Who We Think We Are….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

The life of self-esteem is the death of the soul. Self-esteem is one’s overall assessment of oneself as an individual. The assessment can be backed by actual internal experience or it can be decided by phrases we repeat to ourselves. When the self-esteem becomes more important than the soul, we are lost. Our job is to reassess the assessment. The …

Exceptionally Mediocre….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

While away on a campaign, Zhuge Liang, the great Chinese strategist, became fatally ill. He wrote letters of advice to his nephew and son before he died. To his nephew, Zhuge Liang wrote: “Aspirations should remain lofty and far-sighted. Look to the precedents of the wise. Detach from emotions and desires; get rid of any fixations. Elevate subtle feelings to …

The Great Stories….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

It isn’t that we don’t know the stories. But the important thing is that the great stories are always teaching us. There are many great stories. Within them, at every moment, the great beings choose to live completely—not to settle for a mediocre, unconscious life that depends on emotion for its heights. The stories teach us the great lessons of …

The Oncology Lesson….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

I have always approached my yearly meeting with my oncologist with great trepidation. It means returning to the scene where I played the part of the patient. Dr. Fetting has always engaged willingly and graciously with my dialogue of facing my fear, of wanting to conquer both fear and my desire to remain in this body. Looking back, as the …

Avian Samadhi….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

The winter was brutally cold. Weeks on end below zero degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chill minus 20 to 30. Even when the sun came out, it was bitter cold and dangerous to go outside. Our acre garden spent the winter covered in snow. No hellebores blooming through February for us. A couple of years ago we began feeding the birds …

Speaking Freely….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

For many, free speech is the freedom to say what we want to say. “I can say what I want. This is a free country.” “Everyone has the right to free speech.” What is free speech really? Here in America, we pride ourselves on free speech; it is enshrined in the First Amendment. Of course, there are reasonable restrictions, as …

Conscious Non-resistance….

RohiniReflections, Stories and Occasions, Uncategorized

As a teenager in Boston, I participated in civil rights marches. These marches were silent and orderly, with large numbers of people coming together. Later, at Washington University, there had been protests, but these were more about venting anger than reaching resolution. After being present for some of those demonstrations, I realized what was going on and withdrew. Eventually, there …