Category: Zonr Posts

What is an example of a price you felt you had to pay to make you feel wiser today, lately?

 

“… it may seem easier to manipulate outcomes or avoid consequences, [cuz] we know that we cannot afford the price we would have to pay.  The resulting shame, regret, and loss of spiritual contentment would far outweigh anything we might possibly gain by compromising our principles.” (It Works, How & Why, p. 47)

“Many of us had lived our lives up to this point with a secret feeling of shame .”  “Often this shame stemmed from unresolved guilt over mistakes we’d never fully dealt with.” (Overeaters Anon., p. 29)

“A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong,
which is but saying … that he is wiser today than yesterday.”  Jonathan Swift (1667 – 1745) Irish satirist/writer

 

SHAME – Robbie Williams (4:24) 

 

 

Simple Simon

 

“One evening, Simple Simon met a pie man. The pie man was on his way to a food fair in the village.

“Dear pie man, let me taste one of your pies,” said Simple Simon.

“Alright, but first you have to give me a penny. Then I will give you a pie,” said the pie man.

“I’m sorry but I don’t have any money,” said Simple Simon. The pie man smiled and left Simple Simon standing by the roadside. Simon did not have a pie from the pie-man who did not give a pie to the Simon because Simon did not give a penny to the pie-man.”

Everything has a price.

We have to pay the price to attain what we want. Otherwise, our life will not make a progress.  (http://www.english-for-students.com/simple-simon.html)

 

“His are the gifts that we inherited before time was, and that will still be ours when time has passed into eternity.  His are the gifts that are within us now, for they are timeless. And we need not wait to have them. They belong to us today.” ACIM* (Lesson 104) on achieving inner peace.  “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.”  Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) German-American scientist

What “great gifts” of your own have you used lately, to achieve inner peace?

 

Einstein Words of Wisdom (4:11)

 

 

Our Lady Peace

by Mark van Doren

How far is it to peace, the piper sighed,
The solitary, sweating as he paused.
Asphalt the noon; the ravens, terrified,
Fled carrion thunder that percussion caused.

The envelope of earth was powder loud;
The taut wings shivered, driven at the sun.
The piper put his pipe away and bowed.
Not here, he said. I hunt the love-cool one,

The dancer with the clipped hair. Where is she?
We shook our heads, parting for him to pass.
Our lady was of no such trim degree,
And none of us had seen her face, alas.

She was the very ridges that we must scale,
Securing the rough top. And how she smiled
Was how our strength would issue. Not to fail
Was having her, gigantic, undefiled,

For homely goddess, big as the world that burned,
Grandmother and taskmistress, frild and town.
We let the stranger go; but when we turned
Our lady lived, fierce in each other’s frown.

Stand – Rascal Flatts (3:36) 

Marines Prepare for the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (1:38) 

Zen Buddhist Japanese Flute Meditation (14 mil. views)

 

How have you been able to stand up for your beliefs, lately?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR3dM-GlZK8

 

 

The Cows and The Lion.

There was a village near a jungle. The village cows used to go up to the jungle in search of food.

In the forest there lived a wicked lion. He used to kill a cow now and then and eat her. This was happening for quite sometime. The cows were frightened.

One day, all the cows held a meeting. An old cow said, “Listen everybody, the lion eats one of us only because we go into the jungle separately. From now on we will all be together”.

From then on all the cows went into the jungle in a herd. When they heard or saw the lion all of them unitedly moo and chased him away. (http://www.english-for-students.com/The-Cows-and-The-Lion.html)

 

REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS CAN EASE TENSIONS – “We can stop making unreasonable demands on others and begin to give of ourselves in relationships. Our romantic relationships, our friendships, and our interactions with family … are undergoing an astounding change.” (The Basic Text, p. 74)

“It is the enemy who can truly teach us to practice the virtues of compassion and tolerance.”

– 14th Dalai Lama (1935 – ) Tibetan spiritual leader

 

Dalai Lama Words of Wisdom Meditation (7:07)

 

From whom have you learned the lessons of love, compassion, and gratitude, lately?

 

 

Put The Glass Down :

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students, “How much do you think this glass weighs?”

50 gms!…. 100 gms!’ 125 gms….the students answered.

“I really don’t know unless I weigh it,” said the professor, “but, my question is…what would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?”

“Nothing” the students said.

“Ok! What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?” the professor asked.

“Your arm would begin to ache,” said one of the students.

“You’re right. Now what would happen if I held it for a day?”

“Your arm could go numb. You might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!” ventured another student and all the students laughed.

“Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?” asked the professor.

“No…” the students said.

“Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?” The students were puzzled.

“Put the glass down!” said one of the students.

“Exactly!” said the professor. “Life’s problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem okay. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.”

“It’s important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life. But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to have trust in HIM and to put them down at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue and any challenge that comes your way!”

So, as it becomes time for you to leave office today. Remember friend to PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY and have tranquility by putting trust in HIM.

He it is who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they might have more faith added to their faith.

Tranquility is sign of strong faith while worries and stress is sign of weak faith. Tell to your mind every day before you go to sleep.

Soul that is at rest is satisfied.

Return to your Lord well-pleased with Him and well-pleasing Him.

So, enter among My servants and enter into my Paradise.

By worrying so much, do not turn your life to hell. Good luck.  (http://www.english-for-students.com/put-the-glass-down.html)

 

 

How to Recognize Those Precious Moments of Clarity We May Often Miss – Step 8

THE GROWTH THAT PAIN MAY BRING –

“Accepting the harm
we caused, being truly
sorry, and becoming will-
ing to go to any lengths to
change is a painful process.
But we need not fear our grow-
ing pains, for our acknow-
ledgment of these truths
helps us continue our
spiritual awakening.”
(It Works, How and
Why, p. 58)

CHERISHING THE LESSONS WE LEARN –

“Since defective
relations with other hu-
man beings have nearly al-
ways been the immediate
cause of our woes … no field
of investigation could yield
more satisfying and val-
uable rewards than
this one.” (12 &
12, p. 80)

“Success is meaning-
less if you can’t sleep at
night because of harsh things
said, petty secrets sharpened
against hard and stony regret,
just waiting to be plunged in-
to the soft underbelly of a
‘friendship.’ “

– Margaret Cho (1968 – ) Korean-American actor/comedian

 

LETTING THE SUNSHINE IN –  “This improved perception of humility starts another revolutionary change in our outlook. Our eyes begin to open to the immense values which have come straight out of painful ego-puncturing.” (12 & 12, p. 52)

“Tis better to be lowly born, And range with humble livers in content, Than to be perked up in a glistering grief.  And wear a golden  sorrow.”

– William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616), UK, “King Henry VIII”, Act 2 scene 3

 

This is Halloween – Marilyn Manson (4:41)

More Marilyn Manson – Sweet Dreams cover (4:58)

Lucid Dreaming and Sleep Meditation LP (1:05:30)

 

What’s the scariest thing about your own ego you’ve discovered, lately?

 

 

 The Arrogant Swans:

In a far away kingdom, there was a river. This river was home to many golden swans. The swans spent most of their time on the banks of the river. Every six months, the swans would leave a golden feather as a fee for using the lake. The soldiers of the kingdom would collect the feathers and deposit them in the royal treasury.

One day, a homeless bird saw the river. “The water in this river seems so cool and soothing. I will make my home here,” thought the bird.

As soon as the bird settled down near the river, the golden swans noticed her. They came shouting. “This river belongs to us. We pay a golden feather to the King to use this river. You can not live here.”

“I am homeless, brothers. I too will pay the rent. Please give me shelter,” the bird pleaded. “How will you pay the rent? You do not have golden feathers,” said the swans laughing. They further added, “Stop dreaming and leave once.” The humble bird pleaded many times. But the arrogant swans drove the bird away.

“I will teach them a lesson!”

decided the humiliated bird.

She went to the King and said, “O King! The swans in your river are impolite and unkind. I begged for shelter but they said that they had purchased the river with golden feathers.”

The King was angry with the arrogant swans for having insulted the homeless bird. He ordered his soldiers to bring the arrogant swans to his court. In no time, all the golden swans were brought to the King’s court.

“Do you think the royal treasury depends upon your golden feathers? You can not decide who lives by the river. Leave the river at once or you all will be beheaded!” shouted the King.

The swans shivered with fear on hearing the King. They flew away never to return. The bird built her home near the river and lived there happily forever. The bird gave shelter to all other birds in the river.

“The process of the Seventh Step brings about a peace of mind that we never dreamed possible. We sense that what is present throughout our search for spiritual growth is our ability to feel our Higher Power’s love for us.” “It doesn’t matter that  we will not attain a state of perfection or complete humility in our life-time.” (It Works, How & Why, p. 53)   “Affirm divine calmness and peace, and send out only thoughts of love and goodwill if you want to live in peace and harmony. Never get angry, for anger poisons your system.”  – Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 – 1953) renowned Bengali Yogi

 

One Thing – Finger Eleven (3:32) 

Biography of Paramahansa Yogananda (7:17)

Powerful OM Meditation by Paramahansa Yogananda (9:43)  

 

What have you done to achieve “peace and harmony”, lately?

 

 

Peace XVIII

by Khalil Gibran

The tempest calmed after bending the branches of the trees and leaning heavily upon the grain in the field. The stars appeared as broken remnants of lightning.  But now silence prevailed overall as if Nature’s war had never been fought.

At that hour a young woman entered her chamber and knelt by her bed sobbing bitterly.  Her heart flamed with agony. But she could finally open her lips and say, “Oh Lord, bring him home safely to me.  I have exhausted my tears and can offer no more, oh Lord, full of love and mercy. My patience is drained and calamity is seeking possession of my heart. Save him, oh Lord, from the iron paws of War; deliver him from such unmerciful Death, for he is weak, governed by the strong. Oh Lord, save my beloved, who is Thine own son, from the foe, who is Thy foe. Keep him from the forced pathway to Death’s door; let him see me, or come and take me to him.”

Quietly a young man entered.

He wrapped head in bandage soaked with escaping life.

So he approached her with a greeting of tears and laughter, then took her hand and placed against it his flaming lips. And with a voice which bespoke past sorrow, and joy of union.  And uncertainty of her reaction, he said, “Fear me not, for I am the object of your plea. Be glad, for Peace has carried me back safely to you, and humanity has restored what greed essayed to take from us. And be not sad.  But smile, my beloved. Do not express bewilderment.  For Love has a power that dispels Death; a charm that conquers the enemy. I am your one. Think me not a specter emerging from the House of Death to visit your Home of Beauty.

“Do not be frightened, for I am now Truth, spared from swords and fire to reveal to the people the triumph of Love over War. I am Word uttering introduction to the play of happiness and peace.”

Then the young man became speechless and his tears spoke the language of the heart, and the angels of Joy hovered about that dwelling, and the two hearts restored the singleness which had been taken from them.

At dawn, the two stood in the middle of the field contemplating the beauty of Nature injured by the tempest. After a deep and comforting silence, the soldier said to his sweetheart, “Look at the Darkness, giving birth to the Sun.”

 

 

WISE PRAYER CAN CHANGE THE WORLD – “God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change. Courage to change the things we can. And wisdom to know the difference.” (12 & 12, p. 52)

“Prayer power is real.  By putting it into action, we will be able to stay more constantly in higher awareness than ever before. If we can do that, the world will quickly change.”  – James Redfield (1950 – ) U.S., spiritual author

 

Change the World – P.O.D.  (3:04)

What type of powerful change has prayer enhanced the serenity in your life, lately?

 

THEN REMOVING ALL SELF-SERVING DESIRE COMES NEXT –  “When we ask our Higher Power to remove these shortcomings, we ask for freedom from anything which limits our recovery. We ask for help because we cannot do it alone.” (It Works, How & Why, p. 49)

“Freedom from the desire for an answer is essential to the understanding of a problem.”

– Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895 – 1986) Indian spiritual author/guru

 

 

Indian Raga Meditation w/ Krishnamurti notes below (7:27)

 

What solutions have been revealed to you lately after having asked for help?

 

 

The Origin of Coconut Tree

A Hindu Mythological Story

 

King Trishanku was a saintly man whose one great desire was to ascend bodily into heaven.He had once done a good turn to sage Vishwamitra and the sage decided to help him fulfill his desire.

Accordingly, he performed a yagna and Trishanku began to rise heavenwards.

When Indra, King of the gods, saw Trishanku at the gates of Heaven, he was furious and catching hold of him, threw him down. Vishwamitra saw Trishanku hurtling downwards and shouted:”Let Trishanku stay where he is now!”

Trishanku’s fall was arrested. As Indra would not let him ascend into heaven and Vishwamitra would not allow him to come down, Trishanku became suspended between heaven and earth.

Folklore has expanded this mythological story to explain the origin of the coconut tree: Vishwamitra knew that Trishanku would eventually fall to earth unless held up by physical means, so he propped him up with a long pole.

The pole eventually turned into a coconut tree and Trishanku’s head became its fruit. The fibre around the coconut is Trishanku’s beard. When you take it off, you see his eyes peering at you.