Insights for December 2023
Awaken
“The ultimate challenge in life is ‘amor fati’ to love your fate.” Nietzsche
“Sharpening our attention to become aware of negative emotions as they arise. It is easier to extinguish a spark than a forest fire.” Matthieu Ricard
“The motivation that makes us progress on the spiritual path is the idea of transforming ourselves to be able to help others be free of suffering.” Matthieu Ricard
“To get it, you first let it go.” The Insight Center
“All revolutions are walked by kind people who are tired of seeing others hurt and are determined to make the world a better place. All resistance is made from love and kindness. I hope you do not let that kind voice in your heart go. I hope you remain soft to the pain of others, so you can aid them. I hope the world does not stop you from feeling deeply when immense injustices are done to those who are more vulnerable than you. I hope the world does not harden the very thing that makes you alive and human.” Nikita Gill
“Nietzsche frequently wrote that one measure of spiritual strength is how much truth you can bear. Being able to maintain a courageous inner dialogue between successes and failures, joys and suffering, strengths and weaknesses requires the capacity to face the truth and to gather all aspects of your life into an intelligible whole. “Love the truth”, Maezumi and Nietzsche seem to be saying, whatever that is, because the truth will set you free.” Dale S. Wright
“The truth is a journey of incremental knowing.” The Insight Center
“sometimes we go back to our old life for a little while to remember that it no longer fits” yung pueblo
“Know what you are not. And then know what you are. It’s much stronger and more embedded this way.” The Insight Center
“Breathe into your reality.” The Insight Center
“When you decide to embrace your evolution, you will undoubtedly start making different life decisions. Your actions will start becoming more aligned with how you aspire to show up in the world, your preferences will slowly shift, and what you want from your interactions with other people will resemble the authenticity that you are developing within yourself. Since you are working on creating connection within yourself, you will seek deeper connection with those around you.” yung peublo
“Interconnectedness is real, and to deny it is to not be in impermanent truth and reality.” The Insight Center
Meditation
“Secular mindfulness in a way is really helping many people. Three things may be missing, though. The first is intention. When you meditate, the meditation helps you. That's self-compassion, which is very important. At the same time, though, you could have the intention of meditating to help your friends, family, society, and all beings. The second aspect that may be missing is view. Normally, in secular mindfulness you're just taught how to relax, how to be with your breath, how to be present now. But in Buddhist practice, we always start with view, right from the beginning, including the understanding of buddhanature, how your self is made of so many interdependent and ever-changing pieces, and how you can go beyond subject and object. The third thing that may be missing in secular mindfulness is at the level of application. In the buddhadharma, there's an ongoing path. And that path of spiritual devel-opment-bringing dharma to life - is not like a spa, where you go to feel better. It's about a deeper level of ongoing transformation. Jack Kornfield
Astrology
2024 adds revolution to evolution.
Pluto is moving into Aquarius.
Here are the dates:
January 23, Pluto moves in Aquarius
May 2, Pluto goes retrograde in Aquarius
September 3, Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn for the LAST TIME
October 12, Pluto goes direct (still in Capricorn)
November 20, Pluto goes into Aquarius FOR 20 YEARS
Eris placement in your chart:
“An important component of deep soul intention. … look inside for your own deep meaning, this inner value, it is exciting to find it, although it might take you half a lifetime to attain it. It’s position and aspects are an indicator for finding this sense of purpose, that which, once discovered, you simply cannot not do.” Astrograph
“There is a militancy expressed with Eris, but it is a feminine one. Eris action comes from deep need, as a mother might resort to violence or determined action to defend her child, or as a mother tiger might kill in order to feed her young. This is different from the warrior energy of the Mars planetary archetype. Mars fights because he wants to, Eris because she has to.” Astrograph
“Our Eris natal placement helps us understand our sense of purpose, one that once we discover, we cannot not pursue it. There is a yin warrior discordance to the energy. It comes from a deep internal need to protect what is precious to us.” Astrograph
Healing
“The people you lose during your healing process are only meant to be with the unhealed version of you.” Jay Shetty
“Do not operate in past lives
Bring your self into current time
Bring your body into current time
Bring your mind into current time
bring your spirit into current time
bring your soul into current time”
The Insight Center
Grief
“Because we are finite beings, pain, failure, and depression are inevitably woven into the very fabric of our lives. To accept that basic fact is to finally come to terms with what it means to be human. This fundamental self-acceptance is the basis of self-respect, and self-respect is the seed and substance of an awakened life.” Dale S. Wright
“HEARTBREAK is unpreventable; the natural outcome of caring for people and things over which we have no control… Heartbreak begins the moment we are asked to let go but cannot, in other words, it colors and inhabits and magnifies each and every day; heartbreak is not a visitation, but a path that human beings follow through even the most average life. Heartbreak is an indication of our sincerity: in a love relationship, in a life’s work, in trying to learn a musical instrument, in the attempt to shape a better more generous self. Heartbreak is the beautifully helpless side of love and affection and is [an] essence and emblem of care… Heartbreak has its own way of inhabiting time and its own beautiful and trying patience in coming and going.” David Whythe
Relationships/Parenting
“An important part of growing is realizing that nothing is ever going to be perfect, even in our closest relationships. Relationships are bound to have manageable degrees of conflict that if held properly can become points of understanding that bring you closer together. Conflict resolution is an essential part of being in any relationship or community. Having an argument does not necessarily mean the situation is toxic. Over time, running from conflict will decrease your chances of developing healthy and nourishing connections. Granted, this does not excuse abusive behavior that is truly harmful, in these cases it is certainly needed to create space between you and that person.” yung pueblo
“The "I love you" we say at the beginning of a relationship is not the same “I love you" we say to each other after we've built a strong foundation of trust. This doesn't diminish our love in the beginning. It simply means that love and the meaning it carries, changes as we grow, and as we grow closer to each other.” Jillian Turecki