Tree a Day #16: Buddha is Everywhere

I was listening to a podcast about buddha and love, and they brought up an interesting take.

Imagine everyone in the world, except one person, is buddha and the one person who isn't is you. And every one--as buddha--is trying to teach you and help you along your path. Therefore, every one has a purpose & reason for being in your life, from the stranger on the street to your best friend. Their influences may be different but their importance is equal. And it's natural for people to ebb & flow in & out (yum!!) of your life like the tide. There's a time & place for everything, and the same goes with people! The way I see it, believing that everyone exists to help guide you will only open you up to love. Your life would be a regular This American Life, discovering that every person has an interesting story to tell or a solid piece of advice, that the most ordinary is actually extraordinary. You could find adventures in your own backyard, which I feel is so difficult.

And as the boundaries dissolve between yourself and the world, the love & light you shine will flood the world, leaving nothing and no one untouched or unaffected by your love. Mmm... what a beautiful way to exist!

Thanks for reading, you buddha yoooou :)

A Thought About Yoga & Love

Much like they describe stretching in yoga, love grows when moving in opposition. Love is this guiding force that roots you down deeper and more firmly so that you can stretch, grow and extend upwards into lightness, into yourself, into stillness. It's a push and pull, opposition and union, you and the divine... all part of the same big gobbledigook of energy pushing to let itself grow & vibrate!

The best piece of advice I ever got in high school

I was doing set design for one of the musical productions with Kristen, and we were painting a fountain in a park. I remember getting so frustrated and wanting to redo it. Ms. H came over in her eccentric artsy swagger, voice squealing (in an endearing sort of way), "What are you doing? It looks fine! What's wrong? Stop it! Come with me..." And she pulled us away from the set. I was so stressed & thought, What are we doing?! We have to work! Anyway, we walk to the back of the gym & she instructs us, "Ok. Turn around!" I turn, see the fountain, aaaaaaand it looks pretty damn wonderful. All I ever dreamed of & more! She says:

"Take a step back. You have to remember to take a step back. Take a break. Don't fret over the details, because it probably already is what you want."

Oh baby yes. I knew those words were gold, but being a 16 year old, probably didn't understand the weight completely. Now, I carry those words with me like a lap top on an airplane. They've saved me from so many stressful breakdowns and moments of self-doubt. Not just about my art, but about my general actions, thoughts, life! I'm a firm believer that if you have the intentions, put it out there boldly and with love, the universe with answer with a resounding HELL YEAH! Just have to remember why you were there in the first place and be prepared to lose yourself to giving to that moment.

Balance

Four feet on the ground, a head full of foliage, looking at the world through the heart..."To find the balance you want," Ketut spoke through his translator, "this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead. That way you will know God."

Sukhothai, Thailand :)

While waiting for Akmal at Suria KLCC, I popped into Kinokuniya (best book store EVERRRRR) and picked up Eat, Pray, Live. I saw her talk on Ted, which I found so inspiring and I've been putting off reading the book (mainly I was afraid it was over-hyped). Wow. I connected to it immediately from how her relationship failing fueled her to start living for herself, traveling the world, to getting her palm read, learning foreign languages just to learn foreign languages, haha. And when I reached the excerpt above, I stopped reading and meditated in the store, which I'm sure was a strange sight for the Malaysians. I'm such a visual person and to finally have a vision for the person I want to be in regards to how I approach life and my spirituality... the world just seemed more within reach. I used to resent being such an emotional person (sooo many feeeelings) because it seemed to get me into trouble, but now I see it's the force that lets me live so confidently and happily. So go on. Get get get it. And when I say it, I mean love.