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We’re not called to discern between wholesome and unwholesome actions, between ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ Choosing the good, the wholesome, is not a question of discernment; it’s a question of ethics.   We discern between two or more wholesome options —choosing that which results in the highest benefit for the greatest number.  - Tashi Nyima
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Having a philosophy of life is not  complex.  There are only two approaches.  The first one exhibits confidence and comfort and is found in those who say: My life is great.  Wonderful things generally come way. I am a very fortunate person.  The second one leans toward the negative and skeptical and shows up in the person who says:  I never have any luck.  Good things always seem to happen to others.  People are only looking out for themselves.   Thus, your philosophy of life comes down to your choice.  If you see things positively, then that is magnified.  When you view things negatively, then that is expanded.  Your choice!  -  Victor M. Parachin
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These days, we are always ‘connected,’ but we continue to feel lonely. We check incoming e-mail and social media sites multiple times a day. We e-mail or post one message after another. We want to share; we want to receive. We busy ourselves all day long in an effort to connect. What are we so afraid of? We may feel an inner void, a sense of isolation, of sorrow, of restlessness. We may feel desolate and unloved. We may feel that we lack something important. Some of these feelings are very old and have been with us always, underneath all our doing and our thinking. Having plenty of stimuli makes it easy for us to distract ourselves from what we’re feeling. But when there is silence, all these things present themselves clearly. 
​ - Thich Nhat Hanh
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We need to be willing to go through ups and downs without getting disheartened. When doubt arises, try to recognize it as doubt, and realize that it is a constantly changing state. - Sharon Salzberg
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When you wake up and you see that the Earth is not just the environment, the Earth is us, you touch the nature of interbeing. And at that moment you can have real communication with the Earth. . . . We have to wake up together. And if we wake up together, then we have a chance. Our way of living our life and planning our future has led us into this situation. And now we need to look deeply to find a way out, not only as individuals, but as a collective, a species. -  Thich Nhat Hanh
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Flushing your sinus cavity twice daily with a mild saline solution can significantly reduce a COVID patient's risk of hospitalization and death, researchers report.

"We found an 8.5-fold reduction in hospitalizations and no fatalities compared to our controls," said senior author Dr. Richard Schwartz. He's chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

"Both of those are pretty significant endpoints," Schwartz said in a college news release.

After doing nasal flushing only 1.3% of the participants needed hospitalization and none died, compared with about 11% of people from a matched control group who either landed in the hospital or died.

"The reduction from 11% to 1.3% as of November 2021 would have corresponded in absolute terms to over 1 million fewer older Americans requiring admission," the researchers concluded. If the findings are confirmed in other studies, the potential reduction in illness and death worldwide could be profound, they said.

The researchers believe that the salt water (saline) inhibits the COVID virus' ability to infect cells in the nasal cavity, mouth and lungs.

   source: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/ 
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The fact that we have Buddha nature also means that there is a valid basis for self-confidence.   - Thubten Chodron
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It is estimated that nearly 80% of all people will experience serious back pain at some point in their lives.  Furthermore, worldwide back  pain is pain is the single leading cause of disability, preventing many people from engaging in work as well as other everyday activities.  Here are seven of the most common causes of back pain followed by one piece of common sense advice.

1. Emotional and mental stress.  Our bodies tighten and stiffen when stress is present.
2.  Sitting.  The reality is that sitting puts more pressure on spinal column than standing or lying down.
3.  Improper lifting and carrying.  Although life calls on us to lift and put objects down, too many people are careless about these movements eventually resulting in back pain.
5.  Poor posture.  Simply slouching results in back pain because it puts undue pressure upon the shoulders, neck and back.
6.  Weak abdominal muscles.  When this is present (and it is for the majority of people) the back has to compensate and over work.
7.  Injury.  Car accidents, falls, sprains, strains, and fractures are cause back pain.

The common sense solution is to find a physical activity which brings healing and health to your back.  Interestingly, there is a growing body of professional medical literature that yoga is a highly effective physical activity for back pain relief.  In fact, researchers say that yoga is as effective as standard physical therapy for treating moderate to severe chronic low back pain.
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As we travel the journey of life, we are bound to encounter darkness and many unexpected difficulties. However, darkness is not eternal and difficulties are sure to be overcome in the end.  - Yin Shun
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Meditation can be something we think we should do, like we should exercise, take our vitamins, or do yoga. It can be a self-improvement project, or worse—it could be a grim duty. But in fact, meditation is an invitation to well-being and to a kind of inner joy and peace. - Jack Kornfield

Victor M. Parachin ... 

a Vedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Sadly, Victor passed away in August 2025, but his blog continues. Janet Parachin, his partner of 45 years, shares quotes from his books and articles each week. 

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