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Merry Christmas – New Year – New Beginning

December 28th, 2008

Hello Marcelo,

I hope you had a peaceful time around Christmas. I had a lovely time with my pregnant wife, my mother in law and our 2 kittens. It was full of food to be honest. We spend more time preparing and eating food than anything else. It was great. Did you spend a nice time with your family also?

However, Christmas is over, so is the quiet time. I am back to work on Tuesday for 2 days and then full on from 5th of January. It seems weird, I managed to really calm down and unwind for almost a week. I didn’t even realise that a whole week has passed.

Marcelo, a new year starts so soon. There are so many things I want to accomplish. So many things I want to do. How will I be able to fit it all into my life?

So, I was thinking how do we accomplish all of our dreams and all of our ideas for next year or any year? How much can we plan and think ahead?

Would my best bet for 2009 be to “take each day at a time”? To start “not to plan ahead” and actually work on my development on a day-by-day basis?

Let’s look at spiritual development: if I plan to attend classes, meditate 5 minutes a day and 30 minutes each weekend – how would that make me feel if I cannot accomplish it?

Let’s look at workouts/sports: if I plan to do 30 minute gym workout each day and 90 minutes at the weekend – how would it make me feel if I cannot do it or don’t do it?

These are 2 examples. However, I think if we were more content and work more on a day by day basis, would we not be happier if we actually go to the gym or meditate. Then we are more positive about improving our performance and do things more often, as it makes us feel better achieving little steps rather than just “ticking the box to achieve goals” – would that make sense?

Marcelo, lets see what happens in 2009 but I aim to make it one of the best ones ever. But, that could mean anything.

Love and kindness.
Volker

Christmas, circle of life, way of life

Merry Christmas

December 20th, 2008

Marcelo,

I apologise for being so elusive the last couple of weeks. Life has been busy.

But what should I say, with the economic downturn and all, we have a great life at the moment and we are very happy and grateful about it. We pray it long may continue.

Marcelo, I have to admit that I had little time lately to sit down, think about life and my spiritual development. It sounds quite stupid to say “it is on my todo list” but that is where it is. I haven’t really had much time to sit down and meditate or think about things.

You know, we all have the same amount of time. I consider myself being quite organised too. That would actually mean I should have enough time – so really: it is the same old excuse. Sorry.

Maybe in the new year I can build it into my routine of things and make more progress. Maybe I can join the Buddhist Centre in Goldners Green or the sessions in Covent Garden again. It surely would not harm and gave me some routine. I don’t believe it will be over a year since I have visited any courses or anything. What a quick year.

Probably Christmas is celebrated differently with you. How do you celebrate Christmas? What are you going to do.

I will sit quiet with the family, the 2 cats and enjoy my peace for a few days.

Love and Kindness to you!
Volker

Buddhism, Christmas