Today's Lojong Card

"Practice the five strengths, the condensed heart instructions."

Commentary:

"The five strengths are: (1) strong determination to train in opening the heart and mind; (2) familiarization with the practices...that help you do that; (3) the positive seed that is within you, experienced as a yearning to practice and wake up; (4) reproach, which is a tricky one for Western students but is an important practice; realizing that ego-clinging causes you to suffer, you delight in self-reflection, honesty, and in seeing where you get stuck; and (5) the aspiration to help alleviate suffering in this world, expressing that intention to yourself."

Pema Chodron, The Compassion Box

(no subject)

Today, I affirm that life is beautiful, and I am grateful for every opportunity in which to taste of its joy.

I'm also thinking of the Buddhist prayer that Michael whispered to me last night:


May all sentient beings enjoy happiness
and the root of happiness.

May we be free from suffering
and the root of suffering.


Yes. This.

Reposted with permission from the author, hypanebliss

http://hypanebliss.livejournal.com/1096193.html?mode=reply#add_comment

remember
who you are
is defined by
a myriad number
of ramifications
yet if we are
examining our
relationships
based on equations
factoring numbers
comparing wonders
than we can hope
for a brighter tomorrow
by allowing our hearts
to feel sorrow
by allowing our hands
to sift through love
by allowing our minds
to know
expansion
seeking endless
companions
that we may share
our grasp on the universe
and find when it expands
our capacity for truth
grows ever larger

Today's bout of hysterical laughter...

Trent's punishment for creating a clandestine Facebook account (handed down by Michael):

...to write a one-page essay on why it was a terrible idea and recopy it 10 times in a single sitting.

Trent wrote his essay tonight. When I read it, I laughed so hard I almost passed it. Seriously. Then I thought, "Hey, this shows promise."

So I asked it I could post it, and Trent gave me permission to do so. Here it is, untouched and unedited, for your amusement and edification.

Do not click if you think you will be be offended.

******

"I have realized my wrongs in my recent heist with a Facebook account."

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