The following quote moved me so deeply there is not much more I wish to share today.

Someone asked the Dalai Lama what surprises him most and this was his answer…

“Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, then he dies having never really lived.”

Are you living in the past, holding onto experiences or memories that control how you act in the present? Or do you live in the future, forcing the gift of life rather than letting go and allowing it to unfold naturally?

When you are traveling from one place to the next, do you observe the scenery that surrounds you?

When you step outside do you pause to take a deep breath of fresh air?

Do you rush through your meals or do you eat mindfully, savoring the flavor and texture of your food?

What is your pace when you walk? Do you move with haste, rushing from one place to the next? Or do you walk slowly and gracefully?

Do you make eye contact with those you interact with? Or are you so busy moving about your day, that pausing to connect with another does not occur to you?

Do you include the sounds of soulful music and inspirational reading in the course of your day? Or does beauty in the form of art escape you?

When someone is speaking to you, do you listen?

It is my prayer for this week that we will all slow down. That we will live in the moment and ‘feel’ rather than force, ‘be’ rather than do, and ‘live’ rather than die.