“Buddhism teaches us to never let ourselves be controlled by three things: people, money, or past experiences. Learn to own your breath; keep peace in your mind, Strength in your body and love in that beautiful heart of yours. Thank you for sharing your practice with me.” – David Scott

The Tale of the Wise Monk and the Three Burdens

Once upon a time in a peaceful village, there lived a wise monk known for his deep understanding of the Dharma. People from far and wide came to seek his counsel.

One day, a young man visited the monk, burdened by his troubles. He said, “Master, I am tormented. I am constantly influenced by others, consumed by my desire for wealth, and haunted by my past mistakes. How can I find peace?”

The monk smiled gently and invited the young man to join him on a walk through the forest. As they walked, the monk picked up three stones and handed them to the young man. “Carry these with you,” he instructed.

They walked in silence, and soon the young man began to feel the weight of the stones. The monk led him to a serene stream and said, “Throw the first stone into the water.”

The young man did as he was told, and the monk said, “This stone represents the control others have over you. Just as the stone sinks, so should the opinions and influences of others dissolve. You are your own master.”

They continued walking until they reached a majestic tree. “Now, throw the second stone into the forest,” the monk instructed.

The young man hurled the stone into the trees. The monk said, “This stone symbolizes your attachment to wealth. Just as the stone is now lost among the trees, so should your desire for material riches fade away. True wealth is found within.”

Finally, they reached a quiet clearing. The monk pointed to the last stone and said, “Bury this one in the earth.”

The young man dug a small hole and buried the stone. The monk said, “This stone represents your past experiences. Bury your regrets and mistakes in the earth, and let them nourish your growth like seeds. Live in the present moment, free from the burdens of the past.”

The young man felt a great sense of relief and gratitude. “Thank you, Master,” he said. “I now understand that peace comes from within, and I must not let people, money, or past experiences control my life.”

The monk nodded, “Remember this lesson, and your heart will be as light as the stones we have left behind.”

“When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.”

May the benefits of your yoga practice tonight benefit all those around you. We are human beings, not human doings. Give yourself permission to just be.

A key learning of the concept of non-attachment” is the importance of letting go. This was a hard concept for me to get my head around and I tend to equate letting go of attachments with encouraging myself to feel less. Therefore I prefer to think of detachment, more as letting go of expectations – I still “attach” myself to the things that I care about, but without demanding anything in return. (very much linked with karma yoga)

“With over 8 billion people sharing this planet, thank you for finding us! On behalf of all of our teachers we are truly grateful for you for being a part of our lives and community.” – David Scott

“In the end, you will need only two things for your happiness… Love in your heart and Peace in your mind.” – David Scott

Detachment is a lesson we learn with people. Some will come into your life, just to teach you how to let go.” – David Scott

“The most important journey you will ever make in your lifetime, is the journey within.” David Scott

“She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom.” – Nathaniel Hawthorn, The Scarlet Letter

Before you try to change others, just remember how hard it is to change yourself.

The easiest people to take for granted are the hardest to replace.

Kindness

“You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.”

“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” – Harold S. Kushner

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams

“Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.” – Charles Glassman

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” – Amelia Earhart

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain

Be low and humble like the ocean, deep with knowledge but strong enough to keep the storms only on the surface…

Allow the rivers and streams to flow to you.

“All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power. If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them.” The Lao Tzu

Humility

“How people treat you is their Karma; how you react is yours.”

“We learn humility through accepting humiliations cheerfully.”– Mother Teresa

“If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.”– Mother Teresa

“Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.”– Mother Teresa

“I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” – Mother Teresa

“These are the few ways we can practice humility:

To speak as little as possible of one’s self.

To mind one’s own business.

Not to want to manage other people’s affairs.

To avoid curiosity.

To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.

To pass over the mistakes of others.

To accept insults and injuries.

To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.

To be kind and gentle even under provocation.

Never to stand on one’s dignity.

To choose always the hardest.”

– Mother Teresa

Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up. …

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. – …

Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.

Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying. St. Vincent de Paul

Selflessness is humility. Humility and freedom go hand in hand. Only a humble person can be free. -Jeff Wilson

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”

“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” – Edmund Hillary

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.” – Margaret Fuller

You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. Mahatma Gandhi

“To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind admist the normal chaos of a hectic life.”

― Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey

~Poem~

“What would happen..if you just listened

Not just listened to what others have to say..

But listened to that voice that speaks from deep inside

Not the voice that chatters in your mind’s eye

But the voice that calls out from the center of your heart

What would happen if you just let go

Not just let go of the tight grip of your hands..

But let go of all of the burden you carry each day

Not the day to day stuff that needs to get done

But the stuff that no longer serves you and weighs you down

What would happen if you knew you were enough?

Not just about enough, or not quite enough..

But enough to know your own strength and worth

Not the worth we are waiting to receive from others

But the worth of self that is unconditional and knows no bounds

What would happen?” Kasandra Rotar

May your hearts be filled with love, may your words caress with kindness and may your mind always lead with compassion for others, and for yourself.