“The most difficult times...

“The most difficult times for many of us

are the ones we give ourselves.”

― Pema Chödrön

Compassion

"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. 

It’s a relationship between equals.

Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. 

Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”

~ Pema Chodron

"We Already Have Everything We Need..."

Today I would like to share this text by Pema Chödrön with you. It really moved me because all my life I have been trying to improve myself in some way (and when you read this blog you know I still do).

First I thought it was because I wanted people to accept me for who I am but now I realize that I was still trying to accept myself. Deep down inside there was always a negative feeling about myself.

But since I became a mother I started to feel more love for myself. I discovered that I'm able to love unconditional and that love has opened me, and it was there all along.

“We already have everything we need.
There is no need for self-improvement.

All these trips that we lay on ourselves —the heavy-duty fearing that we’re bad and hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds— never touch our basic wealth.

They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun.

But all the time our warmth and brilliance are right here.
This is who we really are.

We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake.”

~ Pema Chödrön

Thank you for being here today, take care, xxx!

When You Open Yourself...

“When you open yourself to the continually changing, 
impermanent, dynamic nature of your own being and of reality, 
you increase your capacity to love and care about other people and your capacity to not be afraid. 

You're able to keep your eyes open, your heart open, and your mind open. 
And you notice when you get caught up in prejudice, bias, and aggression.

You develop an enthusiasm for no longer watering those negative seeds,
from now until the day you die.

And, you begin to think of your life as offering endless opportunities to start to do things differently.”

~ Pema Chödrön

I started this morning with such peace inside but as the day progressed and I started to get tired, I fell back into my old behavior. Oh, frustration!

But then I saw this post from Oak before Ash and remembered a quote by Pema Chödrön; think of your life as offering endless opportunities to start to do things differently.

And I decided to take the opportunity to focus at least the rest of the day on the love and warmth that surrounds me in our cozy home.
And now I feel peace inside again instead of that consuming self-blame.

Thank you for being here today and thank you Emma for your heartfelt post. It inspired me and reminded me that we are all on the same path, going two steps forward and one step back. But we are on our way!
With love to all of you....Xxx!

Friendship with Ourselves

I really enjoy my recent daily practice to focus on my daily activities. For example when I was raking the fallen leaves this morning. The colours and shapes looked even more beautiful and I felt so peaceful allowing no distracting thoughts to come in. It felt like a meditation.

It also is very helpful for me to take the time every day to read an inspirational text or article. For today I have chosen a text by Pema Chödrön, the following line really is an eye opener to me;
"As long as our orientation is toward perfection or success, we will never learn about unconditional friendship with ourselves, nor will we find compassion."

It sounds so beautiful; unconditional friendship with myself. To let go of all those secretive expectations of myself to become a perfect always cheerful mother, a published photographer, a successful blogger and a charismatic, popular person.
Losing those expectations and goals would provide so much personal freedom and peace of mind.

Pema has a very loving approach to this personal development;
"When we train in letting go of thinking that anything—including ourselves—is either good or bad, we open our minds to practice with forgiveness and humor. And we practice opening to a compassionate space in which good/bad judgments can dissolve.
We practice letting go of our idea of a "goal" and letting go of our concept of "progress," because right there, in that process of letting go, is where our hearts open and soften—over and over again."

So heartwarming and encouraging, I am very grateful to have read this inspiring article by Pema Chödrön; Signs of Spiritual Progress.
Thank you for joining me here today and I wish you a lovely day.

~

Buddhism for Mothers

Do not dwell in the past,

do not dream of the future,

concentrate the mind on the present moment.

~ Buddha

Inspired by the wonderful book "Buddhism for Mothers" by Sarah Napthali I recently refreshed my interest in the Buddhist approach of life. My interest was somewhat weakened over the past year since I was overwhelmed by motherhood. But now that I am somewhat back to my senses (as far as possible with all my lack of sleep), it is time to work on myself again.

I have noticed that 15 months after giving birth, I still have my mood swings and no one believes that it is still the pregnancy hormones hihi. So I must face the fact that becoming a mother puts things in another perspective. Under a magnifying glass to be precise. Supposedly small bad habits are magnified to huge stumbling blocks in conscious parenting. Motherhood is the ultimate challenge with above all an unconditional love and at the same time severe uncertainties. So let's start...

The first step was to read this book by Sarah Napthali. So far so good. Now step two; daily practice of keeping my thoughts positive and focused on the present moment.

I am a daydreamer and my thoughts are always either in the past or the future, but almost never and certainly not for long in the present moment. Only when I take my photos and while writing my blog I am fully present in the Now. Well today I will try to expand those moments.

~