Society’s status quo in general consists of a life filled with chasing pleasure and running from pain. It takes great effort, perseverance and courage to cultivate our awareness that break our addiction to conditioned thoughts and reactions that were instilled in us by our entourage since birth. We are told that we should be happy, and that if we are not happy there is something wrong with us. But life is filled with both joy and sorrow. To live, feel and accept both as they are, just confirms that we are alive and sane.

Through quiet times, away from the rat race, we can learn to be present with life as it is. When we STOP our mind, and observe our thoughts as a film, it allows us to see our conditioned tendencies and helps us be truthful and compassionate with ourselves. It gets us off the roller coaster ride. It also helps us discover that yes there is pain in life that is unavoidable, but there is also suffering that we create for ourselves. The transformation of our perspective can only be done in the here and now. It is a retraining of the mind in letting go of what we have learned that is preventing us from being totally who we are. We start to understand that we have been creating difficulty for ourselves (and maybe others) through our unrealistic expectation that we can resist the law of constant change. A lot of baby boomers are living this right now.

True happiness and freedom is being mindful of our impermanence and which give us a sense of appreciation for each moment. It also transforms our mind and heart to respond with kindness to any situation.

There are only two things we can choose to live LOVE (kindness, compassion, truth, respect, honesty…) or FEAR (greed, control, jealousy, slander, power, abuse…). Everything else is derived from these two. We have the FREEDOM to choose.

Living in a small community is a constant reminder of what life should be. People are kind. They still stop to let cars go by when you’re on a side street; they let pedestrians cross the street, even if it is not at a cross walk. Respect for the elders. Just little things…

So Canada, are we free yet? Is war really freedom or is it fear of loosing power?

Let’s celebrate Canada Day by having fun with our families, friends and community and with outmost kindness.

HAPPY CANADA DAY! LET’S MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE…

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