With Metta

Here in my room tonight, sitting alone, listening to the sound of the metro speed past outside my 7th story window, I received an email from the Gaia community email list, and it made me pause for a moment to think of the connectedness of everyone. And it made me realize that the same thing is true for all of the email lists I'm on.

I imagined fingers around the world clicking this newsletter open, and eyes from all over reading these words, and I imagined countless thoughts inspired by their interpretation, and I imagined the thread of connection shared by each of you reading this.

And I sent a little metta of intention:
"May you be be happy; may you be healthy; may you be free from suffering; may you live with ease."

I hope it makes a difference.

The Game of Life by Florence Scovel Shinn (link to the entire text online) was recommended to my by our office secretary who is knowledgeable in the universal laws. We talked about these laws while walking to pick up lunch for the office the other day. Specifically she mentioned the power of the word, how right speech is so important, powerful, and definitive of your life and world; and also about positive affirmations, about how positive thinking really does bring prosperity into your life.

Which links my mind to an article I was sent today about a researcher who helped to prove these positive concepts through scientific tests. Over the course of 10 years and with the help of 400 men and women from all walks of life, his studies concluded that positive thinking really can improve your life, through self-fulfilling prophecies. (thanks Bloom)

Another online text I have been studying over the past year is The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. The Prophet also speaks to many universal laws. (thanks Lia for recommending this book)

I have had a few interesting experiences this past month including my first time getting acupuncture and my first time speaking to a psychic.
Also I had a bit of renewed interest in psychedelia when visiting Seattle and Vancouver and the openess of the culture to these experiences. During my freshman-sophomore years of college I used to check in on maps.org and deoxy.org frequently to learn more about this area. I also enjoyed reading The Doors of Perception, the Interpretation of Dreams, Be Here Now, Rational Mysticism, to name a few. My interest was renewed in perusing some of the books Christine had on her bookshelf (she has one of the most awesome personal libraries I've seen), like Zen and the Brain.

Instead of a quote of the day, I will be ending this blog with the first step in a four part series of beginning meditation, as taught by Ajahn Brahm.
Stage One: Present Moment Awareness. The past and the future are burdens. The reality of now is magnificent and awesome. You are here. You are mindful. This is the first stage of meditation, mindfulness sustained only in the present. It is important to put forth a lot of effort to make this first stage stron, firm, and well established.