PL Ottawa offers a quiet tranquil respite from a busy active world. Nestled between trees and an expansive park like setting…. there is always someone to welcome and greet the visitor.
Situated off a busy major road that flows traffic across the busy city (Ottawa is the capital of Canada) we often are visited by people curious and just wanting to stop a moment. In a city where there is a constant stream of traffic, of people and cars “getting somewhere’…. the church grounds are right next to protected green space. It is not unusual to find that “wildlife” from the little forest will stroll over to church grounds, curious to explore.
Different but another thought for you to think about
A cheerful smile and expression makes everyone around you happy.
When you do everything with a smile, not only you but the people around you will feel good. Always remember to put on a happy face.
PL2014.15
PL church Ottawa is the only physical building in Canada, we are visited from members from USA, Brazil, Japan. For PL members it is an opportunity to have a place to be while touring and visiting in the area.
Song is Thy will be Done.. I never heard it before last night.. by James Hilton-Cowboy… listening to it, sent me into a very reflective mood. We are all born to die, yet death ( the word )seems to strike fear and anxiety into almost everyone. Only in October, do the ghouls and goblins come out to play…
There seems to be a focus on aging, we are all going in that direction, yet the media is full of commercials, videos and clips on “staying young”. there are ads for everything, all items with claims you just can’t live without them… creams, lotions, tonics, oils, machines, … Life is for living… at any and all ages. One podcast I saw was about how when you are reaching or in your 40’s *.. you have to focus on accepting you are “old”. I almost choked on that one,
Instead of living each day to the best of our abilities and exploring all this world has to offer, the focus is on the past, or all the MUST do’s if you want to “look” good in your “older” years.. OMG you might reach 50!!!
It is true, people are living longer,
PL Precept # 19 Begin once you perceive
There was a time, when it was different, but that is not now.. we’ve come a long way. I’m not saying the world is perfect, but there is so much to be thankful for. i.e if the technology wasn’t what it is today, I would not have heard that song.. thy will be done.. and I wouldn’t have spent an interesting evening searching out more music and trying to find out information on the singer and the album that song came from.
PL Precept # 18 Each moment is a turning point
With progress comes change. (the only constant in life is change) and in true Tao fashion, you cannot have positive without negative… With the technology and all its positives, it has negatives too… it is used in negative ways i.e. cyber theft, the falsifying of documents, the robotic way we have to communicate with companies… the “human” “humanity” is being “downgraded”.
PL Precept # 15 All is a mirror
The thought process was very enlightening, I found myself going down “memory lane” to what was (for me) a “ahhhhh you have lived a long time. The song I’ve listened to over and over, I am not sure why it has an appeal to me, but it does. I am very content with my life… and I am ready to take that final journey. NO.. there is nothing wrong with my health, I’m fine…. I am not at death’s door, but I do accept and know that my time will come. Meanwhile I want to live and experience life to its fullest. By that I mean .. I like being “happy and content” .. and that is what I want in my life.
I am not interested in what other people consider a “need” nor do I want to listen to or be around negativity.
I’m repeating this message from the other day..
Face Challenging situations with positive determination
When you encounter difficulties, boldly take measures to overcome them. By creatively finding solutions, you will feel the joy in tackling any situation.
PL2019.13
Oyashikiri
ref. old. I work with “older” clients… and one sent me an example of what she was listening to… it was about why younger males appreciate “older” women.. the older women they were referring to were ladies in their mid 30’s and early 40’s.
I can only shake my head and hope that common sense prevails.
We have a similar structure in the Gatineau Park (McKenzie King Estate) When I saw this picture I was immediately reminded of the many times I wandered the grounds in the Gatineau Hills.( Province of Quebec).. admiring the views and trying to imagine what it must have been like when the former Prime Minister lived in the hills, and had the remains of fallen ruins in Europe brought over and rebuilt here so we could enjoy the architecture another time and place. The above picture was taken in the state of Pennsylvania.
I have not ventured into the Gatineau Hills since before the pandemic… I did try a few times, but the NCC has made changes to what roads are open and when. (National Capital Commission).. Every time I tried, the roads I wanted to used were closed for one reason or another. Guess what after a couple of tries I simply found other places to go. I’d already been and done the drives over the many years I’ve lived in the area… it was time to discover new places, the world is a big place.
The outdoors are green and lush, but we’ve had forest fires in the northern part of the Provinces with all the high heat we’ve had. We have been advised that the extreme heat will continue for at a good 5 days. If you are also experiencing this heat wave that is working its way across the continent, please take care.
Be free of your attachments
If you are obsessed with doing something in only a certain way, it narrows your choices. Keep your options open and be flexible.
The Shortcut to Progress is to listen with a humble mind
If you are stuck in your own ways, you will eventually become bogged down. Let’s remember to be humble, learning what we can for the knowledge, advice and suggestions of others.
How many of you have been so disappointed when buying store bought bone broth? I have been trying off and on now for a long time to satisfy my craving for a good ready made broth. What you see above is my breakfast … a bowl of steaming freshly made (overnight) oxtail soup.
Oxtails fresh from the butcher at the Asian supermarket near me
Fresh okra grown locally
fresh mushroom (big cafe ones)
slices of sweet onion/Spanish onion
cream corn (small can)(I prefer the known brands -thick creamy)
garden fresh baby potatoes (today it was red /yellow ) quartered
diced tomato, green pepper, red pepper *(Pizza topping from the fresh veggie shop near by)
seasoned with pink salt, minced and diced garlic and ginger.
The oxtail is such a rich meat, so delicious and tender, I did not add a lot of other spices I wanted the flavour of the beef.
The aroma as it simmered overnight was ..”heavenly” The taste this morning is “divine”
Don’t rush or allow yourself to get flustered
When you rush, it limits your ability to pay attention to detail, and often leads to careless mistakes. With a prayerful mind, take a deep breath and act calmly.
PL2016.22
Trust in the rhythms of life.
Oyashikiri
soup was made using my wok
why prepared pizza topping – at FarmBoy (fresh produce store) they prepare this every day for customers… and for a single person on my own, buying a whole lot of veggies means I have a lot of waste… this way the produce is freshly made every day and I don’t have an excess of veggies going to waste in my fridge.
HI. you got something for me today? These cutie pies have been visiting at P23, a friend who walks there daily got this picture of one of the little ones. I miss being out for my outings every day.. but with the moves, selling/renting etc. there has been no time.
Another journey begins.
Agora estou, percebendo a que e viver, vivo sempre a sorrir amo a vida e a voce……. (PL song book)
Now I know, realizing what life is for, I always live with a smile, life is no longer a trial (English)
Andei, andei, I sought, I sought, at last I found, e contrei…
It is hot, it is humid, not a breeze to be had, it is the kind of day you want to conserve your energy. If possible it was the kind of day to stay inside and catch up on activities that will allow you to be comfortable .. I had visitors today, in both cases, they brought food…. I didn’t have to cook… it was wonderful…. I had made a soup… my Dad was very firm, when I found it hot, his remedy was a nice bowl of hot soup. That or on the odd occasion I was allowed a cup of tea. Being the eldest I was not allowed coffee, tea, sweets, etc. To this day I am grateful, I have never had a sweet tooth, or a desire to drink pop, soft drinks, or alcohol beverages. So, when I got in from getting gas and a few necessities, I made a chicken soup with pure bone broth, veggies, and beans. Old fashion remedy, but it worked, What have you been doing to cope with the heat we have had this summer
Start today with a fresh outlook
Even though people and situations may look the same, they are constantly changing. Start each day with a fresh mind.
PL 2022.17
Oyashikiri
tomorrow I will have been in the apartment one month – the only constant in life is change.
Although we may have many choices in front of us, in the end we must all make a single decision. Once you have made up your mind, move forward without hesitation.
Willingly take on tasks that are behind the scenes
Be the one who is able to proactively take on the troublesome tasks that no one likes and for which they are not recognized. By doing so,, you will be filled with a genuine feeling of accomplishment.
TAOIST Life is Art (Perfect Liberty precept #1)
contact info.- via blogs
--- there are two energies, Yin and Yang = ONE
---to have balance we must live each moment
of our lives.. with Makoto (sincerity)
The only constant in life is change. I am grounded in the reality of Living.
This is true, in all worlds. RL or virtual. I am me and only me.