As I was reading the blogs from my friends this morning, I was struck with an immense sense of awe. I am amazed at all the wonderful writings of each person in this community. Thank you all for sharing your stories, quotes, politics, websites, books, interviews, videos, songs....it goes on.

With Gratitude....

This was from Tricycle's Daily Dharma. It struck a chord with me.

Happy Sunday!

Blessings,
Wendy

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How to Make Our Lives An Embodiment of Wisdom and Compassion

By Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield, Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart

How to make our lives an embodiment of wisdom and compassion is the greatest challenge spiritual seekers face. The truths we have come to understand a need to find their visible expression in our lives. Our every thought, word, or action holds the possibility of being a living expression of clarity and love. It is not enough to be a possessor of wisdom. To believe ourselves to be custodians of truth is to become its opposite, is a direct path to becoming stale, self-righteous, or rigid. Ideas and memories do not hold liberating or healing power. There is no such state as enlightened retirement, where we can live on the bounty of past attainments. Wisdom is alive only as long as it is lived, understanding is liberating only as long as it is applied. A bulging portfolio of spiritual experiences matters little if it does not have the power to sustain us through the inevitable moments of grief, loss, and change. Knowledge and achievements matter little if we do not yet know how to touch the heart of another and be touched. 

I am back home in Canada at the moment so my access to the internet will be inconsistent over the next couple weeks. I will eventually write back to those who have mailed me.

There is nothing like being home again, especially for the holidays. I miss the snow and there is tons of it!! I haven't been back home in the winter for two years now so manouvering on the roads is something I'm getting used to again. Good thing you who don't live in Edmonton :-)

Happy Holidays everyone!!

This past summer, I made an intention to live a more authentic life. Sounds easy enough, right? I didn't realise it would be as difficult as I had originally thought. Being true to who I am and living my life with true intentions that are exhibited through my words, thoughts and actions are not easy tasks. This morning, I got an email (below) that reminded me that the path of authenticity is not always a smooth path.

With the obligations of the holiday season and the mass media that associates gift giving and get togethers with good times and being loved, I am reminded of my intention to live an authentic life. My challenge these days is to go beyond the social conditioning with which I have been brought up. Today, I am thinking, speaking and acting from my heart center and not from a place of obligation. The Universe has been providing me with many opportunities to live an authentic life. For that I am grateful.

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Authenticity

“The highest courage is to dare to appear to be what one is.”
-John Lancaster Spalding

The key word here is “appear.” So many times it’s just easier to put on a mask, to play a role, to go along with what is expected of us. But the courage is in being authentic, in being true to ourselves and our convictions. Being true to ourselves is one thing – but showing the world who we are is another. Do we dare risk judgement? When we are authentic we answer to ourselves, we know that to appear to be anything other, anything less than “what one is” is heart-breaking.
-Lissa Coffey