January 2017 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Watching this past election was a challenging process on many levels. Some people felt joy with the outcome. Some people felt anger or downright disgust. The question is, Can I be okay with what I am feeling? We all have opinions about what is right or wrong with a candidate. But in the end, the outcome is the outcome, and there needs to be acceptance to create peace in one’s life. We move on. Everything changes, and it will change again.

The political parties in this year’s electoral process planted seeds to encourage us to look and see where we need to change to become a better person. Change comes from changing ourselves. Parents can be an example; can be the light to their children. In time, young people will no longer go to war because they will take the high road with compassion and empathy and not engage in battle when confronted with anger or discord. There will be no knee-jerk reactions. They will sit back in wisdom in all things. New ways will arise to solve problems, to stay positive. One day years ago, out of nowhere, the Berlin Wall fell. Did you notice? Conversing via cell phones, young Israelis and Palestinians are increasingly befriending one another. They don’t want war. They want good schools and hospitals. They want peace.

You’re probably saying, “Daniel, you’re thinking crazy. War is human nature.” But through practicing meditation we learn that if we keep thinking in an old paradigm, we never allow things to change. If anything, old ways of thinking can add energy to a problem rather than resolve it. Change your thinking, change your reality.

Obviously, feelings and emotions don’t just come and go with elections. Experiencing the ups and downs of life is all part of being human. The upcoming holidays can generate not only joy but also grief for us. We gather and laugh about the old days, feeling great to be among family and friends again. At the same time we may remember the loved ones who have passed and are not there to share the occasion. We do not get through the holidays by ignoring their absence but by acknowledging it and allowing ourselves to feel both saddened by their passing and happy for the time we shared together. The season can be much richer if we can put our meditation learning into practice if we can stay in the present and stay centered as we balance our joys and disappointments and make room for both at our holiday table.

Be the Peace that you seek.

Happy Holidays
Daniel

THOUGHTS FOR THE SEASON

“Every unknown road leads to destinations that could turn your life around.” Hermann Steinher

“I hope everyone is having a good day and if you’re not, just know that in every new minute that passes you have an opportunity to change that.” Unknown

“A positive attitude helps you to cope with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it would bring constructive change in your life, and makes you happier, brighter and more successful. With a positive attitude you see the brighter side of life, become optimistic, and expect the best to happen. It certainly is a state of mind that is well worth developing.” Dr Anvil Kumar Sinha

LIGHT THOUGHTS

Into the Church
Three buildings in town were overrun by squirrels – the town hall, the hardware store, and the church. The town hall brought in some cats. But after they tore up all the files, the mayor got rid of the predators, and soon the squirrels were back. The hardware store humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free outside town. But three days later, the squirrels climbed back in. Only the church came up with an effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and made them members. Now they see them only on Christmas and Easter.
Good Lights
A customer walked into our store looking for Christmas lights. I showed her our top brand, but wanting to make sure each bulb worked she asked me to take them out of the box and plug them in. I did, and each one lit up. “Great,” she said. I carefully placed the string of lights back in the box. But as I handed them to her, she looked alarmed. “I don’t want this box,” she said abruptly. “It’s been opened.”

Stop the Presses

These holiday “headlines” concocted by the satirists at the Onion are completely fabricated. And yet they have the ring of truth.

• Coal Now Too Expensive to Put in Christmas Stockings
• Study Finds Link Between Red Wine, Letting Mother Know What You Really Think
• Accountants Pack Times Square for Fiscal New Year
• Book Given as Gift Actually Read