Angels

The best teachers don't come in the form of a small loving old man/turtle, like Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda 🐢

   I believe the best teachers are in those relationships in our lives, which through terrible suffering show us where we are depositing ego, and where we need to deposit more Love, within & without ourselves.

Our relationships are usually mirrors through which we can see clearly where we need work on correcting false perceptions within ourselves, based on ego: the illusion of our separateness.  

"We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness."  Thich Nhat Hanh

Other than practicing Love, I believe this is one of the main purposes for relationships.

To wake up, to come back to life, to become conscious; and this can only happen in the present moment

   "In Buddhism one can be grateful even for those who we see as our enemies, and those who we think cause our suffering.  'Our most precious spiritual teachers,' as they are often called.  Because they help us develop our spiritual practice, and to cultivate equanimity, by practicing Love even in the face of adversity."

-The Book of Joy 

   I had the fortune of hosting one of these wonderful teachers in my heart for the past five months.

Now, she has moved on to the next blessing life has got for her growth; and so have I.

Sometimes when you talk to a friend about a relationship that is causing suffering you will hear things like "f*uck women," "all men are the same," "all women are sl*ts,"he's too immature," "there are other fish in the sea," "he's an asshole," "you should go and sleep with someone else to get back at her, it'll make you feel better," "un clavo saca otro," "you're better than her," "she's not worth your time/your Love," they'll wish for harm to come her way, offer to harm her, or anything they think you want to hear --with the intention of supporting you. 

   When my friends look for my advice on one of their relationships, I usually tell them that the best advice I can give them on relationships is not to listen to anyone's advice; because every single person & every single relationship is an infinitely unique multiverse.  

I think too many of our relationships suffer due to our listening of advice based on ego.  

I believe that if we offer any kind of support, it must be compassionate, based on Love.

It cannot focus on attacking the other person, no matter how "bad" they seem; it should focus on the Love-growth of my friend who's attention I have in the present moment.

We cannot control what others do, we can only manage what we do ourselves; so attacking the other person only contributes to resentment, and in that moment we are suggesting that our friend disconnects from his Peace.

   Sometimes we think we are Loving, when in Reality we may not be.  I believe the right questions are: "What can I do better?"  "How can I practice True Love?"  "What is best for everyone involved in this decision?"  "What can I learn from this (based on Love)?"  "What am I grateful for?"  "Is God/the universe/life telling us to move on?"

There is no such thing as "all men are like this" or "all women are like that."  

Each one of us is infinitely precious & unique; while we all have weaknesses & we all make mistakes, our nature & what gives us Peace --is to Love.  

Love is the Truth that we are one with God & all creation; and Loving is the action/energy produced by the understanding & acceptance of this Truth.

Therefore, it is our nature to be Good, many of us just haven't realized it yet

   I am so grateful for all the angels who have been in my life up until this exact moment.

Every single relationship; from those who've simply acknowledged my existence with a smile, to those who have been here since the moment I opened my eyes.  

   I hope at least one person profits from me sharing my journey from time to time.

One particular angel from my life has been in my mind & prayers lately.  

I hope no one minds this old photo, I only mean to deliver this vibe out into the world, so it keeps expanding all the way to its edges...

Angels, I'm sorry for my mistakes, and I thank you for yours 💙🙏🏼🌷

Smile

"If in our daily lives we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. If we really know how to live, what better way to start the day than with a smile? Our smile affirms our awareness and determination to live in peace and joy. The source of a true smile is an awakened mind.

How can you remember to smile when you wake up? You might hang a reminder--such as a branch, a leaf, a painting, or some inspiring words--in your window or from the ceiling above your bed, so that you notice it when you wake up. Once you develop the practice of smiling, you may not need a reminder. You will smile as soon as you hear a bird singing or see the sunlight streaming through the window. Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding.

When I see someone smile, I know immediately that he or she is dwelling in awareness. [...] Our smile will bring happiness to us and to those around us. Even if we spend a lot of money on gifts for everyone in our family, nothing we buy could give them as much happiness as the gift of our awareness, our smile. And this precious gift costs nothing. At the end of a retreat in California, a friend wrote this poem:

I have lost my smile, 
but don't worry. 
The dandelion has it.

If you have lost your smile and yet are still capable of seeing that a dandelion is keeping it for you, the situation is not too bad. You still have enough mindfulness to see that the smile is there.

You only need to breathe consciously one or two times and you will recover your smile. The dandelion is one member of your community of friends. It is there, quite faithful, keeping your smile for you.

In fact, everything around you is keeping your smile for you."

--Thich Nhat Hanh

Fourteen Precepts & Ten Commandments

Fourteen Precepts of the Order of Interbeing:

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
2. Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.
3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.
4. Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, including personal contact, images, and sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.
5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your anger and hatred and the nature of the persons who have caused your anger and hatred.
7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness.
8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of Personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.
10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.
11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realize your ideal of compassion.
12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.
13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.
14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect, preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization of the Way. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings

The Ten Commandments.  Exodus 20:2-17:

1. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
5. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
6. “You shall not murder.
7. “You shall not commit adultery.
8. “You shall not steal.
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Un gran jugador

   Milovan Djoric, al final de una de sus clínicas de futbol, me dijo mientras me daba mi trofeo de participación: "El mejor.  Cuando seas un gran jugador, llamame."  Don Hernan Carrasco Vivanco me dijo una vez, "Yo vi jugar a Zamorano y a Salas cuando tenían tu edad, y tú sos mejor que ellos."  Nelson, mi entrenador de secundaria, me decía cada vez que yo tenía la pelota desde la defensa izquierda, "corré Medrano, llevátela hasta el arco!"  Rommelinho Ramirez, mi buen amigo y entrenador de primaria, nos dijo una vez durante un tiro de penalty decisivo, "cuando Chico (nuestro portero estrella) se lo pare, todos corramos a abrazarlo."  Y tal como su fé lo declaró, Chico detuvo ese tiro, y todos corrimos a celebrarlo.  Mi papi, por su lado, cambió mi futbol por completo, al "castigarme" diciéndome que hiciera técnica todo el día los fines de semana, y que si no llegaba a cierto numero no iba a jugar conmigo.  "Tirá la pelota al espacio y seguila, ese es el secreto del Mágico," me decía en los partidos, "usá tu velocidad hijo."  Mi papi siempre supo que yo tenía la capacidad, porque creía, a pesar de que yo corría chistoso.  

   Ahh, si a mi no me hubiera escogido el arte para jugar para su equipo, habría escogido jugar futbol.  Pero gracias a Dios sigo siendo un jugador, y gracias a El tuve el ejemplo de estos grandes maestros que mencioné; quienes han jugado posiciones tan importantes en mi vida.  Me han enseñado a tener fé, a seguir lo que me apasiona porque quizás ahi está mi propósito.  Mas bien, mi estilo de servir, porque creo que servir es el propósito de todos.  Y aunque mis maestros le dijeran lo mismo a todos sus jugadores, jaja, me enseñaron que nada es imposible si uno cree en Dios, en los demás, y en uno mismo.  

   Muchas bendiciones maestros queridos, les dedico mi servicio de este dia a ustedes.  Gracias por nunca perder su fé en Dios, en los demás, y en ustedes mismos.  Gracias por creer en mí.  

El más fuerte de los abrazos.

3 reminders: what is it to be human?

1) Mistakes

2) Greeting

3) Educacion

Que pobres somos

Una vez, un padre de una familia acaudalada llevo a su hijo a un viaje por el campo con el firme propósito de que viera cuán pobres eran las gentes del campo.

Estuvieron por espacio de un día y una noche completa en una granja de una familia campesina muy humilde.

Al concluir el viaje y de regreso a casa el padre le pregunta a su hijo:

“¿Que te pareció el viaje?” – preguntó el padre. 

“Fue fantástico Papá!” – dijo el hijo

“¿Viste que tan pobre puede ser la gente?” – preguntó el padre

“¡Oh, sí!” – dijo el hijo

“Y… ¿que aprendiste?” – preguntó el padre

El hijo contestó:

“Vi que nosotros tenemos un perro en casa, ellos tienen cuatro.”

“Nosotros tenemos una piscina con agua estancada que llega a la mitad del jardín… y ellos tienen un río sin fin, de agua cristalina, donde hay pececitos y otras bellezas.”

“Que nosotros importamos lamparas del Oriente para alumbrar nuestro jardín…mientras que ellos se alumbran con la luna y las estrellas.”

“Que nuestro patio llega hasta la pared de la casa del vecino, ellos tienen todo el horizonte de patio.”

“Tenemos un pequeño pedazo de tierra para vivir y ellos tienen campos que van más allá de nuestra vista.” 

“Que nosotros compramos nuestra comida;…ellos, siembran y cosechan la de ellos.”

“Nosotros cocinamos en estufa eléctrica…Ellos, todo lo que comen tiene ese glorioso sabor del fogón de leña.”

“Para protegernos nosotros vivimos rodeados por un muro, con alarmas….Ellos viven con sus puertas abiertas, protegidos por la amistad de sus vecinos.”
“Nosotros vivimos conectados al celular, a la computadora, al televisor… Ellos, en cambio, están “conectados” a la vida, al cielo, al sol, al agua, al verde del valle, a los animales, a sus siembras, a su familia.”
“Especialmente papá, vi que ellos tienen tiempo para conversar y convivir en familia. Tú y mamá tienen que trabajar todo el tiempo y casi nunca los veo y rara es la vez que conversan conmigo.”

El padre se quedó mudo… y su hijo agregó:

“¡Gracias Papá por enseñarme lo pobres que somos!

-Paulo Coelho

-Fernando Llort

Labels and Bells

I made a big mistake recently.

I said my friend Eddie was Dominican, when he's in fact Puerto Rican. He was pissed. He said "you never call a Puerto Rican a Dominican," and he walked away. I couldn't get through to him for a few days. But when I did, I had to wonder something. We wondered together. We hear this same phrase in stories, songs, we hear it from our parents even: "you never confuse Puerto Ricans with Dominicans, or vice versa. They hate it, & they hate each other."

So let's forget that for a second, and pretend we've never heard it before. How does Eddie feel about being called Dominican? Does saying "Eddie is a Puerto Rican" define the infinitely unique human being that Eddie is? Does it truly bother Eddie if someone calls him Dominican? Is it worth creating a conflict between two friends? Does Eddie "the Puerto Rican" really hate every single infinitely unique human being that happens do be "Dominican?" After a little introspection, Eddie found that the answer to all these questions was "no."

Eddie & I found this to be a great example of looking at the world from the inside out, rather than looking at the world from the outside in (which is what we are groomed to do). We have the power to shape the world around us; by controlling how we react to what it throws our way, as opposed to trying to control it. The world around us doesn't have to shape who we are inside; and it'll never be able to stop us from bringing peace to it, if we choose to receive everything it throws our way...with love.

I'll even go a little further with this. Donald Trump may be a blessing in disguise. Let me finish. He is bringing a lot of attention to labels. To many of us this is an opportunity, a time to stop & think about things we don't take enough time to reflect on: "Shit, what this dude is saying is not true; Islam is about peace, each and every 'Muslim' is an infinitely unique & precious human being, and the vast majority does not want to kill me." In some cultures, a bell is used to remind us to stop, breath, smile, and just be in the present moment; to see things more clearly, enjoy them more profoundly, and get to understand them. Every time it is invited to ring, it is a blessing, an opportunity. Let Donald Trump, who we run into 100 times a day, be a bell to us. But please, vote Bernie Sanders, haha.

Much love everyone, happy Sunday!

-Roberto