A VALENTINE FROM MY BUDDHIST HEART - LAMA SURYA DAS

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A VALENTINE FROM MY BUDDHIST HEART - LAMA SURYA
DAS

• We all need to love and be loved, to be
  understood, accepted, included, and genuinely
  connect to be seen, embraced, and belong.
  However, I think that the most important thing in
  any relationship is the tender empathy and mutual
  reciprocity of a warm and open heart. If our
  relationships arent nurturing the growth and
  development of goodness of heart, openness,
  generosity, authenticity and intimate connection,
  they are not serving us or furthering a better,
  more just and kind world.
• I have learned that to truly love people I need
  to let them be as they are, and to love, accept
  and appreciate them each in their own way free
  of my projections, expectations and illusions
   and not as how I would like them to be. This is
  equally true for loving, accepting, embracing,
  and coming home to oneself.
• There is no Them, no other, no stranger! Our
  commonality is apparent and the differences
  recede into the background. When I peer deeply
  enough into anothers  heart and see the baby
  Buddha or innocent inner child their grandparents
  and parents cradled oh-so-lovingly in their arms
  like the most precious, long awaited and
  cherished thing in the world and how they were
  just like me, in that way, and are, underneath it
  allwho would I harm, fear, resent, put down or
  exploit?

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I notice that children let go of anger and would
rather be happy than right, unlike so many of us
adults. This Valentines Day lets try staying
present in this very moment, through mindful
awareness and paying attention to what is rather
than dwelling on the past or the future, or on
who we think we are and who we imagine others
are. This practice frees us from excess baggage,
anxiety and neurosis, opening us to true love,
unconditional love, Buddhas love, Christs love.
 Love comes through loving, not from outside. As
the song goes, Love is all there is. Do you too
hear this gentle music? With love and
blessings,Lama Surya Das For more details
about Lama Surya Das feel free to
visit http//askthelama.com/