Love for a child is transformative

The soul is healed by being with children.

                                              -Fyodor Dostoevsky-

On the February 15th entry of the Joyous Living Journal titled, The Power of Love, the reflection of the love for an ill child is written.  It mentions a time where all the love in your heart is being summoned by you to relieve this child from their pain.“Without knowing how to make your child feel instantly better, you sit by, watching and waiting, which can be a heartbreaking sense of helplessness; but somehow it turns into an outpouring of deep love.”  “There is a calling in of a transformative power, you don’t know where from, but with all your being you believe there could be Divine Intervention.”

Typically, I would reflect on my own children when reading this passage, and at first read I had.  The image above found on the Thich Nhat Hahn Facebook page, is an image by Chiceaux Lynch, and it portraits the exact sense of my reflection.  But, yesterday, as Spirit would have it, an Agape Soul Sister blessed me with a story of a divine nature. A man, a London stockbroker, who was on his way to a vacation ski trip in Switzerland, was asked by a friend to abandon his plans and join him in Prague, the year was 1938. The reason, to assist his friend in a Jewish refugee camp. Sir Nicholas Winton, as knighted in 2002 for his work, established an organization to aid children who were at risk from the Nazis. Through his efforts he transported 669 children to adoptive families or groups. The fate of many of their parents were their death at Auschwitz. The last train to leave, on September 1, 1939 included 250 children aboard. As this was the beginning of World War II, this largest transport of children did not make the journey to safety of the previous trains. They instead were sent to concentration camps and put to death.

Those children who Winton did save were named, “Winton’s children” and it wasn’t until 1988, when his wife found a scrapbook in the attic, that the story surfaced into the mainstream. The scrapbook detailed all the children and their destinations.

In 1988, Winton was asked to appear on a BBC television show, That’s Life! Host Esther Rantzen asked if anyone owed their life to Winton and about 30 people stood. This appearance brought Winton to tears.

While we, as parents, have the Love associated with our own children, imagine having that Love for 669 and the heartache with those 250?

Today I will know that the Love I show to my children is not only a responsibility, it is a privilege. 

Let my Soul be healed by being with children.

Tibetan Singing bowls: Dharma goes to the west.

Mindfulness through the sound of bells. 

Singing bells have come to the west to be appreciated as a tool of Mindfulness.  Allowing the sound of the bell to fully complete into the silence can center one's thoughts.  This is tool used for many centuries by Tibetan Monks.  Thich Nhat Hanh travels around the world to introduce the bell teaching to the world.  At Deerpark Monastery in Escondido, California, they practice in the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. The following video introduces these teachings of the bells. 

In an 1986 interview with Lama Lobsang Leshe, a Tibet Monk born in Lhasa, Rain Gray, a Tibetan Musicologist, received this answer regarding the West's role in singing bowls. 

Rain Gray: "At this time I'm wondering what is the significance that this singing bowl and this sound is going to the West.  Padmasambhava said that 'When the iron bird flies, the Dharma will be spread to the West.'  So, I've been feeling for many years now that somehow this sound is important for the world because the sound is the sound of the Dharma.  And it carries the Dharma, whether people realize it or not, because in my experience with many types of people, whether Buddhists or non-Buddhists, young people and very old people, everybody is attracted to this sound.  And specifically, they can't exactly say why, but they like to hear this sound.  So this is very appreciated in the Western world. Now that the Dharma is becoming so strong in the Western world my intuitive feeling is that, somehow, this sound has some importance for the world today.

Lobsang Leshe: "Yes, if so Dharma goes to the West, Guru Padmasambhava said that 'Dharma goes to West' means that definitely they have seeds.  Of course, you know, all sentient beings have enlightened beings seeds, nature of Dharma, of Buddha, you know, really.  So, before all teaching is Asia, most teachings in Asia.  So, actually, yes, yes.  Also, Buddha is not in the world now, this world. So many other worlds his presentation now, he's giving teaching.  So, Buddha is not here, but his Dharma is here.  So, singing bowl can give teaching to someone who has the seeds of Dharma.  Each sentient being has many different natures, many different 'ears'.  That's why, yes of course, singing bowl can give you Dharma.  Really have that connection of that Buddha or Shambhala, same you know, really connection of singing bowl or those sounds connection to the Shambhala.  Means singing bowl sound gives you teaching then you can go to Shambhala. That is really the connection.

http://www.bodhisattva.com/singing_bowl_history.htm

Connect to your heart through the sound of the bell. 

Practicing Mindfulness With Children

“If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” Dalai Lama

Recently, at the Center of Spiritual Living, Capistrano Valley, the Roots of Science of Mind class concluded its 10 week journey. As part of the closing, a special project was to be created by each student. As a pull, Meditation for the Middle (as in Middle School children) was my direction.

Weeks prior to the conclusion of class, a purchase of Thich Nhat Hanh's wonderful book, "Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children," was made. This book is a guide with many lessons, as well as a CD to assist in leading a child to Mindful living. A film (based on the book), is in the midst of creation, through the help of supporters on http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/planting-seeds-the-power-of-mindfulness.

Assisting a child in the life-long journey of meditation is a gift that will never stop unfolding. This is a gift which allows them to become in tune with themselves, experience the Oneness of nature, and find a deeper connection with others. It can lead them to a place of peace, leading to a radiating place of peace throughout their lives.

Meditation for the Middle starts August 1st in my family. I'm looking forward to witnessing the experiences that await. Namaste.
 

"Spiritual Technology" to Practicing Presence Everyday

I was watching Thich Nhat Hanh on Oprah's "Super Soul Sunday.  He is a Buddhist Monk who has spent his life dedicated to bringing peace to the world through compassion, mindfulness and love.

It was certainly a compelling interview, but he shared one thing that truly caught my attention.

With books like, Eckhart Tolle's, "The Power of Now, " or the initial teaching of any Spiritual philosophy, that there is nothing more important than the present moment.

Even a moment that may be challenging; the present moment is the only place for our mind to be.

How are we, then, to create peace in the present moment when the grocery lists, kids' schedules, the hair appointment we made to cover our roots constantly run through our minds?

It almost seems impossible, yet, with spiritual "technology," we are able to do just that.

Here is a tangible piece of "spiritual technology" to keep us present....even if we've got a meter clipped to our hip that counts our daily steps:

Mindful Walking

We walk a lot in our day.

Back and forth down the hallway to get the kids ready for school.

What seems like MILES in Costco going from one end to the other.

Taking the dog for a walk....you catch my drift....there's A LOT of steps in our day.

What if we were to change these daily activities into a walking meditation?

For those who read this and say, "I don't have time to meditate!"  Here's a solution.

For those who read this and have a daily meditation practice, you'll love this walking meditation and it's very easy.  Here's how to do it:

1.  Take two steps and repeat the mantra, "I have arrived."

2.  Take two steps and repeat the mantra, "I am home."

That's it!

Repeat each mantra every two steps, and my friend, think of the transformation your life will quickly take by gaining the awareness, peace, and struggle-free living brought on, simply, by being present in your daily activities!

There have been over 600 medical studies done on meditation...all of which have scientific data supporting the physical, mental and emotional benefits of meditation.  There is no reason why everyone should not be meditating....this tool gives you all the benefits in something you are already doing everyday.

Give it a try for a day and be sure to leave your comments below!  Share your wins and even your challenges!

Transformation can be challenging, however, challenges bring on new lessons....we want to hear them!