Day 9: Go with the Flow

Day 9

Welcome to the 9^th day of our journey.

What to do when others do not offer you their unconditional love? When they oppose to you? When they betray you?

You need to develop an unshakeable heart. Be humble and flexible like the reed. Go with the flow. And the gates of unconditional love will open for you.

I will share with you a beautiful tale from Chuang Tzu, often known as Zhuangzi. He was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BC during the Warring States period, a period corresponding to the summit of Chinese philosophy.

The tale is called “Going with the Flow”. Here it is:

One day, Confucius was looking down into a gorge where a great waterfall crashed down to a huge roiling chasm so violent that no fish, no tortoises, no alligators could survive there. Suddenly, he noticed an old man appear to tumble over the falls into the maelstrom. Confucius and several of his disciples ran downstream in hope of saving the old man. They were shocked when they found him strolling merrily along the bank, singing to himself. Confucius approached the old man and asked him how he survived such a plunge into the river.

The old man replied: “Oh, that, that’s simple. I merely entered the water at the center of its whirl. I let myself flow along with it, not trying to impose my will upon it, then I left when it whirled the opposite way. It is all completely natural to me.”

Confucius asked: “What do you mean by that? How can it be natural to you?”

The old man replied: “Well, I grew up on dry land, so I am at home upon it. At the same time, I also grew up by the river, so I am at home in the water. I don’t really know how I do these things, I just do them. Therefore my success is assured.”

Do not try to analyse, judge, or control. Do not fight, strive, or argue. Let it go.

Know your strengths, know your weaknesses. Be humble and flexible like the reed. As Confucius reminds us: “The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm”.

Be like this old man in the waterfall. Just go with the flow.

It is not what happens to us that matters, but how we react to it. In pursuit of the Tao, every day something is let go.

With the greatest love,

Master Laure

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Day 8 – The power of forgiveness

Welcome to the 8^th day of our journey.

To love others and feel their love from the bottom of our heart, we need to forgive each other for our mistakes. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. When we make mistakes, we transform.

To feel the love from our parents, our siblings, our partners, our children, our friends, our colleagues and more, we need to stop having resentment for them for something they did to us in the past or even today. We need to let it go. If we do not let it go, the resentment could accumulate gradually and could close our heart towards them. This would be such a pity.

There is a reason why we have the parents we have. There is a reason why we have the partners we have. There is a reason why we have the children we have. The reason is to learn from our mistakes. They hurt us in this life or past lives. We hurt them also in this life or past lives. We are brought together again to learn that we caused pain to others, and repair it by asking for forgiveness and making them happy and healthy in this lifetime. We are brought together again to learn that we suffered from others mistakes also, and that we need to let go and forgive them.

To ask forgiveness from others when we realized we were inappropriate, either in our speech, action, or thought, requires willingness to transform ourselves, humility and courage. It comes from our heart. How much do we truly when to purify our heart and love others and feel their love? How much are we ready to look within and transform it? If we truly want to love others deeper and feel their love deeper, we can’t let ego and pride stop us.

Forgiveness doesn’t come from the mind. It comes from the heart. Saying ‘I forgive you’ or ‘please forgive me’ without meaning it, is as if we offer beautiful flowers without fragrance to someone. They may look beautiful but the person feels ‘nothing’. It doesn’t move their heart. How can they feel forgiven or forgive us?

To forgive others from having hurt us also requires willingness to transform ourselves, and compassion. When we see with our heart that those who have hurt us suffer because they have hurt us, our compassion towards them will grow. To understand this part, it is necessary to understand the law of unconditional service or the law of karma. Master Sha often reminds us this Taoist teaching: “The tree you plant in this life shades you in the next life.” This essentially means that you reap what you sow, either in this lifetime or in future lifetimes.

This doesn’t mean we can be indifferent to others suffering. Everyone and everything has a heart. Everyone and everything feel either love or pain. Everyone and everything is interconnected. If one suffers, in fact, we suffer also, because we are all one. Think about the air pollution. According to the National Geographic, air pollution in China is killing 1 million people each year. When we read this, we can’t be indifferent. We think about young children and elderly who are the most vulnerable. We certainly wish they would be happy and healthy. We are not indifferent to what happen to them, because every being living on this planet is connected. When we open our hearts, we feel their pain.

Today, find a quiet place and write two letters. It can be by email if you need. Write the first letter to someone you care a lot about, with whom your relationship has not been easy recently, and ask for forgiveness. Ask in your own words. Ask from the bottom of your heart. Go deep. It doesn’t have to be long, but it has to be loving and sincere. Then, write a second letter. This time, to forgive someone who has hurt you recently, consciously or not. Express how you felt, without judging. Express how you decide to put this behind you both. How you value this relationship and want it to be sincere and long lasting.

Forgiveness is paramount to bring love, peace and harmony on earth. It starts with each of us forgiving others and asking for forgiveness, in our daily life.

Forgiveness brings inner peace and inner joy.

Forgiveness opens our heart so that we can feel more love and offer more love.

 

With the greatest love,

Master Laure

Day 7: Go not to the temple

Welcome to the 7^th day of our journey.

Today, a student shared with me some words from Rabindranath Tagore, a Bengali author, poet, musician and painter who became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. I am sharing one of his poem with you as his words are still relevant for all of us.

Go not to the temple.

 

Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of god,

First fill your own house with the fragrance of love and kindness.

 

Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God,

First remove the darkness of sin, pride and ego from your heart.

 

Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer,

First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen,

And apologise to those you have wronged.

 

Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees,

First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden,

And strengthen the young ones, not crush them.

 

Go not to the temple to ask forgiveness for your sins,

First forgive from your heart those who have hurt you.

 

This beautiful poem from Rabindranath Tagore reminds each of us that it is not what we do, say or think in public, when others watch, that matters. But instead what we do, say or think when we are on our own, or in our homes with our families.

 

This poem allows us to feel in our hearts how it could be for God to hear all our requests and show so little sincerity and integrity. The author does not judge any of us. Instead, he illustrates how important it is for each of us, regardless if we are on the spiritual journey or not, to life the teachings we believe in our heart. Whether we are a meditation practitioner, a fervent believer, or an agnostic, the truth is that every action, word and thought has an impact on our life. The sooner we realize it, the sooner we can adjust our actions, attitudes, behaviors, speech and thoughts.

 

Let’s apply this wisdom together.

 

Do one thing this week to bring more love and kindness to your family members.

Apologize humbly to one person this week for having caused them pain.

Lift someone who can’t stand up this week, either physically, emotionally, or mentally.

Forgive someone from your heart this week for having hurt you.

 

Open your heart.

Open your heart further.

Open your heart completely.

Feel love. It is everywhere.

 

Next time we go to the temple, let us all feel in our heart more awareness and genuineness.

 

With the greatest love,

Master Laure

Day 6: Rectify your attitude

Welcome to the 6th day of our journey.

Today, I will share with you a teaching from Tchouang Tseu, one of the most re-known Chinese poet and philosopher. In his work, a disciple describes his Taoist master:

“My master is the most real man I know. He looks like a man, however he comes from heaven. He accepts to be among human beings, but he remains true to himself. Having great purity, he is indulgent towards others. When someone is not following the way, he rectifies his own attitude, so that that one has his own realization that he got lost and his wrong intentions dissipate.”

I am sharing this extract with you because it carries great wisdom. How many of us have been in a situation where we say someone not doing the right thing. How many of us were concerned they would get hurt or lost. Whether they were our family members, friends, neighbours, colleagues, acquaintances or more.

This goes back to the father and mother – child relationship we saw on Day 4. The father and mother’s task is to warn the child before he gets hurt, so that his life is safe and he grows to an adult. In Taoist philosophy, Jia Tao, the greatest Tao, the Tao that gave birth the Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism and more, is teaching that the master is the spiritual father and mother of the disciple and of the student. We find that father and mother – child relationship also.

When we see someone doing a thing that is not serving them well, speaking up if often not the way, because that one is often not ready to hear it. How to give the message so that they don’t get in trouble? Think about Tchouang Tseu’s description of the master. Rectify your own attitude so that that one can have the realization he got lost. Here are a few examples on how to do it.

When you see hatred; be the most loving.
When you see punishment; be the most forgiving.
When you see indifference, cruelty; be the most compassionate.
When you see darkness, ignorance; be the most lighted.
When you see selfishness, pride; be the most humble.
When you see lack of agreement, incongruity; be the most harmonious.
When you see decline, death; be the most flourishing.
When you see thanklessness, ingratitude; be the most grateful.
When you see hindrance, disfavor, disadvantages; be the most serving.
When you see loss on the path; be the most enlightened.

Now close your eyes. Think about 3 people you feel close to who needs your help. Write their names down. Using the list above, highlight the issue they face the most, where you want to help them. Note the change in your attitude that is required. Write how you will rectify your attitude towards each of them. Go ahead and implement the change. Experience and receive the benefits. Share with us on Facebook: Dr. and Master Sha

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Open your heart to receive and offer Da Ai, the greatest love.

With the greatest love,
Master Laure

Day 5: Do not accept the gift

Welcome to the 5^th day of our journey.

To feel the greatest love from others, one has to keep the heart opened. When we experience difficulty or challenge most of us close our heart. When we let the pain come in our heart, it closes instantly. Almost instinctively. If the difficulty or challenge is small, we tend to close our heart a little. If the difficulty or challenge is big, we tend to close our heart a lot. If the difficulty or the challenge is the greatest, we tend to close our heart the most.

One day, as the Buddha was teaching about the power of love near the Bodhi tree, a man with great emotional pain in his heart came to listen to his wisdom. The Buddha said to the crowd: Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law. Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.”

When he finished teaching, the man burst in anger. He said to the Buddha: “how can you say such things? When one caused our families terrible loss, how can you ask us to say and do nothing?”. He continued to speak against the Buddha and the advanced students were about to push him out of the group.

The Buddha stopped them with his hand. He said to the man: “If one offers you a gift, but if you do not take it, whose gift is it?”

The man became silent. He had a deep realization. He immediately bowed down to the floor in front of the Buddha and asked: “Father, would you accept me as your disciple?” The Buddha smiled and said accepted him. He welcomed him to sit within his group of students.

What did the Buddha teach that man? The Buddha taught that man and all his students that day that if one lets anger come to his heart, he get lost. If one is angry with us, we need to pause and not allow their anger to come into our heart. How to do that? Remember the image of the gift. See the gift. But do not accept it. Do not pick it up. This is a deep teaching on how to stop negativity come into our heart. Next time someone is angry with you, remember this Buddha teaching. It will serve you well. Practice. Practice. Practice.

 

Practice to clean the soul, heart, mind and body from anger

Do this practice today.

Do it every time you feel affected by anger.

 

Body power: Sit up straight. Place the tip of your tongue gently against the roof of your mouth. Place one palm over your liver. Place the other palm on your lower abdomen below the navel.

 

Soul power:

We say hello to inner souls:

Dear soul, mind and body of my heart,

I love you, I honor you and I appreciate you.

You have the power to heal and rejuvenate my liver, heal anger.

Do a good job.

 

We say hello to outer souls:

Dear Divine, dear Tao, dear Source,

I love you, I honor you and I appreciate you.

Please forgive me and my ancestors for the mistakes we have made in all lifetimes relative to the liver and the emotion of anger.

In order to be forgiven, I will serve unconditionally. To serve is to make others happier and healthier.

I am extremely grateful to you.

Thank you.

 

Mind power: When you inhale, visualize bright green light shining in the liver area. When you exhale, visualize bright green light throughout the body.

 

Sound power: when you inhale, silently chant: happy and healthy liver. When you exhale, silently chant: Da Ai (the greatest love). Then alternate: when you inhale, silently chant: anger is removed. When you exhale, silently chant: Da Kuan Shu (the greatest forgiveness).

 

After 10min, we close this practice by saying:

Hao, hao, hao, (which means perfect. All is well)

and gong song, gong song, gong song (all souls respectively return).

 

 

With the greatest love,

Master Laure

Day 4: Learn to say ‘No’

Day 4

Welcome to the 4^th day of our journey.

When the mother gives birth to her baby, something very special happen. Whether the mother felt strongly connected to the baby or not during the pregnancy, based on circumstances, the mother’s true love for the baby appears instantly at birth. When the father sees the baby for the first time also, something also very special happen at that moment. This is unconditional love. Their love for the child is so big, in only one instant. The beauty of seeing a new life in front of their eyes is extraordinary. The thought that they may have contributed to the appearance of this life on earth is opening their heart so much.

When the baby grows and learn how to stand and to walk, the parents are very attentive to the baby, so that nothing hurtful happens to him. This is also the greatest love, the unconditional love from the parents. The true, unconditional love from the parent says ‘no’ and ‘stop’ to the child so that he does not get hurt. This is an aspect of love many of us tend to forget.

What was our reaction the last time someone said no to us?

What thought came to our mind?

Did we believe we ‘knew’ better?

Did we think ‘they’ have an issue?

Instead, did we accept and trust the plan that heaven had for us?

 

Only in acceptance, humility and gratitude, the child who was said ‘no’ or ‘stop’ to, can truly see the love from his parents. Only in acceptance, humility and gratitude, anyone who was refused anything can see the love from heaven, heaven’s plan, through his partner, colleague, supervisor or neighbour.

 

For the parent and anyone in a similar position, unconditional love is not telling others how great they are, how great they speak or how great they do, even when they make mistakes. This is not unconditional love. This is fear of speaking the truth. It is fear of being rejected by them if we speak up. Fear that they would go or stop loving us. It is an attachment to what others think of us. Unconditional love is placing one’s happiness and wellness first, place their own good first, regardless of what they will think of us.

 

What is important is to say ‘stop’ or ‘no’ with true love. Not with anger, ego, judgement, comparison or abuse of power. Anyone can hear the truth if it is communicated with true love. True love opens the heart and soul to receive the message. Speaking the truth requires courage, inner strength, will power, perseverance, and most of all, unconditional love.

 

Here is an example of phrasing you can use when you say ‘no’ to a friend:

“My dear friend Suzie, I love you from my heart and soul. Can I suggest to you that we do not have the party at my house as my parents may be too anxious? Could we find a plan B together? Thank you so much.”

 

This week, learn to say ‘no’ or ‘stop’ to someone with unconditional love. Think about a situation that has been going on for a while, where you have not said ‘no’ yet, because you were afraid of rejection. Write your speech on a piece of paper. Read every word. Is every word loving, forgiving, inclusive, and say the truth? When every word is, you are ready to speak. Practice, practice, practice.

 

This exercise is also particularly useful when you write emails. Experience the power of unconditional love. Improve. Improve. Improve.

 

With the greatest love,

Master Laure

Day 3: True Love for partners

Welcome to the 3^rd day of our journey.

Master Sha teaches us that Da Ai, the greatest love, is a love without condition. What is a love without condition? A love without condition is a love that asks nothing in return. No bond, no tie, no relationship, no association, no connection, no recognition, no status, no alliance, no bias, no partiality, no favoritism, no partisanship, no benevolence, no present, no gift, no award, no territory, no land, no favor, nothing. And most of all, no love back, as true love can’t be purchased. Its value is infinite. Hence it has no price.

Let’s now reflect on our lives and on the true love in our relationships, starting within our family.

When a man and a woman fall in love, regardless of their age and the circumstances, the attraction is so strong between each other, than they can’t help it. Where there is true love, there is no rationale. There is no logical decision. The true love comes from the heart. It happens in one instant. It is beyond powerful. Through history, millions of couples braved cultural, status or distance restrictions to be together. In the end, true loved always prevailed. True love is an infinitely powerful force of nature.

When was the last time you had a thought of true love for your partner?

When was the last time you wrote a love letter, a love card, a love note, for no apparent reason, to your partner, just to express and reiterate your true love for him/her?

When was the last time you made a gesture of unconditional love for your partner?

Ancient sacred wisdom teaches us that a day is a life. To truly feels the greatest love from others and being able to offer it, one needs to nourish his/her relationships every day with unconditional love.

Close your eyes. Sit up straight. Place the tip of your tongue gently against the roof of your mouth. Place one palm over your heart. Place the other palm on your lower abdomen below the navel. Inhale deeply from your abdomen. Exhale deeply. Again. Three times. As deep as you can. Now think about your partner. Remember the day you feel in love. Feel the butterflies in your abdomen again. Visualize your partner’s face in front of you that day. The smile. The spark in the eyes. Now listen closely to your heart. What do you wish to tell your partner? Talk to your partner silently. Say everything you want to say. Remain loving and caring. Continue a few more minutes.
When you are done, close the practice by saying:  “Hao, hao, hao. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Gong song, gong song, gong song.”

Write on a paper what you said to your partner. Place it in a place your partner will find it as a surprise. This is your true love letter.

True love starts here.

True love nourishes all souls.

With the greatest love,

Master Laure