There’s a well-known Buddhist metaphor about the ‘Golden Hourglass’. Imagine an hourglass filled with golden sand. Each grain of sand represents a moment of our lives, precious and irreplaceable. As the sand steadily flows from the top to the bottom, it reminds us of the continuous passage of time, which stops for no one.

Time is one of the most precious commodities we have. Each moment is like the water in a river—moving, fluid, and never to be experienced again. How you spend your time will be the most important decision you can ever make on earth.

In our busy lives, we often forget how valuable each moment truly is. We rush through our days, constantly looking ahead to the next task, the next event, or the next achievement. But in doing so, we might miss the beauty of the present moment.

The Buddha taught the importance of being present, of truly experiencing each moment as it is. He said, ‘The trouble is, you think you have time.’ This profound statement serves as a gentle reminder that our time is finite, and we must cherish it.

Let us not “rush” through our practice, let us honor each sacred breath, each movement, and each moment. As we flow through our asanas, let’s think of the golden grains of sand. With each inhalation, we can visualize filling the hourglass with golden moments of awareness and gratitude. With each exhalation, we release any distractions or worries, grounding ourselves in the present.

Remember, time is not just about the grand milestones, but also about the simple, everyday moments that we often overlook. It’s in the smile of a loved one, the warmth of the sun on our skin, and the quiet stillness of our meditation.

So, as we begin our practice, let’s dedicate this time to being fully present, appreciating the here and now. May this awareness of the value of time guide us not only on our mats but in our daily lives as well.

‘No one gets to heaven pulling a U-Haul with all they have acquired.’ This serves as a poignant reminder that material possessions are left behind when we move on from this life. What truly endures is the love we share, the kindness we show, and the moments we fully embrace.

“Thoughts are mental energy; they’re the currency that you have to attract what you desire. Learn to stop spending that currency on thoughts you don’t want.” – Wayne Dyer

“Be an empty page, untouched by words.” – Rumi

“we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”

“Fear is a form of control. If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid of something they cant change.” – David Scott

“When you turn on the television, for instance, you run the risk ingesting harmful things, such as violence, despair, or fear.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~ Buddha

Let’s take a moment to reflect on this. A single flower, in its simplicity and beauty, holds the power to transform our entire perspective on life. But how often do we truly see the miracle in such simple things?

Imagine a flower. Think of the obstacles it has endured to open up today. It starts as a tiny seed, buried in the darkness of the soil. With time, patience, and the right conditions, it begins to grow. It reaches towards the light, breaking through the earth, and eventually blossoms into a vibrant, beautiful flower. Each stage of this growth process is a miracle in itself, a testament to the wonders of nature and life.

In our busy lives, we often overlook these small miracles. We’re caught up in our routines, our to-do lists, our future plans, and past regrets. But if we could pause, just for a moment, to truly see and appreciate the beauty and complexity of a single flower, we would start to recognize the abundance of miracles all around us.

This flower, with its delicate petals, vibrant colors, and intricate patterns, is not just a flower. It is a symbol of the beauty, resilience, and interconnectedness of all life. It reminds us that even in the smallest things, there is profound beauty and significance.

The Buddha’s teaching encourages us to bring this level of awareness to every aspect of our lives. To see the miracle in a flower is to see the miracle in ourselves, in each breath we take, in each interaction we have, and in each moment we experience. It is a call to mindfulness, to be fully present and appreciate the world around us in all its wonder.

During our practice today, let’s embody this awareness. As we move through our asanas, let’s focus on the details—the sensation of our feet grounding into the mat, the rhythm of our breath, the stretch and strength in our muscles. Let’s appreciate the miracle of our own bodies, and the miraculous moments of connection, growth, and transformation we experience on and off the mat.

By cultivating this mindfulness, we can begin to see the miracles in the ordinary, the beauty in the mundane, and the profound in the simple. And as the Buddha suggests, this shift in perspective has the power to change our whole life.

Walking I stopped by a beautiful ALLAMANDA “Yellow Golden Trumpet.” How could God create something so beautiful and complicated that would only last 24 hours?

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” – Michael Altshuler

“Lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin

“You can never do a act or kindness too soon, for you never know when it will have been too late” – David Scott

“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” – Rabindranath Tagore

“There is a voice that doesn’t use words, listen.” – Rumi

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.” – Rumi

“And when I finally chose to water my own roots, my flowers taught me how beautiful the garden of self-love is.” Heba Nazar

“When you love someone or something you are passionate about, you don’t find time for them, you make time” – David Scott

“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” – Jim Rohn

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” – Harvey Mackay

“Our sorrows and sadness is carried and healed on the wings of time.” – David Scott

“These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.” – Rumi

“He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” – Arabian Proverb

“The greatest wealth is health. We tend to feel our illnesses, but we seldom feel or appreciate our health.”- David Scott

“When you lose all sense of self, the bonds of a thousand chains will vanish.” – Rumi

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“With wisdom and age, you may feel life seems to get easier, but it doesn’t, you just get stronger. When you begin resistance training and lifting weights. The same weight that seems easy today, caused much strain and effort when you began your training” – David Scott

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi

Enlightenment is when a wave realizes it is the ocean.

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” —Jamie Paolinetti

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne

“The person who insists on seeing with perfect clarity before they decide, never decides. To end in certainty we must first begin with doubt.” – David Scott