Posts by Pat:
another Zen story…
Once there was a person who wanted to relocate to a new village. Wondering if he’d like his new town, he went to consult the Zen master, “Do you think I will like this new village? Are the people nice?”
The Zen master asks: “How were the people in the town where you come from?”
“It was dreadful. They were nasty, angry, and greedy,” said the newcomer. “I hated it.”
The Zen master says: “Those are exactly the type of people we have in this village. ”
Another newcomer to the village visited the master and asked the same question.
Again, the Zen master asked, “How were the people in the town where you come from?”
“Respectful and caring, they are wonderful people who live in harmony with each other,” he replied.
“Those are exactly the type of people we have in this village,” said the Zen master.
And the message is..?
I think you know!
And, what if the two men came from the same town?
(see * below!)
Maybe the easiest way to improve our life is to change our perspective.
And just maybe it should be the first thing we try!
Has it ever worked that way for you?
(*Short and humorous, Zen stories are typically paradoxical, whimsical and sometimes puzzling. Yet they never fail to help us reframe our perspective and free us from the distortion of perceptions arising from judgment, beliefs, and attachment. Ultimately the distinction between good or bad, right or wrong is often just a matter of contextual perspective.)
More than enough?
Saying that “I have enough” or “I am enough” isn’t really “enough,” even though they are useful affirmations and certainly head us in the right direction. I suggest we consider the option of replacing the word “enough” with the word “plenty.” Consider the difference in feeling and tone generated by the two phrases “I have […]
A teaching story…
One day, a famous samurai set out to find a monk who was known to be very wise. When he arrived at the monastery, he demanded of the serene man, “Tell me, you are learned in this matter. What is heaven and what is hell?” The monk turned and looked up at the warrior. “You […]
An Amazing Word…
Read until the end and just enjoy our delightful language! This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word. This word is “UP.” This one word in the English language can be a noun, verb, adjective, adverb and preposition. Who knew?! Not this (ex)English teacher! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses […]
A Taste of Wisdom
A Hindu parable recounted by Mark Nepo An aging Hindu master grew tired of his apprentice complaining, and so one morning sent him for some salt. When the apprentice returned, the master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it. “How does […]
Summer Daze?
It’s summer time (and the living is easy!) You know what that means right? Sure… barbequing, beaching, camping, boating, vacationing, picnicking, and sunbathing. But also potentially the utter collapse of our work momentum and productivity. It’s true, the dictionary even defines the “Dog Days of Summer” as “lethargy, inactivity or indolence.” It’s just the part of […]
Four monks’ story…
There is an often-told Zen story of four monks who decided to do a silent meditation for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle that lit their prayer hall began to flicker and soon went out. The first monk said “Oh, no! The candle is out.” The second monk said, “Aren’t we […]
It’s Up to You
FOOD FOR THOUGHT… One song can spark a moment. One flower can wake the dream. One tree can start a forest, And one bird can herald the spring. One smile can begin a friendship. One hand can lift a soul. One star can guide a ship at sea, And one word […]
Respond to “How are you?”
Start your day with a friendly “How are you?” But ask it of yourself! It is an opportunity to be reminded of what’s really true about you and your experiences. Imagine beginning each day with “How am I?” and then responding with one of the following answers: How am I ? I am strong. I […]
Why your June 10th is so important
Today is June 10th. In 20 days, 2018 will be halfway over! That’s crazy, right? It seems like just yesterday we were planning our goals for the year and feeling motivated about the future. Question for you–what have you accomplished in this near-half-year? Have you achieved what you set out to achieve? Made a dent in […]