Buddha Speaks - How To Understand Emptiness

I was doing some reading in my studies on Buddhism, and I found this interesting quote on emptiness.  Since it resonated for me, I thought it might resonate for some of you, as well.

Many blessings,

Judy

Emptiness is a mode of perception, a way of looking at experience. It adds nothing to, and takes nothing away from, the raw data of physical and mental events. You look at events in the mind and the senses with no thought of whether there's anything lying behind them. This mode is called emptiness because it is empty of the presuppositions we usually add to experience in order to make sense of it: the stories and worldviews we fashion to explain who we are and the world we live in. Although these stories and views have their uses, the Buddha found that the questions they raise—of our true identity and the reality of the world outside—pull attention away from a direct experience of how events influence one another in the immediate present. Thus they get in the way when we try to understand and solve the problem of suffering.

- Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "What do Buddhists mean when they talk about emptiness?"

 

judy@angelsandancestors.com

See our websites: www.angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Spirit Animal - Dove On Changing Patterns

I kept hearing, “Look out the window.”  At first it was a plea and then it became demanding.  I finally went to the kitchen window and looked out.  I saw the most beautiful pair of mourning doves sitting on the branch of one of our spruce trees.

They both oo’oo’d, and said that they had something to share with me about change.  Here is what they said:

• Whatever the pattern has been, such as Doves flying south for the winter, there comes a time to break the pattern.
• Patterns are often genetic in origin, and, in our case, are part of our innate design.  You can see that we have broken this pattern this year, and this will begin the change for our offspring. 
• Patterns were designed to meet a certain environment.  When the environment changes, then it is time to change the pattern.
• While others do not feel the need to change, there are always those pioneers that need to follow the new sound or drum beat.  It is often the role of the pioneers to be ridiculed or called crazy.  They are not crazy.
• Being at one with change, and breaking patterns is what is required to help one’s survival.  Live well.

Blessings,

Judy

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

See our websites: www.angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Angels Speak – How Fast Do You Get Up After Being Kicked Down?

Sometimes it seems like life doesn’t treat us very well.  And, we all have stories where it seems like everything was against us, and yet we pulled ourselves up by the socks and we kept going.

I do some speaking from time to time, and I am always looking for good stories to tell.  One of my friends sent me this story.  It is so good, I thought that I would share it with you. 

Blessings,

Judy

Get Up

Bringing a giraffe into the world is a tall order. A baby giraffe falls 10 feet from its mother's womb and usually lands on its back. Within seconds it rolls over and tucks its legs under its body. From this position it considers the world for the first time and shakes off the last vestiges of the birthing fluid from its eyes and ears. Then the mother giraffe rudely introduces its offspring to the reality of life.

In his book, "A View from the Zoo", Gary Richmond describes how a newborn giraffe learns its first lesson.
The mother giraffe lowers her head long enough to take a quick look. Then she positions herself directly over her calf. She waits for about a minute, and then she does the most unreasonable thing. She swings her long, pendulous leg outward and kicks her baby, so that it is sent sprawling head over heels.

When it doesn't get up, the violent process is repeated over and over again. The struggle to rise is momentous. As the baby calf grows tired, the mother kicks it again to stimulate its efforts. Finally, the calf stands for the first time on its wobbly legs.

Then the mother giraffe does the most remarkable thing. She kicks it off its feet again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, baby giraffes must be able to get up as quickly as possible to stay with the herd, where there is safety. Lions, hyenas, leopards, and wild hunting dogs all enjoy young giraffes, and they'd get it too, if the mother didn't teach her calf to get up quickly and get with it.

The late Irving Stone understood this. He spent a lifetime studying greatness, writing novelized biographies of such men as Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Sigmund Freud, and Charles Darwin.

Stone was once asked if he had found a thread that runs through the lives of all these exceptional people. He said, "I write about people who sometime in their life have a vision or dream of something that should be accomplished and they go to work.

"They are beaten over the head, knocked down, vilified, and for years they get nowhere. But every time they're knocked down they stand up. You cannot destroy these people. And at the end of their lives they've accomplished some modest part of what they set out to do."

- Craig B. LarsonIllustrations for Preaching & Teaching from Leadership Journal

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Spirit Animal - Boa On Shedding

One of the defenders or spirits of the the direction – South – is Serpent.  Serpent may be represented by any of the animals that are snakes, lizards, dragons, sea serpents, or what we might call “the cold ones”.  They often come to me in meditation and in dreams, and usually they bring some wisdom that is timely, and that allows me to see a situation more clearly.

Boa came into my space, sliding gracefully across the floor, and inclined its head as it said, “Wolfwalker, I greet thee.  I come from the Spirit Guides to say to you that there are things that you must now shed from your life.  These include: excess sugar, over processed flour and wheat, soft drinks, and excess meat.  When you shed these, then like the Boa, you will shed a level of energy that holds you back.  Find more time to meditate – shed that which stops you from being in the circle of light.  Find more time for yourself, outside of meditation.  This will give you strength.

See more on serpents at

Spirit Animal – Python

Spirit Animal – Serpent/Dragon Blessing

Blessings,

Judy

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Spirit Animal - Gazelle on Speed

Quickly and silently, I was transported to a place of heat and dust.  I glanced around.  I was in a desert like place.  I wondered who had called me to this place.  I heard a noise – like galloping of small horses.

I looked around and saw the Gazelle.  She called out as she ran past, “I called you here to show you what I know about speed.  I hear humans talk about speed as a state of elation.  Speed is a tool.  For all animals, the faster you move, the easier it is to avoid being someone else’s meal.  Or, conversely, the faster that you move, the easier it is to have food.

The humans who use speed are not using a tool that helps them to hunt or to avoid being hunted.  These humans on speed actually paralyze themselves and allow themselves to die.  It is amusing, to us wild things, that humans call speed a trip to the wild side when really it is a trip to paralysis.  The product that you use has an irony in the name for although it seems to speed things up in the body, really, it is simply speeding up things to a place of death.  We wild things think it should be called “Stop”.

We tell you that speed matters whether you are running, flying or swimming.  Think about what I have said the next time that you hear the word, “Speed”.

Blessings,

Judy

Judy@angelsandancestors.com See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Spirit Animal - Ant On Work

Ant marched into my space in meditation.  He said that humans have no idea, really, of what work is.  He says that if daily, we walked every where we went, and travelled the miles that Ant needs to travel to provide food and stuffs for the nest, then we would work.  If humans carried everything they needed at home with them on their back, then we would work at the same rate that Ant does.  And, if we could hear the one Ant in the hive that was needing help, and if we paid attention, then we would be truly honourable in our work.

Ant’s words were indeed humbling.

Blessings,

Judy

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Angels Speak - Recognizing Envy

Dearest beloved beings!  I/we are all so amazed at all that is happening in the way of the light.  I use the word amazed because it is something in your realm of understanding.  All of you seem to forge ahead and believe that you can do anything.  And, you can! 

The issue that we see is that which you call “greed”.  It seems to strike many of you, and it seems the more stuff that you have, the more that greed sets in.  When you see what others have, you want it too, even if it is not your path.  Wanting what others have is that emotion called “envy”.  It is what keeps many of you from walking fully in the light.

How do you recognize envy?  Look into yourself when you want what someone else has.  Ask yourself questions.  Is it a good tool that would make my life easier?  If yes, then it is probably not envy, but clear thinking.  If you find, however, that you are not asking questions and that you are making up judgemental reasons why that person has something that you  do not, then you are experiencing envy.  Let it go!

Blessings,

Judy

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Spirit Animal - Zebra On Black And White

Zebra pops in and out of my thoughts from time to time.  And then, she will show up on an advertisement, or on a book, or in an email.  The other day, she came into talk about “things”.  And, we ended up talking about black and white. 

In our world, humans call things black and white if they are opposites and seem very obviously defined. 

Zebra calls their black and white the total effect of light.  She says that they are creatures of Light, and beloved of the Angels.  She went on to say that the black and white effect gives Zebra the ability to cross easily between dimensions.  And, Zebra can hide in the dimensions and this dimension by blending their black and white colour. 

Zebra invites you to ask her to come to you in meditation so that you can see the effects of the black and white colours in different worlds.  She will gladly let you travel with her.

Even the youngest Zebra has the same black and white colouring.  Often, small animals have different colouring then the parents.  From the beginning, young Zebra is able to walk through dimensions and time and space.

 

Blessings,

Judy

Judy@angelsandancestors.com See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Spirit Speaks - Protect your Space

The message was coming through.  I can hear the word – boundaries.  The sound gets louder.  The word is boundaries and borders.  The vision is picture after picture of a person grabbing on to a central figure.  Each time a person grabs the central figure, a small piece of him breaks away.  Soon, the image is blurred because it is in so many pieces.  The central figure begins to fade.  Sickness falls over him.  Those that love him try to help him.  Even they take bits and pieces of him. 

The Voice comes through again.  “Know your boundaries and let no person be past your boundary.  You need to protect yourself from everyone.  This does not mean that you should not let people be close.  Close is good.  However, keep your energy free of all cords of attachment.  Otherwise, you become the drip bottle that feeds many people their extra energy.”

This seems like very good advice.

Blessings,

Judy

 

Judy@angelsandancestors.com See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.

Angels Speak - The Golden Light That You Sometimes See

Dearest Ones!  We come to answer the question, “What is that golden light that seems to shine from time to time on people, or animals, or simply in the corner of the room?  What does it mean?”

This golden light is the Christ Consciousness light.  It tells you that whatever is going on is happening with intent for the highest good. 

 

Judy@angelsandancestors.com See the January 2012 Angels’ magazine “MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE” at http://angelsandancestors.com/mag/mag1201.pdf
See our websites: www. angelsandancestors.com; legionsofmichael.blogspot.com; www.thestoryoflight.com; webdesign11.com; www.missionearthpublishing.com

I am happy to announce that my book is now available on Amazon.com…

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback] Judith Hirst (Author) A Kindle version is also available.