I love the ideas presented in the Bodhisattvas Vow and thought that I would like to share it with you. The Vow is taken by those Buddhists who are enlightened as a vow to stay on earth and to continue to incarnate until all people have been released from the cycle of birth and death and suffering these bring to the unenlightened. These are lofty Ideals that many may say are unachievable but like everything else if you do your best to live up to even a portion of this vow then you are doing great things for the world and the people around you.

Bodhisattvas vow

May I be a guard for those who are protectorless,
A guide for those who journey on the road;
For those who wish to go across the water,
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

May I be an isle for those who yearn for landfall,
And a lamp for those who long for light;
For those who need a resting place, a bed,
For all who need a servant, may I be a slave.

May I be the wishing jewel, the vase of plenty,
A word of power, and the supreme remedy.
May I be the trees of miracles,
And for every being, the abundant cow.

Like the great earth and the other elements,
Enduring as the sky itself endures,
For the boundless multitude of living beings,
May I be the ground and vessel of their life.

Thus, for every single thing that lives,
In number like the boundless reaches of the sky,
May I be their sustenance and nourishment
Until they pass beyond the bounds of suffering

What can we do as individuals during these times when so many are struggling and fearful. What can we do when everyday we are bombarded by the media by sensational stories meant to inflict fear, panic, and insight anger? Everyday people are fed this negative toxic information from more and more sources. You may have noticed that it is hard to escape even in general conversations it seems to be all that anyone can talk about. This in and of itself is not a bad thing it would be foolish to not stay some what informed but it is the way that it is presented. There is little to no balance of the positive with the negative. When all you do is talk about the negative aspects and do not look to find the positive (no matter how tiny) you are building up the negative energy in your system and spreading the fear, anger, and in some cases hatred to others.

I know that most of the people that read this article are already pretty mindful of the effects of their words on others and they choose not to add to the negative processes in the world. But I am seeing more and more people unable to escape the effects of this energy. So what can we do? How can we change any of this.

The first things to do is to practice mindfulness of  what we say,what we ingest( take into our minds and bodies),and what we think about. Mindfulness will guide us back to a healthy non-judgmental state. Mindfulness will help us limit our Media ingestion, and help us from spreading this toxic thinking and words to others.

The second thing and this is why I am writing this is to start telling positive stories. Start finding something positive or even neutral to talk about. Talk about the food drive that you helped with, Talk about your neighbor who has such a beautiful yard, talk about the anything and everything that you like,love, and are inspired by. When someone  Starts talking about the “problems of our country” remain silent. Silence is powerful it says that I will not join you in this. Write blogs about tiny inspiring events that are about love and compassion  not fear and hatred.

If you are so inclined write to your local media and tell the that you would enjoy some more positive stories instead of stories about war, poverty, crime, and politics. They may not change but atleast you put it out there that you want something different. Do not settle for this state of negative influence and negative energy. Fight to keep some lights burning. It is sometimes difficult to not wallow in the rest of it with everyone else but if you strive for the best and highest influence you can reach from where you are you can help change the world.

I was in the garden today looking at some zucchini when I came across this little green tree frog hiding in the leaves. I ran in and grabbed my camera to take a picture. While I was out there I decided to take a few more and do a quick little post. Elige and I have been truly blessed. This time last year we were living in a terrible little place. This year we have a Nice little house that we are working on buying. We have a yard with the start of a beautiful garden. It wasn`t until I was looking at these few photographs that I realized just how much our life has changed. It`s amazing the difference that a year can make.

We were looking around at the garden today because we had just got back from a farmers market around the State Capitol Building in Lansing. It was a nice collection of fruits and veggies, as well as fresh honey and Maple Syrup. There were some mushroom growers as we as plenty of nuts and baked goods. We stopped at this little booth and bought some Lavender to add to our garden. It was a nice little outing. It`s funny how something like this can remind you just how fortunate you are.

Here are some pictures from my garden. Hope you enjoy.

Oneness

There are a lot of people and things out there. Some of them we find enjoyable and others we wish to avoid.
So how is it that we are one with all of these things how is it that we are one with people such as murders,
and sex offenders. You might say that it is impossible that you share any similarities with any of these people.
You would be mistaken if  you truly believed that.

How can I make such claims? Well first of all it is a matter of science and the Law of Conservation.
The Law of Conservation states that you cannot create or destroy matter. Matter can only be changed
from one form to another. As it is changed, matter releases energy as it releases bits of the more
complex form becoming simpler in form ; or it requires energy to add bits as it goes from simple to
complex. This Law of the natural world shows that there is a finite amount of the stuff called matter.
Matter is what makes up our physical forms. It is also what the foods we eat, the water we drink, the air
we breathe, the planet we live on, and the stars in the sky are all built from.

So we are all built from the same stuff called matter; Matter that has been recycled through every physical
form that can be found on this planet. You are air, water, fire, earth, dog, cat, bird, and people.
On the physical level we are the same. You might say, but that is not the same as being one with something else.
Just because our bodies might have the same bits making them work does not mean that I Am the same as they are.
That is on a physical level, I don`t think like they do, I have too much compassion to harm another, I have a
different soul than they do. You are correct this is not the same as being one with something or someone else.
I think differently than other people. I feel differently than other people. My perspective is unique because
of my experiences. These are arguments that many will make meaning that because of our thoughts and experiences
we are separate beings with no connection. For all of our similarities in our atomic and molecular make up, each
of us is unique in our specific physical design.

There is another level we are seldom aware of. It is the level of Universal Consciousness.
This Level of being has been talked about in every major belief system that exists on the Earth at this
Time. This is the realm of Mystery. The realm Where we as humans lose the ability to understand with our
human minds. This is the Tao that Taoist say can Not be known. This is the Chi that Flows in Chinese
medicine. In Hermetic teachings this is the Mind of the Unknowable all. The essence of these thoughts when they
are boiled down is that we are all part of and inseparable from the Universal Consciousness. It can be
said that Creator and Creation are one and the same.

The ALL could be viewed as an ocean and we are the waves. We are water, Inseparable from the ocean until
suddenly we find that we have form,we have consciousness,we have physical characteristics. We soon learn to
Identify with our form and differentiate between our form and others. We begin to say” I am taller than
that wave.” or “I am faster than The other Wave.” We become so engrossed in the world of form that we
forget that we all started as water. We are all still water. and as we rush towards the shore and we see
the other waves disappearing we begin to worry about what will happen to us when we get to the shore.
Being so Identified with forms that we now have forgot our origins as water and part of the ALL. Finally
we hit the beach and our form dissolves and we return back to the water and settle into the peace of being
simply the ocean, the ALL once more.

It is this Identification with the world of forms that causes us to forget our origins as part of the
Universal Consciousness. This Identification brings us so much suffering as we attach ourselves to the
world of forms all the while forgetting that we Will eventually return to the peace of the source.

We are truly One we are the waves on the ocean who have forgotten that we do not exist separate form the
ocean. When we are still and our minds are quiet we begin to sense our true being as part of the Divine
Whole.

The mind emphasizes these differences. In fact the Mind creates all of these differences.

Charoite is the stone of soul purpose. Charoite is a stone of very profound emotional and spiritual influence. As I explored the depths of this stone I found that it was a stone that brought about a deep feeling of peace, confidence and acceptance of the present moment as perfect. From this place of centered calm judgments about the present seemed to dissolve along with the anxieties of life. This is probably how Charoite has earned it`s reputation as a stone of courage. Courage is standing strong in the face of fear, Charoite does more than give you the ability to face your fears. Charoite dissolves the thought forms that feed our fears by allowing us to see the present moment without judgment. Judgment is the true beginning of fear and anxiety, the emotions that wreak such havoc on our physical an subtle energy systems. It is when we forget that there are no good or bad events in our lives, only it events, that we start to bring in fear and anxiety. Charoite allows us to stay open to the changing winds of life in a calm centered way.

Charoite is also a stone of compassion and unconditional love. Charoite connects the heart chakra to the crown chakra bringing a compassionate view to our spiritual endeavors. This heart centered awareness allows us to see that we are all spiritual beings connected by our being a part of the same Divine Creation. This environment of unconditional love is the beginning of a deeper understanding of our spiritual path. The first step is letting go of judgments that we have placed on ourselves and others facilitating, personal healing and forgiveness. This process of healing further grounds us in the present moment bringing in the higher spiritual vibrations to our physical world. With out our judgments our Insights and intuitions about our spiritual growth and path become clearer. With our judgments dissolved we then can begin to think about the world in a compassionate manner. Love is the emotion, Compassion is the new way that we view our world. Compassion is truly hindered by fears and prejudices. These two create the illusory divisions that lead to our feelings of separateness. This stone draws downs the higher vibrational energies and grounds them in our everyday life. Increasing the work of spirit in our lives guiding us, Not always gently, To our higher spiritual purpose.

Charoite helps one to acclimate to higher energy vibrations and is especially useful for energy workers, channels, and anyone that works with higher vibrational energies. For those that are working to raise their energy vibrations Charoite reminds you to bring the higher-vibrational energy  down to the earth plane. Charoite helps overcome spiritual escapism, encouraging one to to assume responsibility for bring spiritual energies where they are needed and grounding them here on earth.

In The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach Richard Simmons Say that Because of it`s Emanation of the purple ray it is a powerful tool for the cleansing of the ethereal body,Cleansing dis harmonies and in dispelling negativity. It can protect one from psychic attack and dispel the tendency to have bad dreams. It can help release internalized negativity and fear to help bring healing for maladies that spring from these.  Charoite can increase synchronicity in your life. Learning to understand the messages in these can guiding one as if by a golden thread down the “pathless path of ones highest potential.”

Judy hall in the The Crystal Bible Says Charoite regulates blood pressure, treats eyes, heart, liver, and pancreas. It reverses liver damage due to alcohol, alleviates cramps,aches, and pains. Charoite bestows deep sleep with powerful dreams, overcomes, insomnia, and give children calm sleep. Charoite heals autism and bipolar disorder.It is helpful with dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system where the heart is involved.

Mineralogical information for Charoite from Wikipedia

Charoite (K(Ca;Na)₂Si₄O₁₀(OH;F)·H₂O) is a rare mineral, named for the Chara River (though this etymology is disputed by some), and found only in the Sakha Republic, Siberia, Russia. It is found where a syenite massif has intruded into and altered limestone deposits.^[4]

Charoite is a strong, translucent lavender to purple in color, reminding some of a granite or marble with its pearly, swirling luster. However, it is a discrete mineral rather than a rock. Charoite is strictly massive in nature, and fractures are conchoidal. It has an unusual swirling, fibrous appearance, sometimes chatoyant, and that, along with its intense color, sometimes of a “grape” nature, can lead many to believe at first that it is synthetic or enhanced artificially.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charoite

I love this Video. I think that it was put together by someone else. But I still love it.

As I Develop The Awakening Mind I Praise The Buddha As They Shine
I Bow Before You As I Travel My Path To Join Your Ranks,
I Make My Full Time Task
For The Sake Of All Beings I Seek
The Enlighted Mind That I Know I’ll Reap
Respect To Shantideva And All The Others
Who Brought Down The Darma For Sisters And Brothers
I Give Thanks For This World As A Place To Learn
And For This Human Body That I’m Glad To Have Earned
And My Deepest Thanks To All Sentient Beings
For Without Them There Would Be No Place To Learn What I’m Seeing
There’s Nothing Here That’s Not Been Said Before
But I Put It Down Now So I’ll Be Sure
To Solidify My Own Views And I’ll Be Glad If It Helps
Anyone Else Out Too
If Others Disrespect Me Or Give Me Flack
I’ll Stop And Think Before I React =
Knowing That They’re Going Through Insecure Stages
I’ll Take The Opportunity To Exercise Patience
I’ll See It As A Chance To Help The Other Person
Nip It In The Bud Before It Can Worsen
A Change For Me To Be Strong And Sure
As I Think On The Buddhas Who Have Come Before
As I Praise And Respect The Good They’ve Done
Knowing Only Love Can Conquer In Every Situation
We Need Other People In Order To Create
The Circumstances For The Learning That We’re Here To Generate
Situations That Bring Up Our Deepest Fears
So We Can Work To Release Them Until They’re Cleared
Therefore, It Only Makes Sense
To Thank Our Enemies Despite Their Intent
The Bodhisattva Path Is One Of Power And Strength
A Strength From Within To Go The Length
Seeing Others Are As Important As Myself
I Strive For A Happiness Of Mental Wealth
With The Interconnectedness That We Share As One
Every Action That We Take Affects Everyone
So In Deciding For What A Situation Calls
There Is A Path For The Good For All
I Try To Make My Every Action For That Highest Good
With The Altruistic Wish To Achive Buddhahood
So I Pledge Here Before Everyone Who’s Listening
To Try To Make My Every Action For The Good Of All Beings
For The Rest Of My Lifetimes And Even Beyond
I Vow To Do My Best To Do No Harm
And In Times Of Doubt I Can Think On The Dharma
And The Enlightened Ones Who’ve Graduated Samsara

Breathing

Our breathing is a stable solid ground that we can take refuge in. Regardless of our internal weather- our thoughts, emotions and perceptions- our breathing is always with us like a faithful friend. Whenever we feel carried away, or sunken in a deep emotion, or scattered in worries and projects, we return to our breathing to collect and anchor our mind.

We feel the flow of air coming in and going out of our nose. We feel how light and natural, how calm and peaceful our breathing functions. At any time, while we are walking, gardening, or typing, we can return to this peaceful source of life.
We may like to recite:

“Breathing in I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out I know that I am breathing out.”

We do not need to control our breath. Feel the breath as it actually is. It may be long or short, deep or shallow. With our awareness it will naturally become slower and deeper. Conscious breathing is the key to uniting body and mind and bringing the energy of mindfulness into each moment of our life.