Namaste to All ... No matter where you are coming from, this is a time of togetherness, laughter, love, and compassion.  I am reminded of Hotei. 

Thanks to the unknown artist.

He carries a never-empty bag filled with gifts for those on the pathway to enlightenment, for children and those in need.  Osho tells this story of him ...

Hotei, a Zen master, was passing through a village He was one of the most beautiful persons who have ever walked on earth. He was known to people as ‘The Laughing Buddha’ — he used to laugh continuously. But sometimes he would sit under a tree — in this village he was sitting under a tree, with closed eyes; not laughing, not even smiling; completely calm and collected.

Somebody asked: “You are not laughing, Hotei?”
He opened his eyes and he said, “I am preparing.”

The questioner could not understand. He said, 

“What do you mean by ‘preparing’?”
He said, “I have to prepare myself for laughter. 

I have to give myself rest. 

I have to go in. 

I have to forget the whole world 

so that I can come again rejuvenated 

and I can again laugh.”

Osho continues ... If you really want to laugh you will have to learn how to weep. If you cannot weep and if you are not capable of tears, you will become incapable of laughter. A man of laughter is also a man of tears — then a man is balanced. A man of bliss is also a man of silence. A man who is ecstatic is also a man who is centered. They both go together. And out of this togetherness of polarities a balanced being is born. And that is what the goal is. 

        Blessings to Everyone!  Thank you for being here!

 

Namaste to Everyone ... Today is the day of the new moon and it is 12-12-12.   I believe these two events can work well together.   The energy of new beginnings and transformation is strong.  What to do about it?

Thousands of monks meditating!

I think today is a good time to breathe in deeply and move into a calm and peaceful state of mind.   Being in that open space, I will let awareness overtake me and realize I am in harmony with Earth and all living things. 

"Silence is an empty space,

 space is the home of the 

awakened mind." - Buddha

And then I will celebrate LIFE!   

Thank you for joining me on this day!

 

Namaste to you ... I have been meditating upon the "uncarved block" that Taoist Lao Tsu writes of in the Tao Te Ching.  Return to our original nature and be like the uncarved block, he infers.  In this state of being, we are clear of any mind projections.  We are full of potential and possibilities, ready to become whatever is at hand ...  or not.

I came across this powerful sculpture ...  the uncarved boulder was carved into an image of a Taoist, perhaps, with the thought of immortalizing the Taoist thought.   Lao Tsu would say, "Only when it is cut are there names."  I am still contemplating ...

The carved uncarved block

Blessings to all of us on 

the pathway of understanding!

Thank you for being here!  

Namaste ... to Everyone!  I awoke many times last night with the glow of the full moon illuminating our Earth.  I got out of bed at six o'clock this morning hoping to catch a view before she dropped below the horizon ...  and I did!

Kauai Moon

  

 Good Morning, Moon!   

Thank you for your intricate part in the Wheel of Life!

I like to think of the many people that 

join together with eyes on the Moon during 

the three-day-span of full moon energy.

Thank you for being here!

Namaste ... It is full moon time again ... displaying to us once again the cycles of our existence.  Here is a sweet Tibetan painting of the Buddha pointing up to the full moon after his enlightenment ...

Koyakashi Issa (1763-1827),  a well-known haiku master, wrote this wonderful poem that I have quoted many times:
  

Under this bright moon

I sit like an old buddha

knees spread wide

Thank you for joining me under this full moon!

Namaste ... to all of YOU!  For some of us, there are holiday thoughts in the air ... a time to set aside and call into our awareness our feelings of thankfulness.  We gather with friends and family and share our love, our food, our ideas.  

I imagine a new beginning of being in the state of gratitude in every moment.  I am thankful for all that is good in my life and I know if there are some struggling areas, everything keeps changing. 

                                     Blessings to ALL. 

I AM...Thankful  

I close my eyes and smile...the gratitude fl0ws...

thank you...thank you...thank you...

to all living things, to the Earth, to the Sky, 

to the Waters, and to the Air we breathe.  

I AM THAT!

Namaste and Aloha Friday ... Today is an Earth Activist Day for me ... This morning I watched my partner open some sort of package that was made of the hard plastic and some cardboard.  He was diligently separating the cardboard from the plastic for he had found the little triangle which was slightly hidden and noted that it was recyclable.  Thank you to the manufacturer and to Dennis for their awareness!

Earth witness mudra by Eley Kaa

 

I found the most perfect words by Za Rinpoche on the subject of our Earth:
 
           "Understanding unity helps to solve humanity's

 biggest challenges. There is no such thing as an 

              isolated problem. By injuring any part of the 
                     world's system, you injure yourself. 
              There is no such thing as a win/lose situation.

             Think of life on this planet in terms of systems 
                            and not detached elements. 
               Broaden your field of vision and assimilate 
                              the knowledge you have. 
                 See that the environment does not belong 
        to any single country to exploit and then disregard.

           You cannot afford to think of your relationship 
                     with the earth as a one-night stand. 
             There's no such thing as a free glass of milk. 
                             It's time to buy the cow."

           

     Thank you for joining me in Earth Awareness!  

         And thank you to the artist Eley Kaa! 

Namaste to the whole Universe ... I am thinking of the complexity of life giving us so many experiences ... fun ones and challenging ones ... all leading us to discover who we really are when we witness ourselves in the quiet moments of meditation.

A few years back when I gathered children

 together in a Sacred Circle, 

I guided the young ones to sit and be.

The older brother teaching the younger one!

  
One of our wise Indian teachers, Ramana Maharishi, reminds us of the importance of meditation . ..

"Happiness is your nature.

It is not wrong to desire it.

What is wrong is seeking it outside 

when it is inside."

 

 Thank you for being here and 

joining me on this pathway to Awareness!

Namaste ...  and Good Morning to this world of over seven billion people ... 

Just a small part of the group.

I came across this Zen story and, once again, the wisdom-words set my thinking straight ...

                                                         
                                                        The Holy Man

Word spread across the countryside about the wise Holy Man who lived in a small house atop the mountain. A man from the village decided to make the long and difficult journey to visit him. 

When he arrived at the house, he saw an old servant inside who greeted him at the door. "I would like to see the wise Holy Man," he said to the servant. The servant smiled and led him inside. As they walked through the house, the man from the village looked eagerly around the house, anticipating his encounter with the Holy Man. 

Before he knew it, he had been led to the back door and escorted outside. He stopped and turned to the servant, "But I want to see the Holy Man!"

"You already have," said the old man. "Everyone you may meet in life, even if they appear plain and insignificant... see each of them as a wise Holy Man. If you do this, then whatever problem you brought here today will be solved."

 Thank you for the reminder!  

 And thank you for being here and   

             joining me on the pathway to awareness! 

Namaste ... I awoke up this morning thinking of the healing power of meditation.  With the thought of Stanford University doing testing on meditating monks and seeing definite neurological changes during the meditation process,  I was wondering if meditation could be prescribed for ones who are overwhelmed with the ups and downs of life --- and those diagnosed with depression and anxiety.  I want to think so.  

I went on to find a meditation teaching from Swami Rajneesh also know as Osho. 

Swami Rajneesh

                   Here is some meditation wisdom from Swami:

"Meditation simply means a discipline 
that makes you capable of being aloof 
and detached from your mind. 
So even if the mind is sick, 
your consciousness is never sick. 
Even if your mind is going crazy, 
you are just witnessing it. 
 Mind is only a machine. You are not. 
Meditation is the experience: 
"I am not my body, not my mind -- 
I am the witness of it all." 
This experience, this transcendental experience, 
immensely transforms the whole situation. 
Many things which were driving you crazy 
simply drop away."

Thank you for joining me on this pathway 
of witnessing ourselves.
Meditation is good medicine! 

Aloha Friday ... When I came across this cool painting of Earth, it immediately created the image of Earth upon a sacred altar.  The symbolism here, gives us something to think about.

Painting by Kevin Sloan

                                                  ********

Today I am thinking at the miracle of it all.  I know many of us are.   Again, I look to the wise ones to affirm my thinking.  Here are some words from Thich Nhat Hanh that call upon us to even look beyond the blatant miracles and to be mindful of everything ...

    “People usually consider 

walking on water or in thin air a miracle. 

But I think the real miracle 

is to walk on earth.

Every day we are engaged in a miracle 

which we don't even recognize: 

a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, 

the black, curious eyes of a child -- 

our own two eyes. All is a miracle."

Thank you for being here and joining me in our Awakening!

Namaste to YOU on this Sunday ... I was having some spacious thoughts yesterday when I was merming in the ocean.  Feeling really good and empowered by the cleansing waters of the sea, I was thinking about how spiritually uplifted I was in that moment ... feeling one with the water.

When thinking of the elements that we are born of and that are a part of our every day life ... fire through the sun ... the earth on which we walk every day ... the air in which we take every breath ... the water in which we drink and bathe ... I realized that with holding an awareness of the sacredness of our bodies and our existence, every moment could hold a zap of shaktipat, that surge of spiritual energy for us.   I am working on that!

              Also I wanted to show you one of the four new 
               clay pieces I posted on my Gallery page today.  
                 They are small pieces (three by two inches) 
                      to adorn your altar and/or to be held 
                                     during meditations.  

Not only is there a Buddha, but a bodhi leaf, too.  
  It is finished with the Tibetan colors of red, green, yellow and blue which symbolize the elements.

                        

Thank you, to the Universe, I say.

And thank you for joining me in our awakening.

Namaste ... How are YOU?  I just photographed my latest piece.  And here it is!  I am so inspired by the Tibetan prayer flags with the way they simply just blow around in the wind, sending out prayers of love and healing.  With that in my heart, I created a clay prayer flag.  I can imagine it hanging on the wall, sending out the same blessings.  I am smiling ....  

Presenting ...

                                         BuddhaFace 84

I Am ... like a Prayer Flag

With the wind blowing
through me. 

Thank you for being here 
and joining me in the joy of the pathway!


 

Namaste to YOU ... I wanted to honor John Lennon on this day.  It is his birthday and he would have been 72 years old.   His energy lives on in my heart, but I still miss him.  I am glad that he left a legacy of music and wisdom to ponder.

Thank you to the Unknown Artist

John has given us so much to think about.  Here are some of his words ...

 “There are two basic motivating forces: 

fear and love. 

When we are afraid, we pull back from life. 

When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer 

with passion, excitement, and acceptance. 

We need to learn to love ourselves first, 

in all our glory and our imperfections. 

 If we cannot love ourselves, 

we cannot fully open to our ability to love others 

or our potential to create. 

Evolution and all hopes for a better world 

rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision 

of people who embrace life.”

John Lennon, we are so happy that you were born and we had the chance to hear your voice.  Thank you!

And thank YOU for being here 

and remembering John Lennon with me!

 

Namaste to you on Saturn's Day ... Today is another day to celebrate!  As I am out wandering about on this day, I am going to be consciously aware and playful as look around me.  And with my heart, I will be open to the beauty of nature's cosmic dance of Oneness.  

Thanks to Marilyn, a mixed media artist, in Southern California

  I love these Osho words ...

“Take hold of your own life.
See that the whole existence is celebrating.
These trees are not serious, these birds are not serious.
The rivers and the oceans are wild,
and everywhere there is fun,
everywhere there is joy and delight.
Watch existence,
listen to the existence and become part of it.” 


Thank you for joining me in our Awakening!
Let's have some fun! 

Happy Sun Day and Namaste to YOU where ever you are ... I  brought to this page, a clay piece I have just completed.   It was inspired by my love for the the ocean and the similarities that we share.  She is embellished with shells, turquoise beads, and a special glass bead hand blown by a special sister.  Presenting ...


                                          BuddhaFace 85

     I AM …  the Ocean … Upon my surface there is 

swirling movement and sound, but within my depths, 

I know I can find silence, stillness ...  
and the oneness of it all. 

Please take a look at my Gallery Page.

I would be so honored for you to see my art.  

Thank you for joining me on this pathway! 

Namaste ... In celebration of this day, we gathered at the beach this evening to embrace the magic.   It brought to my mind, again, these wise words from the Buddha:

“Three things cannot be long hidden: 

the sun, the moon, and the truth."

And I wanted to share these beautiful photos of the changing of the light as seen from our island of Kauai ...

In the western sky, the Sun is setting!

And in the East,  we see the rising Moon!

The Harvest Moon 2012 in all her 
magnificence! Thank you!

Namaste ... This picture came into my awareness and I wanted to share it along with this little Zen story that can lead to big questioning ...

                   A student once asked his teacher, 
                  "Master, what is enlightenment?"

             The master replied, "When hungry, eat. 
                                When tired, sleep."

          

???

What do you think this means? 
To know yourself and do what needs to be done?  
Enlightenment is a simple endeavor? 
You choose what your enlightenment is? 
Or is enlightenment right here with us in the 
here and now?

Will you join me in pondering?

  "What is enlightenment?"

                               
                                    Thank you for being here.

Namaste ... I am honoring balance on this day of the Autumnal Equinox.   This is the time of equality between night and day ... light and dark ... and perhaps, when looking at the big picture, it may be a time of special energy for us.   It seems to me that on this day, a stillpoint may be easily found.   

Thank you to the unknown artist

   

Let us bring in the energy of this day!  Will you do the Dance of Balance with me today in celebration of our existence and for our MOTHERS who gave us life?  Perhaps, our births were even at a particular time and place to enable us to participate in the delicate balance of all things.

In gratitude for the balance 
and for the yin and yang of it!


  Thank you for being here!  

Namaste ... I am bowing with palms together ... I have been contemplating life.  And I must say that words like transformation, dancing, celebration, universe, cycles of life keep reappearing.  In this reverie, Shiva, the cosmic dancer,  is there with me.   

Some have said that Buddhism is a refined Hinduism.  Can you see that delicate balance and overlapping of ideas?  The Buddha was a rebel Hindu who took and nurtured a very vital aspect of Indian life ... that of going within to see I am That!

                  This day is in honor of the Buddha within and
                                    our Cosmic Dance ...

Painting by Tania Sen ... Thank you

 

              Here is a quote from Osho that is quite fitting today:

A buddha is celebration, 

a buddha is a festival, 

an ongoing festivity, 

a dance that goes on and on, 

that knows no ending, 

a song that continues forever. 

Thank you for being here on the pathway with me.  

I hope that I am making some sense.

Namaste ... With every step on this pathway, I look to the ways of understanding my part in the scheme of things ... mirror mirror

Painting by Raja Ravi Varma

Here is another Zen story that brought a smile to me.  One of these days, I will "just know" these things in every moment ...

   There was once a monk who would carry 

a mirror where ever he went.  A priest noticed 

this one day and thought to himself,

 "This monk must be so preoccupied with the way 

he looks that he has to carry that mirror all the time.  

He should not worry about the way he looks on the 

outside, it's what's inside that counts."  

So the priest went up to the monk and asked,

 "Why do you always carry that mirror?" thinking 

for sure this would prove his guilt.  

The monk pulled the mirror from his bag 

and pointed it at the priest.  Then he said,

 "I use it in times of trouble.  I look into it and 

it shows me the source of my problems as well 

as the solution to my problems."

Thank you for being here and joining me

in our awakening! 

Namaste to you ... Yes, I bow to your divinity ... Yes, my heart loves your heart ... Yes, let us meet where we are One ...
             
                  Namaste from the Peace Garden in Hanapepe

Painting by my friend, Anna Raimondi

I have been looking at all of my seeking on the pathway of life to realize the truth of me ... traveling, workshops, listening to the wisdom words of our teachers and more.  The yearning has been great to find the answers to life.  I am thankful for all that I have learned.  

Now I sit upon this rock in the middle of a big pond and know that I have realized a new simplicity of thought ... there is no other place to go.   Zen Master Hakuin captures this idea in these two lines:

"This very land is the pure lotus land,

 This very body is the body of Buddha!"

Thank you for being here and 

joining me in our awakening!