Panda Heart Publishing's Official Blog

“There is a point..
~ for each of us ~
when we awaken.

Not from a nights sleep..
but from life’s sleep.

We become completely aware
that what ~ we are doing ~ with our life
is more than ~ what we acquire ~ in our life.

We realize.. there is an inner compass that
is seeking to guide us to a place..
where life is more ~ what we give ~
than ~ what we receive. ~

There.. in that constant sunrise..
is where I want to be.. always.”

~ C.Nordyke

My 25 year old grandson recently died suddenly in an auto accident.   In my grieving process, I have had many soul searching moments.  I realized that I have often taken life for granted.  You are not supposed to lose a child, let alone a grandchild.  I thought he would certainly outlive me.

This experience has awakened me from life’s slumber to the precious moments occurring right now that can slip by so quickly.  It really is about where I place my priorities and my time.  I can so easily get caught up in the “business” of life that I can forget what is truly important and how to actually live my life.

I could spend more time with my family and experience the love we all share with each other, share the gifts of my heart with others, take a moment and compliment someone, or share a smile.  There are countless ways I could experience the beauty in life and bring that energy into my body and soul.

If I am caught up in a hectic day, I could take a moment after work to enjoy a sunset or the beauty of nature, and more importantly, when I come home, enjoy the richness of my family.  Many of us can become so “busy” that we no longer even have the time to enjoy our meals together at the table, sharing and talking about our day.

Does it have to take a tragedy to trigger this awakening or can we  take the time to reflect on the meaning of our lives, while we still have those we love around us?  Let us take a moment as we take into our hearts the truth from this quote,    “We realize.. there is an inner compass that is seeking to guide us to a place.. where life is more ~ what we give ~ than ~ what we receive.” ~ And the greatest gift of all is the gift of love.

This video is a call from our children to all of us.  It is time for us to shift our communication balance from the judgements and name calling that seem to be occurring every where to the compassionate communication that comes from our hearts.  It is especially prevalent in our current political climate where we tend to take on a position and cannot seem to allow any opposing view to enter.

I know that when we place our hearts in the center of our lives, everything automatically shifts.  The values of our hearts are allowed to surface and we eventually find our humanity.  When we see these kind of videos or hear about the significant amount of bullying that is occurring today with such tragic consequences, it can be a wake-up call for us, and we can become the examples in demonstrating  true compassionate communication.

“When the heart speaks, bullying cannot occur.”

“Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.”     ~ Belva Davis

What is your dream?  Do you have a dream?  This song brings out the passion and the fire in our souls and awakens the dreamer within us.  Having a dream gives us a reason to live and can give us boundless energy and a zest for life.  It isn’t even always about the end result but the powerful process by which we live our lives as we strive for our dreams.

Let this be the year that we just go for it.  In the words of Belva Davis, “If you can dream it, you can make it so.”  What is your dream?

A Blessing
By John O’Donahue

May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.
May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path.
May the flame of anger free you from falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame
And may anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
May you be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.

My Christmas/Holiday wish for everyone:

Every time when two people forgive each other – it is Christmas.
Every time you show understanding for your children – it is Christmas.
Every time you help someone – it is Christmas.
Every time someone decides to lead an honest life – it is Christmas.
Every time a child is born – it is Christmas.
Every time you attempt to give new meaning to your life – it is Christmas.
Every time two people love each other with deep and honest love – it is Christmas.
Every time you look at one another with the eyes of your heart and a smile on your lips – then, yes, then it is Christmas. ~ Anon.

I was recently told of an African tribe that does the most beautiful thing.

When someone does something hurtful and wrong, they take the person to the center of town, and the entire tribe comes and surrounds him. For two days they’ll tell the man every good thing he has ever done.

The tribe believes that every human being comes into the world as Good, each of us desiring safety, love, peace, happiness.

But sometimes in the pursuit of those things people make mistakes. The community sees misdeeds as a cry for help.

They band together for the sake of their fellow man to hold him up, to reconnect him with his true Nature, to remind him who he really is, until he fully remembers the truth from which he’d temporarily been disconnected: “I AM GOOD”.

Posted at Dharma Comics by Leah Pearlman, founder of The Happiness Institute.

This is an amazing song that comes straight from the heart.

A friend shared this story through a group site.  I thought it had a very profound message and I wanted to share it with you.

The emperor moth is the most majestic species among all the moths. It has wide wings spanning out majestically when it flies. Before it can become a full grown moth, it has to be a pupa in a cocoon. Now, the interesting fact about the moth’s cocoon is that the neck of the cocoon is very narrow.

In order that it become a moth, the pupa of the moth must squeeze its way out of the narrow neck.

You see, the struggles of life, heartaches and pains are necessary if you want to be great. Instead of cursing them, understand them while you are experiencing them. They are part of the making of a person.

We all have so much to contribute to the world.  Are we spreading our “Yin Spirit”?  “Yin Spirit” means sharing the gifts of our humanity with the world.  It is about letting our lights shine in the darkness.

We were all born with a purposes and we will discover this purpose when we listen to our hearts and find our true passion for life.  What are our gifts?  How are we sharing them with others?  What makes our hearts sing?   Let us re-discover who we are and bring this amazing person to the world.

This video was sent to me several times and I love the message.  This wonderful man, who is shining forth from his heart has truly found his passion for life and is sharing his gifts with the world.  He is an incredible inspiration for us all.

This is an astonishing film and series of experiments that demonstrate our children’s potential learning patterns.  These kinds of experiments can lead the way to a brand new era in educating our youth.   This is truly an exciting time to be alive.  There is so much to celebrate in life.