The vulture and the bee spurred me to look at some of my own landscape, what I attend and perhaps what may resonate with some others.
Working in rescue, seeing abuse & loss, caring for hospice animals, indeed, the countless many ways All of us experience heavy challenges, can, I think, be some of the most gripping ways we may lose sight of how best to be present.
It is not the absence of sad and difficult emotions, but acknowledging and letting them be or letting them go, in the face of what else is in view.
Like the vulture and the bee—We choose what we give attention and When.
What you say is Vital—a Ground upon which we can go out in the world and do what we do, while not being held captive by it.
We can all benefit and benefit those around us by Bodhichitta—seeing and aligning ourselves with all sentient beings for the sake of their enlightenment. And by rejoicing in the virtures of all sentient beings.
The cats of Twala you shared could not be more sweet!
Gandalf, the food-prep 🥙supervisor
Van Pelt-making sure the dogs 🐕 stay out of trouble on their walks
Marble-🐒 mom
David, Thank you for being a voice of wisdom and compassion. Blessings to those you support and for giving us the opportunity to help them.
I look forward to your weekly posts more and more, as I try to unravel the rope! I needed this teaching, most especially today. My thanks, as always, David. Much love to you and this entire community. Xxx💕🐘🦏
After reading today's article, I felt a special sense of calmness and letting go.I will work on watching where my attention is throughout the day. Being a cat person a little more than a dog person, although we have both in our family, I especially enjoyed the pictures and comments about the 3 cats who help run Twala. Thank you so much for all you do.
Thank you so much for teaching us about rejoice for others. "Celebrating the virtuous activities of others also has the effect of making them part of who we are.“ I read this at exactly the right moment. ：-）
Cats are amazing creatures. I am still learning from them LOL. Thank you for sharing their amazing photos.
These two sentences: "Attention itself is our tool for transformation. What we are in the habit of attending to becomes our reality." Wow! That is the heart of this teaching - thank you David! Putting those two to mind so I can bring them back and back and back and...
I was able to go outside today and sit in my wheelchair and
throw a ball for my beautiful dog. My extremely kind neighbor has fitted some lawn
mower wheels to my Zimmer frame so that I can walk on my driveway paving. I am pushing myself to get up and try to walk everyday to build up my muscle culture again. It was marvelous. We had, had a major storm last night and to be able to go out into my driveway and to see the plants and insects enjoying the new freshness of the day was incredible. I found m myself telling my carer who walks
next to me, all about the different plants and bugs. So beautiful to observe.
We always used to go to Kruger Park but not to see the big game (although we enjoy them too) but to see the other things in the Park that most people don’t see, in the detail that we used to. The birds, the insects busy about their daily work and the beautiful plants.
I used to put a sign on our back window of the car saying “Please Pass, just enjoying nature”.
The usual tourists pulling up behind us because we may have seen on of the Big 5. No we were looking and admiring the Millions of other things!
Loved the pictures of the Ellies and cats. Beautiful 🤩
I love that sign 'Please pass, enjoying nature.' As soon as people hear about the Big Five they have this laundry list obsession which unwittingly robs them of so much wonder and joy. What a lovely neighbour you have! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi my dear, I was out cycling in 1986, on my birthday when I got hit behind by a 22 M/T truck. It hit me on my right buttock and I went over the handle bars luckily onto the pavement and not under the wheels. It broke my pelvis and i had 3 crushed vertebrae in my back. They didn’t pick up the damage to my 4th and 5th lumber vertebrae.
It is a complete mess and ligaments grew through my spine and restricted the blood flow to my sciatic nerves. This left me with numbness in the outer part of my feet. This means I don’t have great balance. I also de eloped dropped foot in my right foot. This made me trip and fall a lot.
Last year I overbalanced and fell flat on my back and I sheared off the knuckle joint of my hip. I had a hip replacement done. They dropped me after the operation in the x-Ray room and a bottle of oxygen hit my hip near the operation and fractured it. It’s been a year now and I can’t balance, I am in severe pain and have to make use of a Zimmer Frame with wheels on the front, to enable me to walk.
I would love a GoZeen (new invention in the USA) but can’t afford one. It would solve my
Dear David, Thank you again and again with all my heart for your wonderful spiritual teachings. I enjoy many of the reflections you share. AND ... although I am a fairly regular reader, I do not subscribe to regularly donating to your causes because it is problematic for me to do so. HOWEVER, I would really like to make a one-time tax-deductible donation now and then to you in whatever way that would be possible. My husband and I give through a donor advised fund with the American Endowment Foundation. In order to donate to you, we need your EIN#, the name of your charity and address. Can you provide me with that? Thank you, bless you! and Bless your work!!!! May it continue to enrich the consciousness and spiritual practices of all humanity! Love from Jeanne Childs
Many thanks for your very kind message, Jeanne. The charities we support are in Zimbabwe and therefore don't have EINs which are issued by the US Government. However, through our partnership with GDG you or any US-based entity can donate and get tax deductible receipts. You can read more about it at: https://davidmichie.substack.com/p/giving
Such an important teaching containing many gems of wisdom, David. Thank you for being such a valuable source of kindness and support in my life. 🙏🏼💗
My heartfelt thanks to you, Sharadha!
The vulture and the bee spurred me to look at some of my own landscape, what I attend and perhaps what may resonate with some others.
Working in rescue, seeing abuse & loss, caring for hospice animals, indeed, the countless many ways All of us experience heavy challenges, can, I think, be some of the most gripping ways we may lose sight of how best to be present.
It is not the absence of sad and difficult emotions, but acknowledging and letting them be or letting them go, in the face of what else is in view.
Like the vulture and the bee—We choose what we give attention and When.
What you say is Vital—a Ground upon which we can go out in the world and do what we do, while not being held captive by it.
We can all benefit and benefit those around us by Bodhichitta—seeing and aligning ourselves with all sentient beings for the sake of their enlightenment. And by rejoicing in the virtures of all sentient beings.
The cats of Twala you shared could not be more sweet!
Gandalf, the food-prep 🥙supervisor
Van Pelt-making sure the dogs 🐕 stay out of trouble on their walks
Marble-🐒 mom
David, Thank you for being a voice of wisdom and compassion. Blessings to those you support and for giving us the opportunity to help them.
I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to write such a beautiful, moving message, Linda.
I look forward to your weekly posts more and more, as I try to unravel the rope! I needed this teaching, most especially today. My thanks, as always, David. Much love to you and this entire community. Xxx💕🐘🦏
Agreed Roxy, he always says something I need to hear at that moment
Pure coincidence! :) Thank you for you kind support, Tracey!
I am so deeply glad to hear this, Roxy! I know our little community is truly in awe of all you do for the elies ... and many other sentient beings!
After reading today's article, I felt a special sense of calmness and letting go.I will work on watching where my attention is throughout the day. Being a cat person a little more than a dog person, although we have both in our family, I especially enjoyed the pictures and comments about the 3 cats who help run Twala. Thank you so much for all you do.
I am really so glad to hear this, Pat and am sincerely grateful for your kind words.
Thank you for your compassionate work and providing people like me to
help a wee bit. May you be much blessed, always!
I really appreciate your kind message, Geok!
We have so much to be grateful for and yet we take so much for granted. Love the cats.
So true, Tom! Everyday life for most of us is the stuff of other people's dreams.
Thank you so much for teaching us about rejoice for others. "Celebrating the virtuous activities of others also has the effect of making them part of who we are.“ I read this at exactly the right moment. ：-）
Cats are amazing creatures. I am still learning from them LOL. Thank you for sharing their amazing photos.
Rejoicing isn't just uplifting, it is karmically a smart thing to do! Many thanks for your message, Sharon!
These two sentences: "Attention itself is our tool for transformation. What we are in the habit of attending to becomes our reality." Wow! That is the heart of this teaching - thank you David! Putting those two to mind so I can bring them back and back and back and...
You're right - that is the essence of this post, Charlene. So glad you picked up on it. Thanks you so much for all your support!
David, you touched
My heart deeply with this weeks article.
I was able to go outside today and sit in my wheelchair and
throw a ball for my beautiful dog. My extremely kind neighbor has fitted some lawn
mower wheels to my Zimmer frame so that I can walk on my driveway paving. I am pushing myself to get up and try to walk everyday to build up my muscle culture again. It was marvelous. We had, had a major storm last night and to be able to go out into my driveway and to see the plants and insects enjoying the new freshness of the day was incredible. I found m myself telling my carer who walks
next to me, all about the different plants and bugs. So beautiful to observe.
We always used to go to Kruger Park but not to see the big game (although we enjoy them too) but to see the other things in the Park that most people don’t see, in the detail that we used to. The birds, the insects busy about their daily work and the beautiful plants.
I used to put a sign on our back window of the car saying “Please Pass, just enjoying nature”.
The usual tourists pulling up behind us because we may have seen on of the Big 5. No we were looking and admiring the Millions of other things!
Loved the pictures of the Ellies and cats. Beautiful 🤩
I love that sign 'Please pass, enjoying nature.' As soon as people hear about the Big Five they have this laundry list obsession which unwittingly robs them of so much wonder and joy. What a lovely neighbour you have! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hello Peter, I was surprised and concerned - Why do you need a Zimmer frame. Can I ask?
Best wishes Peter
Regards Trish Vowles
Hi my dear, I was out cycling in 1986, on my birthday when I got hit behind by a 22 M/T truck. It hit me on my right buttock and I went over the handle bars luckily onto the pavement and not under the wheels. It broke my pelvis and i had 3 crushed vertebrae in my back. They didn’t pick up the damage to my 4th and 5th lumber vertebrae.
It is a complete mess and ligaments grew through my spine and restricted the blood flow to my sciatic nerves. This left me with numbness in the outer part of my feet. This means I don’t have great balance. I also de eloped dropped foot in my right foot. This made me trip and fall a lot.
Last year I overbalanced and fell flat on my back and I sheared off the knuckle joint of my hip. I had a hip replacement done. They dropped me after the operation in the x-Ray room and a bottle of oxygen hit my hip near the operation and fractured it. It’s been a year now and I can’t balance, I am in severe pain and have to make use of a Zimmer Frame with wheels on the front, to enable me to walk.
I would love a GoZeen (new invention in the USA) but can’t afford one. It would solve my
Mobility problem.
Ahh, finally put a picture to my name.
What a great idea...a gift subscription. Why hadn't I thought of this sooner? Perfect timing, as always. Thank you David!
Warm regards,
Stacey
My sincere thanks for your generous support always, Stacey.
Dear David, Thank you again and again with all my heart for your wonderful spiritual teachings. I enjoy many of the reflections you share. AND ... although I am a fairly regular reader, I do not subscribe to regularly donating to your causes because it is problematic for me to do so. HOWEVER, I would really like to make a one-time tax-deductible donation now and then to you in whatever way that would be possible. My husband and I give through a donor advised fund with the American Endowment Foundation. In order to donate to you, we need your EIN#, the name of your charity and address. Can you provide me with that? Thank you, bless you! and Bless your work!!!! May it continue to enrich the consciousness and spiritual practices of all humanity! Love from Jeanne Childs
Many thanks for your very kind message, Jeanne. The charities we support are in Zimbabwe and therefore don't have EINs which are issued by the US Government. However, through our partnership with GDG you or any US-based entity can donate and get tax deductible receipts. You can read more about it at: https://davidmichie.substack.com/p/giving
Thank you for reminding us!
My pleasure, Dee!