Words Of Wisdom From Dr. Jean Houston

Here are some more Weekly Words of Wisdom form Lama Surya Das.

These come from the renowned spiritual leader, Dr. Jean Houston.

She was also a participant in the Sounds True and Dr. Rick Hanson’s presentation of The Compassionate Brain.

Her topic was Compassion in the Wider World and she said some amazing things.

“Let 2013, be the year of decisive action where we take the time and make the effort to understand the darkness that needs to be released and find a way to make our voices heard. I am overwhelmed by the strength that every person has within them, and the even greater strength that we represent together. I celebrate you and bless you for allowing your heart to break open and usher in the light of hope, of vision and action. You are my family, and I know that together we will build a lasting legacy that is worthy of the world and all within it that we cherish.” – Dr. Jean Houston, spiritual leader

If you like what Dr. Jean Houston wrote, please share with your family and friends.

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Filed Under: Mindfulness, Quotes, Teachers Tagged With: Jean Houston, Lama Surya Das, The Compassionate Brain, Words of Wisdom

Kelly Howell Leads Deep Relaxation

Kelly Howell leads this deep relaxation exercise. Like many of her other videos, the image is lovely and static.

In this recording, she guides us through a body scan.

Then she invites us to imagine a lovely garden where we can lie down and enjoy the warmth of the sun. This is where the body scan takes place.

When we next meet or inner guide, we are deeply relaxed.

I listened to this recording this morning as part of my meditation practice.

I found it to be quite relaxing.

What did you think? Please share.

Buy Kelly Howell’s Guided Relaxation

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This Abundant World

A lot of people are caught in the feeling of scarcity. They don’t realize they live in a world of abundance.

Scarcity is an obstacle to understanding this abundant world.

My teacher, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, is always telling us that we all have everything we need to be happy now in the present moment.

He teaches that the miracle is that we walk on earth! Who needs to walk on water or thin air?

By living happily in the present moment, we can enjoy the wonders of life. We can enjoy the sun, the rain, the cloud, the flower, the tree, and the look on the face of our child. Our life is a blessing.

In this video, another one by Kelly Howell, she offers a meditation to create abundance. She talks about three obstacles, the first of which is scarcity.

One of the meditation practices that we teach in the Mindfulness in Healing class is the expression of gratitude. Gratitude for what we have is an antidote to scarcity. It provides the springboard for abundance.

Did you watch and listen to the whole video?  What are the other obstacles to abundance?

Please share this video with your friends and write the other two obstacles in the comments below.

Click to buy this MP3 / CD

Filed Under: Mindfulness, Video, Visualization Tagged With: abundance, Gratitude, Kelly Howell,mindfulness in healing, Thich Nhat Hanh, This Abundant World

Guided Meditation For Symptom Relief

This video is another one from Kelly Howell. This one helps us with self-healing and symptom relief.

Guided meditation for symptom relief can be used in conjunction with standard medical treatment. It should not be used alone.

It is based on three principles which we should keep in mind when we practice meditation for healing.

The first principle is that our bodies can can manufacture and administer the precise balance of neurochemicals that can reverse illness and cure disease.

The second principle is that scientific evidence that our thoughts and emotions directly and immediately influence or biochemistry is abundant.

The third principle is that meditation practices, like the one in this video and in active visualization, can influence and direct the body’s output of health chemical information.

Just yesterday, I had a private consultation with a student. We spent a lot of time together working on her symptoms.

Then we did a guided meditation for symptom relief session which is now rendered for your benefit on this page: Can The Power Of Your Mind Help You Heal And Relieve Symptoms?

Please share this video with anyone you know that could benefit from relieving their symptoms.

Filed Under: Mindfulness, Video, Visualization Tagged With: active visualization, active visualization for symptom relief, Guided Meditation For Self-Healing, Guided Meditation For Symptom Relief, healing meditaiton, Kelly Howell, symptom relief

President Obama Spoke To The Children

President Obama spoke to the children and grieving families in Newtown, Connecticut where 20 children and 6 adults lost their lives.

He said, “We as a nation are left with some hard questions… Our first task is caring for our children… Are we doing enough to keep our children safe from harm?” President Obama answered, “No!”

He said that he would work with law enforcement officers to see what could be done to prevent more tragedies like this, the fourth during his presidency.

I’m reminded of the First Mindfulness Training, Reverence for Life offered by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. My favorite version goes like this:

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.

If our children would study, practice and observe this training, they would grow up with a reverence for life. They would understand that all sentient beings want happiness and avoid suffering.

This is what would give life meaning and begin to explain why we are here – two more hard questions President Obama asked.

I was deeply touched when he read the names of the children.

I have dedicated my last forty plus years of my life teaching my children reverence for life and keeping them safe and protected from harm and danger. You can read about it in the posting from a few days ago, The Love Of A Parent For A Child.

On of my mentors knows the father of Noah Pozner, one of the victims. They have set up a website Noah’s Ark of Hope Fund. Please go there and make a donation.

Jon Kabat-Zinn On Mindfulness In Healing

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn spoke last year at Dartmouth College. The topic of his speech is “The Healing Power of Mindfulness.”

Some of the ways we use our minds includes worry about things that haven’t happened yet and planning what will happen next.

He said, “In this moment, your life is just like this!”

Recent research in neuroscience has found that the default mode of our brains is very active.

More quotes from this talk: “Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose in the present moment non-judgmentally.”

Another quote: “As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you then wrong with you.”

There are many moments of practice in the video.

Mindfulness in Healing is then name of an ongoing class I teach at the Pine Street Clinic in San Anselmo, California on Wednesday nights starting at 7:00. This class has been meeting every week since the summer solstice of 2009.

If you know anyone who could benefit from Mindfulness in Healing, please share with them.

When my son had cancer in 1975, mindfulness in healing was the first thing on my mind. I scurried around for practitioners in alternative medicine and hit pay dirt. Click here or on the image below to read more.

Born To Be Free

What do whirling dervishes, American Indians, beautiful women and Asian holy men have in common?

What do we all share in common?

It is our universal privilege that we are born to be free!

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says,

“Waking up this morning, I see the blue sky.
I join hands in thanks.
For the many wonders of life.
For having twenty-four brand new hours before me.”

This exceptionally beautiful video montage by Sophie LeScintilla is called, “Sacral Nirvana.” It is a video about our beautiful world.

Everything in this video touched me in some way. I like the name, “Sacral Nirvana” and many other aspects

I especially liked the woman diving.

Please share the clip that moved you the most.

Filed Under: Teachers, Video Tagged With: born to be free, sacral nirvana, Thich Nhat Hanh