[ Tao Speaks ]

for Butch, re: "how to be happpy" Posted by josef on 7/17/2009, 8:05 am 24.32.223.X http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/sitting-quietly-doing-something/  Post a Response

Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy" Posted by Butcho on 7/19/2009, 7:29 pm, in reply to "for Butch, re: "how to be happpy"" 75.88.45.X --Previous Message-- : : http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/sitting-quietly-doing-something/ : josef, Better to sit in the shade of an old tree than run after our shadow in the light. Better to rest in the underlying unity of existence than chase after this or that. Thank you for reminding me of the simple pleasure of life. Butcho  Post a Response

Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy" Posted by josef on 7/20/2009, 5:46 am, in reply to "Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy"" 24.32.223.X --Previous Message-- : josef, : : Better to sit in the shade of an old tree : than run after our shadow in the light. : : Better to rest in the underlying unity of : existence than chase after this or that. : : Thank you for reminding me of the simple : pleasure of life. : : Butcho Yes, our society is so complex and busy,it's easy to get caught up in things & lose awareness of the simple pleasure of life, the pleasure of being simple, the pleasure of living simply. Our right-brain-oriented society urges do/go/get all the time; sitting still seems an old-timey anachronism, gramps & granny sitting on the porch rockin', jess rockin'. I read somewhere recently that, because of economic hard times, many of those city folks,no longer able to afford expensive restaurant dining, entertainments and vacations, are re-discovering those old-timely pleasures like families sitting down together for dinner at home, actually talking again, playing games, re-discovering walks and bike rides. Even...ye gods! turning off the TV, computers, video games and cell phones and going camping or fishing. And actually enjoying it. :-) It's during those quiet times, when nothing is snatching attention, that one notices here/now, color, flavors, sensations, the real moment without inner dialogue or analysis overlaying it with interpretation. Direct experience. Life in the busy world makes it easy to get lost in busy-ness and forget the simple joys. I know you appreciate, as I do, that meditation keeps us easy and present whatever swirls around.  Post a Response

Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy" Posted by Butcho on 7/20/2009, 9:56 pm, in reply to "Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy"" 75.88.42.X --Previous Message-- : : : --Previous Message-- : : josef, : : Better to sit in the shade of an old tree : than run after our shadow in the light. : : Better to rest in the underlying unity of : existence than chase after this or that. : : Thank you for reminding me of the simple : pleasure of life. : : Butcho : : Yes, our society is so complex and busy,it's : easy to get caught up in things & lose : awareness of the simple pleasure of life, : the pleasure of being simple, the pleasure : of living simply. : : Our right-brain-oriented society urges : do/go/get all the time; sitting still seems : an old-timey anachronism, gramps & : granny sitting on the porch rockin', jess : rockin'. : : I read somewhere recently that, because of : economic hard times, many of those city : folks,no longer able to afford expensive : restaurant dining, entertainments and : vacations, are re-discovering those : old-timely pleasures like families sitting : down together for dinner at home, actually : talking again, playing games, re-discovering : walks and bike rides. Even...ye gods! : turning off the TV, computers, video games : and cell phones and going camping or : fishing. And actually enjoying it. :-) : : It's during those quiet times, when nothing : is snatching attention, that one notices : here/now, color, flavors, sensations, the : real moment without inner dialogue or : analysis overlaying it with interpretation. : Direct experience. : : Life in the busy world makes it easy to get : lost in busy-ness and forget the simple : joys. I know you appreciate, as I do, that : meditation keeps us easy and present : whatever swirls around. : : : josef, Speaking of simple pleasures. My 3 year old granddaughter literally Beams with delight when I tell her that she has pretty eyes. That she has pretty eyebrows. A pretty nose. Pretty lips. Pretty cheeks. Pretty elbows... she just beams with joy and a grin and a twinkle in her eyes. And giggles. And I get quite a lot of pleasure out of her pleasure as well. So much so that at times I am not quite sure where she begins and I end. My love for her is unconditional, simple. Unforced. Natural. Butcho  Post a Response

Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy" Posted by josef on 7/21/2009, 7:25 am, in reply to "Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy"" 24.32.223.X --Previous Message-- : josef, : : Speaking of simple pleasures. My 3 year old : granddaughter literally Beams with delight : when I tell her that she has pretty eyes. : That she has pretty eyebrows. A pretty nose. : Pretty lips. Pretty cheeks. Pretty elbows... : she just beams with joy and a grin and a : twinkle in her eyes. And giggles. : : And I get quite a lot of pleasure out of her : pleasure as well. So much so that at times I : am not quite sure where she begins and I : end. My love for her is unconditional, : simple. Unforced. Natural. : : Butcho Be sure to tell her you love her intelligence, her spirit, her sense of humor, her kindness and her talents, too, Butcho. The beauty-queen mentality, thriving on being "pretty", is too small for real girls, cheats them. The best advice I ever heard for parents and grandparents was to promote character, not ego. You'll understand this. I love how you love her. I have 3 grandsons & 1 granddaughter who gave me a great-grand-daughter a year ago. Children are love-teachers, no doubt! They teach love as so effortlessly. Little sages. :-)  Post a Response

Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy" Posted by Butcho on 7/22/2009, 8:05 pm, in reply to "Re: for Butch, re: "how to be happpy"" 75.88.45.X --Previous Message-- : : : --Previous Message-- : : josef, : : Speaking of simple pleasures. My 3 year old : granddaughter literally Beams with delight : when I tell her that she has pretty eyes. : That she has pretty eyebrows. A pretty nose. : Pretty lips. Pretty cheeks. Pretty elbows... : she just beams with joy and a grin and a : twinkle in her eyes. And giggles. : : And I get quite a lot of pleasure out of her : pleasure as well. So much so that at times I : am not quite sure where she begins and I : end. My love for her is unconditional, : simple. Unforced. Natural. : : Butcho : : Be sure to tell her you love her : intelligence, her spirit, her sense of : humor, her kindness and her talents, too, : Butcho. The beauty-queen mentality, thriving : on being "pretty", is too small : for real girls, cheats them. The best advice : I ever heard for parents and grandparents : was to promote character, not ego. You'll : understand this. : : I love how you love her. I have 3 grandsons : & 1 granddaughter who gave me a : great-grand-daughter a year ago. Children : are love-teachers, no doubt! They teach love : as so effortlessly. Little sages. :-) : josef, Excellent point you make about attributes other than just the physical ones. I will take your advice to heart. I have been telling her for some time now that she is very smart but will extend this to other areas you mention as well. Butcho  Post a Response

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