Our Most Prized Possessions

Food for thought from the Dalai Lama - 

"The paradox of our age; we have bigger houses but smaller families,

More conveniences but less time,

We have more degrees but less sense...

More experts but more problems,

More medications but less health,

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet our new neighbor,

We built computers to house more information, but have less communication...

These are times of fast foods, but slow digestion

Tall man but short character,

Steep profit but shallow relationships,

It's a time where there is much in the window, but nothing in the room."

Community is vital to our health and well-being as this quote alludes to. Healthy relationships are our most prized possessions. Where do you get your community? Do one fun thing with a group (or your neighbors) and let me know how it goes. I love hearing fun stories about building community.

A (Late) Valentine's Day Gift

Love is a gift. What is love? It can be many things. In other times and other languages, they had a variety of names for different types of love feelings we have -

• filial love, which conveys brotherly, friendship love;
• agape, which is love that transcends ego and embraces the world
• and, of course the really fun one we associate with Valentine's Day, eros, which is erotic love - this type of love is the wonderful surging of life force within us that is physical, creative, and yes, even spiritual.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote the following on love - "All thoughts, all passions, all delights, whatever stirs this mortal frame, all are but ministers of love, and feed his sacred frame."

Even if you do not have a partner, how do you access the power of eros, your creative life force to fuel your soul? What delights in your daily living do you allow yourself to have? This week, give yourself permission to enjoy something pleasurable that fuels your passion, whether is be watching the sunset, eating a luscious chocolate, kissing a lover, or petting your cat - let yourself revel in it. Enjoy yourself and let that get you connected with all the love and joy available in your life. 

Another fun activity is the following: Make yourself a sack lunch this week and place a love note in your lunch bad. You write yourself the love not. Phrase it exactly how your ideal lover would phrase it. Use your imagination. If you have a partner, you can write one for them as well if you'd like.

One of the Tantric texts advises the following - "Raise your enjoyment to its highest power and then use it as spiritual rocket fuel." A quote from Tantric alchemy states furthermore, "...in the heart of the jewel, love and passion can transform one into pure awareness." Close your eyes and visualize love, what does it look like to you? - you can see or feel is as a color, word, or person, however you'd like... breathe it in.

Love is truly a gift to you. Cherish it as a vehicle for your creative expression in the world.