The Past Is A Ghost

The Words of Wisdom this week come from a surprising source. They were chosen by Lama Surya Das and spoken by Bill Cosby, of all people.

I was astonished to see his name on an email from Lama Surya Das!

I hope you know by now that Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that we have everything we need to be happy in the present moment. We have everything we need to be in the here and now.

All we have to do is open our eyes and look around us to see this beautiful planet we live on. We can learn to listen to the sounds of the birds, the waves in the ocean, the falling rain, and yes, even the traffic and construction with mindfulness.

Any time we feel disconnected from the “now,” all we have to do is take a mindful breath. Breathing in, we know we are breathing in. Breathing out, we know we are breathing out. Being mindful this way can bring us back to the present moment.

Were you as surprised as me to see Bill Cosby’s name? I was totally pleased and at the same time, I took a breath in wonderment that he would say such a thing. What did you experience? Please share.