Hello everybody,
Thank you for joining me today.
Let's find a comfortable position and open our hearts to receive the blessing of this quiet time.
These days we use the word friend in a casual and sometime unthoughtful way.
I see two kinds of friends,
Common friends and noble friends.
Common friends are Facebook friends,
Work friends,
Everyday here and there friends.
These are nice to have.
We enjoy these relationships in different ways.
Let's breathe in together and express our gratitude.
Noble friendship is something totally different.
Buddha said noble friends are the whole of the holy life.
Noble friends always are teaching us,
Guiding us.
Noble friends are there for us in the easy time and the difficult times.
True noble friendship does not pay attention to good or bad.
The Buddha and his teaching came to this world because of noble friendship.
Noble friendship is not always easy.
It is often painful and take energy and focus but it is worth it.
A true noble friend is a treasure.
Together let's breathe in and think of the people in our lives who are not just common friends but rather our true noble friends.
The ones who have been there for us,
Who offer their love and support unconditionally.
Let's offer them our three blessings.
May they be well,
May they be happy,
May they be peaceful.
Think of them often.
Think of how they show up for you.
Send them our three blessings again.
May they be well,
May they be happy,
May they be peaceful.
True noble friends don't leave you when you are down.
They show up when you most need it and least expect it.
To have noble friends we must also be noble friends.
Take this present moment and think of how you show up as a noble friend.
Think about what you offer,
How you act,
What you offer.
Let's offer ourselves the three blessings of noble friendship also.
May we be well,
May we be happy,
May we be peaceful.
My friends,
When everything else is gone,
When you lose your health and your money and your titles,
You will still have your noble friends.
Cherish them for all they are.
Take a long deep breath.
Feel your belly rise and fall.
Feel the air coming and going from your nose.
Together let's commit to find and cultivating noble friendship.
Thank you.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
