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Damodarastaka

Sri Damodarastaka

This song is sung during the Month of Kartik [3rd October until 3rd November] , also known as the month of Damodara. As quoted in the Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa, "In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara.

(1)
namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya

(2)
rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

(3)
itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavrtti vande

(4)
varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va
na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

(5)
idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais' ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

(6)
namo deva damodarananta visno
prasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu-
grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

(7)
kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokse graho me 'sti damodareha

(8)
namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam



1) To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who (due to the offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed--to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

2) (Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand) He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

3) By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbues with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times.

4) O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon (which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti). O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as Bala Gopala in Vrndavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon besides this?

5) O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by mother Yasoda, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

6) O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Damodara! O Ananta! O Vishnu! O master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

7) O Lord Damodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera--Manigriva and Nalakuvara--were delivered from the curse of Narada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation.

8) O Lord Damodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who displays unlimited pastimes.

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Tu Jaane Na - Atif Aslam - English Translation

Hindi Lyrics:

kaise batayein
kyun tujhko chahe
yaara bata na paayein
baatein dilo ki
dekho jo baki
aake tujhe samjhayein

tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
hmm milke bhi, hum na mile
tumse na jaane kyun, meelo ke,
hai faasle tumse na jaane kyun
anjaane, hai silsile
tum se na jaane kyun, sapne hai
palko tale tum se na jaane kyunnnnnn…
kaise batayein
kyun tujhko chahe
yaara bata na paayein
(aaa…aaa…)
baatein dil o ki
dekho jo baki
aake tujhe samjhayein
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na

aaaa aaaaa aaa
nigahon mein dehko
meri jo hai bas gaya aa
woh hai milta tumse hubahoo
ooohhooo..
jaane teri aankhein
kiya baatein ki vajah…
hue tum jo dil ki aarzoo
tum paas ho ke bhi
tum aas ho ke bhi
ehsaas ho ke bhi
apne nahin aise hai
hum ko gile
tumse na jaane kyun, meelo ke
hai faasle tumse na jaane kyun ooonnn….
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
ooo jaane na jaane na jaane na
aaaaaaa aaa… tu jaane na
khayalon mein lakhon baatein,
yun toh keh gayaaaa..
bola kuch na tere saamne
oooo… hue na begaane bhi
tum hoke aur ke
dekho tum na mere hi bane
aafsos hota hai, dil bhi yeh rota hai
sapne sanjotha hai, pagla hua soche ye
hum the mile tum se na jaane kyun
meelo ke, hai faasle tumse na jaane kyun
anjaane, hai silsile
tum se na jaane kyun, sapne hai
palko tale tum se na jaane kyunnnnnn…
hooooohh…
kaise batayein
kyun tujhko chahe
yaara bata na paayein
baatein dil o ki
dekho jo baki
aake tujhe samjhayein
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
tu jaane na aaaa..
tu jaane na
tu jaane naaaa…
tu jaane naa
tu jaane naaaa…
tu jaane naa

From: http://lyricstranslate.com

English Meaning:

How should I tell you why I love you
o beloved, I am not able to tell you
The words of my heart, my eyes are explaining to you
you didn't know it, you don’t know
even after meeting we didn't meet
with you I don't know why there is a distance of miles
with you don't know why there is a strange chain
for you i don't know why i have dreams
with you i don't know
How should I tell you why I love you
o beloved, i am not able to tell you
the words of my heart, my eyes are explaining to you
but you didn't know it, you don’t know
the one who resides in my eyes
matches with you completely
was it your eyes or your speech
which became the desire of my heart
even though you are near to me, even though you are my desire
even though there are feelings, you are not mine, this is the state
I have to complain that I don't know why there are miles between us
you don't know
you don't know, you don't know, you don't know, you don't know
dont know, dont know, dont know, dont know
you don't know
In my thoughts I have said a lot of things
but didn't say anything in front of you
becoming someone else’s, you didn't become strange to me
Seeing that you didn't become only mine
I feel regret, my heart also cries
it is decorating dreams, I have become mad thinking
that we were brought together, don't know why there is distance between us
with you don't know why there is a strange chain
for you i don't know why i have dreams
don't know why with you
how should i tell you why I love you
o beloved, i am not able to tell you
the words of my heart, my eyes are explaining to you
but you didn't know it, you don’t know

From: http://lyricstranslate.com

O Paalan haare English Translation

Here is english translation for the song 'O Paalan haare' from movie 'Lagaan'

--FEMALE--

O paalanhaare, nirgun aur nyaare x 2

Oh nurturant Lord, beyond description and beyond all

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin

Without you, we have no one

Humri uljhan suljhaao bhagwan

Ease our difficulties, oh God

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin

Without you, we have no one

Tumhe humka ho sambhaale

You are our only supporter

Tumhe hamre rakhwaale

You are our only protector

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin

Without you, we have no one

--CHORUS--

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin

Without you, we have no one

--FEMALE--

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin

Without you, we have no one

Chanda mein tumhe to bhare ho chaandni

It is you who has filled the moon with moonlight

Sooraj mein ujaala tumhe se

The sun's brightness is from you

Yeh gagan hai magan, tumhe to diye ho isse taare

The sky is content, you have given stars to it

Bhagwan, yeh jeevan tumhe na sanwaaroge

God, if you don't adorn this life

To kya koi sanwaare

Then who will adorn it?

O paalanhaare, nirgun aur nyaare

Oh nurturant Lord, beyond description and beyond all

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin x 2

Without you, we have no one

--MALE--

Jo suno to kahe Prabhuji hamri hai binti

If you will listen, Lord, I will make a plea

Dukhi jan ko dheeraj do

Give patience to sorrowful people

Haare nahin voh kabhi dukh se

So that they will never give in to the sorrow

Tum nirbal ko raksha do

Provide the powerless with protection

Reh paaye nirbal sukh se

So that the powerless can remain happy

Bhakti ko shakti do

Provide your disciples with strength

--CHORUS--

Bhakti ko shakti do

Provide your disciples with strength

--MALE--

Jag ke jo swami ho, itni to araj suno

Since you are the world's master, please hear this plea

Hai path mein andhiyaare

There is darkness in our path

Dedo vardaan mein ujiyaare

Provide us with blessed light

--CHORUS--

O paalanhaare, nirgun aur nyaare

Oh nurturant Lord, beyond description and beyond all

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin

Without you, we have no one

Humri uljhan suljhaao bhagwan

Ease our difficulties, oh God

Tumre bin hamra kaunon naahin x 3

Without you, we have no one

Give Your Love to Krishna

"Give Your Love to Krishna."(Lesson C23)

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The Ultimate Self Realization Course (TM) Presenting the World's Leading Self Realization Training System Under the guidance and inspiration of ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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Guiding Thousands to the Highest Enlightenment In Over a Hundred Countries around the Globe (listed at http://www.backtohome.com/countries) Your personalized Self Realization Training Program Taught by His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari If you are not yet a subscriber to our free e-course, you can join right now at: http://www.backtohome.com

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In this material world we are looking for that perfect love relationship. We are looking for that person that we can fully give ourselves to, who will be able to perfectly and fully reciprocate our love. So many times we try to totally give ourselves to someone that we feel is such a person. But then we end up feeling disappointed and frustrated after we realize that they are not what really what we thought them to be. And then we go off again searching for the perfect person with whom we can perfectly reciprocate our love.

But alas because is the world of imperfection, we will never find such a person in this world. If we want to find to such a person we must look to the world of perfection, the transcendental kingdom of God. Indeed we must establish a pure loving relationship with God Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

That Supreme Lord is unlimited and therefore has hundreds and millions of names. We can approach Him with sincere love and through any one of His unlimited names. Which name we choose is not so important. What is important is that we humbly approach Him and fully surrender ourselves unto Him.

In the Vedas thousands of names are given for the Supreme Person. Out of these many names the name Krishna is especially recommended because it is the all-inclusive name that includes all of the other names of God within it. You can find no other nomenclature for the Supreme Absolute Truth that is as perfect and complete as the name Krishna. By chanting Hare Krishna with love and devotion one can easily experience tangible spiritual bliss. The heart becomes soft and one easily becomes free from the contaminating qualities of lust, anger, and greed. One gradually revives one's original spiritual identity in the eternal kingdom of God. You will regain your original perfect relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

If you have not already started, why not start today to perfect your consciousness through the daily chanting of the Holy Names of God? This is our humble request to you, our beloved reader. We cannot tolerate seeing you continuing to suffer in this material existence. Kindly adopt the path of pure devotion today and relish the sweet taste of pure loving reciprocation with the Supreme Being.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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The companion text material for this course is the Bhagavad-gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. You can purchase a copy at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store

You can also purchase it at leading bookstores throughout the world or your nearest ISKCON center. There is a worldwide list of ISKCON centers at: http://www.iskcon.com/worldwide/centres/index.html

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Assignment: Carefully read the verses and purports of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 2, Verse 64.
Answer this question: Why would a devotee do something that is ordinarily undesirable or not do something he would have ordinarily done?
Email your answer to:premabhakti@backtohome.com

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Copyright 2005-2006 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com

You are authorized to freely distribute this knowledge to anyone and everyone provided you acknowledge its source by giving a link to or referencing our signup page at: http://www.backtohome.com

Sri Damodarastaka

This song is sung during the Month of Kartik [3rd October until 3rd November] , also known as the month of Damodara. As quoted in the Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa, "In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara.

(1)
namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya

(2)
rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

(3)
itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavrtti vande

(4)
varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va
na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

(5)
idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais' ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

(6)
namo deva damodarananta visno
prasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu-
grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

(7)
kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokse graho me 'sti damodareha

(8)
namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam



1) To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who (due to the offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed--to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

2) (Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand) He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

3) By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbues with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times.

4) O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon (which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti). O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as Bala Gopala in Vrndavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon besides this?

5) O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by mother Yasoda, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

6) O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Damodara! O Ananta! O Vishnu! O master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

7) O Lord Damodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera--Manigriva and Nalakuvara--were delivered from the curse of Narada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation.

8) O Lord Damodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who displays unlimited pastimes.

Download as PDF [has some pictures]
Download Mp3

An Unlived Life

I will not die an unlived life.

I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loose my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance to live; so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit.

Living In You

Some things in life never change, Sometimes in life you don’t find reasons,

Some moments in life aren’t forgotten, Sometimes you loose hope… When time rolls by you to forget What holds you on…

Some people in life are a part of you, And when you let them go, You never lose them. Because… you find them living in you.

The Water Meditation

The Water Meditation is a guided meditation that I use when I do yoga...enjoy

Download

The Earth Mediation

The Earth Meditation is a guided meditation that I use when I do yoga...enjoy

Download

Even though you are not here

Even though you are not here

I still say good night

I imagine you getting into bed next to me

Holding me from behind

Even though you are not here

I still feel your breath on my back

I feel your heart beat

As you fall asleep behind me

Even though you were never here

I still long for you

In the cold of the night

My body heat keeps you warm

Even though you were never here

I can feel your hands on my body

Holding me tight

Its going to be okay...

Even though you were never here

What used to be

I miss what we used to be

carefree

happy and

in love

I miss how you made me feel

confident

courageous and

content

I miss our conversations

adventourous

silly and

deep

I miss the passion

unbridled

wild and

un-inhibited

We shared a lifetime in our time together

birth

laughter

pain

misery

satisfaction

jealousy

contentment

fear

happyness

joy

anger and

death

The Five Tibetan Rites: Exercises for Healing, Rejuvenation, and Longevity

In 1985 a book called The Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth written by Peter Kelder was published which for the first time fully described an exercise program for "youthing". This is an exercise program used by Tibetan monks to live long, vibrant and healthy lives. In fact, this book states that many have lived longer than most can imagine by following the program often called the "Five Tibetan Rites". The benefits are described in this book and a subsequent book 2 with an expanded description of the program by the publisher called the Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth - Book 2, a companion to the original book by Peter Kelder. Many thanks to the publisher Doubleday for such a special an expanded explanation of the Five Rites.

• Potential Benefits of the Five Rites

The authors provide many examples of the benefits of the "Five Tibetan Rites" including the following: looking much younger; sleeping soundly; waking up feeling refreshed and energetic; release from serious medical problems including difficulties with spines; relief from problems with joints; release from pain; better memory; arthritis relief; weight loss; improved vision; youthing instead of aging; greatly improved physical strength, endurance and vigour; improved emotional and mental health; enhanced sense of well being and harmony; and very high overall energy.

• How the Five Rites Work

Medical professions explain the benefits based on their personal perspective and I suggest you read the entire two books for a broad overview. However, the majority share the view that the rites represent a system of exercise that affects the body, emotions and mind. The Tibetans claim that these exercises activate and stimulate the seven key chakras that in turn stimulate all the glands of the endocrine system. The endocrine system is responsible for the body's overall functioning and aging process. This means that the Five Rites will affect the functioning of all your organs and systems, including the physical and energetic systems and that includes the aging process. The man who brought these Five Rights out of Tibet stated that "performing the Five Rites stimulates the circulation of essential life energy throughout the body".

The Five Tibetan Rites PDF

How to elimate mental paralysis

I will eliminate my mental paralysis by adopting the following attitudes:

• I will decide that all things are possible - then think creatively to find a way to achieve them.
• I will substitute CAN for CAN'T in my daily life.
• I will be decisive and avoid procrastination.
• I will be resolute in my intentions and will not allow negative circumstances to undermine my determination.
• I will put a "flea" in the ear of all those who wish to use mine as a garbage can.
• I will set my GOALS and PLAN systematically to arrive at them.
• Every day before my head hits the pillow, I will be just that little bit nearer to my GOAL than when I arose.
• I will not accept that things must remain the way they are simply because that's the way they are.
• I will not limit my vision to doing things in a certain manner just because it is traditional to do them in that manner.
• I will keep going UNTIL!.

New Poems Out Soon

I am busy writing a few new poems, they will be called:

Roof Top Love

Our Love is written in the Stars

A description of my Love

...and more!

Today's Thought: Begging for Krishna's Mercy

My dearest Lord Krishna, by the mercy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, my most beloved spiritual master, and his followers I have been engaged in Your service. It is not easy to engage oneself purely in devotional service while living in a world which is 100% dedicated to material sense gratification. Nor is it easy to spread a movement of pure bhakti in such a world. Therefore feeling myself powerless in such a situation all I can do is fall down at Your lotus feet and beg for Your mercy that I may always be engaged in pure devotional service in all times, places, and circumstances, and that I may be successful in spreading this Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. I know, my dear Lord, that without Your mercy these will be impossible to accomplish. Therefore, kindly do not deny me Your mercy. Please shower Your rain of mercy constantly upon me.

Gone to the Unseen - Poem by Rumi

At last you have departed and gone to the Unseen.
What marvelous route did you take from this world?

Beating your wings and feathers,
you broke free from this cage.
Rising up to the sky
you attained the world of the soul.
You were a prized falcon trapped by an Old Woman.
Then you heard the drummer's call
and flew beyond space and time.

As a lovesick nightingale, you flew among the owls.
Then came the scent of the rosegarden
and you flew off to meet the Rose.

The wine of this fleeting world
caused your head to ache.
Finally you joined the tavern of Eternity.
Like an arrow, you sped from the bow
and went straight for the bull's eye of bliss.

This phantom world gave you false signs
But you turned from the illusion
and journeyed to the land of truth.

You are now the Sun -
what need have you for a crown?
You have vanished from this world -
what need have you to tie your robe?

I've heard that you can barely see your soul.
But why look at all? -
yours is now the Soul of Souls!

O heart, what a wonderful bird you are.
Seeking divine heights,
Flapping your wings,
you smashed the pointed spears of your enemy.

The flowers flee from Autumn, but not you -
You are the fearless rose
that grows amidst the freezing wind.

Pouring down like the rain of heaven
you fell upon the rooftop of this world.
Then you ran in every direction
and escaped through the drain spout . . .

Now the words are over
and the pain they bring is gone.
Now you have gone to rest
in the arms of the Beloved.

What Will Matter

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built,

not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,

empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew,

but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

by Michael Josephson

Possessing Love

The greatest mistake in Love is trying to possess it.
It will spill out of hand just like water.

Love will retrieve from you if you demand, if you expect.
Love is meant to be free; you cannot change its nature.

If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings.
Give, but don’t expect. Advise, but don’t order.
Ask, but never demand.

Paulo Coelho - Love Cures

Famed author Paulo Coelho reminds us that we must remain open to love to truly feel it's healing power

There are times when we would long to be able to help someone whom we love very much, but we can do nothing. Circumstances will not allow us to approach them, or the person is closed off to any gesture of solidarity and support.

Then all we are left with is love. At such times, when we can do nothing else, we can still love – without expecting any reward or change or gratitude.

If we do this, the energy of love will begin to transform the universe about us. Wherever this energy appears, it always achieves its ends. 'Time does not transform man. Will power does not transform man. Love transforms,' says Henry Drummond.

I read in the newspaper about a little girl in Brasília who was brutally beaten by her parents. As a result, she lost all physical movement as well as the ability to speak. Once admitted to hospital, she was cared for by a nurse who said to her every day: 'I love you.' Although the doctors assured her that the child could not hear and that all her efforts were in vain, the nurse continued to say: 'Don't forget, I love you.'

Three weeks later, the child recovered the power of movement. Four weeks later, she could talk again and smile. The nurse never gave any interviews, and the newspaper did not publish her name, but let me set this down here, so that we never forget: love cures.

Love transforms and love cures, but, sometimes, love builds deadly traps and can end up destroying a person who had resolved to give him or herself completely. What is this complex feeling which, deep down, is the only reason we continue to live, struggle and improve?

It would be irresponsible of me to attempt to define it, because I, along with every other human being, can only feel it. Thousands of books have been written on the subject, plays have been put on, films produced, poems composed, sculptures carved out of wood or marble, and yet, all any artist can convey is the idea of a feeling, not the feeling itself. But, I have learned that this feeling is present in the small things, and manifests itself in the most insignificant of our actions; it is necessary, therefore, to keep love always in mind, regardless of whether or not we take action.

Picking up the phone and saying the affectionate words we have been postponing. Opening the door to someone who needs our help. Accepting a job. Leaving a job. Taking a decision that we were putting off for later. Asking forgiveness for a mistake we made and which keeps niggling at us. Demanding a right that is ours. Opening an account at the local florist's, which is a far more important shop than the jeweller's. Putting music on really loud when the person you love is far away, and turning the volume down when he or she is near. Knowing when to say 'yes' and 'no', because love works with all our energies. Discovering a sport that can be played by two. Not following any recipe, not even those contained in this paragraph – because love requires creativity.

And when none of this is possible, when all that remains is loneliness, then remember this story that a reader once sent to me:

A rose dreamed day and night about bees, but no bee ever landed on her petals.

The flower, however, continued to dream: during the long nights, she imagined a heaven full of bees who flew down to bestow fond kisses on her. By doing this, she was able to last until the next day, when she opened again to the light of the sun.

One night, the moon, who knew of the rose's loneliness, asked:

'Aren't you tired of waiting?'

'Possibly, but I have to keep trying.'

'Why?'

'Because if I don't remain open, I will simply fade away.'

At times, when loneliness seems to crush all beauty, the only way to resist is to remain open.