Free to be yourself

Generally, you are free to be yourself in front of a real good friend.

Don’t get me wrong! I’m not suggesting you to be self-opinionated, self-willed or be yourself stubbornly; instead, you can unload your burdens or masks and live comfortably in a safe area.

Hence, I sincerely hope that most of your friends in your list always give you support, courage and freedom.

＜自由的做自己＞

在知己的面前，一般上，您可以自由地活出自己。

別誤會，我不是要您固執己見或任性、倔強的做自己；而是在一個安全區域中，您可以卸下沈重的包袱或面具，輕鬆自在地活著。

因此，由衷希望您名單中大部分的朋友，總是給您支持、勇氣和自由。

Real good friend

The qualities of a real good friend:

They offer you what is hard to give. 

They help you for what is hard to do. 

They undergo with you what is hard to endure. 

They reveal their secrets to you. 

They keep your secrets. 

When misfortunes strike, they do not abandon you. 

When you're down and out, they do not look down on you. 

If your friend possesses one or more of the above qualities, you are no doubt the lucky person in the world. 

On the contrary, If your friends do not obtain any of above qualities, please don’t be disappointed.

First, use “diary” as your close friend who listens to you, tell it all your emotions and write down a self-encouraging quote everyday.

Then, perform a 10-minutes loving-kindness meditation daily to establish your own goodwill.

In the near future, good friends and great teachers will appear one after another in your life.

「善友」的特質：

他們提供您很難給予的所需。 

他們協助您哪些難以完成的事物。 

他們與您共度難以忍受的事情。 

他們向您透露他們的秘密。

他們保守您的秘密。

當不幸來襲時，他們不會放棄您。 

當您跌入人生谷底時， 他們不會瞧不起您。

倘若您的朋友具備以上其中一個或更多的特質，您顯然是世界上的幸運兒。

相反地，如果您身邊的友人，完全不具備以上任何特質，請不要就此感到失望。

首先，以「日記」作為聽您傾訴的朋友，並每天寫下一句勉勵自己的話語。

然後每天進行10分鐘的慈心觀，以便建立自己的善緣。

不久的將來，善友和善知識就會一一出現在您的生命中。

Reference:  Mitta Sutta 

The Ecstasy of Surrender

Tired of arguing, resisting, holding back, fighting, overthinking, torturing yourself with self-doubt?

Spend 20 minuets with Dr. Judith Orloff and learn the skill of “surrender”—— an ability to give yourself wholeheartedly to something.

Perhaps, “surrender” is a gateway to “let it be” and “let go”.

＜令人欣喜若狂的臣服＞

對「爭論、抵制、阻攔、鬥爭、想太多、用自我懷疑來折磨自己」感到厭倦嗎？

用20分鐘與Dr. Judith Orloff學習「臣服」的技巧——一個讓自己全心全意投入的能力。

或許，「臣服」是步入「隨順」與「放下」的途徑。

Compassionate intentions

If, we really feel that our intuitive thinking is not trustworthy.
Fine, just do a quick check in 2 phases:

1. Is this a wholesome intention?
2. Will it brings benefits to oneself and others?

If both the answers are definitely “yes”, just carry on.

Perhaps, the consequences may not turn out positive occasionally, but that’s okay.

We gain experiences from our deficiencies, don’t we?

The more we expose and explore, the more we learn and grow.

Before long, we will gain back our confidence, and perform as the quote accordingly:

“Trust intuition and just do it.”

如果我們真的認為自己的直覺思維是不可靠的。
沒關係，只需從兩個面向迅速的自我審查：

1. 這是良善的意圖嗎？
2. 對自己和他人有好處嗎？

如果兩個答案都肯定的，那就執行吧！

或許，有時候結果並不如我們所願，但無所謂。

我們從不足中獲得經驗，不是嗎？

當我們越接觸與探索的機緣時，就越能學習和成長。
不久之後，我們將重建自信，如語錄所述而展現自己：

「信任直覺意圖並執行它！」

Click here to read more about Colin Beavan, “Intuitive Action”

Have a good sleep

Studies show that a restful night’s sleep is the cornerstone of good health, productivity, creativity and happiness.
許多研究顯示，一個舒適的睡眠是健康，生產力，創造力和幸福的基石。

Here are some good sleep tips which I have revised from “Bright Side”, share with you and wish you have a restful sleep.
這裡有一些不錯的睡眠秘訣，我修訂自「Bright Side」，與您分享，希望您有一個安穩的睡眠。

1. At least 6-8 hours of sleep 至少6-8小時的睡眠
2. Bedroom just a bedroom, no office desk nor TV 睡房就是睡房，不應該有辦公桌或電視
3. Get comfortable (mattress, room temperature, luminosity etc.) 保持舒適（床褥、室溫、亮度等等）
4. Exercise more 多運動
5. Avoid big meal at night 晚上避免豐盛大餐
6. Get relax before sleep (hot shower, soothing music or bedtime yoga etc.) 睡覺前放鬆自己（熱水澡、輕音樂或就寢瑜珈等等）

Click here for 7-pose Bedtime Yoga 點擊此處以學習7-式就寢瑜珈

1. Easy pose
2. Butterfly pose
3. Seated forward bend
4. Pigeon pose
5. Child pose
6. Knees to chest
7. Corpse pose

Good night. 晚安。

Turn Negative Self Talk to Right Speech

Apply “Right Speech” to all sorts of Negative Self-talk,
such as self-criticizing, self-blaming, cursing etc.
以「正語」取代各類型的負面自我對話，如自我譴責、自我埋怨、詛咒等等。

Here are some tips 這裡有一些提示：

1. Know your triggers and explore the opposite realities 認清觸發負面對話的關鍵因素並探索其反面事實
2. Learns to accept our flaws 學習接受我們的不圓滿
3. Keep a self-compassion and self-developing journal 撰寫自我同理和自我成長的記事
4. Routine of Loving Kindness Meditation 例行慈愛禪修

Click here to read more about Mark Epstein, “If the Buddha were Called to Jury Duty”

The mind with Dhamma

The more we practice, the more we tend to wish that our mind associated with Dhamma.
However, what’s the characteristic when our mind associates with Dhamma?
Put aside all our expectation and simply practice, perhaps, the answer will unfold before our eyes.

修行越多，我們越希望我們的心與法相應。
然而，當我們的心與正法聯繫在一起的時候，其特徵為何？
拋開我們所有的期望，純粹修習，也許，答案就會展現在我們的眼前。

Click here to read more about Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, “Conserving the Inner Ecology”.

Deep listening

Keyword: Deep listening
關鍵詞：傾聽

I train my deep listening by listening to my breathing, heartbeats, or outer hustle-bustle-street occasionally, how about you?
不時我透過自己的呼吸、心跳或忙碌喧囂的街道來訓練傾聽，您呢？

Let peace come to us

Get ready our mind by mindfulness practice, such as simply watching the in and out of our breath for 5~10 minutes/session, perhaps, peace will come and knock our mind-door.
透過正念練習讓我們的內心就緒，好比說每次簡單地觀照呼吸的進出5〜10分鐘，也許，平靜會來敲我們的心門。

Self-transformation through Mindfulness

20 minutes TEDx talk

“Although we do not have any control of what was happened in the past, we have the power in this moment and going forward, to choose how we pay attention to our thoughts and emotions. Every moment then becomes an opportunity for us to change the way we perceive the world and ease the burden....... So, I leave you with the question: what will you fill your mind?”

 雖然我們無法控制過去發生的事情，但我們具有能力於邁進的當下，去選擇我們如何關注自己的思想和情緒。如此一來，每一個當下將成為我們重新認識世界和減輕負擔的轉機.......所以，我給您留下一個問題：你會如何填滿你的思緒？

Cognitive Neuroscientist, Dr. David Vago

After the talk, why not considered to kick off a 5-10 minutes Mindfulness Practice everyday?

聽完演講，何不開始每日5～10分鐘的正念練習？

Starting a meditation practice, by Dr. David Vago

Soil for growth

Find a soil which enrich with the qualities of harmony, joy and purity to help us grow.

找尋一片充滿和合、安樂與清淨的土壤，以助我們的成長。

Openness 開放

Keyword: extraordinary openness
關鍵詞：非凡的開放心情

Open our mind, eyes or ears, we will perhaps find a new gateway.
當我們放開心胸、視野或聆聽的領域，或許會發現新途徑。

Don’t prove but improve!

無須證明，只要進步！

2018 Ring waves 環形水波

Beings are interrelated to make the world worth living, 

even insignificant thoughts can profoundly affect everything around us.

The present you, it is not form by a tiny little cause surrounding you;

and the future you, will also never be decided by the current success or failure.

Therefore, be like a ring wave and do the best of oneself,

affecting the surrounding with all sort of goodwills, then let go.

Indeed, we are growing and improving 

while constantly cultivating our wholesome deeds.

May you be happier, nicer and wiser in 2018.

眾生相互依存著以讓世間更具起價值，

縱使是微不足道的念頭都會深深地影響周遭的一切。

現在的您，非單一人事物因緣而形成；

未來的您，也絕不會因區區一個目前的成敗來決定。

因此，把自己的角色扮演好，如環形水波般，

以或大或小的善因緣影響著周遭的一切，然後放開。

在不斷耕耘的同時，其實，

我們也無間斷地成長與增上。

2018年，願您更快樂、更可親、更具智慧。