Watership Down

"Animals don't behave like men...If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill they kill. But they don't sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures' lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality."

from the wonderful book, Watership Down

One Energy

Cleansing Prayer

I like finding new prayers.

Gold

Always look for the gold within the heart. It's the only gold worth finding. All other gold is fools gold.

I haven't been showing up much in the Classroom lately. I suppose because I have been a lazy student -- a condition I suspect effects many of us. What I can say is that I've noticed that when I don't show up for my spiritual path, it effects my everyday life. It's like not eating healthy food--eventually it shows in low energy levels and the body not doing so well. 

I did just read my last 3 lessons again all at once and felt a definite surge of energy and inspiration. 

I also want to say how sorry I am, Indira, for your recent loss. I know there are not words that can really comfort, but I hope you can feel my heart reaching out to yours.

And to say thank you for continuing to show up for our school. You do not ask us to do anything that you also do not do. You keep showing up, no matter what is going on in your life. You are an inspiration to me in that way -- a true teacher because you do what you ask us to do. I learn, not only from your words, but from how you choose to live your life. I don't know the inner workings of your daily life, but I do know you keep showing up, as you ask us to do. I will try to be a better student -- and a better Teacher to myself.  Love, Kevin

Be Yourself

Today I found this and I like it:
"Be yourself: everyone else is already taken." by Oscar Wilde

The Journey

The spiritual path is a journey of awareness, a journey to awareness, and yet awareness is always present. Awareness is here when you pull on your socks in the morning and when you pull them off at night. Awareness exists in every state: waking, sleeping, dreaming, and deep sleep.

Dark/Light

“We live in a kind of dark age, craftily lit with synthetic light, so that no one can tell how dark it has really gotten.” - Martín Prechte

Brilliant

I HAVE ABANDONED MY SEARCH FOR TRUTH, AND AM NOW LOOKING FOR A GOOD FANTASY. - Ashleigh Brilliant

Believing

"One can't believe impossible things," said Alice. "I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." (Through The Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll)

Happy Sunday!!

Zen Words

A great Zen master lost his son one day, and was weeping. His disciple saw him and said, "But Master, you have taught us that everything in this life is only an illusion!" The master replied, "Yes, that is true. And this is the saddest illusion of them all!" 

Listen

Now, I'll listen to melodies
for in these melodies are the secrets
the answers if you will
to every
that is
all questions in the universe
the human voice singing melodies
the melody of the birds, the wind,
the traffic, flutes, guitars,
barking dogs, cats meowing,
love and light, being, walking the talk,
I'll be the music, I'll be the melody
We'll all be the melody we are.

Hirth Martinez

Computer Fixed

Hi Everyone, my computer is now fixed, so you should be hearing from me more regularly now. And you should get your lessons on time. That's good news, right? Love you.

Good News

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/opinion/nicholas-kristof-the-most-important-thing-and-its-almost-a-secret.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

Computer Problems

Dear Students,
This is to let you know, in case you do not hear from me for awhile, that my laptop is having problems. I have an appointment to hopefully get it fixed soon, but wanted to post this message while I still can. I hope this will not interfere with you getting your new lessons on time, but it may. And I also hope that all of you take the time to check here now and then, so you are sure to get this message.
Thanks,
your loving nearly computerless teacher

Peace Like A River

This is a house in England which I posted here just because I like it so much. I grew up in the country, by a river. The river was a great teacher, just as it was in the book about the Buddha -- the book by Hermann Hesse, Siddartha (which you can read for free here: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2500/2500-h/2500-h.htm)    

Now I live in the city, not so far from the ocean, but perhaps someday I will live by a river again. Oceans are vast and sparkling and some people prefer them. I prefer rivers that are always flowing to the ocean. 

Light in the Darkness

Thank you to our classmate Monika F. for making the decision to visit from Germany for 2 weeks while I am giving so much energy to support Hirth in this time of a very hard illness. Thank you to some of our classmates, Christel, Barbara, and Jean-Paul who helped send Monika to Los Angeles. Thank you to our classmate Ursula K. for spending the day with Monika and me, at the Huntington Gardens. Monika and Ursula had a chance to get to know each other.

Thank you to each of you for being as you are. I am grateful. Here is a picture I took here in So Cal.

Carl Jung

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."  Carl Jung