Hot Chocoate and Spirituality

Okay, I know this post below isn't really "spiritual" in the sense that we think of spritual, but I happen to missing home about now, and saw this--and it is in one of my favorite places, Little Tokyo in L.A. and so I can go there when I return for hot chocolate. Anyone care to join me?

In reality, life is spiritual when we live fully in the present moment. It is only our being absent from NOW that makes us feel less than alive. We can only be alive NOW. We can experience life fully only in the PRESENT. And the present is divine.

What do you think divinity is, anyway? What do you think God is? What do you think spirituality is?

Spirituality is not an idea in your mind. It is an actual experience. It is the experience of being divinely absolutely present in your life. We are so often not present because we are afraid of life. We are afraid of feeling intensely. We are just afraid. Fear is the only thing that keeps us from a full experience of this Divine Moment.

The moment is divine when you are there. And so are you.

(more hot chocolate 'round the world: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryankincaid/cacao-to-cacao)

20. Demitasse (Los Angeles, CA)

Even if the cold never really hits Los Angeles, you’ll easily find an excuse to warm up at Demitasse. This café in Little Tokyo serves a sophisticated Lavender Liquid Hot Chocolate that pairs slightly bitter hot chocolate with the floral notes of lavender and the sweet, caramel flavors of a homemade toasted marshmallow.

Enjoy Your Life! Yes!

Here is another link to another pumpkin pie latté and coconut milk whipped cream. Sweet treats for all you sweet hearts. Spirituality is about enJOYing your life. Yes!

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pumpkin-spice-latte-even-better-than-starbucks-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-96277

P.S. If you want to receive these post right to your own email address, all you must do is request this in your settings. Otherwise, just come here to read them, where you are always welcome with an open heart.

Inner Vision

You might enjoy this video about an artist who continued his career as an artist even after he became totally blind--and creates beautiful paintings. This shows that we can do anything when we align our will with a higher purpose. So think twice when you are feeling sorry for yourself, feeling defeated, feeling like the world is against you. Even if the world is against you, it does not matter--not if you are not against yourself.

Blind painter Sargy Mann: Painting with inner vision - BBC ...

► 4:33► 4:33

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9vHwCIaSwM

19 hours ago - Uploaded by BBC News

Sargy Mann has been painting all of his professional life, first as a teacher and later as a professional artist. In ...

More here:
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/nov/21/sargy-mann-blind-painter-tim-adams

The Red Tree

Monika and I just began our day with homemade Pumpkin Lattés and conversation about our last seminar in Maulburg. The red tree outside the window is shining as it always does, in rain, snow, or sun. The red tree is a great Teacher. It can teach us that we, too, can shine in all kinds of weather. It can teach us that our inner state is not dependent upon whether we are in the midst of storms or clouds or sun. The True Sun shines brightly from Within at all times. It is not that it is not always there; it is that we are not always aware of it. (Maybe the tree is more burgundy. You can't see its true colors here. View from Monika's balcony on the 2nd floor).

Antonio Porchia

"They have stopped deceiving you, not loving you. And it seems to you that they have stopped loving you.”

⎯⎯⎯ Antonio Porchia, “Voices,” ©2003 

Living NOW!!!

Notice when you are comparing your now to another now, which means you are not in the now, and if you not in the now, you can never be happy, since happiness happens only in the now.

Drinking Cappuccino in the NOW in Mainz, Germany, outdoor café.

Unhappiness

When you are unhappy, inquire: Why? Why am I unhappy? You do not have to accept your unhappiness like the color of your eyes.

Penny Yawning

Perhaps you know the teachings of this great Teacher . . .

"If the enquiry is made whether mind exists, it will be found that mind does not exist. That is control of mind. Otherwise, if the mind is taken to exist and one seeks to control it, it amounts to mind controlling the mind, just like a thief turning out to be a policeman to catch the thief, i.e., himself. Mind persists in that way alone, but eludes itself."

-Ramana Maharshi

April, 1935, Talk # 44

Your Face

What look is on your face right now? This is a good awareness exercise. All day we never see our own face, unless we look in a mirror, and then we see only ourself in reverse. Other people are looking at our face, as we look at theirs, but we can never see our own complete image in the way that others do, without a camera, a mirror, or some other reflection.

Relaxed awareness is the best place to live from. Right now this minute, how many muscles in your face do you think you are using to maintain tension, pain, fear, or sadness? How many muscles to maintain the image of who you think you are?

Without trying to necessarily change the look on your face as you go throughout your day, become aware of the muscles in your face. Become aware of the tension. Become aware. Not with the idea that you must look different, more attractive, or pleasing to someone else, but with the idea that tension hurts. Tense muscles use up energy.

What you become aware of begins to lose control over you. What you are not aware of controls you. 

I love those angelic words, don't you? The angels simply ask us to become aware. Trying to change, to be different, is so difficult. Here in our school we learn that you must only become aware of what causes you to suffer, to be in tension. The awareness itself begins to change us. Awareness does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. No one who becomes aware of a face full of tension will want to keep that face. Right?

Remember patience. Real change happens from the inside out. Maybe inner changes take a long time to show up on your face--maybe not--but what's important is what's changing on the inside. 

Much love now and always.

Maulburg, Germany Happy Days 2014

Candles...

"People are like candles. At any moment a breeze can blow it out, so enjoy the light while you have it."

Polar Bear Mother Love

Special Happy Halloween Coffee Drink

 Hey--you could cook your own pumpkin from scratch if you are ambitious (and use the rest for pumpkin soup!!!!) Smiles, your loving teacher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Spice Latte

AUTHOR: Danielle Walker - AgainstAllGrain.com
SERVES: 4

PREP TIME: 5 mins
COOK TIME: 5 mins TOTAL TIME: 10 mins

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups dark brewed coffee or espresso
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup Grade B maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: You can also prepare it without the coffee and keep it in your refrigerator to use like a coffee creamer. Just blend it up quickly with a hand blender or blender when you add it to your coffee. This creamer works well with chai tea as well.

Instructions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until heated through and slightly frothy on top.
2. Carefully transfer the liquid to a blender and cover the top with a towel. Blend on high for 30 seconds until foamy. Alternatively, use an immersion blender in the pot.
3. Divide between 4 mugs.

Good idea!!!

See where the crowd is going and go the way meant for you . . .

Wolves

The natural world works together quite perfectly when human beings do not interfere in the ecosystem. 

http://themetapicture.com/when-they-brought-these-wolves/
 

      There are angels of meadows, forests, flowers, trees, and plants. Living in the moment, they work harmoniously together to maintain the sensitive balance of nature. Nature spirits are very intent upon their tasks, because so much of nature is disappearing due to the carelessness and cruelty of humankind, particularly the haphazard clearing of trees and rain forests. As the angels of nature are pushed further and further away, they have less and less contact with humankind. Still, they can be inspired to work with human beings when they sense that a person sincerely cares about and is dedicated to the preservation of nature.

The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who
serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served. - Gordon B. Hinckley

What time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsR_ksdTpUo
Liebe Grüße
Monika

Grettings from Oberwil, Switzerland

I will be doing readings here all week and a seminar. If you are in Switzerland, come along. Don't miss this chance to experience how powerful the angelic energy has become. We had a very powerful seminar in Maibach. I was pleased to have students from the school there. Whenever students attend, their presence always raises the energy of the seminar, and makes everything that much more powerful. So thank you, those students who were there, for adding your energy.

Happy Singing and Clapping

This is fun. You might enjoy the song... https://www.google.ch/search?q=cups+sam+tsui&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&source=hp&gfe_rd=cr&ei=NKkhVPO7LemX8Qe554CABw