Universal Mind

Whispers of the infinite

  • Looking For Each Other

    Looking For Each Other

    I have been looking for you, World Honored One,
    since I was a little child.
    With my first breath, I heard your call,
    and began to look for you, Blessed One.
    I’ve walked so many perilous paths,
    confronted so many dangers,
    endured despair, fear, hopes, and memories.
    I’ve trekked to the farthest regions, immense and wild,
    sailed the vast oceans,
    traversed the highest summits, lost among the clouds.
    I’ve lain dead, utterly alone,
    on the sands of ancient deserts.
    I’ve held in my heart so many tears of stone.

    Blessed One, I’ve dreamed of drinking dewdrops
    that sparkle with the light of far-off galaxies.
    I’ve left footprints on celestial mountains
    and screamed from the depths of Avici Hell, exhausted, crazed with despair
    because I was so hungry, so thirsty.
    For millions of lifetimes,
    I’ve longed to see you,
    but didn’t know where to look.
    Yet, I’ve always felt your presence with a mysterious certainty.

    I know that for thousands of lifetimes,
    you and I have been one,
    and the distance between us is only a flash of though.
    Just yesterday while walking alone,
    I saw the old path strewn with Autumn leaves,
    and the brilliant moon, hanging over the gate,
    suddenly appeared like the image of an old friend.
    And all the stars confirmed that you were there!
    All night, the rain of compassion continued to fall,
    while lightning flashed through my window
    and a great storm arose,
    as if Earth and Sky were in battle.
    Finally in me the rain stopped, the clouds parted.
    The moon returned,
    shining peacefully, calming Earth and Sky.
    Looking into the mirror of the moon, suddenly
    I saw myself,
    and I saw you smiling, Blessed One.
    How strange!

    The moon of freedom has returned to me,
    everything I thought I had lost.
    From that moment on,
    and in each moment that followed,
    I saw that nothing had gone.
    There is nothing that should be restored.
    Every flower, every stone, and every leaf recognize me.
    Wherever I turn, I see you smiling
    the smile of no-birth and no-death.
    The smile I received while looking at the mirror of the moon.
    I see you sitting there, solid as Mount Meru,
    calm as my own breath,
    sitting as though no raging fire storm ever occurred,
    sitting in complete peace and freedom.
    At last I have found you, Blessed One,
    and I have found myself.
    There I sit.

    The deep blue sky,
    the snow-capped mountains painted against the horizon,
    and the shining red sun sing with joy.
    You, Blessed One, are my first love.
    The love that is always present, always pure, and freshly new.
    And I shall never need a love that will be called ‘last.’
    You are the source of well-being flowing through numberless troubled lives,
    the water from you spiritual stream always pure, as it was in the beginning.
    You are the source of peace,
    solidity, and inner freedom.
    You are the Buddha, the Tathagata.
    With my one-pointed mind
    I vow to nourish your solidity and freedom in myself
    so I can offer solidity and freedom to countless others,
    now and forever.

    ~ Thich Naht Hahn (From ”Call me by my true names”)

    “Be a bud sitting quietly on the hedge.

    Be a smile, one part of wondrous existence.

    Stand here. There is no need to depart.”

    —Thich Nhat Hanh

    Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) was a Vietnamese Zen master, poet, and peace activist, renowned for his teachings on mindfulness, compassion, and engaged Buddhism. A lifelong advocate for peace, he played a key role in promoting nonviolent action during the Vietnam War and was later exiled for his efforts. His writings distill Buddhist wisdom into simple yet profound insights, making mindfulness accessible to all. Through his poetry and teachings, he invited the world to awaken to the beauty of the present moment and recognize the deep interconnection of all life.

    “Our own life has to be our message.”

    —Thich Nhat Hanh

    World Teacher

    Among his many works, The Miracle of Mindfulness introduces mindfulness as a practice for transforming daily life, while Being Peace offers a gentle yet profound call for peace—both within ourselves and in the world. The World We Have addresses the urgent need for mindful living in the face of global challenges, reminding us of our deep connection to the Earth. The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings provides a clear and accessible guide to core Buddhist principles, illuminating a path of wisdom and compassion. Through his writings, Thich Nhat Hanh continues to inspire seekers toward mindfulness, peace, and awakening.

  • The Five Earth Touchings

    The Five Earth Touchings

    In gratitude, I bow to all generations of ancestors in my blood family.

    I see my mother and father, whose blood, flesh, and vitality are circulating in my own veins and nourishing every cell in me. Through them I see my four grandparents. I carry in me the life, blood, experience, wisdom, happiness, and sorrow of all generations. I open my heart, flesh, and bones to receive the energy of insight, love, and experience transmitted to me by my ancestors. I know that parents always love and support their children and grandchildren, although they are not always able to express it skillfully because of difficulties they encounter. As a continuation of my ancestors, I allow their energy to flow through me, and ask for their support, protection, and strength.

    In gratitude, I bow to all generations of ancestors in my spiritual family.

    I see in myself my teachers, the ones who show me the way of love and understanding, the way to breathe, smile, forgive, and live deeply in the present moment. I see the Buddha or Christ or the patriarchs and matriarchs as my teachers, and also as my spiritual ancestors. […] I open my heart and my body to receive the energy of understanding, loving kindness, and protection from the Awakend Ones, their teachings, and the community of practice of many generations. I vow to practice to transform the suffering in myself and the world, and to transmit their energy to future generations of practitioners. My spiritual ancestors may have had their own difficulties and not always been able to transmit the teachings, but I accept them as they are.

    In gratitude, I bow to this land and all of the ancestors who made it available.

    I see that I am whole, protected, and nourished by this land and all the living beings that have been here and made life worthwhile and possible for me through all of their efforts. I see Chief Seattle, Thomas Jefferson, Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez,Martin Luther King, Jr., and all the others known and unknown. I see those who have worked hard to build schools, hospitals, bridges, and roads, to protect human rights, to develop science and technology, and to fight for freedom and social justice. I see myself touching my ancestors of Native American origin who have lived on this land for such a long time and know the ways to live in peace and harmony with nature, protecting the mountains, forests, animals, vegetation, and minerals of this land. I feel the energy of this land penetrating my body and soul, supporting and accepting me. I vow to cultivate and maintain this energy and transmit it to future generations. I vow to contribute my part in transforming the violence, hatred, and delusion that still lie deep in the consciousness of this society so that future generations will have more safety, joy, and peace. I ask this land for its protection and support.

    In gratitude and compassion, I bow down and transmit my energy to those I love.

    All the energy I have received I now want to transmit to my father, my mother, everyone I love, and all who have suffered and worried because of me and for my sake. I know I have not been mindful enough in my daily life. I also know that those who love me have had their own difficulties. They have suffered because they were not lucky enough to have an environment that encouraged their full development. […] I want all of them to be healthy and joyful. I pray that all ancestors in my blood and spiritual families will focus their energies toward each of them, to protect and support them. I am one with those I love.

    In understanding and compassion, I bow down to reconcile myself with all those who have made me suffer.

    I open my heart and send forth my energy of love and understanding to everyone who has made me suffer, to those who have destroyed much of my life and the lives of those I love. I know now that these people have themselves undergone a lot of suffering and that their hearts are overloaded with pain, anger, and hatred. […] I pray that they can be transformed to experience the joy of living, so that they will not continue to make themselves and others suffer. I see their suffering and do not want to hold any feelings of hatred or anger in myself toward them. I do not want them to suffer. I channel my energy of love and understanding to them and ask all my ancestors to help them.

    Excerpted from https://plumvillage.org/key-practice-texts/the-five-earth-touchings

  • Twin Verses

    Twin Verses

    5 For hatred can never put an end to hatred;
    love alone can. This is an unalterable law.

    6 People forget that their lives will end soon. For
    those who remember, quarrels come to an end.

    17 Those who are selfish suffer in this life and in the
    next. They suffer seeing the results of the evil they have
    done, and more suffering awaits them in the next life.

    18 But those who are selfless rejoice in this life and in
    the next. They rejoice seeing the good that they have
    done, and more joy awaits them in the next life.

    The Dhammapada, translated by Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press)

    The Dhammapada is one of the most revered Buddhist scriptures, consisting of 423 verses that distill the Buddha’s teachings on wisdom, ethics, and the path to liberation. Part of the Pali Canon, it is structured as a collection of short yet profound verses that emphasize mindfulness, right action, and the impermanence of life.

    It is one of the most widely read texts of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition and well suited as a beginners introduction to Buddha’s teachings. Often poetic and direct, the text serves as a practical guide for cultivating inner peace and awakening. Its timeless wisdom continues to inspire seekers across traditions, offering insights into the nature of suffering and the way to transcend it.

    When people used to complain to the Buddha that they were upset, telling him, “Our children upset us; our partner agitates us,” his simple reply would be,

    “You are not upset because of your children or your partner;
    you are upset because you are upsettable.”

    – Eknath Easwaran

  • Let nothing trouble you

    Let nothing trouble you

    Let nothing trouble you.

    Let nothing scare you.

    All is fleeting.

    God alone is unchanging.

    Patience

    Everything obtains.

    Who possesses God

    Nothing wants.

    God alone suffices.

    From The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume Three translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez.

    Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) was a Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, and reformer, known for her deep spiritual writings and visionary experiences. She played a key role in reforming the Carmelite order, emphasizing a return to simplicity, prayer, and contemplation. Her most famous works include The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, where she describes the soul’s journey toward divine union. A master of Christian mysticism, she wrote about deep states of prayer and the transformation of the soul through love. She was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic church in 1622 for her profound spiritual insights.

    “The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.”

    Works of St. Teresa of Ávila

    In 1566 she wrote Camino de perfeccion (Way of perfection), to tell the nuns how to reach their goal.

    In 1580 she wrote what is considered her greatest work; the Castillo interior/ Las moradas (Interior castle/ The mansions) this involved describing the various stages of spiritual evolution leading to full prayer.

    Between 1573-82 she wrote Las Fundaciones (Foundations), so they would remember the early history of their order.

  • Only Breath

    Only Breath

    Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu,
    Buddhist, sufi or zen. Not any religion

    or cultural system. I am not from the East
    or the West, not out of the ocean or up

    from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not
    composed of elements at all. I do not exist,

    am not an entity in this world or the next,
    did not descend from Adam and Eve or any

    origin story. My place is placeless, a trace
    of the traceless. Neither body or soul.

    I belong to the beloved, have seen the two
    worlds as one and that one call to and know,

    first, last, outer, inner, only that
    breath breathing human being.

    ~

    There is a way between voice and presence
    where information flows.

    In disciplined silence it opens.
    With wandering talk it closes.

    Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273) was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic originally from Balkh (in present-day Afghanistan).