Thich Nhat Hanh

[Plenum]

I'm reading about the same sort of stuff in Q'uo right now

[Meerie]

where in Qu'o? link please?
cute cartoon that is

[Plenum]

@Meerie, life reflects back to us who we are


http://www.llresearch.org/transcripts/is..._0404.aspx

It is not that an entity incarnates with one mission and can either fulfill it or fail to fulfill it. Rather, there is the setting up of circumstance which may provide the catalyst which was considered desirable by that spirit before incarnation. The system of distortions or biased opinions can show themselves very simply in the growing entity as preferences. Each young spirit in incarnation discovers things that it likes, things that it wishes to avoid. As the incarnation progresses there are repetitions and cycles of experience that lead the entity repeatedly to the crossroads of incarnational choice, not simply once in an incarnation but reliably and dependably again and again. Each spirit will face one or more basic incarnational questions. For instance, this instrument is already aware that its incarnational desire for personal learning was to find situations in which it was able to give without expectation of return. This is, in fact, a fairly common incarnational goal. And to this end, certain biases were chosen by this particular entity. In just this fashion each evolving spirit will in the processes of incarnational living meet situation after situation in which the metaphysical question is repeated, and the choice may again be made for service to others, for service to self.

So the biases given to oneself certainly create avenues of learning and avenues of service. However, the metaphysical twist, shall we say, of fate deposits in each spirit’s experience a universe in which gifts are not necessarily used for what that entity thinks they should be used for. The ability to dance, the ability to sing, the ability to do mathematical equations, the ability to do any particular thing which is considered unusually skillful or to constitute a talent or a gift may logically be assumed to lead one to a specific career or line of work or avenue of expression. In many cases, this is simply not the goal in a metaphysical sense. Because one can, for instance, play the piano it is not necessarily one’s fate to become a pianist. The delicacy with which the music is heard and felt, the dexterity of mind and muscle that is involved in producing a heartfelt and intelligent piece of music has many metaphysical uses which are not necessarily apparent and do not have much to do with music.

Consequently, biases in the form of talents and gifts, in a metaphysical sense, do not equate from talent to expression. There is always the mystery of that rhythm of destiny which, if looked for and listened for and heeded when heard, can greatly facilitate and ease the accomplishment of that destiny which was, in fact, metaphysically hoped for, illogical as it may seem in Earth terms.

the 'enlightenment' comes when we recognise these patterns that we have set up for ourselves.

[Bring4th_Austin]

Thich Nhat Hanh is great for introducing "non-spiritual" people to a certain aspects of spirituality. He has a knack for leaving out any dogmatic extensions of spirituality and focuses on the more recognizable "human spirit" aspect. I keep a few of his books on hand to lend out to friends who come to me wishing to discuss love and compassion, living in the moment, and grasping that essence of life which pulls us to higher understanding outside of the material world. It's very easy to feel his warmth and compassion through his words.

Some of my favorite snippets of his:

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle."

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future."

"Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred."

[ocean50]

Thanks, I haven't thought of Thich Nant Hahn in a while.
Here's a link to a bunch of great quotes.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/9..._Nhat_Hanh