Category: Pastoral Care

Pockets of Peace – January 15, 2014 Meditation

It is possible to live peacefully and calmly even while experiencing the chaos and uncertainties life throws our way. Regardless of the hoop you may be expected to jump through, be it a broken car, expected work demands, forgotten appointments, traffic jams, all can be gotten through while maintaining inner peace and tranquility. First check to see how you are processing the circumstance. Assess the situation gathering the facts, separate from your feelings about those…

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Alternative To-Do List – January 13, 2014 Meditation

Everyone knows what a to-do list is, most have them, and some like myself find them both helpful and annoying. To-do lists are supposed to help you organize your life, ensure you get done things you find important, and they can get out of hand when everything in your life ends up on a to-do list. Have you ever thought about making a to-notice list? Sometimes we are so busy doing things, getting things done,…

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Lotus Path: Living the Lotus Sutra – Volume 1

The practice of Buddhism is about changing our lives deep at the core. Buddhism calls on us to examine the causes of our suffering in brutal honesty. After making this self-assessment we then take the next step and make the necessary changes so we can free ourselves from the cycle of suffering in ignorance. The essays in the book are short; usually only several hundred words. It is possible to read them quite quickly. That…

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Self-Care; Compassion – January 12, 214 Meditation (With Portuguese Translation)

Portuguese translation appears after English We talk all the time about compassion for others; it is one of many constants themes of Buddhist guidance. We also talk about compassion for ourselves, and of the two I think the self-compassion is perhaps the most challenging for people. It is interesting that we can treat our friends better than we treat ourselves, and we think that is somehow permissible or even to be admired. Self-compassion gets convoluted…

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