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Nonduality Highlights: Issue #3721, Saturday, November 21, 2009, Editor: Mark
When you have understood that all existence, in separation and
limitation, is painful, and when you are willing and able to live
integrally, in oneness with all life, as pure being, you have
gone beyond all need of help. You can help another by precept and
example and, above all, by your being. You cannot give what you
do not have and you don't have what you are not. You can only
give what you are - and of that you can give limitlessly.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj, posted to ANetofJewels
Thanksgiving is just a week away - a time for giving and being
grateful. I'm reminded of the three benefactors: "Giver,
Receiver, and Gift," and tears well up in my eyes... I don't
understand this, but my heart seems to know that they are one.
Whatever it is,
I cannot understand it,
although gratitude
stubbornly overcomes me
until I'm reduced to tears.
- Fujiwara Sanekata, from The Poetry of Zen, posted to
DailyDharma
Live for the Sake of Others
Real religion is living it, living like all things in nature,
living for the sake of others. You don't need to do anything
else. Let every breath go in and out for the benefit of the
world. When you eat a morsel of food, think that this food is
going to create a few drops of blood in your body to build
strength that you can utilize for the benefit of others. It is
for that purpose that you are eating; it is for that purpose you
are breathing. If you go to sleep, think, `By sleeping, I will be
rested enough to get up early in the morning to serve others.'
Living this way, your mind is always free from all kinds of
anxieties, worries, fears and hatred.
God bless you. OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
- Swami Satchidananda, posted to meditationsocietyofamerica
The key to experiencing love is to notice where awareness is
flowing right now. That flow of awareness is love, and it is the
most satisfying and nourishing thing we can experience. There is
naturally a direction to this flow of awareness. It moves from
within our being to the objects and experiences we are having. We
can only fully experience this flow of aware love as it moves in
this direction.
When someone else is lovingly aware of us (not of their
judgments or desires regarding us, but simply of us as we are),
we can experience the outer expression of their love. We can see
the way they are looking at us, the smile on their face, and the
responsiveness of their reactions to us. But the awareness of us
is arising in them. The love is flowing from them towards us, and
so it is filling them with this sense of satisfaction and joy. If
we are to feel satisfaction and joy, it will depend on whether we
are experiencing a flow of love towards them. It is our own open
awareness that fills us with that sense of connection and
appreciation. We are filled with love when we are giving it to
someone or something else.
- Nirmala, from Living from the Heart, posted to
adyashantigroup
how long will you hide
your beautiful
festive smile
teach your laughter
to a flower
manifest an eternity
why do you think
the door to the sky
is closed on your face
it allures and invites
your magical touch
to open and arrive
an entire caravan
is waiting in ecstasy
for your coming and leading
come on my friend
use your talisman and
harness all their souls
today is the day to unite
with your longing beloved
wait no more
for an unknown tomorrow
a tambourine is in a corner
begging your playing hands
a flute is sitting dormant
begging your happy lips
- Rumi, Ghazal 253, translation by Nader Khalili, from Rumi,
Fountain of Fire,, posted to Sunlight