From Daily OM:

Quote:
Small Steps To Big Change
Making Big Change Easier
When we decide that it's time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small. Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, whereas sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on, and we are more likely to revert to our old ways. Even if we have gone that route and find ourselves contemplating the choice to start over again, we can decide to take it slowly this time, and move forward.

Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction. But it is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it doesn't actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped. By embarking on the path slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow. We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not. Taking small steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.

Life doesn't always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us. By choosing one thing to work on at a time, we focus our attention on something manageable, and eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit. Forcing change is, in essence, a sign that we do not trust the universe's wisdom. Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe.
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True for me, definitely...

Curiosier and curiosier!

I found an article on Kenko Hoshi in the Spanish Wikipedia, but not in the English one. Guess what, Kenko Hoshi is not his only name!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshida_Kenk%c5%8d

"Hoshi" actually means "monk", or "the one who teaches dharma (the right way)".

Second, there are several versions of the translation of his book's title!
Quote
Although traditionally translated as "Essays in Idleness," a more accurate translation would be "Notes from Leisure Hours" or "Leisure Hour Notes."
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I don't think you'll be bored looking for his book(s)

Also, if you have the chance, try to get a compilation of different old Japanese authors - including Sei-Shonagon. Very Japanese! I am reading it now (the same "follow-the-brush", zuihitsu, style) and enjoying it very much! Getting all sensitive to the colours of the leaves and the shapes of the moonlit clouds
Wishing you the same

I am sorry

I've found this:
http://booksinternationale.pbwiki.com/Kenko+Hoshi

Some things never change, do they...

Quote:
No man shall enter a house that somebody lives in without any reason. But if a house is uninhabited, any stranger would walk in without giving much thought to it, and creatures like foxes and owls would gladly flock in there and make it theirs. And then demons and ugly monsters of the woods will come and live in that house, too.

Another thing, look at a mirror: it has neither colour nor shape of its own. That's why it reflects anything that appears in front of it. Had it its colour and shape it wouldn't be able to reflect anything. Emptiness easily accomodates different objects within . And when various thoughts freely flow into our soul - could it be because we don't have a soul, I wonder? If the soul were a master of its house, we wouldn't have our chests tight with endless worries...
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And now, ladies and gentlemen! A video to go with it!
(I know Mira has already posted it, but this quote and this video click so fine that I'll repeat it...)

Osho: A Spiritually Incorrect Guruhttp://es.youtube.com/watch?v=6D7rWLzloOI

Enjoy!

Kanko Hosee starts with:
"Courtier Tikamoto wrote Self-Laudation Notes consisting of seven points. All of them are about horse-riding art and are in fact nothing special. I decided to follow his example and shall write down seven points of self-praise, too".
Then he goes on about... horse-riding the knowledge of calligraphy and Buddhist sutras, etc. Well, I'll follow his example, too

1. Sometimes I say things off-hand, without thinking, and they turn out to be true. In fact, this is the best way to predict.

2. I told Mira to stop nagging herself for not doing things and to enjoy no-doing, and Mira immediately felt better. Didn't you, Mira?

3. During Amma's program in Barcelona they wanted to make a dance to one of the 2007's hits. I was very busy all day and only managed to get to the rehearsal about 11pm. The girl was teaching since midday and was very, very tired. In the end I decided not to join the dancers because I was afraid to faint, so tired I was. But before I left I went to the instructor and said: "Oh, I just want to give you thanks - you were wonderful". She almost grew up and even lit up, in some sense! That was one more happy person Sometimes so little is needed to brighten somebody's day!

4. I can knit lots of various things and thingies.

5. I have a strange capacity to calm people down just by being around. Call me "a psychic vacuum-cleaner"

6. If I am worried all I need to do is to roll my eyes and say "Om" a few times. Actually I don't even need to roll my eyes. Who can beat THAT?

7. I still remember loads of songs and stories that I learnt ages ago, some of them in the childhood. I even remember songs in French that I learnt in the uni although in terms of speaking French I would be hard-pressed to say what my name is.

In the end, Kanko Hosee says: "Truth be told, any child would easily answer these questions, but our ancestors used to take an opportunity of any trifle to lavish praises upon themselves".

Well, in fact, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable praising myself, too, but... but yeah, why not!

Anyone else wants to praise oneself? But there've got to be seven points (at least), no cheating!

Wonderful! Finally, I got one of my favourites - The Japanese Prose of XI-XIV centuries - here with me (thank you, parents!).

I opened it at random and got this:

"One day Meoon-dzasoo met a physiognomist and asked him this:
- Could it happen that I suffer from a weapon?
- Indeed, - the physiognomist said, - there are signs of it.
- What signs are those?
- A person of your position shouldn't be worried about being wounded. However, you have still thought of it, although only for a moment, and have asked me. This, as such, is already an omen of such danger.

It turned true: he died stricken by an arrow".