AOM Meditations: 110917

by Johannes Grenness

Thanks to our Friend for sending us this beautiful art

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"Growing up is never easy to do.  Some days you feel happy and carefree, and others you feel sad.  Some days you feel confident and self-assured, and other days you feel unsure.  Life can seem upside down, because you're changing so quickly, but your life is made up of what you believe about yourself.  Believe in your ability to succeed, and you will.  Believe in your ability to meet every difficult challenge, and you will.  Believe in your ability to give and receive love, and you will.  Believe in yourself.  You are a wonderful, unique person who is beginning to find out what the world is about and searching your place in it.  Have patience with yourself and love yourself.  Growing up isn't easy, but you'll make it."

~Donna Levine

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"Does the rose have to do something? No, the purpose of a rose is to be a rose. Your purpose is to be yourself. You don't have to run anywhere to become someone else. You are wonderful just the way you are. This teaching of the Buddha allows us to enjoy ourselves, the blue sky, and everything that is refreshing and healing in the present moment. We already have everything we are looking for, everything we want to become. We are already a Buddha so why not just take the hand of another Buddha and practice walking meditation? Just be. Just being in the moment in this place is the deepest practice of meditation. 

The Heart Sutra says that there is "nothing to attain." We meditate not to attain enlightenment, because enlightenment is already in us. We don't need to search anywhere. We don't need to practice to obtain some high position. We can enjoy every moment. People talk about entering nirvana, but we are already there. Aimlessness and nirvana are one. We have everything we need to make the present moment the happiest in our life, even if we have a cold or a headache. We don't have to wait until we get over our cold to be happy. Having a cold is part of life. 

I am happy in the present moment. I do not ask for anything else. I do not expect any additional happiness. Aimlessness is stopping and realizing the happiness that is already available."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

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You have a masterpiece inside you, you know.  

One unlike any that has ever been created, 

or ever will be.  

If you go to your grave 

without painting your masterpiece, 

it will not get painted.  

No one else can paint it.  

Only you.

~Gordon MacKenzie

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“You have a unique gift to offer this world. Be true to yourself, be kind to yourself, read and learn about everything that interests you and keep away from people who bring you down. When you treat yourself kindly and respect the uniqueness of those around you, you will be giving this world an amazing gift... YOU!”

~Steve Maraboli