Suffering our teacher?

We all suffer. Not all of our suffering is the same. Irregardles of this each of us suffer in some way or have suffered in some way. I believe that our creation was not for the purpose of suffering, but for the purpose of growth. We certainly have learned well how to suffer and how to prolong suffering, in others as well as within ourselves.
I have a different view now. Sufferring can be our teacher. This can be experienced. This can be experienced if we allow it. How? When we are present in our suffering it is often difficult to see the value of the experience. When we are suffering it is difficult to learn from the experience. But like all things suffering cannot last forever. When we allow the our experiences to be present and then flow freely into the past, this is when our suffering can transform into our teacher. If we hold our past suffering into the present then it remains just suffering. Only when allowed to leave the present and flow freely into the past can our suffering teach us.

Thank you

Give to get

I realized something the other day. I found that the fastest way to get a hug was to give a hug. The fastest way to receive a smile was to give a smile. So perhaps the fastest way to receive joy is to give joy. The fastest way to receive respects to give respect. This formula works in abundance, in application and practice.
So simple a formula but yields so much. The fastest way for one to receive is for one to give. Try it. You maybe surprised. Perhaps service to others is one way to receive service.

Thank you

Two Paths

I find myself troubled today. My mind is going over and over things that are already past. I am stuck, my mind is stuck, my emotions trapped and my body suffering as a result. My mind is on a circle of thoughts over and over again. What ifs, should haves, could haves, said or done and on and on. This becomes a cyclic behavior that reinforces itself. I am reliving over and over the emotions associated with these experiences. In all of this I am lost to right now.

Before me I see two paths. One path continues this behavior, keeps me stuck. Reinforces my anger, my frustration, my anxiety, by fear, my resentments, keeps me in the past. Supports and nourishes my suffering. I can stay on this path.

There is another path. One of release. One of forgiveness. One of tolerance. One of acceptance. This other path reduces my suffering. This other path nourishes my healing. This other path frees me from the past and allows for growth. This path brings me back to now. Now is where I want to be.
What path will I choose?
Now is what I choose. 

Control

Control is an illusion. There is really no control, there is only ever right now. The control here is to experience here, now. We cannot control others, we cannot control elements, and so on. Each is individual and each is collective. Awakened state is not death to ego but ego in the awakened state not in conflict with the ever present moment. Awakens state is not death to anything, but realization that everything is of a neutral state and exists in itself as well as in the collective everything.
Positive and negative are all values of perspective and as perspective changes so does the value assigned. From this view there is no positive or negative, only the momentary perspective assignment of such.

All things have an individual and collective nature, seeing this does not diminish the capacity to experience them just helps us to experience them and let the moment pass and move onto the next moment.

Awakened state is not to become unfeeling, more becoming more feeling in the moment, not tied to the past, or in anticipation or dread of the future. Awake here and now, when you are in the past it is like you are asleep to the now, when you are in the future again it is like you are asleep to the now.

If you can be awake now, the whole universe is here for you, a universe of undiscovery or discovery.

Thank You

Teachings

I am compelled to write today about teachings. Teachings are a wonderful part of our conscious existance. We need teachings to guide us along our journey. Teachings can help us grow, develop, transform.
But when the teachings become too stringent, to binding, they can stifle us. They can create an enviroment that suffocates us and brings us to despair. There needs to be flexibility contained within the teachings to allow for individual growth. We are in need of guidance not cells that lock our development.
Please be careful with your self. Sometimes we need to look deeper within the message and sometimes we need to look beyond the messenger.

Thank You

Harmony

I awake thinking about body health. For long life a certain level of harmony is required. At least a cooperation. This needs to extend to the emotions and thoughts as well. 
All the healing modalities are trying to achieve this. A rebalancing. But I feel that without a conscious effort to support this then the disharmony will return. Drugs, operations, adjustments,  herbs, meditations and so on, only have short term rebalancing. Without conscious effort to support these other efforts imbalance reoccurs. 
What does this mean? Taking the necessary steps to support the body, mind, emotions and spirit. All needs to be addressed. Letting go of that which holds us in imbalanced condition. This includes action, thoughts and words.
Choosing thoughts actions and words that support the balanced condition. When you find yourself enter into an imbalanced condition then as soon as possible return to the balanced condition, or more importantly leave the imbalances condition and let the balance return.

As I am understanding or experiencing this, I can feel the heat in my lower back and it rise up my back.

I can see this as a huge topic and it's applications widely encompassing. I can write here for a long, but for now I will stop here.

Thank you 

Smoke Breaks

I am away on vacation and I am waiting in my van, we are just about to leave for home, I notice across from us a man sitting outside having something to drink and smoking. A teacher of mine once told of when a smoker is tence they have a smoke and release and relax. He was trying to convey the released state, and how to work with people to get them into that relaxed state.
What I noticed today is how there is healthy component to the smoke break experience. When someone goes for a smoke break, they stop what they were doing altogether and usually physically move to a different location and do something else. They smoke and relax. They take deep inhales of their smoke, just like a deep breath, and they relax, perhaps even clear their minds. For perhaps 10 min they smoke relax and leave things behind. This is a wonderful practice, we should all do this except without the smoking. Take time-outs, smoke breaks without the smoke and relax and breath. Move away from what you are doing, take some deep breaths and relax and clear our minds. For 5-10 min just take a breath break a chance to free ourselves to just be.
What a wonderful practice.

Thank you