Truth of Our Identity Meditation (chant)
Creative Quotations from Eric Hoffer (1:18)
Author: Bohdi Baba
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Are These “Extravagant Promises” or Merely Miracles Just within Our Reach – Step 3
How have you successfully handled a situation that used to “baffle” you before you entered recovery?
“Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the
water … ” – excerpt from Walt Whitman poem belowThe Most Holy Names of God Meditation II (6:44)
THE GIFT OF COMPETENCE –
“We will intuitively
know how to handle
situations which used to
baffle us. We will suddenly
realize that God is doing for us
what we could not do for our-
selves. Are these extrava-
gant promises? We
think not.” (Life
with Hope,p. 162)
“A BRAVE AND DETERMINED SPIRIT”
“By shaping our
thoughts with spiri-
tual ideals, we are freed
to become who we want to
be. What we had feared, we
can now overcome through our
dependence on a loving God.”
“Whenever, we confront a dif-
ficulty that we do not think
we can handle, we ask
God to do for us what
we cannot do for
ourselves.” (Over-
eaters Anon.,
p. 13)“The miracle, or
the power, that ele-
vates the few is to be
found in their industry, ap-
plication, and persever-
ance under the prompt-
ing of a brave, deter-
mined spirit.”– Mark Twain (1835 – 1910) U.S. author/satirist
Miracles
by Walt Whitman, 1819 – 1892
Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the
water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with anyone I love, or sleep in the bed at night
with anyone I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with the rest,
O r look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer
forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
O r birds, or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, or of stars shining so
quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring;
These with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring, yet each distinct and in its place.To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the
same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same.To me, the sea is a continual miracle,
The fishes that swim—the rocks—the motion of the waves—the
ships with men in them,
What stranger miracles are there?
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Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz – Step 3
How would you describe the pain from which you seek relief, lately?
“Relief flows over you
like an ocean breeze,
cool, refreshing with a lift.
It brushes away the strife
your life was clogged with
that dragged your soul down. ” – excerpt of a poem below by David HarrisHorace Mann – the Father of U.S. Education (10:29)
Stress [R]elief Reiki Mindfulness Meditation (10:41)
Relief –
by David Harris
[R]elief flows over you
like an ocean breeze,
cool, refreshing with a lift.
It brushes away the strife
your life was clogged with
that dragged your soul down.[R]elief lifts you up
from the depths
that have saddened your soul
making you feel whole again.
Ridding you of the feelings
that have slated your life.[R]elief now lifts you
and gone is the emotional turmoil
that blighted your being.
Refreshed you feel
a new wellspring
in which your life can unfold. -
How to Do The ‘Right’ Thing for the ‘Right’ Reasons – Step 3
In what ways have you discovered you’ve done the right thing for the right reasons, lately?
“… Live like this always…
Your enemies will remember you
Respecting your stand…
Do the right thing…as it is the right thing to do” excerpt by Bill Turner (see full poem at the bottom of this cornerstone pod)…………………………………….
3 THINGS WE CAN DO WITHOUT –
“We consider our
plans for the day. Be-
fore we begin, we ask
God [or our HP]* to direct
our thinking, especially ask-
ing that it be divorced from
self-pity, dishonesty or
self-seeking motives.”
(The Big Book,p. 86)
KEEPING GOOD DEEDS FROM GOING BAD –
“It is easy to slip back
into our old ways.” “God
[or our HP]* will not force His
goodness on us, but we will re-
ceive it if we ask.” “When we
finally get our own selfish mo-
tives out of the way, we be-
gin to find a peace that we
never imagined possi-
ble.” (The BasicText, p. 45)
“We would fre-
quently be asham-
ed of our good deeds
if people saw all of
the motives that pro-
duced them.”Francois duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613 – 1680) French author / philosopher
More from Rochefoucauld on Motivation (6:23)
Alpha Hz Wave Releasing Guided Meditation (10:08)
Do the Right Thing
by Bill Turner Jan 19, 2006
What say you?
I ask…not knowing why…
Is this the day I live or the day I die?
For in death, there can be dignity too…
Live each day with honor
When it is time you will have no shame…
Make a difference in the world, always…
That is all anyone can do…
Make the world a better place
Your actions are your dignity…
Tell the truth, even if it means your life
Serve your family, always
Help those that cannot help themselves…
Never turn your back on a friend…
Defend honor and dignity at all costs…
Even the honor and dignity of others…
Should they not be able to defend themselves…
Live like this always…
Your enemies will remember you
Respecting your stand…
Do the right thing…as it is the right thing to do -
How Our Spiritual Alignment Helps Us Master “The Most Momentous Thing in Human Life” – Step 3
What are some examples where Pythagoras’ theorem on spiritual alignment away from “evil” has proven to be beneficial for you, lately?
“In my absence, some ill-hearted person taught my wife the power of black magic. In her jealous state of mind … She chanted some evil words and soon … .” – excerpt on spiritual alignment from Arabian Nights
Three Minute Philosophy: Pythagoras (3:36)
Majestic Mountain Meditation in Nature (5:11)
Rocky Mountain High – John Denver (5:00)
The Old Man with The Hind :
- excerpt from Arabian Nights
I live in a town far away from your kingdom. I married and got myself a beautiful wife. Many years passed but we didn’t have any children. I had a slave woman who had served me loyally for many years. I decided to adopt her child as my own. And then I soon declared him to be my heir and he became my son after the official and religious formalities. Soon enough the child grew to be healthy and strong. He was an intelligent boy at the age of ten.
One day I had to leave town on a long journey. I had some business contacts to make. So I left my adopted son and the slave woman at my home. I instructed my wife to take care of their needs until I returned.
In my absence, some ill-hearted person taught my wife the power of black magic. In her jealous state of mind, my wife decided to get rid of my adopted son and his mother. She chanted some evil words and soon transformed my ten-year-old son into a calf. And then she led this calf to my housekeeper. She told him that she had bought the healthy calf at a high price and it should be taken care of. Then my wife chanted more evil words and changed the slave woman into a cow. This cow she again gave to the housekeeper to take care of.
After nearly a year I came back home.
After taking refreshments and resting a while, I enquired about my son and his mother, the slave woman. At this, my wife bowed her head in grief. She said, “Dear, I am sorry to say that the slave woman died a few days after you left. She fell ill and couldn’t be cured. As for your adopted son, he went out to play about two months ago and has not returned yet. He is nowhere to be found.”
My heart was filled with sadness on hearing about the slave woman’s death. But I took courage that my son was alive. I decided to search for my son. I went around the town enquiring about him but found no success. Nearly eight months went by. Soon the festival of Bairam came. As is the custom, I was to sacrifice a cow as a religious ritual. I called my housekeeper and ordered him to fetch a cow for sacrifice. Soon the housekeeper brought a cow to me. As I was about to slay it, the cow started lowing sadly. I soon noticed that tears were rolling down from her eyes. I felt pity for the poor cow so I asked the housekeeper to lead the cow away.
Then my wife asked, “Why are you not killing the cow?” What will you sacrifice if you let her go?”
So I called the housekeeper back.
He brought the cow with him. Once again I was moved by the tears that the cowshed. I then ordered the housekeeper to lead away from the cow and sacrifice her for me. The cow was slain but when the housekeeper cuts open its body, he found no flesh in it. It was just a cluster of bones. The healthy cow yielded nothing but bones so I was worried. So I said, “Dear housekeeper, why don’t you keep the cow for yourself? Now fetch me a healthy, strong calf to sacrifice.”
Moments later, the housekeeper fetched a calf to me. I did not know that the calf was actually my son. The calf ran from the housekeeper and came straight to me. The calf lay at my feet as if begging for mercy. I felt pity and let the calf go. So I said to the housekeeper, “Take this calf away. Take good care of it. Can you get me some other calf?”
The housekeeper said YES and went away with the calf to replace it. Some minutes later my wife came to me in anger. “Oh! Just what are you up to? You sent away the cow and now the calf too. What on earth will you sacrifice for Bairam? “
I said, “Whatever comes I’ll not kill this innocent animal. Let it be alive.”
Next morning as I was sitting alone, the housekeeper came to me. He said, “Sir, I bring some good news and some bad news for you.”
“What is it, tell me now?” I said eagerly.
“Sir, yesterday as I was taking the calf to the shed, my daughter saw it. She was happy to see it first and then tears welled up in her eyes. She knows black magic so I knew she must have chanced upon something about the calf. On inquiry, she told me that the calf was actually your son. The cow I sacrificed for you yesterday as the slave woman whom your wife has transformed through black magic. She said that your wife hated them and so she carried out this evil taste.”
‘But why had she first smiled and then shed tears?” I asked in a shocked voice.
“She had smiled to see your son was living but she had started carrying because his mother, the cow, had been sacrificed.”
I felt very grieved. Then I felt angry at my wife’s evil doings. I went to the housekeeper’s daughter. I pleaded her to change the calf back into my young son by the power of black magic that she knew. Oh! What joy it would be to embrace my son in flesh and blood.
But the housekeeper’s daughter said, “Sir, I’ll change the calf back into your son. As a reward, you must let me be his bride. The second condition is that you’ll not stop me from teaching your evil wife a lesson.”
I agreed to both the conditions and soon I embraced my son tearfully. Just when the housekeeper’s daughter was about to punish my wife, I said, “I think you should not be harsh. Don’t kill her if possible.”
“Alright,” she said. “But I’ll still let her feel what her son went through as an animal.”
So, uttering some magical chants,
she changed my evil wife into a hind that you see here. After many years, my son’s wife passed away. In grief, he left home and has not been found yet. So I am going around the world leading my hind, looking for my lost son. “Now, Oh! Genie, whose story is more amazing the merchant’s or mine.”
The old man’s story had indeed been fascinating. So the genie agreed to grant a third of the merchant’s life. Now the old man the hind sat aside. Minutes later, the old man with the two black dogs got up and said, “Oh! Genie, if you thought that story so rising, wait till you hear mine. But promise me a third of the merchant’s punishment would be spared.”
Genie agreed to this and then the old man with the two black s began his story.
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Bass Lake Scholarship
The AT Center is offering space for donated camp gear and a scholarship to Bass Lake 2018
To post your 100 word essay click here
CORRECTION ::: due to modern day considerations, a 100-word essay is all that’s required.:-)
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The Meaning Behind, “More will be Revealed” from a Spiritual Perspective – Step 3
What has been “revealed” to you about your relationship with your won HP, lately?
“But Zhu was resourceful. She disguised herself as a boy and managed to get admission into a school in the city of Hangzhou, where her aunt lived.” “Every morning she would put on her disguise and … ” On love being revealed.
Deeper & Deeper – Madonna (5:51)
The Beauty of Nature Flute Meditation (9:36)
Butterfly Lovers
Ancient Chinese fable –
Long ago in China, at a time when girls were expected to stay at home and learn household work while the boys went to school, a girl named Zhu conceived a desire to study.
Her family was wealthy and Zhu was pampered but her father did not want to go against tradition. When she pestered him he told her if she got admission into a school he would not stop her from studying. He was confident that no school would admit a girl.
But Zhu was resourceful. She disguised herself as a boy and managed to get admission into a school in the city of Hangzhou, where her aunt lived.
Every morning she would put on her disguise and go to school.
There was a boy named Liang in her class. The two were drawn to each other, and in course of time became good friends. As the months and the years passed they became inseparable companions, and Zhu realized that she was in love.
Naturally, she wanted to stay with Liang the rest of her life. Zhu thought of a plan. She told Liang that when they finished school, and he had got a job he should come to her house and ask her father for her sister’s hand.
Liang readily agreed.
He too did not want to lose Zhu. If he married her sister they could continue to meet.
After finishing school, Liang lost no time in taking up a job, and when he had saved enough to get married he hastened to Zhu’s house.
Suddenly, Zhu saw him coming and was overjoyed. It was a year since they had parted and she had missed him terribly. Unable to restrain herself she rushed out shouting, “I’m your friend, as you can see I’m a girl, I cannot live without you!”
Of course, Liang was dazed by the revelation, but soon recovered and caught Zhu in a warm embrace. Suddenly everything had fallen into place. Now he knew why he had felt such a strong love for Zhu.
Zhu took him to her father who listened attentively to what Liang had to say, but when the young man asked for Zhu’s hand, he shook his head.