I’m back!!!!

Wow! It’s  been a while!!  There are a ton of changes that have taken place since my last post!! I published a few books, worked for a magazine, did tons of art, achieved enlightenment (well I learned to tap into my inner Buddha nature! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!), I’ve started a YouTube channel, you can see me make Mandalas and jewelry as well as some funny videos of my dogs!

More shameless self promotion
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAvKGmx9yd_avyIOKLntiww

I’m ready to start giving My life lessons again so stay tuned!

SEE THE BEAUTY

The unique thing about each person’s lived experience is, well, its uniqueness. Because everything is changing all the time, every single thing that happens is new. The entire universe is in a fresh configuration every moment. There may be patterns that repeat, but no two sets of phenomena are exactly the same, ever.

Human consciousness is a natural part of all this. The mind is an apparatus that creates experience, using the senses of the body and the neurons of the brain. With an alchemy we still don’t have the means to understand very well, a moment of awareness arises when one of the six sense bases comes in contact with a particular stimulus, which is shaped into a knowable object. Each moment’s experience is further accompanied with its own inimitable combination of feeling tone, interpretive perception, and emotional response, all of which occur in an instant and then cease. Consciousness is thus a series of episodic events, flashing again and again as phenomena are cognized for an exceptional instant before they vanish, never again to reappear in the same way.

This is the territory of Buddhist spirituality. It is not a matter of getting our minds around the big picture and conceptualizing the cosmos in all its grandeur, either through a traditional narrative or through accessing mystical states of non-ordinary reality. Rather, it is about being there to experience the extraordinary specificity of what is occurring, by meeting every moment’s uniqueness with a fresh mind. Every moment is a unique view of a unique territory, both of which unfold in perpetual motion. Because of the continual flux of it all, holding on to anything that has happened is futile, while being open to what happens next is crucial.

Trying to communicate with another about our own lived experience, we find ways to convey what is happening for us; because others have similar experiences, what we say and do can resonate with them. We seek through our dialogue to evoke in others our own experience, and empathize with what they are expressing in order to experience it for ourselves. Much of the time we are successful, but because of the uniqueness of all experience, all of this secondary discourse—telling someone else what is happening for you—can only ever be a shadow of what is lived directly.

When more than two people interact, and especially when a large number seek to share experience, a third perspective is created, one that is broader but even more detached from direct experience. Language and many other forms of symbolic expression are used to create a conceptual map that encompasses the past, the future, and a world beyond the immediate. Since these maps are developed by gradual usage, there is no single objective way of conceiving the universe and our place within it. Different cultures establish different models of shared experience, and people can employ multiple schemas as they interact with different groups. The religious and scientific traditions are among the most common and widespread examples of these conceptual maps of reality.

While much is gained in scope by shifting from our individual lived experience to the larger, conceptual maps of a culture, a valuable texture is also lost. Because of its derived nature, this third perspective is even further removed from direct experience than secondary discourse—it is an echo of a shadow, if you will. It involves thinking about objects rather than being aware of them, describing something instead of experiencing it, and conceptualizing about things rather than cognizing them directly.

Thus, when we try to share an understanding of our experience, we turn to what in Buddhist psychology is called the aggregate of perception (sanna) rather than the aggregate of consciousness (vinnana). Perception involves a sort of interpretive representation or view, while consciousness is direct knowing or immediate awareness of an object. Also, communication with others requires the exclusive use of only one of the six senses—mental objects or thoughts—while direct experience can encompass sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and bodily sensations. Conceptualization offers access to a wider world beyond immediate experience, but in its pursuit of commonalities it must abandon the compelling uniqueness of the moment.

Sport enthusiasts understand the value of the exceptional. Even though a game may consist of “nothing more” than hitting a ball or getting it into a hole or hoop or net, there are an infinite number of ways this can be done, and almost anything can happen at any time. It is the radical specificity of the moment that is so compelling. The same is true for theater, music, dance, and any other performance art. Even if one knows what to expect and has done it a hundred times, this time is unique and therefore immeasurably valuable.

Meditation teaches us the value of every moment’s unique experience. You have never taken in this particular lungful of air before and will never do so again. This particular step, with its lifting, moving, and placing phases, is absolutely special—when you choose to attend to it carefully with your awareness. We can breathe and walk without the engagement of mindful attention, in which case it is just another artifact of a removed, conceptualized world. The idea of my breathing blends in to all the other ideas that populate my conceptual world, but the uniqueness of the actual experience of my taking this breath renders it—sacred.

It is the radical transience of the world that makes it both tragic and beautiful, like the cherry blossom in Japanese aesthetics. The tragedy is that nothing actually exists; it is all passing away the instant it forms. The beauty is that we have the means to be aware of this, a moment to know the profound poignancy of this tiny corner of reality.

Our modern world tends to look at things from the outside, enhancing the objective and diminishing the subjective. The contemplative arts of early Indian traditions place more emphasis on the subjective perspective, and can help us recover and celebrate the immense value of being right here, right now. You only have one shot at this moment—don’t miss it.

Interview with Malika Gandhi

Maliki Gandhi lives in Leicester, United Kingdom with her husband and two children.. She is a talented writer, whom I've had the pleasure of reading all her books and beta reading her current WIP (Work in progress). Her new book is out Witch Crystal. Although ment for 10 and up, I believe adults who like fantasy would like it also.

Q. How long have you been an author?
A. 3 years
Q. How many books have you written?
A. I have written three with one wip. 1. Freedom of the monsoon -historical romance 2. Where the secret lies - paranormal romance 3. Witch crystal - fantasy and I'm currently working on Lost Soul-Paranormal.
Q. Why did you become an author.
A. I have always had a passion for writing. I read widely as a young girl and decided that one day I will be an author.
Q. Tell me about your books.
A. FOTM is about a Pooja who is the main character. The story unfolds as we see her struggle against the backdrop of pre Indian independence. We see her lose the love of her life and then she is married to an older man who has a grown up child and two younger ones.

Where the Secret Lies is about a spirit from post independence 1948 and a girl from the present 2012. The two characters are related to each other's story.

Witch Crystal is a book for ages 10 plus,  and runs along the lines of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. It is about Larissa who diacovers the depth of her witch abilities and a prophecy she is to fulfill.  With her are Jake who is Xyth,  he has come from the planet Zrotaz which is also Larissa's home planet.  Larissa is also acquainted with the Witch Crystal.  Together they travel to Norway where their real adventure begins.
The other side of Witch Crystal we follow Zleus who is the witch brother of Xyth. He is on the journey to the Sacred Witches meeting where they will bring a plan to free his mother from the clutches of the High Witch.

                                                             Freedom of the Monsoon

                                                               Where-Secret-Lies

                                                                     Witch Crystal

Peaceful Liberation

I have the impression that many of us are afraid of silence. We’re always taking in something—text, music, radio, television, or thoughts—to occupy the space. If quiet and space are so important for our happiness, why don’t we make more room for them in our lives?

- Thich Nhat Hahn, "Fear of Silence"

We instinctively avoid unpleasantness, often without our awareness. When we touch something unlovely in ourselves—fear, anger, jealousy, shame, disgust—we tend to withdraw emotionally and direct our attention elsewhere. But denying how we feel, or projecting our fears and faults onto others, only drives a wedge between us and the people we yearn to be close to.

Freedom from desires and passions is not the same as the attainment of 'liberation by mind' and 'liberation by insight' which alone can cut the root of dependent origination: ignorance. Buddhism was not conceived as a means to become liberated from desire, but as a means to become liberated.

My Beautiful Life

Today, I have gratitude. My life is so far from where it once was, that the past is just a faint echo. Just a faint reminder of where I could be, making each moment of this life all the more sweeter, better and precious. I value each moment, for these moments are filled with joy, love, contentment and peace. How far I've come from the pain, chaos, and depression that once was all I knew. Like a butterfly emerging from the cocoon, I have shed my past, spread my wings and took flight into this beautiful world.

simplify your holidays

For many people, the holiday season is the busiest, most complicated, most stressful time of year.

Holiday parties, gift shopping and wrapping, decorating, travel plans, end-of-the-year projects, planning for the new year … these are all added on top of your regular business. And life before the holidays was already pretty busy.

So what can we do to simplify? Is it even possible to simplify when things are getting crazy?

Yes, it’s possible — with some willingness to change. If you want things to be exactly as they are, you can’t simplify. But if you’re open to change, and have an open mind about your routines and priorities and projects and more, you can simplify.

One method to go about this is to ask yourself a series of questions. Now, it takes a minute or two to reflect on these questions … but if you have five questions, that will only take 5-10 minutes. That’s totally worth the time investment if it greatly simplifies your life, reduces your busy-ness and stress, and makes you calmer and happier. Take the time now to reflect.

Here are the ones I’ve found useful:

1. What are you striving for? In our lives, we’re always striving for something: success, higher numbers at work, a new house, achievements to add to the notches on our belts, financial independence, an image that we want others to have of us … something. We aren’t always aware of it. So take a minute to reflect: what are you striving for right now? You can tell what it is by what’s stressing you out, what’s been occupying your mind, what fills your life with things to do. But if you can loosen your grip on what you’re striving for, you can simplify. You might even realize that this thing you’re striving for isn’t real, and is only a fantasy. It’s not important. In fact, you can have happiness right now, without this thing you’re striving for, if you accept that what you have is already good enough. Where you are is already perfect.

2. What are you clinging to? We all cling to things in our lives: our Christmas traditions, our love of sweets, our Internet distractions, our need to be right, our desire for justice in unfair situations, our craving for recognition and admiration. We are not usually aware of this clinging, but it feels like a tightness, stress, unwillingness to let go of how things are or how you want them to be. Take a minute to reflect on what you don’t want to let go of, what causes you this tightness and stress, what makes you dig in your heels.

3. What can you limit yourself to? If you have 50 things on your plate, will you really have time to eat all those things? Will you have the space to give any of them focus? Will you enjoy all of them? What if you only limited your plate to five things? You’d have more space, more focus, more enjoyment. Take a minute to look at the various areas of your life right now, and see if you can limit each one: have a limit on your tasks each day, a limit on meetings or parties, a limit on requests you can say yes to, a limit on how much time you spend on email or social media, a limit on how many hours you work. Set arbitrary limits and force yourself to make choices. Adjust the limits if absolutely necessary, but don’t just widen the floodgates because you don’t want to choose. Choose, and your life will get simpler. Say no to the rest, or get out of those commitments by saying you can’t do them.

4. Who do you want to spend more time with? Spending time with friends and loved ones is the best way to use your holiday time. But you can’t say yes to everyone: what if you could only choose 3-5 people to spend more time with? Maybe fewer, depending on what your family situation is (people with 6 kids can’t cut out a few kids from the list, but if you don’t have kids, your list can be shorter). Take a minute to think who that might be. Now prioritize your time so that you limit everything else (Question 4 above) but make time for those people. Make some dates/appointments with them, block off time on your calendar, and make this time actually happen.

5. What can you let go of? Think of the things you’re striving for, clinging to … can you let go of them? Before you say no, consider how it might be possible. And when you limit things in your life, see if you can let go of the things that don’t make the cut.

Letting go isn’t easy, because if it’s in our lives, that means we’ve already said yes, have already decided its important enough to be in our lives. But if you don’t let go, your life remains complicated. You are trying to say yes to everything, and that means you have too much on your plate. That leads to busy-ness, stress, unhappiness, and worse health.

Simplicity requires asking these tough questions, and then learning to let go. That isn’t easy work, but the alternative is much harder.

Be a blank page....be a mirror.....

“As soon as you begin to believe in something, then you can no longer see anything else.” The truth you believe in and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new. Remember faith is not blind belief.

Holding on to beliefs limits our experience of life. That doesn’t mean that beliefs or ideas or thinking is a problem; the stubborn attitude of having to have things be a particular way, grasping on to our beliefs and thoughts, all these cause the problems. To put it simply, using your belief system this way creates a situation in which you choose to be blind instead of being able to see, to be deaf instead of being able to hear.

When you explain or hear the teachings, if your mind and the teachings remain separate, then whatever is explained will be inconsequential. Hence, listen in such a way that you determine how these teachings apply to your mind. For example, when you want to find out whether or not there is some smudge, dirt, or whatever, on your face, you look in a mirror and then remove whatever is there. Similarly, when you listen to the teachings, your faults such as misconduct and attachment appear in the mirror of the teachings. At that time, you regret that your mind has become like this, and you then work to clear away those faults and establish good qualities.

Happy Bodhi Day

Happy Bodi day, Dec. 8 Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautauma (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic practices and resolved to sit under apeepal tree and simply meditate until he found the root of suffering, and how to liberate oneself from it.

Traditions vary on what happened. Some say he made a great vow to Nirvana and Earth

 to find the root of suffering, or die trying. In other traditions, while meditating he was harassed

 and tempted by the god Mara (literally, "Destroyer" in Sanskrit), demon of illusion. Other traditions simply state that he entered deeper and deeper states of meditation, confronting the nature of the self.

In the Pali Canon, there are several discourses said to be by Buddha himself, relating to this story. In The Longer Discourse to Saccaka (MN 36),  Buddha describes his Enlightenment in three stages:
During the first watch of the night, the Buddha discovered all of his past lives in the cycle of rebirth, realizing that he had been born and reborn countless times before.

During the second watch, the Buddha discovered the Law of Karma, and the importance of living by the Eightfold Path.

During the third watch, the Buddha discovered the Four Noble Truths, finally reaching Nirvana.

“

My heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, was released from  the fermentation of sensuality, released from the fermentation of becoming, released from the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there was the knowledge, 'Released.' I discerned that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'

”

In his words:

All traditions agree that as the morning star rose in the sky i

n the early morning, the third watch of the night, Siddhartha finally found the answers he sought and became Enlightened, and experienced Nirvana. Having done so, Siddhartha now became a Buddha or "Awakened One".^[2][5]

The enlightenment of the Buddha is yearly celebrated in many Buddhist countries.

Bodhi Day is observed in many mainstream Mahayana
 traditions including the traditional Zen and Pureland Buddhist schools of China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.^[6] In Japanese
 Zen, it is also known as Rohatsu. In Tendai and other Japanese sects, it is called either Shaka-Jōdō-e(釈迦成道会^?) or simply Jōdō-e (成道会^?).

Services and traditions vary amongst Buddhist sects, but all such services commemorate the Buddha's achievement of Nirvana, and what this means for Buddhism today. Individuals may choose to commemorate the event through additional meditation, study of the Dharma chanting of Buddhist texts (sutras), or performing kind acts towards other beings. Some Buddhists celebrate with a traditional meal of tea, cake, and readings.

The word Rōhatsu (臘八) is Japanese and literally means 8th Day of the 12th Month. It is typical for Zen monks and layman followers to stay up the entire night before Rohatsu practicing meditation, and the holiday is often preceded by an intensive sesshin.   It is observed on the Gregorian date of December 8 as a result of the Westernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration (1862–1869).

Bodhi Day is not as popularly celebrated as Wesak Day, on which the birth, enlightenment (Nirvāna), and passing away (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha are celebrated. Traditionally, Wesak Day is celebrated on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month in East Asian countries that still observe this calendar (See Chinese Calendar).

important points of Buddhism in today's world.

As a factor of the Buddhist path, faith (saddha) does not mean blind belief but a willingness to accept on trust certain propositions that we cannot, at our present stage of development, personally verify for ourselves.

Starting with this most simple of expressions, as Thich Nhat Hanh explicates dependent origination as a vision of radical interdependence, or what he calls “interbeing,” in which all beings support and are in turn supported by all other beings. This elaboration encompasses the foundation, the practice, and the fulfillment of spiritual life.

It is important to have strong spiritual friendships not spiritual in the rarefied sense, but in a really down-to-earth way, to have good friends in the dharma with whom you can talk things over, share experiences, share difficulties and whose spiritual support you're assured of.

We’re afraid all the time of what the future will bring—afraid we’ll lose our jobs, our possessions, the people around us whom we love. So we wait and hope for that magical moment—always sometime in the future—when everything will be as we want it to be. We forget that life is available only in the present moment.

If you separate from everything you have done in the past, everything that disturbs you about the future and apply yourself to living the life that you are living—that is to say, the present—you can live all the time that remains to you until your death in calm, benevolence, and serenity.

Meditation is about seeing clearly the body that we have, the mind that we have, the domestic situation that we have, the job that we have, and the people who are in our lives. It’s about seeing how we react to all these things. It’s seeing our emotions and thoughts just as they are right now, in this very moment, in this very room, on this very seat. It’s about not trying to make them go away, not trying to become better than we are, but just seeing clearly with precision and gentleness. We work with cultivating gentleness, innate precision, and the ability to let go of small-mindedness, learning how to open to our thoughts and emotions, to all the people we meet in our world, how to open our minds and hearts.

If we learn to keep our mind quiet through meditation, to just stay present with our feelings, to connect with our heart, to let go of the story lines, and to directly feel all the unpleasant sensations associated with our emotional hurts, then the heart will open and we can approach each situation from a wider perspective.

how to greet an author

5 second Rule!!

Shifting Moonlight short story sneak peak.....

 SHIFTING MOONLIGHT-The Prequel-BOOK 0 of the Shifter series.

Sasha sat at the vanity brushing her long black hair, excitement and dread warring in her stomach. Looking in the mirror for a last minute check, she assessed the makeup accentuating her pale skin, big green eyes, and insanely long lashes.
"Hmm, not bad.” She told her reflection. “It’ll have to do.” She couldn’t procrastinate any longer.
Her parents were waiting downstairs.   Dad was Alpha of the eastern territories and not a patient man. Mom, on the other hand, had endless patience, grace and kindness.
“Too bad I take after Dad.” she thought with a twitch to her lips. She liked who she was.
She was a tiny, but confident, 26 year old Alpha female in the making. Standing at 5'4" and curvy, society would say too curvy, not that she cared one whit what society said. “Good thing I’m a shifter, dieting is so not me!” she mused as she hurried downstairs.  Sasha was definitely enough of a package to make any shifter stop and stare.

“Finally.” growled Garyson, Sasha's father spotting her coming into the kitchen. “I was about to go drag you down here.  You know I can’t be late!”  It wouldn’t be good for the hosting Alpha to be late for the intercontinental conference of the wolf clan. All eight alphas of the US and Canadian packs would be there as well as many of their packs. Thoughts of all the single wolves gave Sasha mixed feelings. She might meet her mate!
**************************************
Wolf Shifters mate for life, and their inner wolves pick who they want. Not that Sasha didn’t trust her inner wolf, she just didn’t like the lack of control she would have in picking her lifetime mate. Even if her wolf liked his wolf, his human half could be an jerk! She did not want to be stuck with some arrogant male who controlled her every move. She’d seen too many wolves who were arrogant, overbearing, controlling nightmares. Since her inner wolf hadn’t picked anyone from her own pack, that meant her potential mate was a total unknown. Ugh, she hated not being in control of this! Since female wolves are usually attracted to  more dominate males, she was considerably worried.
Her dad slid his SUV into a parking space between two similar vehicles at the Park. No need to wonder why most of the parking lot was filled with gas guzzlers. Shifter men were all about power and dominance. Sasha mentally shook herself and wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans.
 “I’m not some teenager at my first dance! My mate may not even be here, and if he is…I can handle it." She sighed, "I hope."
“Did you say something Sweetheart,” her mom asked, hopping down from her dad's monster of male strutting. Tall, blonde and willowy, graceful as a swan, Suelyn was everything Sasha was not. The only thing they had in common was their complexion and their smile, both having a cute little gap in their front teeth.
“Nope, just thinking out loud.”
Her dad came around the front of his beast; the opposite of his mate.  He was of average height with dark hair, green eyes, framed with those same insanely long eyelashes. You could see immediately where Sasha got her looks, right down to the gold flecks around the irises of their eyes. He was deeply tanned from working long hours outdoors and all that hard work meant that he was built like a truck. He’d run you over, too, if you got in his way. He was a tough but fair alpha, with a huge soft spot: Sasha.
Her younger, unmated brothers, Arik and Bryan were already there, eager to meet the single females.  Much more eager than Sasha. Of course, if they found their mate, they wouldn’t have to leave the pack to be with them. That would be the female’s fate.
**********************************
JT, the son of the Northwestern territories alpha Lendon, walked into the clearing where the wolves were gathering. The sun warmed the long ponytail that flowed halfway down his back. He was oblivious to the looks from the females, unaware that their fingers itched to set his neatly tied hair free.  He was equally unaware that he was definitely the best looking wolf present.  Women flirted with him often, but he didn’t pay much attention. Average shifters were not a clumsy race, yet he knew he had a natural grace that was beyond the norm.  When combined with his alpha training, that grace and confidence made other wolves notice.   JT’s thoughts on the other hand, would make most people politely excuse themselves and leave the room.
"Ha!" He snickered to himself, as he pictured a room full of restless wolves trying to slip out of the "room" of his mind all at once. It's not that his thoughts were boring exactly, they were just serious. His mind is concerned with things he sees as important, since he will be taking over as alpha soon, his dad stepping down by next year.  Which is why JT was at the conference representing his pack, instead of his dad, in the first place. For all the past conferences, JT had stayed behind and looked after the pack. As the Alpha in training, it gave him valuable experience he'll need all too soon. It was one reason he was still unmated, losing the opportunity to meet other shifter women, as his mate wasn't found among his pack.
"Figures you would be picky." He thought to his wolf, feeling it's amusement in return. He knew he should have made it to a conference long before now, but responsibilities always took priority over his personal needs. He was here now, though, but would his mate be here as well? With all the responsibility about to descend on his head, he wasn't sure he was ready to find her.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Sasha walked across the clearing in the middle of the park, taking in the myriad of colors and smells attracting her attention. She loved the Adirondacks, always filled with beauty and splendor, no matter the season. This was her home. Sasha just couldn't picture herself living in a place without these mountains as her ever present backdrop, these woods as her wolf's playground, or without Lake Champlain's view to bring her tranquility. The clearing was crowded with wolves, no tranquility here today. The main meeting wasn't for another hour or so, but most wolves were already here, using this time for socializing, greeting people they knew, meeting people they didn't, and, for some, looking for their mate.
Sasha was still thinking about whether she wanted to meet her mate or not. In fact, she was so engrossed in her thoughts she wasn't looking where she was going. Well, at least she wasn't looking when she hit a wall!
"Umf! The air left Sasha in a huff. She realized she was staring at a teal colored T-shirt, stretched over a very hard, and very sculpted chest. Hands came up almost immediately to steady her. She could feel the heat of his hands on her bare arms. Just as Sasha felt the air return to her lungs, she looked up......and lost her breath all over again.
"Are you okay?" JT grabbed the person he nearly ran over, as she nodded, "I'm very sorry! I should have been paying better attention to where I was walking. A friend had waved at me and as I turned to wave back, I crashed right into you. Again I apologize." Just as he finished talking, the girl in his arms looked up. As her big beautiful green eyes looked at him, it felt like someone punched him in the gut. He couldn't breath. His wolf woke and felt like he was going to burst out of him, uncontrolled, and howled in his mind, "MINE!!!"
Sasha was staring at the most incredible blue-green eyes she had ever seen. As she desperately tried to draw a breath, her wolf feeling like she was clawing to get out and howling, "MINE!!"
 She had never felt like she was going to shift uncontrollably before "Calm, breathe," Sasha thought to herself and her wolf. "Please." She begged. The heat from the male's hands on her arms felt like it was burning, yet she couldn't move, couldn't look away, and still couldn't breathe!!
JT wasn't one to panic, as he tried to calm his wolf, he thought to him, "what's wrong?"
"OUR MATE!!" His wolf was projecting into his thoughts. "Claim her!" JT could feel his fangs lengthen.
Meanwhile, Sasha was having similar problems. "My mate? I've been here five minutes!" Not that she could do anything about it, seeing as she was about to pass out from lack of oxygen. Sasha's eyes started to close, and as she lost consciousness, she began to shift.
JT, also, was shifting as consciousness slipped away......
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All of the wolves in the vicinity stopped and stared in awe, as more made their way over to see such a rare occurrence. Very rarely do their people shift to wolf form to mate. This only happens when there is resistance to being mated, either to the person picked by their wolf or to being mated in general. Since the wolves are not willing to risk losing their mates they......takeover. Just until the binding is done, then the wolves are linked, mind, body and soul.
After the binding, the mated pair understand each other completely and there isn't any room left for second thoughts.
The two wolves standing in the middle of a growing crowed didn't notice the other shifters. They were too engrossed in their own feelings of intense joy and happiness for having found their other half. In moments their souls will be complete.
Garyson stepped up to the two wolves, a giant smile on his face. He was good friends with JT's father and although he had only met JT on the occasions the conference was in JT's territory, he knew his reputation. The younger wolf is known for being patient, responsible, strong, and intelligent. He was a good leader and earned people's loyalty easily, for there was was something about him that inspired trust, a quiet dignity, a knowledge that you get when you look into his eyes that you matter, that you matter not just to him but to the world. JT's determined but positive attitude made people feel that he will do his absolute best to make that world a better place. Garyson was smiling because he knew JT would be a perfect match for his strong willed, independent daughter. Here was the one wolf in all the packs that wouldn't butt heads with Sasha, who would let Sasha keep her independence, who could make Sasha happy.
Garyson was prepared for a binding ceremony, as there probably be a few today. It was a simple ceremony, only needing an Alpha, a witness, a length is twine or leather to bind the participants hands with and eight words. As Garyson stood before them, each wolf bit their own paw, drawing blood and held their paws to the Alpha. He brought their paws together mingling their blood and tying a leather thong around their joined paws. "One heart, one mind, one soul." Garyson pronounced over the bound paws, with his head bowed, "for eternity."
As soon as the Alpha finished, heat rushed through the two wolves starting at their joined paws and ending in their tails. Awareness followed the heat, feelings not their own, memories shared. It was as if they had become one, one being, no barriers, no questions, just understanding. They nodded as one to the Alpha, and he unbound their paws. The wolves released their hold on their form and they shifted back to human.
Sasha and JT still held each others eyes as they regained control of their bodies. Their minds forever linked, as was their hearts and souls.
*Hi.* JT's thought filled Sasha's head.
*Hi.* Sasha thought back as tears of joy started to fill her eyes. They both reached at the same time and found each other's hand.
*One heart, one mind, one soul.* they both thought as smiles started filling their faces. For eternity.
*Yes, for eternity.*
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Author Lama Surya Das

Lama Surya Das
His web page: http://www.surya.org





Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation teachers and scholars, one of the main interpreters of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and a leading spokesperson for the emerging American Buddhism. The Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “The Western Lama.”

Surya has spent over forty years studying Zen, vipassana, yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism with the great masters of Asia, including the Dalai Lama’s own teachers, and has twice completed the traditional three year meditation cloistered retreat at his teacher’s Tibetan monastery. He is an authorized lama and lineage holder in the Nyingmapa School of Tibetan Buddhism, and a close personal disciple of the leading grand lamas of that tradition. He is the founder of the Dzogchen Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and its branch centers around the country, including the retreat center Dzogchen Osel Ling outside Austin, Texas, where he conducts long training retreats and Advanced Dzogchen retreats. Over the years, Surya has brought many Tibetan lamas to this country to teach and start centers and retreats. As founder of the Western Buddhist Teachers Network with the Dalai Lama, he regularly helps organize its international Buddhist Teachers Conferences. He is also active in interfaith dialogue and charitable projects in the Third World. In recent years, Lama Surya has turned his efforts and focus towards youth and contemplative education initiatives, what he calls “True higher education and wisdom for life training.”

Lama Surya Das is a sought after speaker and lecturer, teaching and conducting meditation retreats and workshops around the world. He is a published author, translator, chant master (see Chants to Awaken the Buddhist Heart CD, with Stephen Halpern), and a regular blog contributor at The Huffington Post, as well as his ownAskTheLama.com blog site where he shares his thoughts and answers questions from the public each week.

Surya Das has been featured in numerous publications and major media, including ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, New York Post, Long Island Newsday, Long Island Business Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, The Jewish Free Press, New Age Journal, Tricycle Magazine, Yoga Journal, The Oregonian, Science of Mind, and has been the subject of a seven minute magazine story on CNN. One segment of the ABC-TV sitcom Dharma & Greg was based on his life (“Leonard’s Return”). Surya has appeared on Politically Correct with Bill Maher, and twice on The Colbert Report.

Surya is the author of thirteen books: The Snow Lion’s Turquoise Mane: Wisdom Tales from Tibet (1992) *Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World (1998) *Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Spiritual Life from Scratch (1999) *Awakening the Buddhist Heart: Integrating Love, Meaning and Connection into Every Part of Your Life (2000) Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be: Lessons on Change, Loss and Spiritual Transformation (2003) Natural Radiance: Dzogchen Pith Instructions (including seven guided meditations on CD) (2005) The Big Questions: How to Find Your Own Answers to Life’s Essential Mysteries (2007) Buddha Is as Buddha Does: The Ten Transformative Practices of Enlightened Living (2007) Words of Wisdom (2008) The Mind is Mightier than the Sword: Enlightening the Mind, Opening the Heart (2009) Natural Great Perfection: Dzogchen Teachings and Vajra Songs (with Nyoshul Khenpo) (2009)
Buddha Standard Time: Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now (2011)

*The three books that comprise his best selling Awakening Trilogy; the first trilogy of American Buddhism.

Lama Surya Das resides in Concord, Massachusetts.


Quote.....



"Dear Friends and Countrymen, lend me your tears and fears: Let me carry them for you. I have not come to praise you But to awaken together. We who are about to live joyously salute you!"



My favorite ancient book of Jewish wisdom, The Talmud proclaims: "To save oneself is to save the world." Buddha himself is reported to have said, seated beneath the Bodhi Tree: "When I was enlightened all were enlightened, even the rocks and the trees." So endeavor to purify yourself, purify the world. Transform yourself, transform the world. Awaken and edify yourself, edify the world. Self-compassionate as well as loving-kind to others, wishing others well (WOW): if you want to change your worldview, clarify and refine your vision. "Now I don't just see different things, I see things differently."



This is my mission and true work in the world. From you and me to We. From head to heart. An infinite journey. Far-reaching, all-inclusive, and yet closer than we think. Don't overlook it!



I endeavor to do the very best I can. Won't you join me, joyful friends and floor-sitting listeners? It's now or never, as all ways. While spring is growing up all around--and within us too-let's seize the day, as they say, and pick up our meditation cushions and yoga mats, and walk.



Or go outside, at least. I shouldn't talk!



Lama Serious Das from my New New Dharma Talks May 2014



In The Media



Recently I was interviewed by CBS for their series on Modern Masters of Religion, featuring a profile on His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, which will air Sunday, June 29. I hope you will tune in!



Book Pick



The Uncommon Reader by Alan




Events and Retreats



May 30 - June 2 Rimay Monlam 2014 "A Tibetan Buddhist Peace Prayer Gathering" Location: The Garrison Institute, Garrison, NY Registration: www.rimaymonlam.org



***** July 12 - 19 Dzogchen Summer Retreat "The Natural Great Awakening" Location: The Garrison Institute, Garrison, NY Registration: www.dzogchen.org







BOOKS



SOUNDS TRUE AUDIO



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BUDDHA STANDARD TIME
Tricycle Magazine’s Book Club Selection for October 2011 “A wealth of inspiration and practical tips […]
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AWAKENING THE BUDDHIST HEART
Life is about relationship-the relationship we have with ourselves, with each other, with the world, […]
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AWAKENING THE BUDDHA WITHIN
Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the […]
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AWAKENING TO THE SACRED
Lama Surya Das, author of the bestselling Awakening the Buddha Within, is the most highly […]
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THE MIND IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD
Lama Surya Das is one of the most well-regarded Buddhist teachers and scholars in America […]
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BUDDHA IS AS BUDDHA DOES
In 2006 His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who calls Lama Surya Das the American Lama, […]
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THE SNOW LION’S TURQUOISE MANE
This remarkable book brings together more than 150 authentic Buddhist teaching tales from the Hidden […]
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LETTING GO OF THE PERSON YOU USED TO BE
The beloved American Lama, a spiritual leader whose inimitable light and lively universal teaching style […]
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THE BIG QUESTIONS
The best-selling author of Awakening the Buddha Within addresses life’s most provocative and tantalizing questions […]
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WORDS OF WISDOM
Lama Surya Das expresses his depth of understanding and brilliant sense of humor that have […]
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NATURAL GREAT PERFECTION
Dzogchen is the consummate practice of Tibetan Buddhism. A pure awareness practice applicable to any […]
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