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  [  MINDFULNESS &  HARDSHIP CAN OPEN THE HEART ] & [  THE HERMIT &  THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE  ]

Well Spring is finally here and we had a lot of time to reflect through the winter. Spring starts around our house when I tap the maples, and start collecting the sap so it can be boiled down into maple syrup. This year was as magical as ever!! The great Mother was abundant with the flow of sap into the buckets. The migration of the Canadian Geese and Snow Geese was incredible this year as well. I spent six day outside in the snow boiling down the sap, and on a few days there was a thick fog in the mornings. There is something mystical sitting by the fire in the fog with snow geese flying over, you couldn't see them coming but you could hear the wizz of their wings cutting through the fog, and then through the mist they would appear and wheel overhead as if to say hi on their journey to northern homes. It was a great time to sit and talk with Spirit. So I was able to ask some deeper questions of Spirit.
 

*** Dave's Feature Article: ***

MINDFULNESS & HARDSHIP CAN OPEN THE HEART

Mindfulness is a part of the interconnection we have to everyone and everything in our universe. Mindfulness is being able to touch that greater interconnection. It's not the same way we touch something with our hand. In my death and integration with my new life I found myself more alive because I am now able to touch life in the present moment. For years I was unable to understand this or put it to words and then I heard someone speak of "Mindfulness".

Knowledge is necessary to think and to judge, and it is very helpful in our daily life. But there is a higher truth that is blocked by knowledge. Truth is found in life. Our minds can chat and chat to such a point that we cannot hear the higher truth. Ancestor Native Americans observed all life around them in a natural way. In doing that they touch life with mindfulness without thinking and without judgment.

Mindfulness can be practiced at any time. Walking, sitting, standing, working or resting are all good times to practice. A simple way to start practicing is to take a moment to feel your own body. Feel your feet on the floor, the weight of your body in the chair; be aware of each breath you take. With each breath in, know you are breathing in and with each breath out, know you are breathing out. Some Zen masters teach with a bell, every time the bell rings they pause for a moment to breath in and out in mindfulness of the present moment.

Being present in this moment, the moment we are in, is when we are truly awake. We have everything we need. No need to fear "are we good enough". Fear increases the mind chatter. We are one flicker away from being awake. The flame on the candle is only there for the moment it has air, fuel, & heat. The flame must live in the moment.

Once we learn to touch in mindfulness we begin to see the beauty of this earth and our life. You will discover that the moment you are in is unique and completely fresh. Never to repeat it's self. That is absolute. We learn to be grateful for the present moment and find peace in it. We find our truth and our true self and the interconnection with mineral, vegetable and the animals.

Your life has new meaning when you begin to be fully mindful with every present moment throughout the day. Then you can move on with life, with a real purpose and not just race forward blindly. Or you can retreat from life losing the chance to truly experience the wonder and majesty.

Hardship Can Open The Heart:

One thing I have learned with my nearness to death on a few occasions is: We can use our difficulties and problems to awaken the heart and make it stronger. Doing so, we can live with an open heart and not shield or protect the heart. By opening our heart we widen the circle of compassion. (We spoke of cycles and circles in past articles) We must develop our unconditional compassion for ourselves and that will naturally lead us toward unconditional compassion for others.

Compassion for others comes from the realization of our kinship with all beings. You may feel you are the lowest wretch on this earth or at the lowest point in your life. You can bring everything, all of that, to awaken your heart and become mindful. Stop criticizing and blaming. Do not ignore or run away. Examine the moment you are in, you will discover there is an enormous and powerful space to live your life. The thought that you are an isolated being, is a huge misunderstanding that you can now let go, you will see the interconnectedness you have to everything.

Opening you heart and being present in every moment is the goal. Just start by being present with an open heart and open mind. You will see the craving, suffering, aggression, and denial in others and yourself. This is not easy, but you must accept yourself, as you are, before you can move forward to make your Self the best you can be. If you can accept who you are then you are ready to begin, being more mindful.

The Buddhist call it bodhichitta or awakened heart. Each and every one of us has what we need right now, to awaken the heart. We just need to discover it. We spend an awful amount of time and our lives searching for it some where else. We look in books, in experiences and teachers. When we talk about enlightenment, waking up or awakening the bodhichitta, all that means is that we know it is here, and we realize that its been here all along.

Earlier I mentioned we can use our difficulties and problems to awaken the heart and make it stronger. When do you look for guidance the most? It is when you are suffering the most. We need to change our thoughts about suffering, and learn to embrace it. Do not run away from it. You must be willing not to just endure it but also to let it awaken your heart and soften you. Then learn to embrace it. That is when you will start to feel closer to the unconditional compassion for your self and eventually for others.

When we are experiencing something or a time that is pleasant then we want to hold on to it and not let go. We are afraid to let go or we might lose it. Some of the most miserable people are folks that have a lot to lose. We do not want to share its secrets. If we are enjoying what we are experiencing then we need to be generous and think of others. Share the wealth and joy of how you are experiencing this pleasantness. A big piece of the pie is giving back what you have learned and sharing it with others. The harder you grasp or hold onto something the more it crumbles and slips through your fingers.

I was sitting with a friend and listening to what they were saying about suffering, about winning a long fight, a legal battle. I asked if they had taken on a lot of armament for the battle. The indication I received was, yes they had gathered a huge defense. I then asked what they had done with the defenses, now that the battle was won. I was told that they were keeping the defenses, to keep their guard up. I explained that how we live is how we take care of our heart. If we are victorious that means we are guarding our heart and shielding and armoring it. So have we really won the war? The heart is so protected nothing can touch it. I explained one thing I have learned is to let go of the shielding and the suffering will unravel. Then you will see that true wealth is letting everything touch your heart. Don't be afraid of something touching your soft spot. We need to let go of all those defenses we have gathered or we will never be able to have an awakened heart.

Those who possess the power of an awakened heart and trusting their truth grasp that power lightly. Understand that by clutching or holding on to that idea of power, one becomes possessed by it. Wiser individuals do not need to defend who or what they are, because they are confident in the truth within. Once we understand we do not need to fight against jealousy or slander, we can self examine and choose to maintain the dignity of our inner peace.

Another way of denying the heart is to buy into the programmed sense that we need to be someone else. We need to look like something we are not, or we need to project a false sense of self. Its the same old trap. We now project that we are something wonderful but inside we are judging ourselves as something less. We need to accept who we are, and it will be painful but we must embrace the pain, so that it might touch our heart and get through. Touching the Heart IS THE POINT.

I guess, I went on a bit in this ezine. Well next quarter I'll try to include tools to develop mindfulness.

You have permission to reprint what you just read. Use it in your ezine, at your web site or in your newsletter. The only requirement is including the following footer...
Article by David Bennett visit www.dharma-talks.com for more original content like this. Reprint permission granted with this footer included.
 

*** Cindy's Feature Article: ***
 

THE HERMIT &  THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

The Hermit (IX)
Wow, it is Spring already and what a perfect time to talk about the Hermit. We have just come out of the Winter and the introspective time of the Hermit. We should now fully understand the powerful experience of going within and taking the sacred time necessary to reenforce our inner self. The Hermit has changed over the years and can no longer stay locked up in his cave. He is becoming more a representation of Spring. The beautiful coming forward into the world after a long inward time. The Hermit has the responsibility to Shine His Light to the world now. We are asked to "be in this world, not of this world" and that is the strength of his lesson. When we take the time to know our true inner self, the outer world can't knock us off center so easily! When someone else's drama is taking you with them, remember the Hermit and ask him to help you connect with your grounded inner self! That drama will stay what it truly is, someone else's!
 

The Wheel of Fortune (X)
Hang onto your hats! It is a time of good luck, new beginnings. The Wheel of Fortune will try to take you on life's roller coaster to see if you got the lesson of the Hermit. If you did your inner work, you can watch the world go by in it's crazy fashion and jump on and off to take the wonderful and exciting opportunities Life has to offer! When we see the Sphinx on the top of the card, he sits in quite observation ready to grab the golden ring when it passes. When you are working with the Wheel of Fortune, practice mindfulness and also be prepared for a golden opportunity to come your way! We always think we have to be in motion, running around to not miss out on what life has to offer. That is the farthest from the truth. It is through quieting your life and watching life that you are have the energy to go for the opportunity! Does this mean you sit and do nothing, just waiting for an opportunity to come your way? No, it means that you have learned the lesson of the Hermit and aren't running around busily involving yourself in all that is not your true nature. You are spending your time focusing your energy, creating and then being ready to take opportunities with gusto instead of fear that you are biting off more than you can chew!

Well, next ezine we will look at the Justice and beyond! Happy Spring!

You have permission to reprint what you just read. Use it in your ezine, at your web site or in your newsletter. The only requirement is including the following footer...
Article by Cindy Griffith-Bennett visit www.psychicsupport.com/ for more original content like this. Reprint permission granted with this footer included.

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