The Bodhi Tree

This Winter I visited a restaurant that was unique in many ways besides the name, "Under the Bodhi Tree" which means "Sitting under the Tree of Enlightenment."

Now, it had me curious how a restaurant would have such a divine name, and why?

Well, this place not only serves vegetarian food but the menu keeps changing based on the production of the local farmers according to the changing seasons. How remarkable is that!!

Which business owner would think of the community first?

Besides designing a delicious menu, they also strive to maintain a green environment by their eco-friendly operations and that includes front of house and back of house recycling, high-efficiency water and energy usage and using recycled paper products whenever possible.

The Law of Karma comes true here since this restaurant has a motto to serve selflessly thus, the Aura in this restaurant was exceptional and striking! The food ingredients were simple, but each bite was delectable and appetizing. I could sense a balance of Physical-Emotional-Mental-Spiritual within me!

When I entered the eatery, I ordered like anybody would. But while sitting there, I noticed people would eat and clean after they were done. That made me feel like home and followed suit, thus making me a little sad upon leaving since within that short time I started getting that sense of belonging, an acceptance for who I am via the ambience, the courteous staff and the earthy food.

The name, Bodhi Tree, that setting, that environment and the vibes inspired me with ideas of how to give back to the society with a conscious effort and making it numero uno priority!


My 2016 sentence of the year is: Always Give a Little More Than you Promise!
Word of the year: Give

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Me and my Ego

Sometimes, we can get so caught up in our own self-pride that it clouds our judgment and makes us oblivious to the problems around us. 

We become focused only on our own success and happiness. 

It's been said many times that the ego of man is responsible for much of the violence and conflict in the world. 

To understand how ego is formed, we must recognize that it arises from a deep-seated fear within us. 

This fear can cause us to act in harmful ways, and when we fail to achieve our goals, our ego can become even more toxic. 

This only serves to make things worse. 

We risk damaging our relationships and becoming isolated from others. 

To overcome our ego and fear, we must have an open and honest dialogue with ourselves. 

This means talking to ourselves like we would talk to a friend, without any reservations. 

We must also work to address our fears of loss, criticism, death, and loneliness. 

By doing so, we can dissolve the fear and reduce the hold that our ego has over us. 

This can ultimately lead to stronger relationships and a more beautiful world. 

So, let's make it our mantra to talk to ourselves, confront our fears, and let our ego and fears simply fade away.

Steps to Enlightenment

FTSF is here. Join in the fun.

Today's sentence is:
I wasn't  really myself when my joints were swollen with impaired mobility and a 6 month old toddler beside me.

As the saying goes, "Becoming  parents, changes everything."

Prior to becoming parents, we changed our habits, disciplined ourselves, child proofed our home.

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”
― Allen Saunders

Alas, when fate has something else in store for you then, all an individual gotta do are stand still in that storm and wonder what went wrong and how can this blizzard be diverted.

“Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted at the worst time possible.” ― Lisa Kleypas, Sugar Daddy

Thus, blame it on my fate, my karma or my destiny.

I was diagnosed with arthritis and this toddler who needed comfort and cuddling was just attended with the primary requirements.

However, man is an intelligent soul, and he learns to adapt especially when surrounded by love.

“Fate is never fair. You are caught in a current much stronger than you are; struggle against it and you'll drown not just yourself but those who try to save you. Swim with it. And you'll survive” ― Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

Our family survived this storm. We swam towards the shore with pain and determination to endure it cause of responsibility in our hands. Our child was our obligation, and that made it our prime focus to survive the blizzard.

As they say, that the storm does not last for long. After every bad day a good one accompanies, we saw sunshine at the end of the tunnel. This sunshine consisted of wisdom and enlightenment.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” ― Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

At the end of this turmoil and commotion, we learnt about our ourselves. We became aware of our temperaments, mannerisms, and idiosyncrasy.

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
 Aristotle

Since then, there has been no looking back. We are climbing the ladder of wisdom as we continue to walk along the path of life and live each day.

Mantra for today: Life has lots to teach. We ought to be aware of the circumstances and be prepared to ponder over it.