Becoming Radiant And Glorious Like The Morning Sun

In the teachings of the Buddha, each of us holds within a luminous nature, clear, compassionate, and free. Yet, for many, this radiant quality becomes hidden beneath layers of worry, distraction, and the burdens of daily life. Just as clouds obscure the sun without ever diminishing its brilliance, our true light remains present, waiting to be uncovered. To become radiant and glorious is not about striving for external perfection, but about uncovering the natural brilliance already within us.

The path to radiance begins with mindfulness. When we pause and bring awareness to each moment, we allow our busy minds to settle. Like a still pond reflecting the sky, mindfulness makes space for clarity and insight. Through meditation and gentle awareness in daily activities, we begin to dissolve the inner restlessness that dims our light. In this stillness, the heart naturally softens, and our inner glow begins to shine forth.

Compassion is another source of radiance. The Buddha often taught that a compassionate heart shines brighter than jewels, bringing warmth and joy to others. When we extend kindness—even in small, ordinary ways, we polish the mirror of our hearts. Each act of generosity, each moment of patience, removes the dust of self-centeredness and allows our inner brilliance to grow stronger. True glory is not found in domination or recognition, but in a life infused with compassion for all beings.

Equanimity also supports our radiance. Life brings change, loss, and uncertainty, and yet when we meet these shifts with balance, our light remains steady. Like the morning sun that rises regardless of the weather, a mind trained in equanimity does not flicker with every challenge. This steady, centered presence creates an aura of peace that others naturally feel drawn to. In this way, equanimity sustains our radiance even in times of difficulty.

Gratitude is a powerful way of uncovering our natural light. When we recognize the countless blessings, large and small, that sustain our lives, the heart naturally fills with joy. Gratitude transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for wonder and appreciation. A grateful heart glows with contentment, creating a presence that uplifts others. In gratitude, our radiance is not only felt within but also shared outwardly.

Patience, too, nurtures our glorious nature. In a world that often demands instant results, patience allows us to remain steady and gentle with ourselves and others. Just as a flower does not rush to bloom, our awakening unfolds naturally when given time and care. Patience protects us from frustration and restores harmony to our minds, allowing our inner light to grow without force or strain.

Another essential quality is joy. Not the fleeting joy tied to conditions, but the deeper joy of being alive and connected to all that is. This joy is cultivated through practice, through appreciating simplicity, and through resting in the present moment. A joyful heart radiates effortlessly, becoming like the rising sun that brings warmth and light to all beings without discrimination.

Ultimately, becoming radiant and glorious is not a distant goal, but a way of being available to each of us in this very moment. Through mindfulness, compassion, equanimity, gratitude, patience, and joy, we return to the luminous essence of our own being. This is the light that heals, inspires, and connects us to all life. May we each nurture this inner sun so that, like the dawn, our presence brings warmth and hope to a world in need.

Sathu. Sathu. Sathu.

Buddham Saranam Gacchami

 
**********************************************************************************************
Vladimir warmly and skillfully passes on the Buddhas Dharma to a world in need of loving-kindness, compassion, and empathy for the benefit of all living beings.
 
To learn more about us and for free mindfulness and mediation resources you are warmly invited to visit: www.bluelotusmeditation.us
 
Looking for a way to help guide others? Become a Blue Lotus Aspirant here: https://bluelotusmeditation.us/continue-your-journey
 
US Tax deductible donations may be offered here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=88BRNH3K7Y7FQ
 
Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a 501(c)(3) Buddhist society.

How To Love One Another With Purpose

Learning how to love one another is vital to cultivating a healthy outlook on life as well as fostering a warm, caring society. 

Here are some of my mindful ways to help nourish love for self and others. In other words, watering your Dharma Heart:

• Listen non-judgmentally to those speaking.
• Speak or respond gently.
• Help when you can. 
• Smile at someone you know.
• Smile at someone you don't know.
• Smile at yourself.
• Talk with your neighbors.
• Don't judge someone by their clothing.
• Don't judge someone by their occupation.
• Don't judge someone by their possessions.
• Don't judge classes of people by what is said on TV.
• Most of what you see on TV is someone else's idea of what reality is.
• Turn off your TV.
• Let someone in your lane.
• Find compromise.
• Share.
• Be patient.
• Be forgiving.
• Show compassion.
• Show empathy.
• Be grateful for what you have.
• Show support for someone.
• Show support for yourself.
• Hug someone you love.
• Hug someone you don't particularly like. 
• Hug yourself.
• Tell someone you love them.
• Tell yourself that you love you.

This is certainly not an all exhaustive list but I hope that you try some of these ideas. I think you'll find them rewarding on many levels both personal and spiritually.

I'm reminded of the words of Burt Bacharach which I'll leave you with 'What the world needs now, is love, sweet love'. 

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

 

Vladimir

 

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram at @bluelotuscenter for more ways to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram

Mindfulness And Civil Conversations

How often do we see public figures speaking unkindly towards another person or group of people?

This results in suffering for all. 

How often do we see videos where someone is verbally attacking another person?

This too, results in suffering for all.

It seems it’s easy to speak harshly towards another when we view them as less than we are. Maybe they’re African, Asian, Hispanic, Caucasian, Christian, Muslim, atheist, gay, straight, transgendered, conservative, liberal, or socialist. All you know is that they are not ‘you’ and you feel that justifies harsh speech.

Maybe someone made a mistake on your food order. Maybe your package arrived late and damaged. Maybe you had to wait in line too long for a service in your opinion. Perhaps you’re displeased with a grade on an assignment and your teacher is firm in their scoring.

It may even seem justifiable to express yourself harshly when your expectations are not met to your satisfactions. But it’s not. In fact, there never is an appropriate time to speak harsh words towards anyone, ever.

Civility in speech, behavior, and thought is vital to nurturing your wellbeing.

Let’s consider a viral video example: recall a video where you saw a woman speak harshly to someone over a parking space, or a food delivery, or any number of instances. We see the woman loud, perhaps even using profanity, and her hands and arms flailing during this instance. The recipient of her behavior, depending on the location and their position, may be doing their best to remain composed and trying to deescalate the situation. All during this experience someone is filming while others are exposed to harshness.

No one in this situation is experiencing a nurturing environment. The woman is now referred to as a Karen. This perpetuates her suffering. And all others, no matter their level of involvement, experienced a perpetuation of their suffering. 

People who watch the video experience suffering. How? When you laugh at someone’s suffering you are harming your own wellbeing. You are watering the seeds of heartlessness. That is suffering even though you may not realize it.

Now consider, if you please, a public figure that makes wildly speculative and broad statements about any group of people. Perhaps they say that a certain group of people are lazy and don’t want to work. This statement may resonate strongly with this public figures’ supporters, increasing their popularity, but is it true? Of course not.

Degrading a group of people certainly is not civil in and of itself and not only continues suffering within that group but it also waters suffering in the supporters. How so? By allowing a group of people to feel a sense of superiority over another perpetuates that view point of ‘us versus them’. The ‘us versus them’ mindset is divisive. It sets up walls of intolerance. It doesn’t allow for compassion or empathy. It doesn’t allow you to see ‘you’ for ‘you’ nor does it allow ‘you’ to see others as ‘you’. It doesn’t allow you to see beyond yourself.

When we are mindfully aware of our present moment, we know that suffering exists and that we do all we may to help ease suffering for ourselves and for those around us. We are mindful of how we communicate. We are mindful of how we act and present ourselves. We are mindful in what we read. We are mindful in what we watch.

 

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

 

Vladimir

 

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram at @bluelotuscenter for more ways to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram

Mindfulness For An Overrepresented Yet Underserved Population

When we read stories about mindfulness and meditation we usually hear about how the practice has changed this wonderful persons life in a positive way. These positive stories are very heartwarming and inspirational and most certainly deserving of being shared for all experience. So, please keep them coming.

What I'd like to shift focus on for this posting is that mindfulness is for all, every living being, including the ones we typically overlook. I'm referring to the incarcerated.

The United States leads the world in incarcerated persons with about 2.3 million locked away in prisons and jails. Some for minor infractions, others for major offenses. Most of the incarcerated population consists of men of color. Men of color account for nearly half of the prison population and are imprisoned 4.8 times higher than Caucasians. These statistics were collected from here for you reference.

Too often incarcerated individuals are considered as disposable, less than someone else. After all, they need to repay their 'debt to society'. Maybe. Maybe not. 

Without delving into the myriad reasons resulting in this circumstance there are 2.3 million people in the US that are in need of developing a mindfulness and meditation practice. No one is unworthy. No one is more or less deserving than another.

If you are not familiar with the story of Buddha and Angulimala it will be my pleasure to briefly retell it here.

There lived a robber named Angulimala during Buddhas time. Angulimala lived in the forest and ambushed travelers on the roads and killed them. He never robbed them but he did remove a finger and attached it to a necklace he wore. He had many fingers on this necklace.

Buddha sought him out, unafraid.

Buddha and Angulimala did meet and Angulimala did proceed to try to attack Buddha. Buddha, being who he is, did not retreat but instead shouted 'You, stop!' Angulimala was unable to move upon hearing this command.

Buddha was able to transmit the Dharma to him and Angulimala was then awake. In fact, whenever Buddha talked to anyone, they woke up. Angulimala then repented for his past actions and he asked to be a monk. Buddha shaved his head and accepted him into the sangha immediately.

Here was a man who was so scary in life but yet when approached with nonjudgment, kindness, and compassion he shed his unwholesome ways for one of peace and wholesomeness. This is how we, as mindfulness practitioners, may share and strengthen our practice.

Sharing is a gift. And as with all gift giving there are two recipients, the receiver as well as the giver. When one receives a gift, warm feelings begin to arise. Anger dissipates to be replaced with joy and hopefulness. The giver too feels joy and even a sense of accomplishment. This is a wonderful experience that is shared by both individuals.

So with hearing all of your beautiful stories of self-development if you have the time, as part of your outreach efforts, perhaps you too may share your compassion and empathy with someone that may need it as much as you did. 

 

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

 

Vladimir

 

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram at @bluelotuscenter for more ways to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram

Brightening Someone Else's Inner Light

Everyone has their own journey to walk, their own experiences to meet, their own decisions to make, their own actions to be responsible for, their own steps to take on their path. No matter what someone else encounters on their path it is not our path to walk or our decision to make. The experience is solely that individuals. 

But that doesn't mean when someone experiences times of great suffering we can't be there with them. There is no possibility that we may eliminate their suffering, we are not them, but that doesn't mean we cannot help ease their suffering. In fact, one of the most important acts a person may do for another is to demonstrate kindness. A smile. A kind word. Listening attentively. Even simply acknowledging some ones existence. These are all simple acts of kindness.

The Buddha states that in order to realize enlightenment one must have wisdom and compassion, much like two wings on a bird. Demonstrating compassion towards another not only helps to ease their suffering but also cultivates compassion and empathy within. What greater good may there be? 

Although we may never eliminate suffering in the world, we still make an effort. And it is this kind intention, the hopeful seed within, that we care for and nurture. 

People feel sad or get depressed when they experience overwhelming suffering. Feelings of hopelessness or despair begin to root within the mind and if watered depression may begin to set in.

So how do we brighten someone else's inner light? Before I offer some suggestions let's look at the primary cause of a defeated spirit, future living or expectations. 

Let's consider the following example: your best friend has worked very hard at her company for several years, always show up to work and her work is high quality. Maybe she even gets yearly performance raises. The company posts a new management position and she feels she's ideal for. You both practice interviewing techniques. She interviews and all goes well only to find out that someone junior to her was offered the position. She relates to you that she feels defeated and wonder why she's worked so hard for a company only to be rejected.

As a mindfulness practitioner you examine her feelings nonjudgmentally and realize that her suffering comes from the expectation of a particular event outcome. The expectation, or assumption, was that she would get a promotion based on past performance, she was living in the future. Living in the future is not living in the present moment. Nor is living in the past. Living in the past or living in the future diminishes the inner light. 

So how may we help our dear friend? Here are some nurturing suggestions:

• We listen without judgment to what they say.

• We acknowledge without judgment their feelings but we do not offer advice or suggestions on what to do next time, instead only acknowledge their circumstances.

• Without judgment, we let them know that all things in life are impermanent.

• Remind them that oftentimes not getting what you want is the best that could happen.

• Let it go with grace. Holding on to the past increases suffering.    

Remember, we each are on our own path and no matter what we do we may never eliminate another's suffering, but we can ease it a bit, thus helping them walk with awareness.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more ways to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram 

AmazonSmile

Brighten Your Inner Light

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to watch children play you’ll notice they’re full of laughter, joy, compassion, and love. 

They find amazement with so much of what adults consider the

mundane, the routine, the boring. From a Ladybug walking on a blade of grass, a caterpillar inching its way up a tree, or even a stick laying on the ground. Everything is bright and warm.

They are filled with an inner light.

But what makes your adult life qualitatively different from when you were a child? Where did the curiosity you once had go? When did the days of your life begin to blend into one another without much distinction?

Very often we are bombarded with negativity, hourly, daily, weekly…moment by moment.

 

Whether it’s some form of political news, an unexpected bill or expense, a vehicle accident, a wildfire or natural disaster, or a violent altercation between human beings. Or even your daily routine. 

All of these events, when taken collectively, can diminish the light you have inside. They can make you cynical, uncaring, and unfortunately disconnected from others and ourselves.

That same inner light that you witness in children is still within you. But like any flame that is suffocating or lacking oxygen it gets smaller and smaller never quite extinguished but flickering on the brink.

So how may we bring back the ever important light inside us?

We cannot control much on the outside like natural disasters, political decisions, or accidents but we do have control over our daily mindset and activities.

And very often our typical daily activities, our routine if you will, is the reason our light begins to flicker. And our routine starts right when we wake up.

 

Perhaps when your alarm goes off you think, wow, I need to go back to work, a place I don’t like’.

Instead, reframe, try a more positive perspective, like wow, I woke up this morning. And today, I will walk with peace and spread joy and goodwill to all I meet. 

Morning gratitude is a wonderful way to introduce nurturing oxygen into your new day and into your inner light.

Now that you’re awake it is time for breakfast. Skip the sugary cereals, donuts, toast, bagels, or even worse fast food breakfast. You are what you consume.

 

Instead, cook. Dice peppers, chop onions, and slice carrots for your omelet if you choose. Or maybe some hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit and vegetables. 

Try not to use the reasoning of ‘I’m not hungry’ or 'I'm not a breakfast eater’ or 'I don't have the time in the morning. These are mindsets that suffocate your inner light. Instead, use this as a wonderful opportunity to practice mindful cooking. Become engaged with what the earth has so lovingly provided for you.

 

When you arrive at work or school, remember, everyone, teachers, coworkers, other students, supervisors, are all doing their best just like you. And just like you, they will have difficult days too, even though they won’t express it, just like you might not. If someone is short with you or is argumentative, instead of replying with anger or bruised ego, offer them a smile. They are suffering inside and a warm friendly smile is often what this person needs. Compassion and not more suffering. 

Compassion is a wonderful source of oxygen for your inner light - as well as for theirs.

When it’s time for lunch, are you reheating leftover pizza from a box? Maybe you’re going to the drive through for a bland fast food meal.

Food that has no color to it, bread or fried food, does not spark joy as Marie Kondo would say.

How could it, it’s not visually stimulating nor is it healthy. Heavily breaded food or food that is friend weighs you down. 

This part of your day really begins the night before or perhaps while making breakfast. It takes mindful effort and thought to prepare. Preparing food connects you to what you’re about to ingest or unite with your being. The smells, the texture, the vibrant colors, and the crisp sounds of cutting firm and nutritious foods.

Making your lunch visually appealing and well as wholesome breaths oxygen to your inner light right in the middle of your day.

After your day has ended or perhaps it’s a weekend, play. You may not bring out your old toys and dolls like a child but engage your mind in something creative. Paint. Take pictures. Write. Draw. Scrapbook. Bake or cook something new.

Creativity keeps the mind engaged in a way that is exploratory. And when you’re exploring, you’re engaged. And when you're engaged oxygen is being diverted from areas of stagnation to the light that is within you.

 

Another way to increase that oxygen to your inner light is to get outside. It doesn't even need to be a forest or lake but even a city street will do. Cities have cats, birds, dogs, and insects. Just observe and make it a point to take a few moments to watch the bird fly. Open your curiosity from oh, it’s just a bird to I wonder where it’s going. Is it looking for water or food? Is it flying back to its nest?

Throughout your day do good for others without any expectation of reciprocity. There is no good deed that is too small. In fact, as with most things in life, it's the small things that offer the greatest joy.

Your inner light has been hidden by years if not decades of routine, fear, anxiety, societal pressures and constructs. A light may only shine as bright as the flow of oxygen to the wick.

To change the flow you must change your mindset to one of love and empathy and non judgment towards yourself. Only then will you begin to brighten your inner light.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram 

AmazonSmile

Calming The Mind During Times Of Anxiety

There seems to be always something occurring either in the world or our personal lives that we allow to agitate our minds. Perhaps we wake up only to find an expectation of ours has been altered, not met, or even abandoned. Regardless of the specific situation or circumstance our expectation lies from wanting to control the future, something we know is not possible. Remember, the future does not exist and therefor we cannot control what does not exist. And this may result in the mind becoming agitated or filled with anxiety.

But we do exist, you and I, in this very moment, are in existence. The future, we'll it does not exist, and most likely the future you're envisioning will not manifest itself as badly as you imagine. 

When our mind is agitated or unsettled we are not able to think or rationalize clearly. It's as if we are looking at life while driving through a heavy rainstorm uncertain if we're even in our lane. If you've ever been caught in one of these events you know how dangerous it can be. Driving at a high rate of speed, fear of hydroplaning, wipers on high, and windows up and air conditioning on to keep the windows from fogging up. Anxiety increases.

Doing all of these actions won't stop the rain or necessarily increase visibility nor offer much safety. So what is the safest 'action' we can do in times like these? We pull over and wait for the rain to stop or let up so we may safely resume our journey.

In our daily life when our mind becomes agitated, for what ever reason, or decision making or kind thinking becomes unclear so the best we can do is to non-do. We 'pull over' and let the storm of agitation pass.

So how do we 'pull over'? 

First we need to recognize we're even in a storm. We often know this because we get tense, loud perhaps, and angry within. When we recognize our agitation it is only then that we may begin the process of pulling over.

Stepping away from the situation or environment is an important non-doing we may take. Stepping away doesn't mean we are avoiding the situation. It means we recognize that we need some time to reflect and to let calmness in so our agitated mind may begin to settle. This non-doing is a sign of wisdom and compassion for our selves and for others.

From there we may find a location that is enveloped by solitude: a park, a lake, a parked car, or even a library. From there we may begin a more balanced mindful breathing and nurturing meditation. Allowing the mind to settle, allowing the mud to settle, allows for clear and balanced and kind thoughts. At first it may be hard, all types of scenarios surface in our mental playground but given non-doing they to move off and clarity begins to appear. 

Give yourself the time to love yourself. Allowing space and openness within cultivates calmness of the mind. And when calmness blossoms life is witnessed with beauty and joyful fulfillment.  

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram 

AmazonSmile

Generosity, Charity, and Mindfulness

One of the Buddhas quotes on generosity states that 'Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given' describes all of the benefits that this action offers.

Before every action we do, no matter how small or large, there is a thought. And this though is the inception of what comes next, the action. And as with all thought what we water is what begins to bloom.

When we water this thought, the upcoming generous action for example, we begin to allow our minds to picture the joyful reaction of the recipient. 

We are allowing ourselves to be vulnerable for a moment. We allow ourselves to show another human being kindness and recognition for who they are. 

And it is with these good and kind thoughts that we develop ourselves into more compassionate human beings. 

Family members and others with whom we often interact are most often the beneficiaries of these kind acts but how often do we expand our generosity to others that we may never even know their first names?

Probably not as much as we would like. 

So let me ask this question: what's stopping you?

Maybe you don't feel your generosity will truly help the other person.

Maybe you feel you won't get the 'thank you' you deserve.

Perhaps you even feel that other's are less deserving or not deserving at all. 

Suppose I ask you to consider this, that the inception of generosity is just as rewarding as the giving and the remembering that we gave. Wouldn't that be enough to show more generosity to others? 

Perhaps the good deed only isn't the deed itself but the very sincere thought of the deed.

But when we actually do the giving there is a benefit we often overlook, empathy. Why empathy? It's empathy because we recognize the suffering in others, even if we don't see or know them personally. 

Perhaps you give to a local orphanage or hospital. You probably don't know any of the children or patience in the hospital but you give to help ease their suffering. And that is empathy.

And each time we give we bring up the fond memories of the previous time we gave which continue to promote the empathy and compassion within.

Compassion and empathy are essential to mindfulness. So as we give generously to others to help ease their suffering we too are learning to ease our own suffering as well.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram 

AmazonSmile

Developing Healthy And Positive Relationships With Mindfulness

Think about your last or perhaps your current relationship.

Did you look forward to seeing this person? Spending quality time with them?

What is it that you like about them? There may even be qualities that you’re not fond of but you accept, like having an action figure collection.

The first healthy relationship most people experience is with their mothers, fathers, grandparents and perhaps siblings. But this situation doesn't have to be true for everyone, every family is different, but these interactions often lay the foundation for our future relationships.

We see how our parents interact and assume that’s how all families interact. We learn respectful behavior. How to nurture someone in time of sickness or other need. We learn how to trust. We learn love. We learn conflict resolution. And we learn boundaries.

But not every family is warm and nurturing. Sadly, some homes are not so pleasant and this may result in perpetuating suffering in your own relationships in the future.

So how may we learn how to mindfully develop and nurture positive and healthy relationships?

Before we talk about how mindfulness can help, let’s look at some examples of unhealthy relationship traits. Keep in mind that the dynamic isn’t only male on female, but may be female on male, male on male, female on female, or any of the vast array of family relationships that exist.

• A codependent relationship
• A relationship this involves verbal, physical, and sexual violence
• A relationship that involves some form of addiction such as, alcohol, drugs, gambling.
• A relationship that is financially abusive.
• A relationship this is emotionally abusive.

Although there are more examples, a majority of unhealthy relationships will combine one or more of these traits.

We often relate relationships to a journey. A journey along our own individual path as we seek spiritual enlightenment or at the very least a harmonious and wholesome life.

And along this journey we've embarked upon we’d like to have company.

This is normal since people are social beings. And a partner helps us enjoy what we mindfully encounter along the way.

A partner helps us during times of illness. A partner is there to help us celebrate joyful occasions. And a partner helps us see the world with a different perspective which helps us remove preconceived notions.

Preconceived notions and ideas about others, including our partners, takes away from your understanding of who they truly are, an individual being like yourself. And maintaining preconceived notions promotes suffering.

For example maybe we say ‘you aren't the same person any more’. Here we make a prediction about a person, a negative illusion, about some ones expected behavior. You are suffering as a result of this expectation and so is the other person as a result.

Or on the opposite side maybe we have a positive illusion, 'my partner can do no wrong'. Here you are clinging to an idealized version of them which may lead to unrealistic expectations about their behavior. Again, more suffering for the both of you.

Before we may offer space for a partner along our journey we need to be sure we are ready and that we are healthy to do so. Meaning that we are with mindful awareness, opening ourselves to being vulnerable, and accepting another as they walk along their path as well. You are in the here and now, in the present moment.

If you feel you are ready then I offer you some gentle suggestions of what to look for.

• Gentle speaking
• Supportive.
• honest
• Non-violent.
• Not jealous or possessive
• Compassionate towards you, himself, and others
• Empathetic towards you, himself, and others
• And certainly you both love each other.

Mindfulness is a wonderful way to help value and strengthen a relationship both with yourself and others. And so as you continue on your journey, breath in and say ‘as I breathe in I walk in peace’ and as you breathe out say ‘as I breathe out I open myself to the beauty of others’.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

Instagram: 

AmazonSmile