He who receives a gift does not measure. – Kenyan proverb

If you try to cleanse others, like soap you will waste away in the process. – Madagascar proverb

When we are present in the moments of our lives, we can stand still and see the many perspectives available to us. – African Zen

A brother is like a shoulder. – Somalian proverb

Being Kind

How does being kind feel to you? It feels calm and authentic and satisfying to me. For me, kindness just doesn’t happen in a hurry. I know we sometimes perform random acts of kindness that seem spontaneous, but kindness can’t be rushed. When i feel kind I feel true to my inner being. I feel as if the act or thought comes from a peaceful place. So often my behaviors are in response to the actions or communications from others. Kindness seems to be genrated from a different place, a place not dominated by my ego. Kindness seems so satisfying, like cooling water on a humid summer day. If this is how kindness feels, what keeps me from being kind all the time? Could it be an inflexible ego, making fearful demands on my attention?

Sinner No More

Are we “sinners” or human beings who are misguided by our fearful, insecure egos? Could it be that we are actually good to the core? Could it be that our lack of awareness of our essential being keeps us from loving ourselves and therefore others? Our horrific behaviors are destructive but the essential self cannot be destroyed. If we look within, we will see an entire “kingdom” of goodness. What do you think?

All that is real in life is the experience of the dynamic unfolding of Spirit. – African Zen

We crave answers without having real questions. – African Zen

Existing in a world of insiders and outsiders is a precarious game of social separation. – African Zen

Becoming Spiritual

“I am a human being, not a human doing or a human futuring. I am also a human who dreams, who takes action, and who continually imagines a future different from what I am experiencing in the moment.” – African Zen ( p.232)
When was the first time you realized that religion and spirituality were not identical concepts? What is the difference from your perspective? For me religion tells us how to behave and what to think, while spirituality invites us to listen to the God/Spirit within us and be in communion with our own connection to the Divine. Going within can be scary for some. Friends and colleagues have shied away from meditation for that reason. Meditation for me is the convenient way to go within, but it’s possible in any moment. Just be aware of your breathing and be still. You’ll feel the deep rest of a 7 hour sleep within just a few moments. Going within is sloughing off the body in your awareness and touching the spirit that you are…the loving spirit that lies within you always.
You are so much more than you think you are!