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the tree has no opinion about time. it grows in both directions through both moments - roots down into what we call future, branches up into what we call past, or perhaps the reverse. we are the ones who need sequence, who need to know which way time flows. but the water holds no such certainty. it reflects without interpretation, showing that warm and cool, ending and beginning, memory and anticipation exist in the same instant. perhaps this is what stillness teaches: that time is not a line we travel but a point we occupy, that every moment contains all moments, that the only direction is now. the tree already knows this. it has always known.
Some days just flow - no deadlines, no expectations, no rush to be anywhere but right here. You wake up without a plan, and somehow, that feels like the best possible plan.
So you let the day carry you. The breeze nudges you along, the sun stretches warmly over everything, and you realize there’s nothing to chase. No urgency, no destination. Just drifting, like the world is saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”
And for once, you listen. Your thoughts loosen, the usual noise fades, and everything feels...lighter. Like that bird gliding overhead, adjusting course only when the wind decides to shift.
There’s something peaceful in that - just existing, without steering, without deciding. Because sometimes, you don’t need to guide the moment.
Sometimes, the moment is enough all on its own.
Inside a Cuban taxi, the dashboard hums with analog life. The driver’s hands guide the car along Havana’s coastal road. Outside, the sea, buildings, and passing cars seem to move slowly, as if time had paused. Nothing feels staged — this is daily life, flowing at its own rhythm. The blue car ahead, the red one crossing, the mounted camera, the sunlight: everything fits naturally into the moment. Havana doesn’t look back — it simply continues.
Dans un taxi cubain, le tableau de bord vibre d’une vie analogique. Les mains du conducteur tracent la route côtière de La Havane. Dehors, la mer, les immeubles et les voitures croisées avancent lentement, comme si le temps s’était arrêté. Rien n’est mis en scène — c’est la vie quotidienne, qui suit son propre rythme. La voiture bleue devant, la rouge qui passe, la caméra fixée, la lumière : tout s’inscrit naturellement dans l’instant. La Havane ne regarde pas en arrière — elle continue simplement.
Sotto il sole mattutino, una libellula blu si posò leggera su una foglia ancora umida di rugiada.
Non pensava al tramonto, né temeva il vento: il suo intero universo era quel momento di luce e silenzio.
Vibravano le sue ali come mantra al cielo, senza fretta, senza meta, solo esistenza pura.
Ogni battito era un respiro del mondo, ogni sguardo un incontro con il suo piccolo orizzonte.
La foglia ondeggiava piano, e lei chissà se rideva con il vento, ignara del tempo che sfugge.
Non conosceva l’autunno, né l’ombra dell’inverno: era estate nel cuore e negli occhi.
Il presente era tutto, e in quel tutto era pace.
Così, la libellula visse un’eternità in un solo battito d’ali.
Lungo il fiume Piave, in un momento che ricordo e che non dimenticherò
#libellula
#dragonfly
#istantepresente
#mindfulness
#attimo
#nowmoment
#vitaeffimera
#natureinspired
#vivereinpresenza
#buddhistvibes
#libellulablu
#zenlife
#equilibriointeriore
#innerpeace
#leggeracomeunsoffio
#presentmoment
#calma
#serenitynow
#meditazione
#momentodipace
“The chief beauty about time
is that you cannot waste it in advance.
The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you,
as perfect, as unspoiled,
as if you had never wasted or misapplied
a single moment in all your life.
You can turn over a new leaf every hour
if you choose.” —Arnold Bennett
“For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
—T.S. Eliot
“To find the universal elements enough, to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring—these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”—John Burroughs
With the hectic whirlwinds of everyday life and glowing distractions not just at arm's length, but veiled over our eyes and minds, it is incredibly important to now and again take a step back to simply observe, appreciate and experience.
Fully present, Life then is open to stretch down its skinny branches of wisdom and love to commune with you.
Reminds me of a bird in a nest
"Anything looked at closely becomes wonderful."
- A. R. Ammons, quoted in Sierra's Daily Ray of Hope
as a star lights up the night sky
so this patch of now, as it sits in the field of time
precious and unrepeatable
it blossoms in the light of awareness
it marks a spot, a sacred treasure
“this is it”
breathe
be anchored in the now
let it light your way
“Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.”—Horace
“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.”—Eleonara Duse
Can’t say I’m very good at the art of witnessing, but one time when my mind was especially turbulent, and my thoughts seemed to whirl by at 100 miles per minute, I suddenly found myself as if inside a golden bubble, and able to watch my thoughts go by without being attached to them, as if I were someone else. It was incredibly peaceful to watch these thoughts, as if my thoughts were a movie, not part of me. Seeing my thoughts, but not being yanked by them, not judging them. Wish I could make this happen when I want it to, but, unfortunately it was a one-time event, pure grace. But it got me thinking about practicing watching my thoughts…
~
"The mind and its thoughts come and go. They are unreal and impermanent. They are like the ephemeral clouds of the sky and the waves of the ocean. They cannot touch your consciousness. Beyond the surface, your consciousness remains pure and untouched. That Pure Consciousness, which is eternally aware of all that happens, is the Witness, the Sakshi, of everything."
—Amma, “Awaken Children, Vol. 7”, p. 56
“Don’t chase after your thoughts as a shadow follows its object. Find joy and peace in this very moment.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh
via Tumblr ift.tt/2sLkbpm Stop for second, inhale slowly & notice how your breath feels passing your nostrils, there is only this, the present moment. #mindfullness #presentmoment #happiness — view on Instagram ift.tt/2sKSqx8
If we are honest with ourselves,
most of us will have to admit that we live out
our lives in an ocean of fear.
J.Kabat-Zinn
look at little children, they are living in the present moment with joy -
and that is the key - you should be like little children again...
“All our ancestors and all future generations are present in us all the time. Happiness is not an individual matter. As long as the ancestors in us are still suffering, we can’t be happy and we will transmit that suffering to our children and their children. When we walk, we can walk for our ancestors and future generations. Maybe they had to walk with sorrow; perhaps they were forced to march or migrate. When we walk freely, we are walking for them. If we can take one step freely and happily, touching the Earth mindfully, then we can take one hundred steps like that. We do it for ourselves and for all previous and future generations. We all arrive at the same time and find peace and happiness together.”—Thich Nhat Hanh
“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.” —Martha Graham
…the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays. - C. S. Lewis
More C. S. Lewis Quotes and Sayings
Picture Quotes on In The Moment
25 Top landmarks in the world for 2018
Original photo credit: Jerzy Górecki
“i thank You God for this most amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any -- lift from the no
of all nothing -- human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)”
—ee cummings
“Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Breathing in, I dwell in the present moment.
Breathing out, I know it is a wonderful moment.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh, “The Blooming of a Lotus”
"The past and future are movements of the mind . . . The mind attains a state of stillness when it rests in the present moment . . . That is what is known as remembrance of God."—Amma, Awaken Children IX, p.173
“The best things in life are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that.”—Robert Louis Stevenson
"[Jesus'] disciples said to Him, "When will the Kingdom come?"
"It will not come by waiting for it. It will
not be a matter of saying 'Here it is' or 'There it is.' Rather,
the Kingdom of the Father is spread out upon the earth, and men
do not see it."—Gospel of Thomas
“If you want to know where God, the Buddhas and all the great beings live, I can tell you. Here is their address: in the here and now. It has everything you need, including the zip code.”—Thich Nhat Hanh
“If you can breathe in and out and walk in the spirit of “I have arrived, I am home, in the here, in the now,” then you will notice you are becoming more solid and more free immediately. Nothing can push you to run anymore, or make you so afraid. You are free from worrying about the past. You are not stuck, thinking about what has not happened yet and what you cannot control. You are free from guilt concerning the past and you are free from your worries about the future.”—Thich Nhat Hanh
“Neither My earth nor My heaven can encompass me, yet the heart of My adorer contains Me.” – Islamic saying
“Here within you are the riches of heaven, if you desire them....Enter within yourself and remain in your heart, for there is God.” – St. Ephraim of Syria
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”—1 Corinthians. 3:16
“God is deep within us. He dwells there as innocence, as pure and innocent love.”—Sri Mata Amritanandamayi
Children think not of what is past, nor what is to come; but enjoy the present time, which few of us do. - Jean de La Bruyère
Picture Quotes on In the Moment
Top 25 Romantic Hotels in the World 2018
Original photo credit: Joshua Choate
347/365
Have you ever noticed that the one thing that we value most is familiarity? I think that's why we like to talk about the past or plan for the future; it's a way of categorizing and structuring our lives. The intangible, indefinable, gooey present moment makes us uncomfortable because it is the unknown. It is something the mind cannot control or fathom.
One weekend, when I was attending a drumming circle at a park near the bay, I discovered many snails. Usually, I just find them in my yard, after a rain, or when I had a vegetable garden, eating the leaves and flowers of what I was trying to grow.
I found not just one, but many, all climbing up the stalk of a certain weed. Since I saw saw many (not my usual sightings), I wondered if that was a message for me. Before I looked up what might be the symbolism of the snail, these were my thoughts:
1.It carries its home with it every moment, just like a turtle. With a single breath, one can come back to the present moment, and one’s center.
2.The snail’s pace is to move slowly. Don’t hurry, be patient.
3.Its spiral shape suggests a time for re-grouping, re-assessing, evaluating what to let go of.
I found a few other insights from www.whats-your-sign.com
In that website, Avia mentioned that snails have both male and female reproductive organs. So, to me, that means developing positive stereotypical male qualities, like confidence, concentration, etc. Well, it is good for everyone to have a balance of both male/female positivities.
Avia’s friend, Mederi, said that snails have 2 kinds of slime for moving about, one for moving, and the other is for protection. She goes on to say:
“Symbolically, this begs the question, "What facilitates our mobility?" Most of us might not want to be covered in a literal slime to get us moving in the right direction. But, metaphorically, we can focus on things that motivate us to move. We might call it "motivational" or "inspirational" slime…What lubricates your ability to get up and do something? Do as the snail does...get slickered up and move forward in a positive direction.
The second kind of snail slime is protective. They excrete a specialized goo that keeps their tender bodies insulated from harm. This slime helps snails avoid injury while they're on the move. The slime also has healing qualities too, so if they do get a boo-boo, their slime gets them on the mend in double time. Symbolically, this links snail meaning with healing. Perhaps you're going through a challenging time with your health. I'd like to encourage you to envision yourself covered in a protective, nurturing, healing slime.”
Or do the things you know will be healing for you…
"Everything we are LOOKING for is right HERE in the PRESENT moment"--Thich Nhat Hanh
This collaborative group collage (6 of us) was created in the spirit of celebrating Flickr friend Elwetritsche's birthday today, in gratitude of Life.
in gratitude also for unknown photographers/artists whose work we used from old magazines/calendars/catalogs/mail...
Where water is not just surface, but memory. Where skin doesn’t simply show, but speaks.
A figure within the elements, framed by muted light and quiet vastness. Tattoos — fragments of a personal story, worn like thoughts, exposed like scars, and yet soft in their expression.
Fingers tangled in hair, as if to hold onto what storms within.
The red fabric glows like quiet resistance, against the fading current of the world.
This is no pose, but a stance. Between strength and vulnerability, between air and water, between skin and sky.
Happiness is...
the gift of a book from my friend Christine...
especially when she is the one who translated this Buddhist book on everyday mindfulness
It's called small bites,
Mindfulness for Everyday Use
by annabelle zinser,
Parallax Press,
translated from the original German by Christine Welter
Here's an excerpt:
“The practice of mindfulness is the heart of Buddhist meditation. Mindfulness is the ability to be in touch with what’s going on in our bodies and minds in that very moment. Each moment we spend in mindfulness lifts the fog of the judgmental, grasping mind from our spiritual vision. Mindfulness is like a mirror reflecting what is; nothing is distorted. The Buddhist teacher Ruth Denison says, “Mindfulness doesn’t grasp at anything. It doesn’t deny or add anything. It doesn’t attract nor reject. It’s pure presence, and it’s a presence that’s possible in every single moment of our life.”—Annabelle Zinser, “Small Bites, Mindfulness for Everyday Use”, translated by Christine Welter, p.48.
It's wonderful!
"Breathe on me
Breath of God
Love and life that makes me free
Breathe on me
Breath of God
Fan the flame within me…."
—song and words by Lucy Fisher
“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.”
—John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir
From planning to become a pharmacist (I'm biased to his biography) to becoming the greatest playwright after Shakespeare! I'm fascinated! I plan to share more when I finish reading some of his work! P.S. He loved staying at home writing, and one of his favorite times was when his wife read to him aloud! I find that detail to be super romantic!
“Each morning we must hold out the chalice of our being to receive, to carry, and give back.”—Dag Hammarskjold, Heron Dance 51
“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us — and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.” — Thomas Merton quoted in Words of Gratitude by Robert A. Emmons and Joanna Hill
“When you behold everything as God, you are always in a worshipful mood. When there are no feelings of otherness, your whole life becomes an act of worship, a form of prayer, a song of praise.”—Amma, Awaken Children! Vol IX, pg 151
life flowers in the present moment
~
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.”
—Basho
“All language is a longing for home. “
—Rumi
“I have arrived.
I am home, in the here and now.
I have arrived.
I am home, in the here and now.
I am solid. I am free.
I am solid. I am free.
In the Ultimate I dwell.
In the Ultimate I dwell.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh chant
"Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance.
Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.
Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs."
—St. Francis of Assisi
"A true sadhak (spiritual seeker) believes more in the present than in the future. When we put our faith in the present moment, all of our energy will be manifested here and now. Surrender to the present moment.”—Amma, “108 Quotes on Faith”
"For a human being to be transformed and to transcend all imperfections and limitations, the past has to die. Everyone has the capacity to do this, provided they have the right determination. Forget who you were or what you may have done in the past. Focus on what you would like to be, and then, while you are doing whatever is necessary to attain the goal, let go of the future as well. Who or what you may have been until now is of little importance. The past can be compared to a graveyard, and it wouldn't be wise to live in such a place, would it? Forget you past. Remember it only when you really need to do so, but don't settle down in it."--Amma, "Awaken Children! Vol IX," pp 106-107
“When someone deeply listens to you
the room where you stay
starts a new life
and the place where you wrote
your first poem
begins to glow in your mind's eye.
It is as if gold has been discovered!”
—John Fox
“Getting centered in the light within, and then seeing from the consciousness of light, is actually a “light treatment”. When you see from the consciousness of light, you project a flow of light energy that becomes a healing influence. The Hebrew word for “eye” is ayin, which means “fountain.” There is a natural flowing forth of transcendent light from the eye. In other words, you will no longer see light—you see with light. The statement that the eyes are the windows of the soul is apropos here.”—Eric Butterworth, “The Creative Life”