staying present for joy to expand ~

How do we cultivate the conditions for joy to expand? We train in staying present. In sitting meditation, we train in mindfulness and maitri: in being steadfast with our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts. We stay with our own little plot of earth and trust that it can be cultivated, that cultivation will bring it to its full potential. Even though it’s full of rocks and the soil is dry, we begin to plow this plot with patience. We let the process evolve naturally.

from The Places That Scare You, by Pema Chodron

finding the light in the dark corners of my being ~

for sophie's friends ~

the soft spot ~

Without realizing it, we continually put up protective walls made of opinions, prejudices, and strategies, barriers that are built on a deep fear of being hurt. These walls are further fortified by emotions of all kinds: anger, craving, indifference, jealousy, and arrogance.

But fortunately for us, the soft spot—our innate ability to love and to care about things—is like a crack in these walls we erect. It’s a natural opening in the barriers we create when we’re afraid. With practice we can learn to find this opening. We can learn to seize that vulnerable moment—love, gratitude, loneliness, embarrassment, inadequacy—to awaken bodhichitta.

The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times, by Pema Chodron

our morning walk ~

the magic of pat's place ~

the magical kitchen:

boris from next door coming for his treat...

one more murmuration ~

murmuration ~

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.
I found this over here @ http://www.jengray.com/

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

face in the forest ~

a road less travelled ~

pileated woodpecker going for berries ~