Do Not Stand at My Grave

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep,
I am the thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glint on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain,
I am the shining star at night,
When you awake to the morning light.

My time has come, I am at rest,
I am the sunset in the west,
I am the clouds that race above,
Where I watch over those I love.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I do not die,
So hear these words that here I say,
I am the love that guides your way.

- Author unknown


It is normal to grieve when a loved one dies.

In the cycle of life, birth and death is as natural as the breath that we draw in.

Without darkness, we would not delight in the sunlight.

Without the exquisite pain, we would not be uplifted by joy.

Without loss, we would not be able to treasure love.

Only when there is duality, can we appreciate the infinite beauty of our lives.

So, when someone departs from our lives, the beautiful memories remain to guide us through our remaining lives.

From a Buddhist point of view, there is no death. We just discard this body that we possess and go to another plane of existence.

So, awaken and live in the present... for that is all we have.

Happy All The Time...

If you were to ask anybody around you, one of their life goals is to be happy. Some may define their dreams as to achieve happiness in their lives.

Even if you achieve happiness, can you truly say that you are happy all the time?

No, that would be impossible.

Why?

It is very simple. Life moves in cycles. There are times when you are happy and times when you are not. That is the duality of all human existence.

It is as natural as daylight and night-time. There can be no darkness without the light. There can be no up if there is no down. There can be no right if there is no wrong. This is the principle of duality.

Happiness is a state of our mind. It is the mind that tells you when you are happy.

Certain events or occurrences that happen in your life and your mind interprets the event that this should make you happy. So, the body will release the various "happy" hormones in your body and you will feel a sense of happiness.

But this state of happiness will not last. As like everything in life, it is transient. So, after that feeling of happiness has passed, you will feel no-more-happy. This is the dual state of being happy.

An enlightened sage will know that it is futile to grasp at happiness. You just cannot make happiness stay in your life due to the changing conditions of life.

So, the wise sage will just maintain a state of equanmity. If happiness comes, he recognizes it, holds it for a while and let it go with no attachment. If sorrow comes, he would do the same thing.

Therefore, if you experienced happiness, be thankful for the grace of that happy occurrence. Do not chase after it and try to prolong its presence. It cannnot be done.

Enjoy the small episodes of happiness that comes into your life and be grateful for the opportunity to feel the happiness...