Music Dear friends,
Welcome to this wonderful new day,
A day full of possibility.
But before we talk of the possibilities of today,
Let's pause to bring ourselves into the present moment.
Just a simple one minute pause before we set out on the journey.
So,
Sit yourself comfortably into your chair,
Relax onto your cushion,
Or lie back on your couch,
Or wherever is your favourite place,
To relax or to meditate.
And as you take in a mindful breath,
Just give thanks.
Give thanks for the fact that you woke up this morning,
Thanks for the fact that you had the inspiration to sit for these few minutes in meditation,
And for the means to log on to Insight Timer,
This community of people,
Each of us trying to put the best foot forward and each of us wishing to leave this world of ours a little better than we found it.
And as you give thanks for being here,
Let me give thanks to you for your being here.
This is not one way traffic.
Here we share and we learn from each other.
So now a one minute pause.
Welcome back.
So a question for you.
What will you offer the universe today?
We don't expect you to build a new children's hospital.
We don't expect you to successfully conclude peace negotiations between two disputing parties.
A new life-saving drug would be wonderful,
But this is not expected.
If you happen to be someone who has any of these possibilities within your power,
Then wonderful.
We need people like you.
However,
99% of the people of the world do not have great power.
At least as far as 99% of us have an everyday understanding of great power.
So,
What will you do?
As far as 99% of us have an everyday understanding of great power.
But 99% of us are very wrong in that respect.
We all have great power,
Each of us in our own circle of influence.
I'm sure you will have heard the story of the man speaking to a group of workers who were part of a team working to build a great cathedral.
When asked what he was doing,
The first man spoken to said he was cutting stone.
The same question was put to the second man,
And he replied that he was building a wall.
When the question was put to a third man,
He looked up full of enthusiasm,
And told the inquirer that he was building a cathedral.
And so it is with us,
Each and every one of us,
Brick by brick,
Action by action,
Good deed by good deed,
We are each building something that has the possibility to be great.
You could call it the cathedral of our lives.
So don't be put off by the idea that today you will not build a children's hospital.
Don't be discouraged by the fear that today you will not bring two disputing parties to the table to sign a settlement agreement.
And as for that new life-saving drug,
Today that is probably not within your area of expertise.
But your cathedral is under construction.
Today all you need to do is one thing,
One good deed.
Now you might ask what difference will this make,
This one good deed?
And maybe today that won't make a huge difference.
Although to the person on the receiving end of the good deed,
It could possibly be a life-changing experience.
But deed by deed,
Day by day,
Something great will be built.
And it will be built by you.
Just as brick by brick,
Stone by stone,
A great cathedral can take shape.
One stone,
One brick,
These each seem small,
Very small,
Very insignificant.
And as for one day,
Isn't it very short?
But let's take a step back for a moment and examine the bigger picture.
If the average lifespan is 70 years,
That makes more than 25,
000 days,
Or 25,
000 good deeds,
A potential 25,
000 bricks with which you will build the cathedral of your life.
So never underestimate your own unique potential for greatness.
This will only be seen after the passage of time and after the distribution of these good deeds,
Day by day by day.
And now a final one-minute pause,
So that we can each ask ourselves,
What one good deed will I perform today?
Welcome back.
Welcome back.
May each of your good resolutions be blessed.
May your cathedral be built,
And may it be beautiful.
Pierre Prathervand,
Author of The Gentle Art of Blessing,
Gives us this thought for the start of a new day.
On awakening,
Bless this day,
For it is already full of unseen good,
Which your blessings will call forth.
For to bless is to acknowledge the unlimited good that is embedded in the very texture of the universe and awaiting each and all.
A reminder that today the universe is waiting for you and for me.
I leave you with words of encouragement from Kali Dase.
Look to this day,
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all the realities and truths of existence,
The joy of growth,
The splendour of action,
The joy of life,
The joy of life,
The joy of growth,
The splendour of action,
The glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory,
And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday a memory of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.
Namaste.
