Something profound about tea

Tea is often associated with meditation and so I offer you the following that I just discovered:

When the news reporter said "Shopkeepers are opening their doors bringing out blankets and cups of tea" I just smiled. It's like yes. That's Britain for you. Tea solves everything. You're a bit cold? Tea. Your boyfriend has just left you? Tea. You've just been told you've got cancer? Tea. Coordinated terrorist attack on the transport network bringing the city to a grinding halt? Tea dammit! And if it's really serious, they may bring out the coffee. The Americans have their alert raised to red, we break out the coffee. That's for situations more serious than this of course. Like another England penalty shoot-out. 

 -- Jslayeruk, as posted on Metaquotes Livejournal, in response to the July 2005 London subway bombings 
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Sacred Pause

I want to call your attention to an article entitled "Meditation In Action: Learning To Take A Sacred Pause" by Ronald Alexander. Here's an excerpt:

Meditation in Action is at its core learning to take a mindful or sacred pause and self regulate the "fight or flight" aspect of your nervous system, which can effect positive changes in the neuronal pathways to the amygdala, the walnut-sized area in the center of the brain responsible for regulating emotions. When the amygdala is relaxed, the parasympathetic nervous system engages to counteract the anxiety response. Instead, it activates what we call the relaxation or healing response, when the heart rate lowers, breathing deepens and slows, and the body stops releasing cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream; these stress hormones provide us with quick energy in times of danger but have damaging effects on the body in the long term if they're too prevalent. In mindfulness you learn to slow down and to take your body's pulse.

It's not a long article and so I recommend that you click through. A very helpful strategy for dealing with stress is also offered.
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Monday meditative picture blogging

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

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A wonderful thing to say - to think

This:

"Even when I meet a stranger 
Each time I have the same feeling: 
'He is another member of my human family.' "

-- The Dalai Lama

Really. Imagine being willing and then able to look at everyone in this way on a regular basis.
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My apologies

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, dear people. I've been down with a very unpleasant cold and cough.

Be back soon!

A simple practice

Try simply using the mantra,

"Rest the mind,"

as a support for meditation. Very effective.
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Monday meditative picture blogging

(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

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Creations of the mind....

Oh, my. This is very powerful. It's worthy of being pondered for a long time:

See demons as demons: that is the danger.
Know that they are powerless: that is the way.
Understand them for what they are: that is deliverance.
Recognize them as your father and mother: that is their end.
Realize that they are creations of the mind: they become its glory.
When these truths are known, all is liberation.

-- Milarepa

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Happy Easter!

Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.

~Floyd W. Tomkins
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