Aloha kakahiaka oukou … Hau’oli la Po’alua … Hau’oli la Koa.
Good morning and Happy Tuesday, everyone. Happy Veteran’s Day!
Month: November 2014
Seeds for Meditation ~ “Practice of Being Real,” by Carol Carnes
The practice of being real is something highly underrated. We have been taught to appear in certain ways to get the approval of others. We may have fallen prey to the image makers who tell us how to dress, what colors are “ours” and how to be politically correct. The pressure to fit in is strong but not very intelligent. The really great people we admire, the ones who have contributed to our greater good, are always those who refuse to comply! They invariably are radical thinkers, fearlessly individual but at the same time allow for others to also stand out.
Shakespeare said it best “to thine own self be true and as the night follows the day, thou canst be false to any man.” Those who know who they are, are not confused about what is theirs to do! They are able to enroll others by simply being present with their energy and vision. This is spiritual maturity. The opposite of that is psychologically adolescent. We are all unique and have something to bring unlike anyone else. To be afraid to shine is to deny our spiritual nature.
That being said, being real does not mean complaining and holding others responsible for our experience. Martin Luther King Jr. did not complain. He had a vision and he stood up for it, unwilling to be silenced. He learned from Gandhi, but he did not copy him or dress like him or shave his head. He brought his own true self into the movement for freedom that Gandhi modeled so well. We are not a different species of human from these two fine examples, but we do need to drop the pretenses and let ourselves be seen and known for who we truly are.
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What does the practice of being real mean to you?
Can you share a personal experience of a time you were not afraid to shine?
What helps you avoid falling into the trap of the ego while being true to your voice?
Health ~ Healing Herbs For Your Apothecary
This list covers a wide area of herbal healing remedies, from lavender for dry dry skin to mint for an upset tummy, these remedies and herbs are a great alternative to turn to instead of store bought medicines!
Head over to this website now to start your herbal journey!
Daily Affirmation
Detox Your Thoughts
Dedicate yourself to the practice of nonviolence in your thoughts today. Watch as it extends to your words and deeds. Consider making it a daily practice.
How does true transformation happen? People don’t ever change by becoming someone else. People change by seeking, finding, and nourishing the best of who they are. They persist through the dark, heart-shredding times. They reach deeper into their true nature, the source of their best wisdom, courage, and passion.
“I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be; and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hau’oli la Po’akahi
Aloha kakahiaka oukou a Hau’oli la Po’akahi. Mahalo Ke Akua no kei nani lā.
Good morning and Happy Monday, everyone. Thank God for this beautiful day.
Moon in Cancer in November of 2014: T-Squares and Grand Trines
The Moon in Cancer in November of 2014 creates a series of interesting (and contradictory!) patterns. On one hand, Moon will join with Uranus and Pluto (in the well known and often discussed Uranus/Pluto square pattern) to form a T-Square. On the other hand, the Moon will join with Mars and Neptune to form a Grand Trine (Grand Water Trine). The first causes conflict and energizes people to “take action” while the second tends to be gentler and more relaxed (and sometimes an opportunity to make a quite a bit of money).
We we examine the T-Square:
[Click to Enlarge]
Moments of greatest tension occur when (1) Moon opposes Pluto, (2) Moon squares Uranus, and (3) Moon conjoins Hygeia (an asteroid governing health and health issues). If one counts the node (a point and not an actual body), then one might argue this is an (ongoing) grand cross.
Ordinarily, we…
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Daily Affirmation
I know my inner self will guide me to the right decision.
Daily Words of the Buddha ~ November 09, 2014
Mattāsukhapariccāgā
passe ce vipulaṃ sukhaṃ,
caje mattāsukhaṃ dhīro,
sampassaṃ vipulaṃ sukhaṃ.
If by renouncing a lesser happiness
one may realize a greater happiness,
let the wise one renounce the lesser,
having regard for the greater.
Dhammapada 21.290
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita
Hau’oli aloha Lapule
“Mohala I ka wai ka maka o ka pua.” Aloha kakahiaka oukou a Hau’oli Aloha Lapule.
“Unfolded by the water are the faces of the flower.” Good morning and Happy Aloha Sunday, everyone.
Recipe ~ Shortbread flavored with Earl Grey Tea & Pistachios
Yield: 30 pieces
Preparation time: 20 minutes + 1 hour chilling time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Main Ingredient: tea and pistachios
Ingredients:
115 gm butter, softened
40 gm. icing/confectioners sugar
150 gm. plain/all-purpose flour
1 tbsp finely ground good-quality Earl Grey tea leaves
½ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped (you can substitute nuts of choice or omit completely for a plainer but still flavorsome cookie)
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Instructions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the flour, vanilla, ground tea leaves,salt and zest and combine
Blend in pistachios until just combined.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to a ½ cm thickness. Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out as many cookies as possible.
Place on the baking sheets approximately 3 cm apart.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the bottoms are just golden.
Let the cookies cool and firm on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for up to a week.
Recipe ~ Coconut Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into fours
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
2 lbs shrimp, peeled, butterflied and deveined
1 large onion, cubed
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1 box S&B med-hot curry blocks
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp cilantro, this is just a topping on top of your curry (optional)
Start to boil your carrots and potatoes in the 2 1/2 cups water, boil until fork goes half way through then lower heat to simmer.
While waiting for the vegetables to cook you’re going to start frying the onions in a separate pan with 1 tbsp oil until lightly brown in color. Now add in the curry blocks by crushing it between your fingers to make smaller pieces add in the 1/4 cup water and coconut milk and let it simmer for 5 minutes. This is just like making a coconut curry thickener for your curry.
Next step is to add the coconut mixture into the potatoes and carrots (leaving it in the water it’s already simmering in) stir together and cover.
Last step is to pan fry the shrimp until light orange in color and drain out any fluid that came out of the shrimp and add it straight into the curry. Simmer together for another 5-8 minutes before serving over hot rice.
Seeds for Meditation
“Each today, well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life.“ ~ Sanskrit poem
Hau’oli Aloha Po’aono
Aloha kakhiaka oukou. Hau’oli aloha Po’aono. Ku’u aku a hoihoi keia nani Po’aono a me kou ‘ohana.
Good morning and Happy Aloha Saturday! Relax and enjoy this beautiful Saturday with your family.
Daily Words of the Buddha ~ November 08, 2014
Yogā ve jāyatī bhūri,
ayogā bhūrisaṅkhayo.
Etaṃ dvedhāpathaṃ ñatvā bhavāya vibhavāya ca,
tathāttānaṃ niveseyya yathā bhūri pavaḍḍhati.
Wisdom springs from meditation;
without meditation wisdom wanes.
Having known these two paths of progress and decline,
let one so conduct oneself that one’s wisdom may increase.
Dhammapada 20.282
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita
Double Thor’s Hammer Period of 2014 November 14
As we have mentioned elsewhere, some events in astrology simply are not well described as a “point.” Here we have a Double Thor’s Hammer (we call it a “Double Thor’s Hammer Key”) on the evening (in Plano) of November 14th:
Daily Affirmation
I may not understand the good in this situation yet, but it is there.
Pāli Word a Day ~ November 07, 2014
jotati—to shine, be splendid
Daily Words of the Buddha ~ November 07, 2014
Appaṃ vata jīvitaṃ idaṃ!
Oraṃ vassasatāpi miyyati,
yo cepi aticca jīvati,
atha kho so jarasāpi miyyati.
How short this life!
You die this side of a century,
but even if you live past,
you die of old age.
Sutta Nipāta 4.810
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Seeds For Meditation
Are you tired of the daily grind? Do you wonder what it would feel like to be your own boss, set your own schedule, and be in complete control of your future?
If so – you’re not alone.
Job dissatisfaction is a common issue these days. Just last year a report published by The Conference Board stated that more than half of all Americans report dissatisfaction with their jobs. With a challenging job market, more and more people stay stuck in careers that leave them feeling drained and unhappy, rather than pursuing a new life that nourishes them.
It’s ok to want change and to look for a better life.
For me, once I dared to dream that I could have a different life – In 1999, under the light of a Yule Super Moon, I launched my own Reiki practice and healing school. I soon had paying clients and students supplementing my income as an attorney … and, little by little I gained the confidence to fully transition away from my soul-crushing day job in the Law.
But how do you know it’s the right time to change?
Here are three little questions to consider that can make a huge impact …
1. How will you feel in five years if you’re still doing exactly what you’re doing now?
2. If you could paint a picture of a healthier, happier you – what would that look like?
3. What are three things you can do right now to get you closer to that new you?
Change begins with choice.
If you feel inspired or excited by that vision of a new future – I encourage you to get support, ask questions, and allow yourself to make an educated and informed decision that’s right for you.
Me ke aloha pumahana oukou … Lana
Aloha ‘ahiahi oukou ~ Good evening, Everyone!
Thank you, God, for this beautiful night.
Today’s Inspiration
A beautiful motivational video, blending supreme words from powerful individuals into a backdrop of moving imagery from uplifting cinema. When you feel down, watch this to remember how great you are.
Health ~ Master Tonic Immune Booster
Master Tonic is an amazingly beneficial immune booster, and your grandmother probably keeps a bottle somewhere in the house!Most of the evidence proving its efficacy is kept as a secret, but the number of people who have experienced and witnessed its benefits should have already convinced you to try it.
A simple shot of the Master Tonic Immune Booster every day keeps the most aggressive forms of viruses and infections away. We have listed all the ingredients you need to prepare this powerful immune booster ….
Source: Healthy Food House
Just For Today
Take a moment and think back to when you were half your current age. What advice would you have given yourself, and how can this inform the way you move through life today?
“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” ~ Anne Frank
Daily Words of the Buddha ~ November 06, 2014
Dosaggiṃ pana mettāya,
nibbāpenti naruttamā.
Mohaggiṃ pana paññāya
yāyaṃ nibbedhagāminī.
By love they will quench the fire of hate,
by wisdom the fire of delusion.
Those supreme ones extinguish delusion
with wisdom that breaks through to truth.
Itivuttaka 3.93
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma,
compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Full Moon November 2014
Here is the basic chart for the Full Moon of November 2014:
[Click to Enlarge]
We see some indication that we may be entering a period of austerity (or a cold winter?) as Venus is between the Sun and Saturn (all in Scorpio) with Mars applying to conjoin Saturn (both in Capricorn). Saturn and Pluto continue in mutual reception, as has been true since 2012. Will be interesting to see what the financial markets do. We note that Mars and Vesta are semi-octile, and that might be the most important aspect during this full moon. (More discussion on this below after the Modulus Sort Strips.) We also note a Huber triangle involving Sun / Moon / Chiron (as shown in the next version of the chart).
[Click to Enlarge]
Similarly important, Astraea (at 29 Pisces) is semi-square the Moon and Sesquisquare the Sun (in a pattern we have not…
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Hau’oli Aloha Po’akolu
Aloha kakahiaka a Hau’oli aloha Po’akolu. I lā maikaʻi nou a me maluhia a me aloha mau loa no hoaloha!
Good morning and Happy Aloha Wednesday. Have a nice day in peace and love always, Friends!
Just For Today
Heal others through laughter and joy. Laughter is a natural medicine – it lifts our spirits and makes us feel happy. Laughter is contagious. It brings people together and helps us feel more alive and empowered. Laughter therapy aims to use the natural physiological process of laughter to help relieve physical or emotional stresses or discomfort.
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” ~ Victor Borge
Be Nobody ~ by Lama Marut
Consider this: We all know that it is in those moments when we completely lose ourselves — engrossed in a good book or movie, engaged in an all-consuming task or hobby, or immersed in our child’s or lover’s gaze — that we are truly happy. These experiences point to something extremely important: Our greatest joy comes when we vacate ourselves and give ourselves over to something or someone else. It is when we manage to ‘stand outside of ourselves’ (exstasis) that we experience ecstasy.
“True and deeply felt self-esteem comes not through the exhausting quest for more and more ego inflation. It comes only when the ego and its endless demands are quieted and quenched, when the lower self is emptied and the fullness and plentitude of the Higher Self arise.
“It is only when we stop narrating the play-by-play of our lives and actually start living in an unmediated and direct way that we become really present and fully engaged. It is only when that little voice inside our head finally shuts up that we become wholly assimilated with what’s actually happening, and become truly happy.
“It is important to have a good, healthy sense of self-worth, and the point of being nobody is certainly not to become servile, a doormat on which others can trample. But thinking that we will feel fulfilled only if we become more special than others leads to an increase, not a diminishing, of anxiety and dissatisfaction.
“Wanting to be somebody unique — or somehow ‘more unique than others’ — is actually quite common: there’s nothing special about wanting to be special. But it is this very drive for radical individuality and superiority that keeps us feeling isolated and alone. In the end, the willingness to let go and be nobody is what’s really extraordinary, and it is the only means for real connection with others and communion with what is real.”
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What does being nobody mean to you?
Can you share a personal story of a time you experienced being nobody?
How can we develop the ability to vacate ourselves?
Pāli Word a Day ~ November 04, 2014
atikkamati — to go beyond, to pass over, to cross, to conquer, to surpass, to overcome
Daily Words of the Buddha ~ November 04, 2014
Paṇḍito sīlasampanno
jalaṃ aggīva bhāsati;
bhoge saṃharamānassa
bhamarasseva irīyato.
One who is virtuous and wise
shines forth like a blazing fire;
like a bee collecting nectar
one acquires wealth by harming none.
Dīgha Nikāya 3.265
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma,
compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Hau’oli Aloha Po’alua
Aloha kakahiaka oukou … Hau’oli aloha Po’alua. I la aiwaiwa nou oukou.
Good morning and Happy Aloha Tuesday. Everyone have a fantastic day!
Daily Affirmation
I show my family how much I love them in all the verbal and non-verbal ways I can.
Confession of a Doctor Who Drank Cannabis Oil: “I Had Cancer, Cannabis Oil Brought My Life Back”
“I have never smoked a single joint in my life and I am an opponent of all drugs. Classical medicine is my calling. However when I faced lung cancer I tried everything”, says the doctor. He claims to be cured by cannabis oil.
The fifty-year old doctor from Serbia had been detected with lung cancer with metastasis to the lymph nodes 6 months ago. Stage two of three. He began to use cannabis oil. He fully supports the opportunity to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.
– Source: Healthy Food House
Just For Today
It is in offering dignity to others that our own dignity is revealed. Make your day an offering of dignity to others. Reflect on how it feels inside.
Death has everything to do with how we live. The honesty and grace of the years of life that are ending is the real measure of how we die. It is not in the last weeks or days that we compose the message that will be remembered, but in all the decades that preceded them. Who has lived in dignity, dies in dignity.
“There are those who forget that death comes to everyone. For those who remember, all quarrels come to an end.” ~ Buddha
Pāli Word a Day ~ November 03, 2014
dhammaññū — one who knows the dhamma
Hālau 'Aha Hui Lānākila 