It's time, to Slow Down..................

IT'S TIME TO SLOW DOWN

One of the biggest lessons that I've learned (correct that . . . am still learning) from the Buddhist culture is mindfulness, a slowing down of our daily activities so that we can be fully present in all that we do. Our daily lives can be so full of activity that we can easily forget what we had for lunch two hours after eating it! The Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and other great teachers have been spreading the message surrounding mindfulness for years. Now it is up to you and me to slow down and be "present" in all that we do. Become mindful of your next kiss . . . go slowly . . . of your next meal . . . eat slowly . . . slow down.

DOING THE DISHES by Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk from "Sunshine and Green Leaves" Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

“To my mind, the idea that doing dishes is unpleasant can occur only when you aren't doing them. I enjoy taking my time with each dish, being fully aware of the dish, the water, and each movement of my hands. I know that if I hurry in order to go and have a cup of tea, the time will be unpleasant and not worth living. That would be a pity, for each minute, each second of life is a miracle. Each bowl I wash, each poem I compose, each time I invite a bell to sound is a miracle, and each has exactly the same value. If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go have a cup of tea, I will be equally incapable of drinking the tea joyfully. With the cup in my hands I will be thinking about what to do next, and the fragrance and the flavor of the tea, together with the pleasure of drinking it, will be lost. I will always be dragged into the future, never able to live in the present moment.”

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Love, david http://www.davidessel.com