To Build A Home

Metta

The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love

The Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others (parahita-parasukha-kamana). Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest. Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. True metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love.

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Love Making

Love Making. (Everything) Because I fall in love with everything. Playing with the wonder of if I'll ever see it again. Not addicted to the thing, bringing yourself back to that feeling. Waving goodbye and watching it fade into smallness. I love laying next to it at night. Breathing. Can you feel it breathe with you? Breathing next to you. Slow and steady in sleep. Love; that connectedness to something. Love is making you better, stronger, more grounded. It makes you work harder, because you're in love. Surrounded by the love you're making. Love making. And it loves you for being who you are, where you are. Right now. Radiating Love. Pulsing, vibrating Love. Growing surrounded by the Love.

The Wedding Dresses

Oh the choices!

10 Powerful Phrases of Wisdom From Gandhi

JOE MARTINO

JANUARY 9, 2013

Mahatma Gandhi was a man that left man powerful messages to humanity before his time here was complete. Here is a list of 10 powerful phrases of wisdom he left to us all. One thing I wanted to add to this to help make it very practical is that for each one, try to see how it may relate to a certain instance or aspect of your life so you can truly begin incorporating this into your life. It is great to know quotes and phrases like these, but putting them into action is a big step to begin taking. Be sure to reflect on each one and see how you can make them a part of your life. Of course, share this list with others so they can do the same

 1. Be the change you wish to see in the world

2. What you think, you become

3. Where there is love, there is life

4. Learn as if you’ll live forever

5. Your health is your true wealth

6. Have a sense of humor

7. Your life is your message

8. Action expresses priorities

9. Our greatness is being able to remake ourselves

10. Find yourself in the service of others

Yoga for Lower Back Pain

Healthy Souls: Being Born

One of my new, wonderful, yoga-loving, beautiful, gluten-free, vegan-eating lovely friends, started this food blog. I totally dig it, she inspired me to become gluten-free and intensify my own yoga practice. Check it out!

Healthy Souls: Being Born: You are present, you are healthy, you are happy. You are healthy, you are happy, you are present. As we repeat these words over and over...

So...

It's funny I feel like I think and therefore speak in circles because I see this interconnectedness with this giant web of existence. So one thing leads me right back to another because they all make better sense together. As a whole. And I've been saying recently that I have all this energy in my head that swings me from thought to thought, (and that it needs to burst out of my body in an expression) but it's functioning at a high level (firing often). A high vibration. Whatever. Somewhat useless unless focused in and sharpened in order to fully complete a task (rise up to a new plateau). So then there's this thing I'm doing that focuses my mind and sharpens my body. That physical thing that allows my brain to be conscious. So how can that not be linked to my thinking? And if I'm strengthening my physical makeup, then I'm strengthening my mental wiring. Those physical things that make up the energy that is thought and perception. (That must change.) And now my thoughts are more clear. And that same thing that's making me stronger, is helping me stay in that freeze frame of a moment. With patience and grace. Whatever that experience is at that second; I'm aware. 

I've Learned

I've learned yelling at people doesn't make them listen. I've learned the only thing you can do is love them. And let them live their lives, for each must follow their own path. And fighting it will always cause more strife. I've learned people will only grow and learn from experience and you can help shape that experience by living your own life aligned with your own light. People see the glow. The only way to serve anyone, including yourself, is to love all those around you the best you can every day. For everyone is waging their own battles and bearing their own burdens. And your judgements mean nothing. Because it's your individual perception of circumstances your brain is trying to organize based on your own personal experiences. And there's no such thing or right or wrong, it's just left or right. So lighten up. And let life happen. And love the whole way.

The Passage of Wisdom

Sitting on my bed, my dad in my butterfly chair I got when I was ten. He's telling me about life, and how to be mindful of others. I was doing the same thing when I was sitting on the floor with my legs crossed looking up at her tell me her story. Opening up and absorbing all the wisdom she had to live and grow through. It's the same when I'm reading texts of men who died 300 years ago. They pass me the knowledge they'd pained and labored to learn. And that's why I listen to you flutter from topic to topic on that bus ride to New York because that thing you all have in common is; life lived in years and in tears and decisions. So please, keep feeding me. I'm growing with your nourishment.

Forearm Stand

How to get into your forearm stand :)

Joe Rogan - What Is Reality

Music:
Immediate Music - We Dissolve In Stars
Two Steps From Hell - Lost In Las Vegas
Audiomachine - Double Helix

Laughing Lotus NYC

I took a class yesterday at "Laughing Lotus" in New York City. To my delight, what they call "Lotus Flow Level 2" was AWESOME. A balanced mix of hip opening, strengthening and flowing postures felt amazing, and definitely challenged me. Got the unlimited pass ;)

Design Your World

Accepting all these phases in life with this realization that this is what they are. They come and they go and everything constantly changing is what makes this life so beautiful. She said in a class the other day, "you can relax, or you can remain anxious, weird, and awkward." Yeah, I know that feeling, I feel like that a lot. Stuck in my own head. But they were also talking about accepting what's coming your way as it shows up. Seeing those visions of towers (like Any Rand says), but staying present. Being aware of what's happening. Watching it. Because here is where you are, and each foot step you take in this moment is determining where you're going, so choose wisely. With an infinite number of universes linking together, you can navigate your path with a clear mind. It's taking those circumstances and designing a moment that suits you the most within your power. Can you do that? It's the only thing you can do. Predetermined existence? Only if you think it is. It's the only thing that matters for your unique consciousness. Because that makes you conductor, the divine. So design your world with your mind.