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Dear Friend,
Warm greetings to you from a sunny day in beautiful Mt. Shasta!
I have been in deep reflection lately upon what it will take for a collective awakening of humanity. It seems to me that what needs evolving, and
transcending, is becoming more blatantly obvious. It’s as if a brighter light is shining now on all the dark corners of humanity’s unconsciousness, showing us in no uncertain terms where growth and awakening to our connectedness/ oneness is so very needed.
When looking at the greed expressed in the out-picturing of huge corporations manipulating the economy to benefit themselves with enormous acquisitions of money, while their gain is reflected in millions of families losing their homes, jobs, and financial security across the country, it is apparent that the architects of this situation feel that they are separate from the rest; each man unto himself, getting at the expense of many others losing.
The Dalai Lama in his deep wisdom says,
“As we are all human beings living on earth among countless other human beings, our happiness is intimately connected to that of others. It is certain that if we aspire to happiness, we must be deeply concerned about the happiness of all humankind. This is why I always stress the importance for the future of developing a universal sense of responsibility.”
And as Tich Nhat Hanh beautifully says again and again,
“Our happiness and suffering are the happiness and suffering of others. We have to learn to see ourselves in things we thought were outside of ourselves in order to dissolve false boundaries.”
As I am reflecting on life and it’s challenges, of which I am certainly not excluded, I realize more and more that I must follow my heart’s guidance to act with the highest integrity and generosity. That it is so important to continually stay in touch with the truth of my being which says ‘Love is the reason I am here’, and to do my best to act from love, not fear, again and again, even when feeling the discomfort of the unknown now and then.
What can we do right now, to increase our well being and the well being of others? The number of people who create violence is very great, while the number of people who know how to breathe, walk peacefully, be relaxed and open in the present moment, and create happiness is very small. Yet every day gives us a wonderful opportunity to be happy ourselves and become a place of refuge for others. We don’t need to perform some great act, or become a national activist or politician. We only need to be happy in the present moment and we can be of service to those we love and to our whole society.
It’s really important to ask yourself, often; “what am I waiting for to make me happy? Why am I not happy right now?” Because who knows how long you will be here. Perhaps it’s just another day. Or another week, or year. We don’t have to wait any longer, for circumstances to improve or change; there is happiness available right now.
Tich Naht Hanh says,
“Someone asked me, ‘aren’t you worried about the state of the world?’ I allowed myself to breathe and then said, ‘What is most important is not to allow your anxiety about what happens in the world to fill your heart. There is tremendous suffering all over the world, but it need not paralyze us. If we practice mindful breathing, walking, sitting and working in mindfulness, trying our best to help, we can have peace in our hearts. If we don’t know how to breathe, smile, and live every moment of our life deeply, we will never be able to help anyone. I am happy in the present moment. I do not expect any additional happiness or conditions that will bring about more happiness.’”
I was walking at the lake again yesterday, and I paused to listen to this bird that was singing with so much fervor and strength and beauty! I was awed at it’s joy and the life it expressed. I contemplated how sweet such a simple life is! Ah, being a bird, living moment to moment, just singing all day, finding food in the moment, taking little baths in the lake, no mortgage, no touring, no planning for the future! And I just let this sweet little creature remind me of present moment awareness. And remind me that all those concerns are in my mind. And that actually nothing was required to be different for me to be happy. I could just stand there and become elated by the bird-song, the serene breeze through the trees, the fact that I was alive! No one can take away your choice to be happy in this moment, now.
We can be wise creators and make the best choices possible; intend the highest outcomes, and take actions to bring about our heart’s deepest desires; but then there is the important practice of being at peace now, with what is now; not running after things, not grasping. And not waiting for some other moment, to be at peace. And we can keep in mind that everything is interconnected; as Tich Naht Hanh says, “In Vietnam, we say that if one horse is sick, all the horses in the stable will refuse to eat.” Let us deepen each day in our awareness that our happiness and suffering are the happiness and suffering of others. Let us know this, and act upon this deep truth of our oneness. In this way, we make a difference. We are the peace, we are the change, we are the awakening humanity.
Thank you so much for living your deepest truth! I know that each moment of peace you experience blesses all beings!
with great love,
Kathy Zavada
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