Author: Bohdi Baba

In what ways do you “seize the day”?

“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you …” – Kipling on how to ‘Seize the Day’

James Dean Brief Bio (4:36)

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 mins. (2:15)

Zazen Inspirational Guided Meditation (14:42)

If—

Rudyard Kipling, 1865 – 1936

 

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

 

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
[If] you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools;

 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
[A]nd lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except for the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
[If] all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

What have you done to NOT feel like a “slave” to the past, lately?

” … The monks found themselves in a bit of a bind.  … they taken vows of silence … , they had also taken vows which prevented any kind of physical contact with the opposite sex. … ” – Ancient Fable on being a slave to the past.

Set Them Free – Sting (4:06)

Trust Thyself  by Emerson (3:07)

Stunning Deep Sea Meditation (5:03)

 

LET GO OF THE PAST

(and not be a slave to it) – An Ancient Fable

Two monks, Tanzan and Ekido were walking along a path early one day on their way to a faraway temple for a weekend retreat. A heavy rain had been falling, making the going slow and treacherous. As they rounded a bend which would then take them to a small bridge spanning a stream, they met a lovely young woman in a silk kimono. The hapless young woman was unable to cross the now raging stream because the small bridge had been washed out by the heavy rain. She was at a loss as to what to do and seeing the two monks, begged them to help her safely cross. She explained that she was on a mission of mercy to visit an ailing uncle.

The monks found themselves in a bit of a bind. Not only had they taken vows of silence with members of the outside world, but they had also taken vows which prevented any kind of physical contact with the opposite sex.

However, vows or not, Tanzan quickly approached the young woman in need and said, “Please, let me be of assistance.” He then bent down, picked her up, put her over his shoulders and proceeded to wade across the raging stream to the other side. Ekido followed, shell-shocked, disbelieving that his friend could have so quickly and thoughtlessly broken his vows. When they reached the other side, the young woman profusely thanked Tanzan, who bowed and said, “Safe travels my lady.”

For the rest of their journey, a good 10 hours, Ekido was silent and fumed,

refusing to acknowledge his friend. It wasn’t until night set in and they had reached their destination for the weekend that Ekido angrily broke his silence, being unable to contain himself any longer.

“We monks do not talk to outsiders and we never, ever have physical contact with the opposite sex. I can not believe that you have broken your vows. Why did you do that?”

Tanzan replied, “My good man, I simply carried the young woman for no more than a minute across that stream. When I got to the other side I put her down and left her there. However, it seems to me that you are still carrying her some ten hours later!”

What tools have you used to reach greater spiritual enlightenment in your own journey, lately?

“’It’s all empty, empty,’ he said to himself.  ‘The sex and drugs. The violence, especially.’
So he went down into the world to exercise his virtue, thinking maybe that would help. …” – by Vijay Seshadri on Enlightenment

New Divide – Linkin Park (4:27)

Maya Angelou Brief Bio (4:18)

Zen Bamboo Japanese Water Nature Meditation (5:10)

 

Enlightenment

by Vijay Seshadri, 1954

 

“It’s all empty, empty,”
he said to himself.
“The sex and drugs. The violence, especially.”
So he went down into the world to exercise his virtue,

 

thinking maybe that would help.
He taught a little kid to build a kite.
He found a cure,
and then he found a cure

 

for his cure.
He gave a woman at the mercy of the weather
his umbrella, even though
icy rain fell and he had pneumonia.
He settled a revolution in Spain.

 

Nothing worked.
The world happens, the world changes,
the world, it is written here,
in the next line,
is only its own membrane—

 

and, oh yes, your compassionate nature,
your compassion for our kind.

What prejudices, ‘evil practices’ or barriers to spiritual growth have you had to face, lately?

“Once upon a time there lived a crow.  … Whenever the crow laid eggs, the snake would eat them up. The crow felt helpless. “That evil snake. …. Let me go and talk to him,” thought the crow. …” – Ancient Fables

Children Separated From Parents -2018 (7:47)

Free Your Mind – En Vogue (4:14)

Open Mind Practical Tips (2:41)

Lakota Healing Meditation (5:26)

 

 

Despite All the Evil that Appears to Overwhelm, Today We Choose to See the World with an Open Heart, Like a Child on a Swing, Never Touching the Ground – Step 3

 

PREJUDICE BLINDS –

“Do not let any
prejudice you may
have against spiritual
terms deter you from hon-
estly asking yourself
what they mean to
you.” (The Big
Book, p.47)

 

AND CLOSES THE MIND –

“Perhaps we didn’t
believe that our compul-
sive eating was a spiritual
problem, or we felt that God
[or our H.P.] was concerned
with more important mat-
ters and expected us to
control such a simple
thing … .” (Overeaters
Anonymous,

p.. 15)

 

“The hearts of little
children are pure, and
therefore, the Great Spirit
may show to them many
things which older
people miss.”

– Black Elk – Hehaka Sapa – (1863 – 1950) Ogalala Lakota, Native American

 

Ancient Fables: The Clever Crow

Once upon a time there lived a crow. She had built her nest on a tree. At the root of the same tree, a snake had built its home.

Whenever the crow laid eggs, the snake would eat them up. The crow felt helpless. “That evil snake. I must do something. Let me go and talk to him,” thought the crow.

The next morning, the crow went to the snake and said politely, “Please spare my eggs, dear friend. Let us live like good neighbors and not disturb each other.”

“Huh! You cannot expect me to go hungry. Eggs are what I eat,” replied the snake, in a nasty tone.

The crow felt angry and she thought, “I must teach that snake a lesson.”

The very next day, the crow flew over the King’s palace.

She saw the Princess wearing an expensive necklace. Suddenly a thought flashed in her mind and she swooped down, picked up the necklace in her beak and flew off to her nest.

When the Princess saw the crow flying off with her necklace, she screamed, “Somebody help, the crow has taken my necklace.”

Soon the palace guards were running around in search of the necklace. Within a short time the guards found the crow. She still sat with the necklace hanging from her beak.

The clever crow thought, “Now is the time to act.” And she dropped the necklace, which fell right into the snake’s pit of house.

When the snake heard the noise, it came out of its pit of house. The palace guards saw the snake. “A snake! Kill it!” they shouted. With big sticks, they beat the snake and killed it.

Then the guards took the necklace and went back to the princess. The crow was happy, “Now my eggs will be safe,” she thought and led a happy and peaceful life.

 

What do you think Confucius meant and what has made you feel you were better than someone else, lately?

“Man, I just know I need a caring HP constantly when I’m driving. I have to turn it over every time I see another car.  I guess that is good as it gives me a regular and obvious way to practice turning it over.  [Then] doing it in the car this morning.  For me sometimes it is about not making other people’s problems my problem. If someone disrespects me, they are the ones that have to look at themselves in the mirror every day.  This is their problem, not mine.” – Adam on being better

Work – Rihanna ft. Drake (7:34)

Changing Your Life (w/ Wavey Davey) (2:01)  

Sikh Willingness to Surrender Meditation – Aakhan Jor by Kaur (7:36)

How have you kept your own ego from swallowing up and crushing everything and everyone around you, lately?

On Ego and Pride:  “His sculptures looked real ones. One day he saw a dream that after fifteen days, the demon of Death would come to take him.  … Gorelal was unable to suffer the least blemish in his work. He came out and asked, “Where is the fault?” God of Death caught him and said, “HERE”

Ancient Fables: Pride has a Fall (1:47)

Blurry Lines – uncensored (4:32)

Black Holes and Worm Holes (2:44)

Cosmic Mist Meditation from Space (7:01)

 

 

Ancient Fables:  Pride has A Fall

“Gorelal was a famous sculptor. His sculptures looked real ones. One day he saw a dream that after fifteen days, the demon of Death would come to take him. Gorelal prepared nine statues of himself and when on the 15th day he heard the Demon of Death coming, he took his place between the statues. The Demon was dand was astonished to see ten Gorelals instead of one. He rushed back to the God of death and told the matter.

The God of death got annoyed and set out to take Gorelal himself. Gorelal was alert and stood motionless. The God of Death initially got perplexed. But he thought for a moment. He said, “Gorelal, these sculptures would have been perfect but for one mistake.” Gorelal was unable to suffer the least blemish in his work. He came out and asked, “Where is the fault?” God of Death caught him and said, “HERE”. The statues were faultless but Gorelal was caught because of his pride.”

 

We Have Grown Jungles. :

 

From the dark ages
We have plodded a long long way
To the broad daylight
Of our civilization,

But we have deforested and denuded
Mountains, valleys and plains and
Blown away the glossy green grandeur.

But it bothers us not
For we have grown jungles
Inside our mind
With tall towering Egos
Spreading deep down self seeking roots.

And above, ill-gotten leafy roofs
Shutting out
The clear crystal light
Of heaven’s open sky.

And have filled the ground
With undergrowth and darkness

That camouflages poisonous snakes
Of corruption and shame,

And with treacherous swampy hollows
To abduct, outrage, murder
The beauty and majesty
Of our moral dignity,
The precious pride
Of a helpless humanity.

Has been become so immune
That he does not see the difference
Between Mud and Blood
On the patch of brown
He just crosses?

– Unknown author

How have you responded kindly to others, lately?

“I am sometimes verbally abusive; it is never my intention to hurt or cause harm to another and the words I use can sting or burn. I look for the child in myself and in others and communicate I know that I love you and I know that you love me. I may not be perfect in saying that and that is the truth of my Higher Power. Sometimes my pain speaks more loudly; underneath all pain is that fact that you could not have hurt me if I did not love you at some time.” – Margot E. on Kindness

Why – Annie Lennox(4:53)

Tibetan Monk Explains Why Compassion Matters (4:50)

Loving Kindness Guided Meditation (4:57)

Kindness of The Farmer :

Once, a king’s army was going back after a battle. Their food supplies got finished. The king asked his soldiers to go to a nearby village and get the grains. Some soldiers and their commander entered the village and met a farmer. The commander asked him, “Dear farmer, can you lead us to this village’s largest field?”

He took them to a large field. The commander ordered his soldiers, “Cut and collect all the grains.” At this, the farmer got scared, He said, “Sir, come and I’ll show you another field.”

The soldiers went with him to a small field. They collected the grains from that field. The commander asked the farmer why he led them to this field. The farmer replied, “That field belongs to someone else. How could I let you destroy it? This is my field and here I can allow you to do, what I wish.”

The king learnt of the farmer’s kind concern for others and paid him handsomely for his grains.

 

Why Kindness is Valued So Highly Among Us – Step 3

 

SPEAKING IN KIND KINDLING WAYS –

“Compassion lends
kindness to all our ef-
forts in service to others.
With compassion as the foun-
dation of our actions, we learn
to support members through
any  difficulties  they may
experience. (It Works,
How & Why, p. 109)

 

LIVING IN HARMONY –

“Courtesy, kindness,
justice, and love are the
keynotes by which we may
come into harmony with practi-
cally anybody. When in doubt
we can always pause, say-
ing,  ‘Not my will,  but
Thine, be done.’ ” (12
& 12, p. 93)

 

“Ask yourself:
Have you been kind
today? Make kindness
your daily modus oper-
andi and change
your world.”

– Annie Lennox (1954 – ) Scottish musician

How do you distinguish the difference between acting with self- love in mind and actions where ‘self-will runs riot’?

“Self-love for me is when I’m doing something that I know is healthy for me, spiritually, mentally, or physically. Sometimes my self-will has taken control and I’m doing something to satisfy my ego, such as buying a $100 shirt, trying to manipulate, or otherwise, acquire something to satisfy my immediate wants. This is sometimes at the sacrifice of my own long term health and happiness. I guess I end up often having to ask myself what is my motivation when a situation doesn’t feel 100% like the right thing to do. I still don’t always make the best decisions, but I do more often as time goes on.” – Adam on self-will run riot.

Oscar Wilde on Trial – The love that dare not speak it’s name (3:25)

Animal – Miike Snow (3:34)

10 Tips to Building Good Self-Esteem (24:03) 

Self – Love  Subliminal Hz Meditation (10:06)

How would you describe your  own relationship to your higher power or the “infinite universe” around us, as Tolstoy would say?

“…why I am here…and what is my relationship to the infinite universe…”  look[ing in hindsight at spaces I have occupied in my life and can see the importance of the lessons I have learned. I see myself at meetings and I know why I am there – to love and to be loved. I see myself on this website and know why I am here – to deal with some of my daily pain (stress?) and take the small risk of sharing my experience, strength and hope with others. I do not know if, how or why my words might affect others. I leave that to my Higher Power.” – Margot E.

Who are YOU – the Who (4:55)

Leo Tolstoy Brief Bio (5:20)

The 50 Spiritual Laws of the Universe Satsang LP (56:46)

“That’s a really good point. How I fit depends on where I am, to some extent. Still there is a part of me that no matter where I am, it feels best when I feel at peace and help others to feel that way as well.” – JB jr. reply to Margot E.