my body exactly as it is
when i connect with myself, my body, all cycles in my life
when i allow my rhythm to be the flowing river of my being
when my heart is what gives life to movement in my life
those are some of the ways i am restoring harmony with myself and nature. i am nature and nature is me.
that day i made a vow to start a new cycle of healing, healing myself to heal the earth and healing the earth to heal myself, to be alive and free to express myself. a cycle of restoration, listening and communication to the wild within
today, i revisit that day in fish creek and share this path of healing, because every day i see more and more young women struggling with self-image, oppressing their bodies, compromising their health and harming themselves. seeing them breaks my heart, i know how that feels, i went through that myself. however, i want you to know that there are other ways of being and living, there is a path of liberation from low self-esteem and self-image. all it takes is loving yourself fully. healing ourselves, we are healing the world, we are saying no to the oppression of our bodies that are our temples and to the oppression of nature. even if we live in a society that does not celebrate womanhood and unconditional love towards oneself, we as women can support one another and encourage the men in our lives to do the same. we are creating a pathof unconditional love where living beings are loved for who they truly are.
i had this turning point during fall of 2008, my first semester on the bus.
it was october 7, 2008, we where camping in fish creek, ny and the sun was shining brightly. my skin still remembers how the sun felt that day. i felt embraced and nurtured by the warmth of the sun recharging a fiery energy found on my solar plexus. i also remember the place on the maple forest where i chose to sat for hours, in that place of the forest the canopy was not blocking the sun, the sunlight touched the ground creating a sparkly and light atmosphere, where my heart surrendered and opened with no efforts.
in that forest, i read some essays from part iv ecotheology in an age of environmental crisis: ecofeminist spirituality of the book this sacred earth: religion, nature, environment. I specifically liked the article titled ecofeminism: symbolic and social connections of oppression of women and the domination of nature by rosemary radford.
that day
i experienced and discovered that i am nature and nature is me
i understood that protecting the environment is protecting my body
i looked at the reflection of mother earth inside me, i felt that connection strongly
when i don't honor my body and her needs, i am not honoring the earth
when i don't respect my body and her needs, i am not respecting the earth
when i fail to listen to my body, to myself, i am not listening the earth
if i am to protect nature, to care for her well being, i also have to take care of myself
to take care of myself encompasses
loving my body and myself
allowing my body to restore
my mind to be calm
nurturing my body with wholesome organic food, rituals, laughter...
speaking up without silencing words
honoring my moon side while keeping a balance with the sun
harmony with earth will be restored when i live in harmony with myself. when i am not oppressing my body, my self image, but celebrating womanhood, celebrating and loving my body exactly as it is
when i connect with myself, my body, all cycles in my life
when i allow my rhythm to be the flowing river of my being
when my heart is what gives life to movement in my life
those are some of the ways i am restoring harmony with myself and nature. i am nature and nature is me.
that day i made a vow to start a new cycle of healing, healing myself to heal the earth and healing the earth to heal myself, to be alive and free to express myself. a cycle of restoration, listening and communication to the wild within
today, i revisit that day in fish creek and share this path of healing, because every day i see more and more young women struggling with self-image, oppressing their bodies, compromising their health and harming themselves. seeing them breaks my heart, i know how that feels, i went through that myself. however, i want you to know that there are other ways of being and living, there is a path of liberation from low self-esteem and self-image. all it takes is loving yourself fully. healing ourselves, we are healing the world, we are saying no to the oppression of our bodies that are our temples and to the oppression of nature. even if we live in a society that does not celebrate womanhood and unconditional love towards oneself, we as women can support one another and encourage the men in our lives to do the same. we are creating a pathof unconditional love where living beings are loved for who they truly are.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
i need you and the earth needs us
this is the reason why i haven't blogged in a little while. i have been trying to understand how do i create personal sustainability in an unsustainable society? I am concerned about personal sustainability not because i care only for myself, but because i know that to create the greatest difference in the world i have to be happy myself.
for three semesters, i lived outside and lived in a consensus community. there i spend the best moments of my life. i thought wow i was not crazy or idealistic to believe that humans can coexist with each other and nature in an amazing space of growth, connection, respect, exploration.... i thought i have found the way of life that i want for my life. creating that space in an urban setting in florida, not an easy task and much harder than i ever anticipated.
i was also incredibly transformed in ways deeper than i had ever experienced before, especially developing a sense of compassion, commitment and responsibility towards all living beings on earth
for example:
-when visiting the Hopi reservation and learning about how mining had polluted their water supply and destroyed their ways to sustain themselves literally from the ground and taking valuable and precious parts of their ancient culture with it
-learning about border issues in arizona, the social and environmental impacts of maquiladoras, the high rate of cancer and health problems and visiting a town Nogales which is literally divided in half by a border fence, families now living on both sides of a human mad border
-visiting glen canyon dam and lake powell, seeing how the natural water flow, temperature and chemical composition has been altered
-i even had the opportunity to revisit some of the problems in my own native land colombia when i saw a presentation by the beehive collective at commonground fair in maine
these experiences to name just a few, gave me an opportunity to learn in a holistic way about the way our society treats humans and the natural world. it made a difference to not just learn the science behind these environmental issues to not just focus on the intellectual side, but to be able to see it, hear it, smell it and taste it in the air.
to see the animals and wonder how they would migrate through the border fence, to think about the Hopi people and what would their future be. these people, animals and plants became my friends, i saw them smile, speak, move, i saw their hearts. it wasn't me reading about these distant problems, connecting and staying at those places changed my life, transformed by heart. now i can never forget, i want to create networks and bridges of solidarity, of compassion
how much destruction will be enough? how long can we be immersed only in our own lives? can we really be truly happy when the symbol for love in our society is having diamond gold rings that are soaked in violence and death of communities in latin america and africa? what is the true price of ipods, celphones and computers? where do we think all the metals in technology come from? do we know how they are mined what is the social and environmental cost of them? capitalism has made it extremely easy to hide all of the effects of consumption and industrialization, but we can unveil and learn together. my intention is not to write this to generate blame, shame, despair or depression. i am sitting writing this on my computer and using electricity myself. my intention is to encourage us to look deeper, to own our agency to create change, to awaken to our power to change society, to reclaim our voices.
i want to make a difference and i need you. the earth, the children, all future generations need us to work together, to create peace, equality, justice and love for all.
i cannot do this work alone, but i know that we can do this work together. i want all of our dreams to come true, i want all of us to be happy.
everything is love and I LOVE YOU
for three semesters, i lived outside and lived in a consensus community. there i spend the best moments of my life. i thought wow i was not crazy or idealistic to believe that humans can coexist with each other and nature in an amazing space of growth, connection, respect, exploration.... i thought i have found the way of life that i want for my life. creating that space in an urban setting in florida, not an easy task and much harder than i ever anticipated.
i was also incredibly transformed in ways deeper than i had ever experienced before, especially developing a sense of compassion, commitment and responsibility towards all living beings on earth
for example:
-when visiting the Hopi reservation and learning about how mining had polluted their water supply and destroyed their ways to sustain themselves literally from the ground and taking valuable and precious parts of their ancient culture with it
-learning about border issues in arizona, the social and environmental impacts of maquiladoras, the high rate of cancer and health problems and visiting a town Nogales which is literally divided in half by a border fence, families now living on both sides of a human mad border
-visiting glen canyon dam and lake powell, seeing how the natural water flow, temperature and chemical composition has been altered
-i even had the opportunity to revisit some of the problems in my own native land colombia when i saw a presentation by the beehive collective at commonground fair in maine
these experiences to name just a few, gave me an opportunity to learn in a holistic way about the way our society treats humans and the natural world. it made a difference to not just learn the science behind these environmental issues to not just focus on the intellectual side, but to be able to see it, hear it, smell it and taste it in the air.
to see the animals and wonder how they would migrate through the border fence, to think about the Hopi people and what would their future be. these people, animals and plants became my friends, i saw them smile, speak, move, i saw their hearts. it wasn't me reading about these distant problems, connecting and staying at those places changed my life, transformed by heart. now i can never forget, i want to create networks and bridges of solidarity, of compassion
how much destruction will be enough? how long can we be immersed only in our own lives? can we really be truly happy when the symbol for love in our society is having diamond gold rings that are soaked in violence and death of communities in latin america and africa? what is the true price of ipods, celphones and computers? where do we think all the metals in technology come from? do we know how they are mined what is the social and environmental cost of them? capitalism has made it extremely easy to hide all of the effects of consumption and industrialization, but we can unveil and learn together. my intention is not to write this to generate blame, shame, despair or depression. i am sitting writing this on my computer and using electricity myself. my intention is to encourage us to look deeper, to own our agency to create change, to awaken to our power to change society, to reclaim our voices.
i want to make a difference and i need you. the earth, the children, all future generations need us to work together, to create peace, equality, justice and love for all.
i cannot do this work alone, but i know that we can do this work together. i want all of our dreams to come true, i want all of us to be happy.
everything is love and I LOVE YOU
timeless bonds
the interconnection of life is incredible. sometimes it feels like it is not bound by time and space and rather exists in this plane of existence where life is ruled by mystical crystals, sparkles of unconditional love, mountains of wisdom and gardens of bliss. when i am clear and my life is overflowing with daimoku, i can tune into the frequency of the universe and pick the signals of the mystic law of life. this year has been an era of crystals, i have had these very special moments of connection with other people where i can see different moments of life converging into a life-changing, self-altering and transformative experience. All my cells and all the energy sheaths and fields in my being vibrate, all my being tingles with light. i can tangibly see in my heart how that specific experience is important, how i ended up here and how crossing paths with you was meant to be.
moments like that are some of my favorite in life. i feel totally connected and it's also great to know that i am at the best and right place to be right now. for a second everything else stops and i am completely immersed in the experience of connection and transformation. something inside me gets activated and it's almost like i can go back in time to that time long ago when we were stars, our light so strong it shined in the night, where it all began, when we were all stardust. we are all made up of stars.
when i am that way of being is when i can truly experience and say to you from my heart
namaste
"I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."
moments like that are some of my favorite in life. i feel totally connected and it's also great to know that i am at the best and right place to be right now. for a second everything else stops and i am completely immersed in the experience of connection and transformation. something inside me gets activated and it's almost like i can go back in time to that time long ago when we were stars, our light so strong it shined in the night, where it all began, when we were all stardust. we are all made up of stars.
when i am that way of being is when i can truly experience and say to you from my heart
namaste
"I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
prayers
i will be happy
reach out to you
choose to love you unconditionally
speak and stand up for social and environmental justice
love myself
consume less
be mindful
reflect on my life critically
remember that the three obstacles and four devils will attack without fail before attaining buddhahood
deepen my humanity
develop compassion
cultivate mindfulness
not forget my vows and determinations when obstacles arise
devote my life to peace, justice and equality
be infinitely grateful
transform all my karma
take responsibility
be my true self
be vulnerable
create a sustainable future together
take care of myself, my communities and the earth
stay connected with nature and go camping and hiking
transform fear and expand my life
connect with you
see the buddha nature in everyone
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