Grew up reading this in my childhood home. Thought some of you may appreciate it.

This weekend, a monk, Swami Atmajnanananda is visiting Austin. His name means “one who finds bliss in Self knowledge” Talks are at the following times Friday 7PM Saturday and Sunday 10PM Location: 13508 Broadmeade Ave, Austin Link with more info: https://www.vedantaaustin.org/

“Who could you be in the absence of your concerns?” I came across this quote today and it was one of those powerful shifting questions… Clarity is there, we just need to give it permission to arise. Curious what comes up for you all when you ask this question?

A nun is visiting Austin and giving a spiritual talk on September 15 (Pravarajika Divyanandaprana). She is one of the most famous spiritual speakers online. The organizers are looking for a rough headcount to decide the venue. If you think you may attend, it would be great if you could indicate here: https://forms.gle/bF81VRTtvtFBf4L27

For a couple of weeks, I’ve been drinking tea before meditation. A monk recommended it. He said unlike coffee, tea not only makes us awake, but also has Theanine which calms us down; coffee is for work and tea is for meditation. And practically, there does seem to be a big difference between coffee and tea. And it’s been doing wonders for my practice. The routine also helps. Making tea is a morning ritual. And my brain expects to meditate immediately afterwards. I have a specific spot in my apartment (created by moving my couch to make a little nook), some incense, my meditation cushion and specific clothes All this puts the mind in the mood Now, of course, we meditate to transform how we act in life, not just to keep it on the cushion. So it was recommended that after meditation, I stay in the mood for a little while. Read a book. Stay quiet while doing work etc. It’s been working for me