Posts
- Some texts seem to never cease to amaze, and every page you turn unveils a new treasure. This is the case with “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching”, a masterpiece written by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and a true Master of contemporary Buddhism who has devoted his life to teaching mindfulness and compassion as tools for personal transformation and social peace. I should mention that I’m not a Buddhist, but I maintain an eclectic approach and am more interested in spirituality than in religions, although I understand how it was necessary to formalize certain teachings to preserve them and to reach a greater number of people.
- In the quiet wake of Christmas festivities 🎄, I found a moment of solace on the morning of Santo Stefano, turning to my yoga mat for a focused Ashtanga Vinyasa flow. This session was more than a physical exercise; it was a deliberate step towards recentering and shedding the weight of festive overindulgence. Repeating this mindful flow four times, I embraced each round as an opportunity for deeper purification and balance.
- “The ocean of suffering is immense, but if you turn around, you can see the land. The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don’t wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy. When one tree in the garden is sick, you have to care for it. But don’t overlook all the healthy trees. Even while you have pain in your heart, you can enjoy the many wonders of life — the beautiful sunset, the smile of a child, the many flowers and trees.
- “If your entire happiness depends on what someone else does, I think you have a problem,” writes Richard Bach in his wonderful “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”. If we stop to reflect on what our happiness depends on, we’d likely discover that it’s not entirely up to us. True, we now know that we play a very important role in the game of joy; however, we reach a point where we feel limited by the actions and relationships of those around us (spouse, friends, colleagues, children…) waiting for something external to intervene and change our mood.
- “There is a story in Zen circles about a man and a horse. The horse is galloping quickly, and it appears that the man on the horse is going somewhere important. Another man, standing alongside the road, shouts, “Where are you going?” and the first man replies, “I don’t know! Ask the horse!” This is also our story.” (Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching) Riding through life without knowing where you’re going?
- “Life is like an echo! when you give something, it comes back to you many, many times.” ― Master Choa Kok Sui, Achieve the Impossible It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment, but one thing is clear: understanding the law of Karma sooner would have saved me from many struggles. Knowing about it for years, it was only when I truly grasped its power and daily significance that my life changed for the better.
- When asked what his first deed would be if he were to be made Emperor of China, Confucius replied, “I would re-establish the precise meaning of words.“He knew that words have a dynamic power to kill or to cure, and should be used carefully. All religions, cultures, and civilizations have known and taught that your word is your power. Your words are constantly doing one of two things: building up or tearing down; healing or destroying.
- Even in the toughest times—and the covid time months were undoubtedly challenging—they can bring unexpected positive discoveries. As a true sports enthusiast, unable to hit the gym, I shifted my focus to home workouts. Beyond acquiring two new beautiful kettlebells (my passion), I thought it was time to delve into the practice of Hatha Yoga—fully aware that it’s not just a physical exercise but a complex philosophical system. I tried following various videos with popular instructors, but I found my groove with a brilliantly crafted app.
- I am publicly posting this (slightly adapted) message that I have shared with the TSG Ashram Group this month. Recent events in the Middle East and other global crises have really struck a chord with me. As I ponder potential solutions, I came across a quote that resonated, found in “Challenge for Discipleship” by Torkom Saraydarian (page 36). “In cooperation, one slowly learns to understand the values of others and to adjust oneself to others in such a way that they and others become more productive.
- Se tu comprendessi quanta pace daresti a te stesso e quanta gioia procureresti agli altri, e vivendo una vita dedita al bene, sono certo che saresti più sollecito nel tendere al tuo profitto spirituale. Tommaso da Kempis