Message for the Holy Season
It is the Holy Season of Kwanzaa, Christmas, and the New Year; a sacred time for us to celebrate our spiritual roots. For many of us it may be a time of darkness that can only be transformed by spiritual light.
Our hope and our trust lie in two things – the beloved community, and the immediacy of the present moment. Living deeply the present moment, we can be in touch with the miracle of life as it unfolds in and around us. Our awareness of impermanence leads us to treasure the presence of our loved ones and our precious mother earth. Why hold on to anger when life is so short?
The beloved community embraces the whole of humanity. Beginning with our nearest and dearest, we open our hearts a little more every day to embrace those we find more difficult. This Holy Season is a chance for us to make the telephone call, write the letter, or sit down to have the conversation that can restore communication. Our motto can be: I accept you as you are, because I myself have shortcomings, too.
We have all the Dharma tools: mindful breathing, mindful steps, deep listening, and loving speech. The Holy Season is our chance to put them into practice for our greater happiness and the happiness of the world.
The monastics and lay residents of Plum Village wish all our readers a happy, safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year.
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