The Great Day That Dawns

I THINK OVER AGAIN MY SMALL ADVENTURES,
MY FEARS, THOSE SMALL ONES THAT SEEMED SO BIG,
ALL THOSE VITAL THINGS I HAD TO GET AND REACH,
AND YET THERE IS ONLY ONE GREAT THING:

TO LIVE AND SEE THE GREAT DAY THAT DAWNS,
AND THE LIGHT THAT FILLS THE WORLD.

~ Old Inuit Song

Of Note: Light is a topic that few really contemplate for long. It is ubiquitous and therefore ordinary. What more could be said about light than has already been said? The Inuits seem to know something the rest of us don't. Apparently, they see a day in the future where a different light fills the world than what is already here. I would imagine that they mean this in a literal rather than figurative sense. Many may not give credence to native beliefs, but the aboriginal people might be on to something.

Today's Weather Report: Old Man Winter is making his yearly decision whether it is time to go. With temps in the high 30's all week, it would appear he is packing his bags....though he usually has a snow storm or two to throw at us on his way out. According to my sister, Marie, the tulips are already coming up in Texas. The plants on my southern windowsill must know this because 4 different kinds are in bloom. Even the maple I am attempting to bonsai has sent up a shoot with two little leaves! It is my reward for watering two leaf-less maple "sticks" all winter.

My Philosophy is Kindness

There is no need for temples;
no need for complicated philosophy.

Our own brain, our own heart, is our temple;
my philosophy is kindness.

~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Of Note: This blog marks the 500th since I began this series in December 2007. These blogs have only scratched the surface of the remarkable knowledge contained in ageless wisdom that is available to humanity. Actually, not even the first molecular layer of the surface. I stand in awe at what humanity has before it. The darkness is very heavy at the moment, but the dawn approacheth. The horizon is ablaze with the first glow of light. The Dalai Lama stands as an example of a current world savior who leads by example. He obviously has seen the first rays as well and adds his quota through kindness, compassion, and criticism where appropriate. Watching men and women like him, we know that humanity is well served.

Today's Weather Report: The day opened with partly cloudy skies and will end with the same, most likely. Temps started in the teens and will rise to the 30's Fahrenheit. March often brings winds that blow winter out and bring in a glorious spring. Spring, it's getting close now.

The Mracle of a Single Flower

IF WE COULD SEE THE MIRACLE
OF A SINGLE FLOWER,
OUR WHOLE LIFE WOULD CHANGE.

~ The Buddha

Of Note: What do you think the Buddha knew that we don't? Could He have meant something more than merely looking at a flower and appreciating its readily apparent beauty? It would seem so because that's so obvious--and nothing about what the Buddha or Jesus the Christ said was obvious. Could it be the He was asking us to look past the physicality of the flower to its essence, its life, its connection to the Divine? Could it be that before us in the flower is the whole universe in miniature? Contemplation on such thoughts could bring us closer to our essence, and it is guaranteed that constant meditative practice such as this would change our lives forever. Could be that's what the Buddha knew.

Today's Weather Report: Yesterday on my birthday it was sunny and almost 40 degrees Fahrenheit! The Birkie cross country ski race was in town with 10,000 participants. The conditions were perfect for spectators although it was a bit warm for the racers. The time capsule with George W. Bush memorabilia has 23 more years to go before we see how history views his time in office. Two years ago it seemed certain that history would judge the former President harshly. But as I've said the past two years on my birthday, I am not so sure. I plan to be around in 2033 and will go to my sock drawer, draw the time capsule out and re-read all the material I've saved there. Should be quite enlightening. Anyone around at the time has an open invitation to join me.

Plutocracy

I'm not a Republican
I'm not a Democrat...
For years I've been a
Plutocrat.

~ Clyde Tombaugh

Of Note: Clyde Tombaugh "discovered" Pluto in 1930. At that point, no one argued that Pluto was the ninth planet and congratulated the young Kansan for his astronomical observation. Pluto is 3.67 billion miles away which made it impossible to closely observe. It wasn't until the 1970's and 1980's that Pluto's size was downgraded to smaller than the smallest planet, Mercury. As a matter of fact, it was only half the diameter. In the 1990's a belt of objects past Neptune were discovered, and astronomer's realized that Pluto was merely a part of that large belt of asteroids. Thus, in 2006, a new definition for planets was created by the powers that be, and Pluto was stripped of it's planetary regalia. It is not surprising that many did not agree with the ruling, and the controversy has raged ever since. As a matter of fact, a majority of Americans overwhelmingly sided with Pluto's planethood in a 2009 CNN.com poll. The ancients might agree. Astrologically, 12 planets are known to exist, and Pluto has not been been removed from its planetary list. Thanks to Ken Croswell, an astronomer, for his insighful editorial in the Wall Street Journal about this timely subject.

Today's Weather Report: What can I say? Another sunny day mixed with a cloudy day. Pretty typical for winter in the northwoods. This is a picture of the moon from my backyard last year, not Pluto obviously. What I had in mind was a little exercise in using the "As If" technique to imagine Pluto all those billions of miles away. It is so far away it orbits the sun only once every 248 years. What's more, sunlight requires several hours to reach it. Strangely, during the years 1979 to 1999, Pluto was inside the orbit of Neptune so was the eighth planet from the sun rather than the ninth. Now that's it's been stripped of its credentials as a bona fide planet, Pluto makes a perfect underdog for Americans to champion. My prediction? I wouldn't be surprised if one day, Pluto isn't recognized as a planet once more.

A Candle in Your Heart

There is a candle in your heart,
ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul,
ready to be filled.

You feel it, don't you?

~Rumi

Of Note: Rumi was a mystic poet who lived in the 1300's. His poems are often used between lovers because he apparently had an insight into the mystery shared by two people in love. His writings exude an intimacy at a level that is almost uncomfortable in the mundane world. One of his pieces was even center stage on the invitation to Jim's and my wedding. It might surprise some that Rumi was not talking about earthly love at all. Rather universal love was his focus--the final union that the soul is awaiting with its Higher Self. Yes, what we call our Higher Self has itself a Higher Self. It is the union of these two that finally put an end to the earthly cycle of evolution for most. A mystic gets the first glimpse of this Reality and is overcome, although it will take many lifetimes before the final union is achieved. However, having seen the vision, the mystic's subsequent lives are never the same.

Today's Weather Report: What a lovely day in the neighborhood! The sun is shining brightly and no clouds mar the scene. I just saw one drip off the roof; so,the day will be warm. Every warm day like this gets us one day closer to spring.

Courage in the Face of Pain

The period of greatest gain in knowledge and
experience is the most difficult period in one's life.

Through a difficult period you can learn;
you can develop inner strength, determination,
and courage to face the problems.

~His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Of Note: For better or worse, the Earthly experience is one of trial and sorrow. God must have loved Humanity an awful lot to give it the extraordinary opportunity to school here.

Today's Weather Report: Well, it's finally above freezing, and water is dripping from the roof outside the window here. The bright sun has dissipated the morning's clouds to the joy of all--particularly the frolicking puppies. We are hoping that all the snow that fell this winter will raise the lake level to something more respectable. I still can't get over the multiple feet of snow that blanketed the east coast recently. It may be for reasons like this that the words "global warming" have been replaced by "climate change" sometime in the last 6 months. Jim's photo of a local field may give another meaning to the phrase "rolling with the flow."

A Source of Strength

Difficulties and obstacles,
if properly understood and used,

can turn out to be an
unexpected source of strength.

~Sogyal Rinpoche

Of Note: Buddhists suggest that difficulties and obstacles should be welcomed with joy on the evolutionary way. Often adverse to pain, westerners rebel at such a foreign concept. Many believe that money can buy the way out of any problem. In reality, such is not the case and potentially has two consequences: debilitating weakness on any or all of the three physical planes (physical, emotional, mental) and more obstacles until the lesson is learned. One step forward, two steps backward characterizes this attitude. On the other hand, difficulties and obstacles consciously used could serve as strengthening agents. It is our choice.

Today's Weather Report: I went to town today with the sun blazing. The apparent warmth from the sun was deceptive, however, as the temps hovered at minus zero a good part of the morning. I'm not complaining because much of the country was blanketed in snow--49 out of 50 states according to Yahoo.com. Hawaii was the only state free of snow today!