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March
1 |
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Today's
Quotation:
There
is a rhythm in life, a certain beauty which
operates by a
variation of lights and shadows,
happiness alternating
with sorrow, content with
discontent,
distilling in this
process of contrast
a sense of satisfaction,
of richness
that can
be captured and pinned down only
by those
who
possess the gift of awareness.
Louis
Broomfield
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Today's
Meditation:
This
is the rhythm that I refer to as the "cycles of
life." Have you ever noticed how almost everything
works in cycles, from relationships to sports to the economy
to the stock market? We almost never see anything grow
continually for years and years--rather, we see things grow
for a while, then the growth slows or even turns into
shrinking, only to return to growth later. A sports
team will spend years being dominant, winning consistently,
then spend years being very weak, winning only occasionally,
as other teams become strong. The stock market will
grow and grow, only to come down significantly later, only
to return to growth when the time is right.
Our
lives are like that, and I think the Zen masters have a
beautiful perspective when they encourage us to go with the
flow rather than fighting our rhythms. Yes, it's
important to be aware of when we're thinking negative
thoughts and when we're bringing ourselves down, but it's
also important to recognize when we're in the midst of a
certain cycle that may be taking us in a different direction
from the cycles we've seen before. Are we trying to
fight something that may be the best thing for us at this
particular time, or are we trying to force things to be the
way we're used to them being? Perhaps relaxing and accepting things
as they are will allow us to listen to life and life's
lessons, something that often is very difficult for us to
do.
The
investors who recognize the rhythms of Wall Street and who
are patient when their stocks go lower are the ones who are
the most successful. The players who stick to their
game and don't panic when they're down are the ones who are
able to come back. The people who accept the down
times and flow with them are those who know the better days
are coming, and who learn the most from everything.
It's difficult to learn from life if we spend our time
fighting it.
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Questions to ponder:
1. Can you think of good things that
came from times that seemed nothing but negative?
2. Why might life take us through so
many cycles? What might the bigger picture reveal?
3. Do you know anyone who constantly
fights whatever life gives him or her? What are the results in that person's life? |
For further thought:
When
I found I no longer had the stamina to work long hours
clearing the
fallen limbs in the woods around my house, I began
to bring a lawn chair and a
thermos with me. I still work in the woods,
but stop frequently to sit and have a cup of
tea. I’ve identified
birds
I didn’t know lived here and
evidence that a bobcat shares the
property.
Since I’ve slowed down some, I see things I never saw
before and find that quiet solitude
is not lonely but nurturing,
allowing my heart to open to the signs and lessons
of nature that surround me.
Sallirae
Henderson
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