Tag Archives: Oprah

Water, Walking and Words

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In the video above Oprah interviews Thich Nhat Hanh, or Thay, as his followers call him.

Many years ago I saw this interview, and the part that stayed with me is when Oprah tells Thay that just being in his presence she feels less stress and more peaceful. She asks him if he always feels peace and he responds, “That is my practice.”  

That one thought has stayed with me, “That is my practice.” It has inspired me to write about Water, Walking and Words and having that as a practice. I know that walking is the best exercise, fresh spring water one of the best things for our bodies, and words create our experiences in life.

My reasoning is that knowing these simple three things and practicing them can be very beneficial. Thay combines walking with mindfulness and peace. I like to combine walking mindfully with cultivating joy as my practice. When he said cultivating peace is my practice, it gave me not only an overwhelming feeling that peace is possible, but a knowing that we can practice Divine Qualities of kindness, love and joy until they are such a part of us that they radiate from us and are available for others who are in our presence.

The statement, “That is my practice,” frees us to start again when we fall short. When we put our energy and intention, our mindfulness, to a practic,e it will grow, step by step. Our job is to choose where we want to put our energy and intention.

I often ask myself the question, “What do I want to bring into this moment?”

I included the video in the middle today because I feel grateful that our US Embassy, in an official capacity, gave a tribute to Thay. The United States was one of his second homes, and he still has a great following here, along with Plum Village in France.

The last video is a wonderful teaching about worry, which I feel we can all benefit from.

I’ve have listened to many of Thay’s teaching  videos over the years and have received their effect of being bridges of love light to my high self.

What do you want to have as your practice, without any self-judgement or recrimination, just a loving habit that will allow one of the many Divine parts of yourself to grow and flourish?

The Power of NOW, a Bridge of Love-Light

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I discovered one day that the letters in the word “Now” when reversed equal “WON.” I feel that is so true. When we are in the Now, we are in Real life. We are present. We win, in the highest sense, for our own peace, health, creativity and well-being are included in presence. Most importantly we allow Divine Presence to come through us. Oprah has said that Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, is one of five books that she always keeps by her bed. His teachings are simple and very necessary for our shift into the higher consciousness of our New Earth.

Years ago I came upon a video of an “Ode to Joy” flash mob in Spain. It made me so happy that I viewed it several times. That flash mob video is included in Eckhart’s teaching video above, so you will receive double the fun and enlightenment. The expressions of the surprised and awed onlookers remind me of the innocence and joy of humanity as a whole.

Joy is our essential nature. We have been created out of Love, and we are still Love. As we contemplate that fact, we are returned to our innocence and the knowing that we are the Beloved of the Divine. We feel this very powerfully in Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” My grandson, Cooper, has just learned to play this piece on his recorder, and it gives me the same uplift as when played by a full professional orchestra. The original composer was in the Divine presence when he wrote it, so that essence is still present. That quality of presence is immortal because it is Divine.

It is simple for us to experience presence because it is within us and is our true nature. Meditating for at least 20 minutes brings us to the state of allowing presence to well up in us.

Each morning I have one cup of coffee. I want to be present for enjoying each sip as I love coffee and I only drink one cup a day. Any more and my thinking becomes more dominant than my heart space. Each morning I notice when I become present while drinking, I’m so disappointed when either half of it is gone or sometimes the whole cup is gone before I’m aware. I’ve missed the pleasure, taste and aroma of my favorite beverage by not being present in the Now.

Practicing the Power of Now actually increases time. You become aligned with your highest good. As the presence wells up within you it de-stresses you. Divine ideas flow in. You are in “spaciousness,” as Eckhart teaches.

One discovery I made for myself in this practice is the Now, or moment, is not about linear (or clock) time; it is a Portal to our own Divinity. Babaji teaches us that the only affirmation we ever need is “I am as God created me: perfect, whole, and complete.” When we are in the Now, allowing presence, and we affirm this Truth it becomes more and more real for us. One of the real treasures of this practice.

If you haven’t already, I hope you enjoy Eckhart ‘s book The Power of Now and the video included above.