Deep Listening and Loving Speech

~by Thich Nhat Hanh

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

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Your True Nature

by Pamela J. Wells

When your mind is silent, such as when you are meditating or when you are just being in nature, your pure awareness, your essence, is not obstructed by the constant dialogue of the chattering mind. That is when you can fully experience your true nature—your true Self—your essence—your spirit—pure awareness. Your essence cannot be seen with the eyes. It is pure Being. You are pure being.
Copyright © 2012 Pamela J. Wells. All Rights Reserved
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My Eyes Wide Open

My eyes wide open,

I see the tangle of my mind 

reflected in nature.

With humility

I clear the way.

When we turn toward the things in our garden that repel us, we turn toward those tangles in ourselves that we often neglect and ignore. We look mindfully to see if the roots spread out, or if they go deep. Our garden’s weeds show us where we are stuck and where we hold on too tightly in our lives. As we begin to truly see the tangle of our mind reflected in our garden, our grasp becomes wise and compassionate. With humility we begin to clear the way.

~ by Zachiah Murray: Excerpt from Mindfulness In The Garden: Zen Tools For Digging In The Dirt